Well, it would appear that Starke offers the best value in budget priced subs in the industry. Its XLR and low frequency response features set it apart. Great review as always!
I am almost literally building a sub with the same basic specs as this one. Similar size box, similar RMS amplification, similar size driver. I'm not arrogant enough to think it will match this for quality or performance exactly, but it's heartening to see the same kind of configuration receive this kind of praise from you, considering what else you've had through your space. Thank you for a nice review.
For the 4th of July I believe they had an awesome deal of two for one...I could be wrong, but I didn't purchase because there were not many reviews, so glad they are sending someone out to have them reviewed for potential customers.
This seems like a nice subwoofer and hits all the specification bullet points in particular the price plus they are small enough that 3 or 4 of these should be very potent. Good review.
It was on sale for $499 back in March then sold out, now it Was $549 until Sunday night and 5% Promo Code was like $520. Yes pricing is crazy low these days. HSU 15" sealed for $940 and SVS SB2000 about same.
Paid $285 for the OSD Trevoce 12s, 3 Woofers but 2 are Glass Carbon Passive Radiators and main is paper type. Sounds best using the unbalanced dual RCA cable with Amplifier receiver Crossover at 50 HZ and LFE set to Off. Subwoofer Crossover Up all the way as no bypass or Off switch. LFE cable I tried as OSD has a separate connection just for LFE, sounds good but will not shake the room or give the 20-30 HZ. Rated at 18 HZ +-3 Decibels
Shane, good morning, I wanted to first thank you for this channel! I enjoyed this review and many others. Quick question though... When you get a chance, can you let us know out of the Starke Sound SW15 and the Rythmik F18s, which one you liked better and why? Thanks!!!
In general you'll run into mechanical limits long before you run out of power at the lowest frequencies in a sealed enclosure, unless you have a sub with like 30mm Xmax or similar.
@@TokeBoisen 100% agree, with the demos it looks like it had a lot of Xmax and it usually takes more power to move the driver that much. Even if it hit the driver limits before using all the power, moving that much air is very impressive I'm such a small cab. Low power and small cab are usually not a recipe of 10 Hz unless you have a very high end driver, which is not the case. I would like to see a big ported sub with 2 of these drivers and see what numbers it could achieve.
For the money I'd rather have an HSU ULS-15 MK2 which is $829 + $89 shipping. Reviews well, has a passing CEA2010 result at 12.5hz at 90.7db @ 2m also has a 15" woofer with a 600w RMS 2000W peak amp and is sealed although it's slightly larger at 18" cubed but you're looking at about 10db of extra output over Starks max number. And it also has balanced XLR inputs. Seems like a no brainer to me although I'm sure if this is all you had you'd be a very happy man.
@@cybernessful true but that's not necessary unless you don't have an AVR or some form of bass management. Something you can fix with a miniDSP as well. Audioholics measured the sw15 as well so you can compare and contrast performance.
Hi Shane, I was wondering how does this compare to Rel 1508 for movies since they both have 15 inch drivers. Which would you prefer, I know this goes down to 14hz or below but is Rels 1508 still preferred sub because of its speed and refined detail of sound quality. Thanks.
HI I watch your videos all the time, I need your advice, I have a SVS PB 3000, Am looking to get another Sub, I know someone selling a Svs 16 Ultra for 1500 which is a awesome deal, Do you think it's ok to run the PB 3000 with the 16 Ultra?
Bought 4 of these with Black Friday pricing and Jay's code to get an extra 5% off to replace 2 REL Predators. The Predators are great for music but leave alot to be desired for movies. They just don't dig deep enough.
@@Slickman2006 Thanks for sharing that ! Yeah it seems like a great sub for money I’ve debating 2 Hsu’s or psa but man for that price stark is offering is nice 👍 I’ve always been really curious about rel as well the 1508 seems really good I wish I could demo some of these
@@chrisrichardson958 I've had dual 1508 and have dual HSU ULS right now. REL Predators are amazing for music and are good for most movies. The problem with Predators is they dig low but not quite low enough for certain movies. The HSU ULS dig really low with authority but aren't as tight and fast as the REL. So it all depends on what kind of sound you want. The REL are also easier to set up because there is no Q settings and all that.
