Big Subwoofer vs Small Subwoofer: Comparison
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- Опубликовано: 11 сен 2024
- Watch large vs small subwoofers, revisited in 2022: • Huge vs. Tiny Subwoofe...
Integrating a subwoofer into your home theater or stereo provides big sound and an immersive experience, but choosing the right size is not easy. They’re not exactly a one-size-fits-all proposition, and they’re also a little confusing to shop for if you don’t know where and how to look.
Martin Logan Dynamo 800x available here: bit.ly/2tS9y5o
If you’re Michael Bay, you probably want something big powerful, but if you’re just trying to reduce stress on your prized pair of speakers, maybe a small 8-inch subwoofer will work.
Here is you guide for choosing the right size subwoofer for your home theater.
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And surprisingly, two subwoofers that can each only go down to a certain level of low end responsiveness can actually go deeper when used together. So one sub that can practically only go down to 40Hz can produce good frequency response down to 35Hz, or maybe even lower, when paired with another subwoofer, even an identical one that is supposed to go down to only 40Hz, because the combined surface area is able to move enough air to effectively create the pressure required for our ears to detect lower frequencies than either one could by itself.
im converting my house into a sub-enclosure now, thanks
I know the answer, but still wanted to see a video about subwoofers
PLEASE TELL ME WHICH IS BETTER!!!!!! PLEASE
@@nameersadik2123 big is better but small is more affordable unless you can get a good deal on a big one
@@dunderh3ad oh, well thanks
Nameer Sadik bigger is better it hits lower cause it has more of a surface area and most likely has a bigger Xmas= excursion Same things but you have have sensitivity to look into like a 8” and have a higher sensitivity then a 18” so that 8” is gonna be louder but can probably only hit 40hz vs that more quiet 18 that can hit 20hz or less depending on the box me personally I love lower notes cause it makes the sub move and it really shows what subs are made for they hit the notes that tweeters and woofers can’t hit but sub doesn’t mean everything box is almost the most important thing cause tuning I can buy a $70 sub and make it sound like a $2k system just depends what you got time for and what you wanna spend you got time to do research and build a box go ahead more power to you
@@hbn_666 thanks for the very very detailed answer. I definitely didn't know that smaller subs had higher frequencies. In the future I hope to make my own speaker setup 🙂
Congrats for a much more accurate presentation than most on this subject. I would add that physics dictate that---all else (including maximum cone excursion) being equal---a larger driver always has lower distortion and higher maximum output level. A small sub can easily be designed to go as deep as a large sub, but not as loudly or as efficiently; and low efficiency means a bigger amp, more waste heat buildup and potential damage. Room size should be the main consideration in sizing a sub. A large room will suck up low bass and leave a small sub overdriven and gasping.
Subject of the video is pretty interesting but I found the video to bee too brief, I think a lot more is to be said on the sound differences according to size.
I clicked sorta expecting the typical myths to be spewed, such as bigger drivers are slow and smaller drivers are more tight and accurate. Pleasantly surprised that this was generally accurate and probably helpful to most people. I’d still take the extra Vd of the 15” sub over two 8s, but spreading the bass in the room is very valuable so good point. Great vid, thanks.
Impulse Audio How is that a myth?
You can’t defy the laws of physics, it’s true that some subs today offer bigger drivers and are a little bit better in this regard but even the top of the line SVS PB16 Ultra isn’t as accurate as the 13
Jeremy Clarkson accuracy isn’t the same as slow or tight. Accuracy is just what it is, accuracy. In my experience bigger drivers are MORE accurate below 80hz. This is the physics. Small drivers can’t reproduce these frequencies nearly as well, they add distortion (that might sound like tightness), they can’t dig as deep (never heard or measured an 8” sub that can dig below 25hz with any appropriate SPL to match decent mains), etc. They are not “fast”. That’s not a thing. 80hz is 80hz on a 8” or 18” woofer. The cone moves back and forth 80 times in one second. If the bigger SVS is less accurate there is something else going on. If this is a judgment by your ears, I’m skeptics that room placement or some other influence formed your opinion. If it’s based on measurement data, then SVS screwed up. Bigger subs are generally more accurate than smaller ones, it’s physics pure and simple.
Jolted Cosmos I doubt they’ve bent the rules of physics. I’m not sure how a small sub is usually better than a big sub in a small room. It usually makes more sense in a small room, and the extra Vd from a bigger sub might be wasted in a small room, but not sure how what you’re saying is true. Same room, same location, same output, just a different size driver (below 80hz), give me the big one. Every time.
