Anyone have experience with B&W subs?

[Deeko]

Over the last year or two I've slowly been upgrading the components of my home theater system. Here is how it stands now:

TV: Panasonic 65ST60
Front: Infinity IL40
Center: B&W CMCentre
Rear: B&W 686
Sub: A 12" polk (can't recall the model number)

Next on my list to upgrade is the sub. Since my other new speakers have been B&W and I've been happy with those, I'm debating if I should go with the B&W ASW10CM or not. I'm sure it's a good speaker - but since the primary purpose of this system is home theater, I'm not sure if I'd be better going with a different brand, in a 12" or 15".

Thoughts? Anyone have that sub and can verify if it hits deep enough for movies? Or maybe have something in the same price range from another brand?

 

[MustISO]

In that price range I would suggest also looking at Velodyne, HSU and SVS. I would also check on AVSForum. HT Magazine has done comparisons with subs in various price ranges and lists their use (HT, Music) as part of the review.

 

[Deeko]

Yea I was reading some avsforum, they raved about svs...I do find it somewhat unsettling that I can't hear it anywhere though...

 

[MongGrel]

AVS is always a good idea.

I still use two old Kenwood trip 7's these days on a seperate amp off a y splitter for mine.

Not practical for most people but I've had them a long time for other things.

 

[MustISO]

Yea I was reading some avsforum, they raved about svs...I do find it somewhat unsettling that I can't hear it anywhere though...

Try any SVS product in your home with the confidence that it will sound & look great with 45 day no question returns, free shipping to you and back.

 

[JackBurton]

The only B&W subwoofers I'd consider are the PV1D or DB1. Both perform very well from a musical standpoint, and do really well in a HT application, however you could get a better bang for buck depending what you find more important. Rel also makes some fantastic musical subs, along with JL Audio.

For some well priced subs that give you a great bang for your buck for HT, check out SVS, Rythmik, Funk Audio (The FA 18.0 is just ridiculous). You then have the other much larger HT subs from Seaton and JTR.

There are a lot of options out there, and in the end there will be quite a few other factors to consider outside of a spec sheet. How big of a sub do you want in your room (cabinet size)? Do you care about the finish? Is the appearance important to you? Is it more geared for music, HT or both? And obviously, your budget.

 

[Anubis]

whats the B&W sell for? and do you have any size requirements or wife issues with cosmetics?

Good suggestions so far, SVS, Rhythmic, HSU. PSA is very popular now as well started by ex SVS guys, Ive heard a few and they sound really good,

 

[Deeko]

whats the B&W sell for? and do you have any size requirements or wife issues with cosmetics?

Good suggestions so far, SVS, Rhythmic, HSU. PSA is very popular now as well started by ex SVS guys, Ive heard a few and they sound really good,

The B&W is $1500. Same price range as the SVS PB13-Ultra. No size constraints, wife doesn't really care. The system is in my basement, it's 22x16x7.5, not a small room but low ceilings.

 

[fastman]

Try any SVS product in your home with the confidence that it will sound & look great with 45 day no question returns, free shipping to you and back.

They have great customer service and product, also the above is true.

 

[Deeko]

The 45 day trial is definitely nice - and needed for the internet direct companies. Still a bit of a hassle since you have to lug a gigantic, 125 lb box around, but at least they're paying for it.

still not sure. I also get 45 days to return to Best Buy with no fee. Could always get one of each and compare them side by side....

 

[Anubis]

yea you could. with an upper budget of 2k and no WAF something like the JTR Captivator is worth looking as as well. Passive version can be had for ~1300 and you can power it with a 3-400$ amp.

Amped version costs ~2200

2 of the PSA 15s would be hard to beat as well

 

[gar655]

Comparing a PB13 Ultra to that B&W sub would be like having a 1000 lb grizzly fight a poodle.

Another sub in the price range ($1500 ish) is the Rythmik FV15HP.

I would look into getting a pair of subs though. It really does help even out the bass.

A pair of SVS PB2000s, PSA XV15se, HSU VTF3-Mk 4 would be around $1500. Any pair would be a good choice.

 

[razel]

A 12" sub is decent. I would instead tweak it's placement, otherwise you could be wasting money.

I have a 15". There is no ideal or even good place for it in my room unless I move my viewing area. I ended up getting a 10" under couch sub that was 1/5 the price and output an 1/8th the power. I couldn't be happier!