@@Slickman2006 Yeah I was figuring that rel would be very fast definitely. I really enjoy mid bass and ulf I was even thinking of the vented hsu but I’m hesitant because I’m not a fan of port chuffing. Though I don’t listen to extreme levels so don’t run my equipment hot. So if you ordered the 4 stark subwoofers are not happy with the hsu’s or are they not enough low end
First, thanks for sharing your time and product experience with each product you review. I have been toying with the idea of buying a pair of the 15's from Starke. The intro pre-order price at 599 was attractive. There's not a lot of info out there about these or the overall long-term consumer experience. That was the main reason I didn't purchase multiple pairs of these and went with 2 Rythmik F18's & 2 Rythmik L12's thanks in part to reviews from your channel and Nemo. This review and one on the SW12 from Randy AKA Cheap Audio man seems to have lots of people who state they ordered them or just got them but never reply back on their experience with ownership. Starke has lots of B stock at $599 which is concerning and just enhanced the sale price by another $100, currently $649 for new. Do you have any additional insight into the owner experience that others may have shared with you since completing this review? The Starke SW15 seems to be a great value if you understand the limitations that come with Subs at this price point. Obviously, these wont perform like F18's and should perform better with lower bass frequencies than the L12's. Do you still recommend this sub as a buy at this price point? You have tested a lot of different subs which was your favorite at this price point with the same size driver?
Can't beat it for $600. You could have bought 3 for the price of 1 F18 or 6 for the price you paid for 2. It would have been no contest which would have sounded better.
Does anyone know of a link that explains how much louder for example a 30Hz tone has to be to have the same perceptual loudness as a 80Hz frequency? I remember once reading a Bob Carver article referring to this phenomenon.
@@Techdiscussed very little experience. I chose the SB13 Ultra as my first sub, without hearing it, or any others before purchasing. I added the two Starke subs for several reasons. The SVS is fantastic (IMO) but also expensive and heavy. Heavy is good, just not for my back! The Starkes are much less expensive, so the build quality is not on the same level, nor did I expect them to be. I have been enjoying them all. I still want to go bigger, but size, weight and cost are all concerns. For me, the Starke buy was a great decision. I was doubtful, because of the price, that they would compete with the Ultra. I'm impressed with the performance. They get a big thumbs up from me. I have had my share of let downs with budget buys in the past, but definitely not here.
@@Disabled-adventures audioholics already cracked it open and did a bunch of tests. Seems like a bang for the buck sub. Waiting for mine to come in feb.
Hey Shane I know this upload is a couple of months old but would like to know your opinion between 2 sw15 and 1 rythmik f18 or even 1 fv18 my 50th bday is coming up and my wife wants to buy me subs since I'm out of my older ones. I love good response but also love a price per quality equal as of this messaging the starke are at 539 per. I know your a busy person and don't know how long this will last but if you find the time I would appreciate a response, if you cant I understand have been a subscriber for a while and love your content be well an blessed Joe!
Thinking about buying this subwoofer due to the Black Friday sale. I am kind of a newb, so when hooking up my receiver to the subwoofer do I need to do anything to the crossover knob on the back? Or will the receiver take care of everything? I will just be using the RCA connection
Thanks for for the review, Shane. I just ordered two of those bad boys (SW15)based of your review. I got them on sale for $599? each. How would you compare them to the Emotiva RS11? Thanks again!!
@@therealshanelee - Audio equipment need to be in use for many hours b4 they sound their best. An amp for example will not sound as good right out of the box as an amp that been in use for say 50+ hours. The break-in period is the time it takes for the internal parts to fully stabilize. AFAIK, capacitors are affected the most by the break-in period. The drivers in speakers also need to be broken-in...
@@therealshanelee - I don't think that you did the video in one day, but it appears that you started your evaluation of the sub right out of the box without a break-in period. Only you know if you did a proper break-in b4 starting your review sessions. If you did, then you should state that after xx hours of running (breaking-in) the sub, I started my listening sessions for this review.
1: Infrasonic means that it is below the frequency that humans can hear. Circa 20hz. What's your plan? Why would anyone purchase these? To feel the vibrations? Maybe we shouldn't be using labels we don't understand. 2: Unless you have a specially designed microphone, it isn't going to pick up anything less than 20hz. And the gain at 20Hz will be substantially less than at 100hz. You didn't say you were using a calibrated measurement microphone. You know microphones don't have a flat response curve? 3: Also pretty hilarious that by sticking your microphone near the speaker, that you think the audience is going to be able hear anything at that frequency. RUclips has a bit of a habit of filtering and compressing things. And tell us again about that microphone you've got. 4: Thanks to youtube algorithm for bringing me here, but I won't be back. All I learned was that you appear to be out of your depth.