@@Iridiumcosmos Velodyne is easilly beaten these days. Even the once mighty dd18+ is destroyed by the bigger competition. Yes there are measurements to prove this, databass have tested the velo along with (A LOT) of better subs
Jolted Cosmos I was gonna say this no longer sounds like a tight vs loose bass discussion until I read your PS. Yes we agree, I think :)
Good advice. I have an old REL Q400e that still packs a punch. My neighbours love it too. They even bricked my window so they could hear it aswell as the vibrations.. Evidence they have a good taste in subwoofers.
lol
Also you can use subwoofer as a chair :D
Vitalijus Sivakovas - Sit on one, eat dinner off the other!
WAF, that thing ain't flying. Call it whatever you want. ;-)
Done that like 193972662 times
@@GG-ex5bk :D
@@michaelwright1602 a vibrator.
I say no matter what sub you pick.... get two.
I have 8
Carew Martin well get 2 or more in intervals of 2. I have 3 and the cancellation doesn’t work in any configuration. So now I use the extra for the computer .
Two sundown nightshade v4 18"?
I agree with that for the reasons he stated and also two will won't have to work as hard as one when one likes to crank up the volume.
@@GG-ex5bk 2 of them aren't hooked up right now so I only have 6 running but yeah I basically collect 2.1 computer speaker systems which is the only reason I can even fit all of them in my place is because most of the subs are small
I prefer sealed subs. Probably because I listen to a lot of music on my system. Your explanation is clear and concise.
Size of a speaker does not dictate the low frequency extension. It’s a little more complicated than that.
Justin Gillette Correct.
Altho, a smaller driver is usually paired with a small enclosure.
Gotta love the faces of people when you show them what a 4 inch can do in a TLine
SuperTRev the size of a radiating cone transducer or speaker has some effect on the t/s parameters of the driver that constitute the operating frequency range however it is way more complex than that. Look up any professional audio equipment and you will find mid range drivers as large as 18” dia and yet they are not suited to reproduce below 120hz and conversely there as small as 2” drivers that can not play over 120hz it all depends on the soft parts compliance which equates to the resonance of the drivers.
Now a larger dia driver will have more sd and in many ways more output however vd is a much clearer indication of output so don’t just look at speaker size when looking at frequency extension or output capability you gotta understand the driver t/s parameters...
SuperTRev look up iso loudness curve. We can hear down to about 20-24hz but it take a lot more pressure to perceive it as being at an equal level to the rest of the sounds. Most mastered music stays above 30hz and really does not operate much below from 40hz range. You could build an 8” subwoofer that was good to 20hz but it would be hard to get it loud enough to really hear or feel. It takes a lot to get the low frequencies audible.
SuperTRev the size of the driver in a subwoofer system does not tell the story of how loud it is. Yes most of the time a subwoofer you buy in say Best Buy the 10” unit will put preform the 8” unit. But if you can find a max spl spec on the thing that will give you a better idea what is possible. Sadly most of the time manufactures don’t provide that spec which o don’t understand it is like the critical part but I digress. Just an FYI an 8” subwoofer with 400w power handling and three times the vd of a 10” sub that handles 50w will beat it for spl. It will likely cost a lot more too
@@trevrockrock16 Any naturally occurring sub bass should certainly be kept. As for adding sub bass as part of a mix set up then do it if you think it adds something worthwhile to the sound. To leave it out would seem unfair to those who've made the effort and paid the price to have a system that deals with very low bass.
Two 8” subs are still not going to be able to hit the low frequencies one larger speaker can. They will be louder and more balanced but not deeper.
Generally not necessarily louder.
I have 2 rooms and both setups. I prefer the room with 2 identical smaller subs because the room sounds fuller, and you get more quick clean SLAM (for kick drums in the movie THE DIRT, and foot stomping in the movie GREATEST SHOWMAN). The volume is louder for both SLAM and BOOM.
The other room with the bigger 1 sub good for BOOM like explosions but it doesn't have the slam.
Me too. 2 active subwoofers Sunfire 8",wow,is very good 🔊🔊
IMHO, when you are looking for a sub, you start by looking at the low frequency. Discard all subs that don't go 20 Hz or below. The point of a subwoofer is to output low frequencies. If the sub does not, then what is the point. Two subs that go down to 35 Hz can't make up for not covering 20 Hz.