 

[gus6464]

Why do you have such a mish mash of speakers? Infinity with B&W CM?

 

[Deeko]

Why do you have such a mish mash of speakers? Infinity with B&W CM?

I worked at Circuit City in high school. I got a decent system (for an 18 year old) at very good discounts. That system was Infinity based, because that's what they sold... Infinity and Polk...IL40s, IL25 center, and I borrowed my parent's old Bose 301s for rears. It did its job throughout college, except for the IL25, who fell off the TV and broke. Infinity wasn't making those speakers anymore, and there wasn't a Circuit City nearby, so I bought a comparable Polk... it went with the Polk subwoofer I had.

Now that I'm less poor, I'm gradually replacing the parts with better / more matching components. Replaced the rears, then the center (yea, yea, I should have gotten CM1s if I was going to get the CMC, whatever, it's close enough).

The IL40s are the last remaining component of the old system (after the sub gets swapped out). Frankly, they're still decent speakers, and don't sound too terrible with the B&Ws, so I'll get around to it when I've got enough saved up for something worthwhile.

Anyway, the fact that I'm trying to make the new system at least somewhat match (unlike the old one) is why I'm considering B&W subwoofers here.

 

[gus6464]

I would fix the front mismatch before worrying about another sub but that's just me. Also sub does not need to match but the fronts should.

 

[vi edit]

Anyway, the fact that I'm trying to make the new system at least somewhat match (unlike the old one) is why I'm considering B&W subwoofers here.

Sub is the least important speaker to match in any system. The only matching you do with it is the right size/output for your room. Otherwise brand is really irrelevant.

I hadn't heard of the "PSA" brand mentioned before. But in reading things they look to be quite the value. Epik used to be a good, value oriented and high performing brand but they are out of business. PSA appears to have stepped into that role. Those 15" sealed subs for $800 look to be winners.

 

[Dr. Detroit]

An older review but still very relevant - http://www.avsforum.com/t/1313176/s...h-vs-cht-cs18-1-vs-rythmik-fv15-vs-ed-a7s-450

I came into this thread to recommend the Rythmik

 

[Deeko]

I would fix the front mismatch before worrying about another sub but that's just me. Also sub does not need to match but the fronts should.

Well, the system as a whole has been so mismatched for so long, it doesn't bother me that much. The quality mismatch bothers me more; regardless of how well the fronts match, they're at least solid speakers, whereas my sub is a grumbly mess.

 

[tinytim43]

Have you considered the B&W ASW610XP (xp=extra power) - very good HT sub for the money.

 

[Deeko]

Yea, the 610XP would save some money over the 10CM, but it still gives me pause in that I'm concerned about spending that kind of money for a sub aimed at HT that's only 10".

Do you have one?

 

[giantpandaman2]

For HT the SVS PC series is one of the best values. They get really low, have a small footprint, and a great price. The SVS PB's are monsters, both in size and in SPL.

I'm more of a SB person myself. (Listen to music a lot.)

 

[gus6464]

Why are there even B&W subs in consideration when OP can get 2 Reaction Audio BPS 212 for $900?

http://reaction-audio.myshopify.com/collections/frontpage/products/bps-212-turbo-powered-subwoofer

Hell I can think of 10 subs that are less than $1000 that will be 10x better than any of the B&W subs listed above.

 

[Deeko]

10x better? That sounds like a pretty ridiculous claim that should be quantified.

I don't want dual subs. I've never heard of Reaction. Do you have experience with a single sub solution from Reaction that would be better suited?

 

[gus6464]

10x better? That sounds like a pretty ridiculous claim that should be quantified.

I don't want dual subs. I've never heard of Reaction. Do you have experience with a single sub solution from Reaction that would be better suited?

http://www.audioholics.com/subwoofer-reviews/asw-610xp/asw-610xp-measurements

That frequency response for $1200? Complete joke.

This is an SVS SB-1000 at less than half the price.

If you can DIY as in the sense of gluing pieces of wood together a Martycube flatpack from chalugadp on AVS and an Ultimax 18 will get you ~116db @20Hz without breaking a sweat or your bank account.
http://www.avsforum.com/t/1529375/martysub-flatpacks-veneer-speaker-stands

~$900 built would get you something along the red line on that graph with an inuke 3000.