Thanks for the review, Shane. Just got two of these bad boys for my home theater. Can’t wait to hear it!
@CosiFlix See Shane’s comment at 7:38
How are the Subs in your room?
I'm thinking of getting Dual sw15's.
How are are your doing to this day?
Do you think four of them will sound good
How do they sound
Well, it would appear that Starke offers the best value in budget priced subs in the industry. Its XLR and low frequency response features set it apart. Great review as always!
Great review as always. Would love to see a comparison against the 15 inch sealed by HSU. Both are similarly priced by good company.
I don't know but Shane is a strong guy, the way he made quick work of that sub box in the intro was amazing!
Don’t say that there’s a guy in the comments section who will be jealous
I am almost literally building a sub with the same basic specs as this one. Similar size box, similar RMS amplification, similar size driver.
I'm not arrogant enough to think it will match this for quality or performance exactly, but it's heartening to see the same kind of configuration receive this kind of praise from you, considering what else you've had through your space.
Thank you for a nice review.
Make a video when your done give us a demo
For the 4th of July I believe they had an awesome deal of two for one...I could be wrong, but I didn't purchase because there were not many reviews, so glad they are sending someone out to have them reviewed for potential customers.
This seems like a nice subwoofer and hits all the specification bullet points in particular the price plus they are small enough that 3 or 4 of these should be very potent.
Good review.
Subwoofers Technology has come a long ways, $800 for a Sub that goes down to 10hz was unheard of 20 years ago
It was on sale for $499 back in March then sold out, now it Was $549 until Sunday night and 5% Promo Code was like $520. Yes pricing is crazy low these days. HSU 15" sealed for $940 and SVS SB2000 about same.
Paid $285 for the OSD Trevoce 12s, 3 Woofers but 2 are Glass Carbon Passive Radiators and main is paper type. Sounds best using the unbalanced dual RCA cable with Amplifier receiver Crossover at 50 HZ and LFE set to Off. Subwoofer Crossover Up all the way as no bypass or Off switch. LFE cable I tried as OSD has a separate connection just for LFE, sounds good but will not shake the room or give the 20-30 HZ. Rated at 18 HZ +-3 Decibels
Hey Starke, you need to send dual SUB35's and dual SUB45's to test to show odd your full range in action
This would be a great comparison to the OSD Trevoce 15's as both was $499 and now almost same price range(sales changing all the time).
Nice touch and good that you lifted the fact that it actually has XLR input.
Starke makes some amazing audio products
Prices appear to be reasonable too!
Sub may have been less boomy and more articulate if you smoothed out the peak at 45hz.
Thanks, I have one 15” sub and found centered under the screen to also be the best spot. Also use Fury and Edge of Tomorrow for demos.
Shane, good morning, I wanted to first thank you for this channel! I enjoyed this review and many others. Quick question though... When you get a chance, can you let us know out of the Starke Sound SW15 and the Rythmik F18s, which one you liked better and why? Thanks!!!
Yes, please!
On sale the sw 15 is worth every penny. I have one purchased for $749 and love it.
Great review! This sub or sb3000 for home theater?
What did you get?
Another masterpiece! not available outside USA....
Stark Sound just unveiled a 15" ported subwoofer.........
The “Reaction” shots… 🤣😂😂😆🙄🤦♂️
Shocked a single sub with 450W could dig that low. Not a bad little unit for home theater use
In general you'll run into mechanical limits long before you run out of power at the lowest frequencies in a sealed enclosure, unless you have a sub with like 30mm Xmax or similar.
@@TokeBoisen 100% agree, with the demos it looks like it had a lot of Xmax and it usually takes more power to move the driver that much. Even if it hit the driver limits before using all the power, moving that much air is very impressive I'm such a small cab. Low power and small cab are usually not a recipe of 10 Hz unless you have a very high end driver, which is not the case. I would like to see a big ported sub with 2 of these drivers and see what numbers it could achieve.
For the money I'd rather have an HSU ULS-15 MK2 which is $829 + $89 shipping. Reviews well, has a passing CEA2010 result at 12.5hz at 90.7db @ 2m also has a 15" woofer with a 600w RMS 2000W peak amp and is sealed although it's slightly larger at 18" cubed but you're looking at about 10db of extra output over Starks max number. And it also has balanced XLR inputs. Seems like a no brainer to me although I'm sure if this is all you had you'd be a very happy man.
Doesn't have variable phase control though.