For some reason recommendation videos about subs seem to shy away from talking frequencies despite them being key. Look at the frequency charts. Make sure the sub goes low and curve is reasonably flat.
Of course there are a ton more of parameters to consider but I'd argue they are secondary.
i was just about to mention this, thank you.
i recommend buying sled subwoofer with dsp, then you can get smaller subs to hit 20z, you just need more of them to play louder.
and i say it again, never get ported or passive radiator subwoofer, only sealed, no matter if you use it for movies or music.
sudd Sealed is a personal taste.
It offes alot, but in the end I know too many people who wouldn't notice the benefits of sealed as they just want loud bass.
sudd except that logic flies out the window when you have higher power and/or servo feedback like Rythmik subs.
It is not that easy. Vague "frequency response description" will not tell you full story.
You also want to look for a sub with flat response.
Subs that boom around fifty or sixty hertz sound like crap.
More videos like this: Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Audio, Bookshelf, Floorstanding speakers...
This is why I like SVS's SB series, they pack a pretty good punch in small packages. I have dual SB16 Ultras myself.
SB16 Ultras are small packages?
@@billd9667 To me they are, compared to the big ported subs or dual 18" sealed subs from other companies that underperform. The SB16 Ultra is only essentially a 20" cube.
It really depends on what you want your sub to do, how big the room is, what speakers you are pairing it with and stuff like that. Like the video said, normally a bigger subwoofer is going to play lower and move more air. However don't just always assume a larger sub is going to be better. You still have to look at the specs and/or reviews. Some of the expensive smaller subs are very good and some of the larger less expensive subs are really not that fantastic, which was eluded to in the video.
There is also such a thing as having a subwoofer that works too well for a situation. I built my own subwoofer that has a 15 inch driver and is at least twice the size of the one in this video, that I drive with an external amp. It turned out to work better than I thought it would and plays down to around 17 hertz. Problem is it is almost unusable in my home because other people live here and it effects the whole house if I turn it on. The dogs will even bark sometimes if there is a lot of bass or an epxlosion or something. I ended up using two 10 inch polks instead and the bass is much more localized and useable. The impact during movies isn't as good or extreme, but its good enough. And if I end up moving to an apartment the 15 sub I built will never work there either.
this finally convinced me to go for the 12 inch (spl-120) instead of 15 inch thats on sale. I knew I didn't need it in my apartment but when the price is almost the same? Oof
base on my experiences, positioning the sub inside your room is the key. The correct spot will echoe the very low frequencies multiple times and they will sound very very good. Your visitors will say, "wow you really got a powerful sub!"
Right up against the wall is best too.
2 12's is usually the ticket!
For music, 12's are good, but you really have to stretch their capabilities for movies down at 20hz. 15's usually have natural resonance around 20hz.
@@Clint3571 I agree, which is why I will be going with the HSU VTF-3
theitalian556 that’s the ticket, I got one 12” already
18s and 21s ftw
@@theitalian556 same, the price is high but it's a great sub for the money
There’s something about a large subwoofer that you can feel, inside your ears and on your body, which is basically a large volume of air that is being constantly pushed about. It can be felt even at low volumes and this can be felt best in the dead of the night. The feeling is absolutely incredible. You will never get that feeling with a small subwoofer.
To understand what I'm talking about, you will need to listen to the track by PINK FLOYD "Keep Talking". At 00:52 there is low bass drum beat that takes over, to hear THAT with a regular set of speakers without a subwoofer or even in headphones, is a disservice to the music. But to hear that coming out from a large subwoofer that displaces air, is absolutely divine! To hear that low trembling, in the still of the night, permeating your home is simply astounding!!
This is my personal experience moving from a 6” down firing rectangular ported subwoofer to a 12” cubical ported subwoofer that I can position as down firing or side firing.
Now that I have upgraded my AVR, I have an additional port for a second subwoofer and I cannot wait to add one more, of the exact same model that I currently have.
1 will be placed behind my listening position, on top, close to the ceiling, front firing and 1 will be on the floor, diagonally opposite to the one close to the ceiling, with a setback from the floor standing speakers, firing downwards. That should give the room as well as the house a rumble too!
Thank you for the advice!
There Martin Logan 800 x is actually a 10" subwoofer.
