Which cheap sub?

 

Silver Member
Username: James_the_god

Doncaster, South Yorkshire England

Post Number: 294
Registered: Jan-05
Got some wharfedale diamond 8.1s and Im about to buy a nad c320bee or ca 540a amp. Im pretty sure I'll be missing my current subwoofer as cheap as it is (the diamonds are running off it). I actually like less bass from the diamonds because the midrange and highs are more airy. So looking on hifibitz:
http://www.hifibitz.co.uk/advsearchresults.asp

The two cheapest subwoofer are the pioneer s-w90s and the yamaha yst-sw005. Anyone lean towards any of them?
As a second question, does anyone know how to connect an active subwoofer to an integrated amp?

Thanks for any help
 

Gold Member
Username: Petergalbraith

Rimouski, Quebec Canada

Post Number: 1666
Registered: Feb-04
Why do you want to combine such a cheap sub to a system of higher quality? Why not a mid-Hi sub from a better manufacturer such as Mission.
 

Silver Member
Username: James_the_god

Doncaster, South Yorkshire England

Post Number: 295
Registered: Jan-05
Money. Cant afford everything as a student.
 

Gold Member
Username: Petergalbraith

Rimouski, Quebec Canada

Post Number: 1667
Registered: Feb-04
Okay then, I'll submit that you might degrade your music using such a cheap sub and you'd be better off not spending the money.

It might make sense for movies hooked-up to a 5.1 receiver, but not really for music hooked-up to a c320bee.
 

Silver Member
Username: James_the_god

Doncaster, South Yorkshire England

Post Number: 296
Registered: Jan-05
Why would music be degraded? Because the diamonds would be running off the sub?
Nah I have no space or need for a home theatre system, I suppose I'll go with the c320bee due to its good strong bass and I actually may not need a subwoofer. However if i went for the ca then how about if i stretched and went for a wharfedale powercube 8a subwoofer?
 

Gold Member
Username: Petergalbraith

Rimouski, Quebec Canada

Post Number: 1668
Registered: Feb-04
Degraded by the muddy bass of the sub.
 

Silver Member
Username: James_the_god

Doncaster, South Yorkshire England

Post Number: 297
Registered: Jan-05
I suppose Ive never heard a high quality subwoofer so I wouldnt be able to comment on that. However I do know the subwoofer Im currently using is a pile of crap because its boomy and muddy sounding. I actually like the lazy nature of it, so I suppose I'd like a laid back subwoofer..
But none the less its still made of plastic and isnt that accurate.
 

Gold Member
Username: Petergalbraith

Rimouski, Quebec Canada

Post Number: 1669
Registered: Feb-04
Then... get the powercube, or try to audition sometime a bit better still.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Bvg

Arvada, CO

Post Number: 45
Registered: May-06
While the folks above have a point regarding matching the quality of your sub to the quality of your other system components, try a JBL Northridge E250p. Discontinued, being blown out at near $200, plus shipping. If you want something a little more agile, try the E150p for $50 less.

JBL Northridge is not well appreciated on this board, but other owners report being quite pleased. It's not nearly as muddy as some would have you believe, if you set it up properly.

Quick spec's: FR = 25-150Hz (+/- 3db), 12" forward firing Polyplas cone, 250w RMS digital amp, ported on the bottom to reduce chuffing, by-passable internal crossover 50-150Hz, phase switch, 2yr warranty.

The E150p is the same, just smaller. 10" cone, 150w RMS digital amp, FR 27-150Hz.

Good luck.
 

Silver Member
Username: James_the_god

Doncaster, South Yorkshire England

Post Number: 298
Registered: Jan-05
That sounds like a very good option. Quite a bit of power too..since they're discontinued any idea where you'd find the e150p? Checked ebay and nothing on there!
 

Bronze Member
Username: Bvg

Arvada, CO

Post Number: 48
Registered: May-06
I tried the usual price grapper, etc. BB has a few store demos left too.
 

Silver Member
Username: Usa2k4

Post Number: 195
Registered: Dec-04
The 150p is NOT a good sub. While the 250p is around $250 shipped, it is a much better one. Or you can try the 12" Dayton at partsexpress.com:

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Partnumber=300-635

It's being on sale for $138.88 plus about $25 shipping charge.
 

Silver Member
Username: Usa2k4

Post Number: 196
Registered: Dec-04
I forgot to say, in case you want to buy the JBL 150p, check J&R website. I know they have it for $164 shipped:

http://www.jr.com/JRProductPage.process?Product=3951966
 

Gold Member
Username: Edster922

Abubala, Ababala The Occupation

Post Number: 4362
Registered: Mar-05
I can confirm that the JBL e150 is a total POS...I used to own one, and kept kicking myself for buying it from day one. Also got greedy when I saw how cheap they were going for on eBay compared to Best Buy.

DON'T DO IT!!!

The e250 is supposed to be significantly better, but I would only buy it from some place local with a good return policy.
 

Silver Member
Username: James_the_god

Doncaster, South Yorkshire England

Post Number: 299
Registered: Jan-05
Lots of negative feedback to that jbl i see. No wonder its discontinued. I'll consider that Dayton but remember I do live in the UK so shipping would likely be more! Theres a wharfedale powercube 8a selling for £115 which is my kind of price. Frequency response only goes to 40hz :S. What I dont understand is how the cheaper subwoofers like the ones I mentioned at the beginning of this post actually have a lower frequency response, unless the companies are not mentioning the fact there'd be a signal drop at a certain frequency..
 

Bronze Member
Username: Bvg

Arvada, CO

Post Number: 49
Registered: May-06
There's no substitute for listening, especially with regard to a sub. We did not demo the 150p.

We did demo the 250p both in the store (not as useful, because the room makes such a huge difference) and at home. It is what it is.

I'm not sure I'd recommend it paired with lesser bookshelves or microsats that cannot reach into the mid bass range, but if you restrict it to the low bass range and set it up properly, it is well-behaved and a good value. We're also not asking it to fill a cathedral-sized room.
 

Silver Member
Username: Usa2k4

Post Number: 197
Registered: Dec-04
My bad, J., I didn't notice you're in the UK. :-)

See if you can get the Athena AS-P4000. This is an excellent but cheap 10" sub. It often goes on sale for about $150 shipped. This is what I'm talking about:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009WRUZ2
 

Bronze Member
Username: Bvg

Arvada, CO

Post Number: 51
Registered: May-06
I noticed that the reviews by people using the E250p for HT are extremely positive, those from people using it for music are more mixed.

There are a total of 20-some owner reviews that I've found on various review sites. The overwhelming consensus is that the E250p is a great value.

I expected it to be much muddier than it is with our setup. It is no better or worse than the other subs we've auditioned in the <$400 range.

We've listened to Mirage, Paradigm, Velodyne, an older B+W, and an older Hsu. They each had strengths and weaknesses.

YMMV. Good luck.
 

Silver Member
Username: James_the_god

Doncaster, South Yorkshire England

Post Number: 300
Registered: Jan-05
Familiar with Paradigm and Mirage, not heard anything at all from B&W although I would love to. The E250p although it may be a fitting sub is out of my budget really. I'll check out that Athena, I've sent an e-mail to the distributor in the UK to ask for prices. It's 100watts rms so that'll be pleeenty! Ive heard many a good thing about Athena too.
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