@@cybernessful true but that's not necessary unless you don't have an AVR or some form of bass management. Something you can fix with a miniDSP as well. Audioholics measured the sw15 as well so you can compare and contrast performance.
Starkes can be had for 500 a piece shipped
@@lucasoil4u Wasn't the case a year ago. For that price it's a pretty good deal.
@@lucasoil4u from what I've seen, it's $60 for shipping
Hi Shane, I was wondering how does this compare to Rel 1508 for movies since they both have 15 inch drivers. Which would you prefer, I know this goes down to 14hz or below but is Rels 1508 still preferred sub because of its speed and refined detail of sound quality.
Thanks.
HI I watch your videos all the time, I need your advice, I have a SVS PB 3000, Am looking to get another Sub, I know someone selling a Svs 16 Ultra for 1500 which is a awesome deal, Do you think it's ok to run the PB 3000 with the 16 Ultra?
U should do the double SUB45 lol
I was thinking the same thing.
You should check out their AD4.320 amps.
Great review 👍🏽 Also, looks like Velodyne's comeback is real. The DD+ Series is back! Love to see you get one to review.... Please !!!
Bought 4 of these with Black Friday pricing and Jay's code to get an extra 5% off to replace 2 REL Predators. The Predators are great for music but leave alot to be desired for movies. They just don't dig deep enough.
Hey man I’m actually debating doing the same thing they are pre order right? So they won’t ship until March correct ?
@@chrisrichardson958 Yes, I called and they said they getting the stock to build them in mid March so they looking at late March early April to ship.
@@Slickman2006
Thanks for sharing that ! Yeah it seems like a great sub for money I’ve debating 2 Hsu’s or psa but man for that price stark is offering is nice 👍 I’ve always been really curious about rel as well the 1508 seems really good I wish I could demo some of these
@@chrisrichardson958 I've had dual 1508 and have dual HSU ULS right now. REL Predators are amazing for music and are good for most movies. The problem with Predators is they dig low but not quite low enough for certain movies. The HSU ULS dig really low with authority but aren't as tight and fast as the REL. So it all depends on what kind of sound you want. The REL are also easier to set up because there is no Q settings and all that.
@@Slickman2006
Yeah I was figuring that rel would be very fast definitely. I really enjoy mid bass and ulf I was even thinking of the vented hsu but I’m hesitant because I’m not a fan of port chuffing. Though I don’t listen to extreme levels so don’t run my equipment hot. So if you ordered the 4 stark subwoofers are not happy with the hsu’s or are they not enough low end
Really enjoyed the review. Also enjoyed the "ghost lips" @ 7:37. Damn voice over editing... Lol
How often do you get complaints from your neighbors..
First, thanks for sharing your time and product experience with each product you review. I have been toying with the idea of buying a pair of the 15's from Starke. The intro pre-order price at 599 was attractive. There's not a lot of info out there about these or the overall long-term consumer experience. That was the main reason I didn't purchase multiple pairs of these and went with 2 Rythmik F18's & 2 Rythmik L12's thanks in part to reviews from your channel and Nemo. This review and one on the SW12 from Randy AKA Cheap Audio man seems to have lots of people who state they ordered them or just got them but never reply back on their experience with ownership. Starke has lots of B stock at $599 which is concerning and just enhanced the sale price by another $100, currently $649 for new. Do you have any additional insight into the owner experience that others may have shared with you since completing this review? The Starke SW15 seems to be a great value if you understand the limitations that come with Subs at this price point. Obviously, these wont perform like F18's and should perform better with lower bass frequencies than the L12's. Do you still recommend this sub as a buy at this price point? You have tested a lot of different subs which was your favorite at this price point with the same size driver?
Can't beat it for $600. You could have bought 3 for the price of 1 F18 or 6 for the price you paid for 2. It would have been no contest which would have sounded better.
@@therealshanelee How is Rythmik Audio F18 compared to this?
Another nice review. Thanks.
Thanks for the video review
can you do the bass sweep in edge of tomorrow
where are your main speakers ?
Does anyone know of a link that explains how much louder for example a 30Hz tone has to be to have the same perceptual loudness as a 80Hz frequency? I remember once reading a
Bob Carver article referring to this phenomenon.
Question. Will 2 of these on 900 combined watts be deeper and louder for music than 2 10s PORTED/VENTED on 300 watts.
pre-ordered two! curious how they will compare to my svs sb13 ultra.