Two years ago I bought a nice, 12 inch, ported, 350 watt (discontinued) sub for a very reasonable price. It worked very well in my room, so a nice, practical demo. So.... two weeks later I bought a second one before they were "gone". They worked great together so I agree.... two smaller subs seems like the way to go.
12 inch=small..?
I have 2 rooms and both setups. I prefer the room with 2 identical smaller subs because the room sounds fuller, and you get more quick clean SLAM (for kick drums in the movie THE DIRT, and foot stomping in the movie GREATEST SHOWMAN). The volume is louder for both SLAM and BOOM.
The other room with the bigger 1 sub good for BOOM like explosions but it doesn't have the slam.
its essential to hear every part of the music your listening too, so when i first heard a boomin system wen i was 16 and realized i was missing parts of all the music ive heard my whole life it was like an awakening or new drug. now at 45 i still have big 10-15 " subs both in my studio and mustang, and i it will remain that way for life ill be called grandpa boom. you need the 12's at least to catch every single drop of a tune to hear that grumbling ,grubby, deep low bass, i even find my ears tuning any random music i hear in passing automatically trying to pick up low bass.
the reason bigger subwoofers make better bass is because the bigger voice coils and cones make it easier for it to vibrate slower just like bass guitars are longer and have fatter strings to help make the lower frequencies
If they are in the same class, smaller subwoofers are generally faster and more musical. Multiple subs will introduce phasing issues if not setup correctly.
Not so. Bass is slow at any rate. What we perceive as "quick" bass is the leading edge and ending tail of the bass note. Low group delay and a well designed amp with good damping factor is key to tight sounding bass. Size is inconsequential. I have owned sub's since the 70s and of all sizes. My 21" sub is the tightest sounding followed by my 24 inchers, of all the ones I have owned.
You know you're with the wrong woman when she secretly pulls the audio input cord from your subwoofer!
My wife did this recently because she didn't know how to adjust the volume on the sub and couldn't hear her phone ringing.
Left me puzzled when we watched an action movie on Netflix and the sound was sort of tinny.
My wife was disappointed with my pb16 ultra but then come around because she realized what makes me happy not just her lol
Use light when the phone rings a light will flash as to say: light is faster than sound. 😎
I don’t get the point of trying to compare a small sub to a large sub. I’ve been an a/v installer for over 20 years and this is how I explain it to people. Think of a subwoofer like a fan because a fan and a subwoofer both do the same thing in that they both move air. If a small fan and a large fan are identical in design with the same amount of blades, pitch angle, etc. and they are both spinning at the same rpm, the larger fan will move more cfm of air than the smaller fan. It’s simple physics. And at the same time the larger fan will produce less noise(distortion). In order for a smaller fan to push the same amount of air as the larger fan it would need to spin at a faster rpm(more excursion for a sub) thus creating more noise. So a smaller sub has to have more excursion in order to produce the same amount of bass as the larger sub because with all things being equal there’s no replacement for displacement. Again, simple physics. With speakers more excursion equals more distortion because the voicecoil moves further away from its nominal position where the magnetic force is strongest and thus becoming less linear in the process. Another analogy would be a big sub is like a V8 and a small sub is like a 4 cylinder. The 4 cylinder has to spin faster(rpm) in order to develop the power that the V8 can develop at a lower rpm. A bigger sub is going to have a lower resonant frequency(Fs) because it has a heavier moving mass(Mms) so it can reproduce the lower octaves better. When it comes to subs always get as big as you can get and two is always better than one because it will sound cleaner due to doubling the cone area therefore not needing as much excursion and you will have smoother frequency response throughout the room.
I like how he uses the smaller sub for seat.
Right now, I have a pair of SVS PB-1000 subs. I think a pair of smaller subs, 10" or 12" are much better than one monster. And the room will have a lot to do with how the sub sounds, as well as getting it tuned in. Just because it is big does not mean it is best. And in many cases, going dual is the best way to tackle bass. Pair or match them with your speakers, trust me my little PB-1000 subs will rattle the dishes in my kitchen. Another thing I did, was to set the subs up on stands, de-couple them from the house. When I hear bass now, I hear and feel BASS, not the house shaking and rattling. Really good with music once you get them blended in. Oh, I'm using SVS Ultra bookshelves with the SVS PB-1000 subs. Are they end all and be all? No. I am eyeballing a pair of PB-3000 SVS subs, especially after speaking with Ed Mullens over at SVS regarding my system. Maybe this summer... ;-)
@Mitchall Cran They will be here today, cannot wait. I wish the lighting was better in my room. I cannot even take a decent photo of my setup, no camera, just an iPhone. I'll need to purchase studio lighting and shadow boxes, LOL! I will see what I can do...
@Mitchall Cran I will never own another ported subwoofer... These two SB-3000 subs are just tight, fast and you feel them, even at low volume. None of that slight chuff or lag in bass, just accurate. These will sound incredible with movies. Music, I cannot say enough. Mom is over, she said the same, 73 yo, she even said it has more depth, her words, not mine. When Mom approves, you know you have a winner. ;-) I wish you could hear this, and feel it... Willie Nelson, Loving her was easier... Every stroke of the bass guitar is felt, Willies voice just radiates... Oh man, this is Heaven. The drums... You feel the music, like you are sitting in the studio. You cannot see the subs, they are not in the room... And that is what you want. So happy I did this.
For Home Theater, the lower the better. I'm building two mini marty subs with 18" drivers that will get me around 17/18hz low frequencies with lots of power for a fraction of the cost of buying one of the few internet direct subs by makers that actually take subwoofer design seriously. Even the larger retail boutique brand subs, like the Martin Logan's mentioned in the video still don't dig deep enough for their size and asking prices to be suitable for serious home theater enthusiasts.
very true teach these rookies
Nah dude, drivers above 12" are floppy without servos or digital correction. Lots of thd distortion which is killer for subs
Using the Ultimax 18? I have the full marty and it's awesome.
@@chriswho12345 so wrong its comical. Look up Deep Sea Sounds Mariana 24 or JTR Cap S2. The best of the best in both measurements and performance when it comes to prebuilt sealed subs. The JTR uses dual 18s and the DSS uses a single 24- floppy and distorted are not words to associate with these monsters
What do you recommend then?
This guy is the best guy in the world!
Two subs and Mini DSP. Run the subs in stereo. MiniDSP is game changing.
I just purchased 2 RSL 10" 300 rms for $799. American. Amazing deal and you can feel the tight bass. My room is 19' x 11'
I think mine is a 12 inch sub, I bought it more than a decade ago so cant really remember, anyhow, it looks really nice and I use it as a coffee or lamp table. Currently its in the corner of my room functioning as a lamp table.
I run two RSL speedwoofers on my home theater. Love em.
If you want to feel the explosions you go big!
hi good video well explained,since i have now 2 rel quake 11 subwoofers there is a definate improvement,not so much louder bass but better controled bass,good tip
one good one doesnt give you phase issues that two will. You can use the phase adjustment on them if you know what to listen for, but most people dont even understand what its for let alone how to set them. Also the phase adjustment only really works for one spot, which again negates why you went with two in the first place. Now i am much more picky on this than normal Ive been tuning systems for phase and time alignment for 10 years and really notice when the phase is off.
The price of that subwoofer is equivalent to my total annual payslip... 😂😂😂
You make $28.75 a week?......I think it's time to dust off the old resume.
Use a sealed sub for use in a stereo/2.1 setup. A sealed box will offer better slam and less whumph from a ported box whereas a ported box will be great for movies.
1:54 Dayum! that subwoofer could double as a furniture
i didnt thought a 8'' sub. or a martin logan sub. would get so expensive
This two subs sounding better than one is getting pretty out of hand. So, all these years we were using one and nobody thought, "oh how about we use two subs?"
Well, I fell for it and got two smaller subs and it didn't sound as good as my one slightly bigger sub. Returned the two and got a bigger one for the same price, and omg what an improvement over my previous one. If there are dead zones in your room with one sub, try moving that one sub around, or sound treating your room (for much cheaper) rather than getting two. I tried duals with music and movies and experimented with different placements. In no situation did it sound better than single. Of course, if you live in a mansion or have a very large space, two is probably better. In general though, working around with placement of one big sub (and eliminating dead zones) will give you much better sound than buying two small ones. I will stand by my statement until someone can tell two subwoofer from one in blind tests. There's a reason you don't see those videos.
Ok, thats part of it. What about room response, speed, articulation, and musicality? Just get a REL if you want both.
Till the end of the video I was expecting he'd checking it with a track, but he didn't
In my opinion (tried a lot of subwoofers from many different brands) a subwoofer needs to be at least 12 inch, and preferably unported (quality over quantity of bass). You are missing the lowest frequencies by settling for smaller sub.
8" subwoofers shouldn't be called >sub
Haven't heard a modem sub I suppose
@@techtt6213 You are aware of Hofmann's Iron Law?
You ideally want both. A smaller subwoofer will hit those higher bass notes better than a larger sub. And the larger subwoofer will hit those very low notes MUCH better than a smaller sub. There's a reason why I keep my factory car subwoofer active even when using my aftermarket sub box, because the factory sub is better at the higher bass and my aftermarket subwoofer is good for the really low bass.
Makes you wonder why you don’t see multi driver sub enclosures.
A ported 12 and sealed 6 would be amazing!
@@somestuffithoughtyoumightl6985Because its pointless. Bigger woofer does everything better than smaller one
It doesn't. Do you have any proof of that? Bigger woofers have smaller group delay, lower distortion, get deeper and have more spl as well as higher sensitivity. Their only downside is size
@@wadimek116 Really? Everything? I guess I’ve never seen cabinets with different size drivers. Thanks for sharing.
Size Does Matter. With the right wire phase too and dont forget the crossover networks. 👀
There's a saying I like - better to keep your mouth shut and let people think you're dumb, rather than open your mouth and prove it.
(save face - delete your comedic comment)
@@fwabble There's another saying I like also: "Do not judge, less you be judged too."
So, $800 times two equals LESS than $1500? Uhhh.......
Knowing myself, I'd still go for the bigger sub.. Two of them to be exact
Basshead
I had a Velodyne FSR-15 and went up to the 18, but I recall the 15 sounding better. I decided to up grade because I didn't feel that the house's roof shingle were vibrating. I'm still happy with the 18 though. Yes, I know they're older, now.
On loan to someone else, the 15 burned up (supposedly at normal volume (which I believe)). I have it back, and it is sitting (driver is frozen).
I kind of thought the industry standard for powerful small subs was the Sunfire Atmos which only has a 6 1/2 inch woofer
Until the KEF KC62 was released
You made an oops. 2x$800 is not less than $1500. Nice quick overview without getting too technical. Great for the person who knows nothing looking for a sub. However that same person will wonder why pay anywhere near $800 just for a sub.
Just purchased the Polk Audi sw404b for only $70 and a used (but basically new) pioneer elite vsx-90 for $90. Lookin forward to cranking it up
When I look at small subs like this, I see fingerprints :)
No. A small sub, or even two, cannot match what a big sub can do. With enough power and the right voicecoil design a big sub can be just as "tight" and "musical" as a small sub. But a small sub in a sealed enclosure like the one in the video will NEVER go as deep as a big sub or produce the visceral feel of infrasonic harmonics. We have a nice Sony powered 8" sub for our surround system. It completely drops out around 40-45 Hz. That means there's an entire octave of sound we never get to hear when watching a movie. Would a tweeter that dropped off at 10,000 Hz be "just as good" as one that went all the way to 20,000? No. So quit telling people that a sub that drops off an octave, or more, before the limit of hearing is "just as good".
Two subs might help even out the bass. But it might also make the problem worse. Without test equipment you'll never know for sure. So now people have to buy two subs and test gear to try and match what one bigger sub can do? Just buy the biggest sub you can afford and that will fit your space. Make sure you include the price of the necessary amp when figuring out your budget. Get an amp that can push close to the peak power limit of the sub. Power isn't just for volume, it's also for control. It takes power to accelerate and decelerate a speaker. More power means the speaker can respond more quickly to changes in the signal. This is the "tight", "musical" quality people say is the benefit of a small sub. You can have a big sub and a big amp and still play quietly when needed.
Frankly, this video was aa disappointment. I expected to see some sort of analysis of just what you were giving up by going with a small sub. Instead, it was just a feel-good video perpetuating the myth that a sub is a sub.
Do you have any videos on those KEF towers you have in the background? I'm trying to find out as much as possible about them
As someone who has tried both single large and dual small I have to agree that dual small is the way to go. Much better bass balance in the room and much cleaner tighter bass. If you are only building a theater space and watching movies then a single large subwoofer is fine, but its not nearly as musical. Also I much prefer sealed versus ported for musicality. Lastly I think REL makes the best subs. I am not affiliated with REL in anyway, but I love the ability to have independent inputs for LFE, High and low level as well as the ability to cross over at 30Hz. Most subs have a 40Hz crossover point and that can get in the way of the main speakers bass output muddying the sound, especially in the mid-bass.
Very useful information. Thanks!
So....a single, 12inch sub with 200W continuous/400W peak will be fine for primarily watching FX heavy movies?
@@KarelJack Its always difficult to say for sure as there are many factors: room size, room dampening, subwoofer position. That said based on the specs you provided I would say yes. Again note that single subwoofers wont be as balanced in the room as two. If you are sitting in one place in the room and not multiple locations in the room you can tune a single subwoofer to work.
Or the third option of dual big. I can't see subs that size (the small ones in the video) being good for most movies and most music I listen to.
Can't see them going below 30hz unless there's some boosting going on. Which is cheap and silly.
That's just my view, and why I have a Full Marty lol.
Can't fit a second one currently, but someday...
David Sanders better to have dual big subs
I picked up 2 12" subs today on cheesy Italian
Big sub for big show.
I have 2 svs sb 2000s. 800 a piece. The 10" Martin was 850, 300 watt. The sb 2000s are 12's and 500 watts. I prefer a front firing sub sound over a down firing sub. Metallica sounds spot on with the subs I have. The Martin was quality and sounded good, but to my ears the svs was better and more defined. Hard to say the Martin sounded muddy, but compared to the svs it did.
I would pay you if you could guess down firing sub vs front firing sub on a blind test
'powerful drivers' 1:59 LMAO
my wife would kill me if i got two of those paradigms and put them next to our TV ... would also be hilarious.
There’s no replacement for displacement. Good vid...thx for sharing!
Is this good for 4k blue ray set up.I love the lg soundbar i bought.I just noticed that i need a receiver to connect my sound tower and sounbar with sub.It will cost me more to get it set up completely.Will this do the job for along with having a great 4k cinema set up.
your screen resolution has nothing to do with the sound. but yes get the receiver and hook it all up.....
Honestly Ive got my logitech z623 2.1 system about 6-7 years ago, and ill keep it as long as system will be in function. Its budget system and sounds outstanding.
You don't know what you are missing.
@@ralphsmith7331 what? :)
My wife puts cute little nick nacks all over shelves and tables for decorations. Which one will knock her stuff off of the shelves? The big ones or the small ones?
Not a big fan of big subs, I find they overpower the movie, I guess I'm getting old. I'm more into a small sub with a tight sounding base.
i have been using a 6 inch logitech subwoofer for just listening to music for the last 5 years. still going strong and it does the job perfectly. very good low response, especially when testing my own mixes not on my monitors.
@4:00 Tom Nousaine's experiments debunked this myth. A single subwoofer in a corner will almost always provide more even response throughout the room, than multiple subwoofers.
I guess it all depends on the type of music you are supposed to listen to. I'm amateur music producer, who goes in-depth on music engineering, so most of the new music in the mix and mastering process has applied a low pass filter with an almost strait curve somewhere 40hz (sometimes 30 or 50). So it makes no sense to buy the bigger one for commercial use. Its better to buy some 10" subwoofer and it will work well. BUT - if you are into some dolby technology or watching films with very good quality AND have a large open space room - the bigger one can win.
I have a beast of a very small subwoofer in the living room. Bought a pioneer ts-w5012spl put it downfire in the smalles closure possible according to the box. Put a very heavy 3000 watt r.m.s. amp on it and man this thing is truly godlike. Compared to the velodyne spl 1200 ultra i had before this thing is what i was always looking for.
I jused a Peavey Black Widdow 18" in a DIY double ported band-pass. -3 dB at 16 Hz, with a Hypex 400 watt digital amp. Works well!
I have Peavey 18" powered by a 1200 watt Peavey amp. I can definitely piss off my neighbors!
Another great review Caleb!!! Keep up the awesome reviews. Late joining the party so to speak, just replaced my paradigm PS 1000 V.3 sub with a defiance X15. Had to special order it. Was hoping for the X12 however no stock availability. New sub should arrive in 10 days. Not sure how or when but I blew my PS 1000 V.3 sub a few months back. Lot of rattling coming from the sub during low frequency audio.
"Bigger means deeper not better" 3:44
That is also shite. You can easily get a well built 10 to go lower and more accurate than an of the shelf 15. Digital sales trends nothing to do with hi-fi.
Paul7mac I don’t think you get it lol
That's what she said.
@@evaneckerson143 ah
Very interesting and useful information well explained
I would go with both of them
Because I am not fussed about
Weather it looks out of place
I love the sounds of subs they
Make a lot of difference to music
And movies rumble and shaking
Bass I love that a lot I do love
That big sub it looks the business
Big massive thankyou for a excellent video many thanks
a very useful video , velar and concise .
Which is the minimum size of the venue room for deploying and playing a 18 inch subwoofer? Or are they way better playing throughout outdoor venues?
What’s better down firing or front firing for smaller living area?
I hate down firing subwoofers and they look ugly, I like to see the speaker in front of me... Anyway the bigger the better and the more the better too :)
The martin logan can be switched to front firing. The feet are interchangeable. Comes with a grill as well.
Does it make a big difference operating a self powered SUB on a hard surface or a soft rugged surface?
So two bigger subs is way better, than 1 or small. Sounds good to me!
A heavier sub doesn't need to be better. More expensive drivers are usually lighter both in terms of membrane as well as magnet which would require less weight for neodymium magent of the same strength.
There isn't a thing that is musical sub. Define what is musical? Subs just need to reproduce bass frequencies at high spl without much distortion. If you mean group delay then bigger drivers will have smaller group delay playing at the same spl
1500 bucks for a subwoofer...? Nope, thank you. I'll build one myself.
the heavier sub is not always the better one, neodymium magnets are lighter and stronger
damn look at that subwoofer size damn, it will literally pull my roof down hahaha
I run 2 subs. A 10" and an 8". I love the combo.
Should be 2 x 10"
@@Rick-bm5uq You buying it for me? I actually like the 8" only for night time. The combo works well together. And nobody asked for your opinion.
@@j.t.cooper2963 calm down kid, was just a joke 😂😂 triggered
@@Rick-bm5uq Lol. 55, not a kid. And hadn't had lunch yet. And only snowflakes get triggered. 😂
@@j.t.cooper2963 You got triggered hard... But why different size subs, that's a pain for bass management. 2x10" would have been way easier.
most amplifiers dont have two subwoofer ports
Use a rca splitter.
i have two subwoofer sony saw 2500 10 inch and the sound is amazyng
Another great video, Caleb. I subscribe to the 2 smaller sub philosophy.
Maybe it depends on the room but is it better to have two subs the same size or two that are different sizes that give you more sub range like a 8 and 12 inch?
In the 60th we only had woofers. 15" to 24" diameter. 24" woofer had 2 handles on it to lift. 85 lbs. Now we have so called "subwoofers" that are 10" ??
yes because the 10 inch subs are still designed to playback bass frequencies.. Bigger diameter speakers push out more air..and need more power to drive them.. So 10 - 12 inch subs are more efficient. Also people who buy subs generally buy them for their home receivers which means it's likely people will set up a home cinema system in their living rooms. So people don't have the space for huge subs. Also there's the cost big subs cost a lot more to buy.
LMAO at 3:55 they had to photoshop the 2nd one because who would waste 1600 on 2 dynamo 800x's
The products are almost always on loan.
They also had matching fingerprints.
Easy. Bigger sub for bigger room , smaller sub for smaller room. Put the wrong speaker in the wrong room you bring alot of distortion into the room. You need to have under consideration how the room its going to work with the size speaker you put in it. Too many bass long lenght frequencies that dont fit into that small room and are very difficult to control will create all kind of issues from boominess to rattles.
Can I place my Subwoofer inside a cabinet that has screen mesh on the front? Or can I put it inside a cabinet with a wood door and just have a toe kick cut into the bottom of the cabinet? How much of an opening do I have to have for the Subwoofer to get the sound out of the inside of a cabinet. Thank you
Have 2 Svs sb2000 (12 inch) in a small room- Really amazing for movies and music!
I have the svs sb 16u sub. Maybe getting one more of it in the future when i can afford it. Best sub i have ever had. 😊👍
Nice I wish I had a sub
Yup! it's one of the few times in audio that doubling your budget actually results in double the performance. You will regret not doing it SOONER!
With 2 subs you have to be more careful in the placement because they can cancel each other out.
Downward firing subs on a carpet is not preferred by me. I rather use a sideway firing sub on a carpet. Video games and movies are way better with the addition of a subwoofer.
Thanks for the review but it appears you don't have an idea that subwoofer size should suits the room size.