And what is your experience, thinking about doing the same
@@Techdiscussed very little experience. I chose the SB13 Ultra as my first sub, without hearing it, or any others before purchasing. I added the two Starke subs for several reasons. The SVS is fantastic (IMO) but also expensive and heavy. Heavy is good, just not for my back! The Starkes are much less expensive, so the build quality is not on the same level, nor did I expect them to be. I have been enjoying them all. I still want to go bigger, but size, weight and cost are all concerns. For me, the Starke buy was a great decision. I was doubtful, because of the price, that they would compete with the Ultra. I'm impressed with the performance. They get a big thumbs up from me. I have had my share of let downs with budget buys in the past, but definitely not here.
update?
If you had to rate a 1,2,3 where would REL HT1205 MkII, STARKE SOUND SW12 and SVS 3000 (sealed) rank for you?
Do a video on new Reavon UBR-X100 and UBR-X200 Bluray Players
Only 55lbs? Some 13" or 15" sub drivers alone weight around 40lbs.
Ya this must mean small magnet and weak box. I’d crack her open and add supports
@@Disabled-adventures audioholics already cracked it open and did a bunch of tests. Seems like a bang for the buck sub. Waiting for mine to come in feb.
Starke has sales sometime maybe buy one get one free
Have you reviewed their amps?
wow a sub of 100 gm weight.....so lite that u can even hold it easily in air alone....😂....and plz review conjuring 3 bluray....u forgot that.
Would you take like 4-6 of these for a room (figure 4 positions in the room with 2 positions having dual co-located subs) or 2 of the Rythmik F18?
F18's are a different beast.
Hey Shane I know this upload is a couple of months old but would like to know your opinion between 2 sw15 and 1 rythmik f18 or even 1 fv18 my 50th bday is coming up and my wife wants to buy me subs since I'm out of my older ones. I love good response but also love a price per quality equal as of this messaging the starke are at 539 per. I know your a busy person and don't know how long this will last but if you find the time I would appreciate a response, if you cant I understand have been a subscriber for a while and love your content be well an blessed Joe!
What did you end up getting?
Thinking about buying this subwoofer due to the Black Friday sale. I am kind of a newb, so when hooking up my receiver to the subwoofer do I need to do anything to the crossover knob on the back? Or will the receiver take care of everything? I will just be using the RCA connection
The receiver will handle it.
I'd look in the manual for the subwoofer. You may have to max out the crossover nob and set the gain nob to the middle
Great Vid
Do you believe two of these would sound better than two PB2000 pros?
Yep
Thanks for for the review, Shane. I just ordered two of those bad boys (SW15)based of your review. I got them on sale for $599? each. How would you compare them to the Emotiva RS11? Thanks again!!
Where did you get them for 600, and how are they? How are they with corrido music?
How would you say it compares to an SVS PB-1000 Pro?
Hi I know this delete comment but I am looking these subwoofers do you think these would perform better than the SVS 2000 Series
Yes
Yeah review of 2 at the same time needed good price..Never heard of this company it must be new. Good review though.
It's a American company been around for a while now. They do some really good quality flagship speakers with beryllium tweeters.
@@C--A ok thanks for the great info.
Is it sealed or ported?
Sealed
So it digs deep.. But not as tight as a Rel 1508..
Sounds about right.
@ 6:24 🤯
Does this work with lfe
Of course
U r my fuckin hero Shane💯
To me this just looks like a Ultimax 15 with a rubber fashion piece around the ring to make it look their brand.
Starke make some very good speakers. Subs are decent, don't judge a book by it's cover 😉
@@C--A The Ultimaxes look like the Starkes.
What is that dope watch?
Can I connect this to my phone using 3.5mm cables?
I don’t see why not.
Thank you, I don't see a 3.5mm connector on the subwoofer. How would that work please?
Shouldn't you have broken in the sub (like all audio equipment) b4 doing a review?
What do you mean by that statement?
@@therealshanelee - Audio equipment need to be in use for many hours b4 they sound their best. An amp for example will not sound as good right out of the box as an amp that been in use for say 50+ hours. The break-in
period is the time it takes for the internal parts to fully stabilize. AFAIK, capacitors are affected the most by the break-in period.
The drivers in speakers also need to be broken-in...
@@Chuck-- I hope you don't think I open the box hook it up and shoot a video in a single day then upload it to RUclips.
@@therealshanelee - I don't think that you did the video in one day, but it appears that you started your evaluation of the sub right out of the box without a break-in period. Only you know if you did a proper break-in b4 starting your review sessions. If you did, then you should state that after
xx hours of running (breaking-in) the sub, I started my listening sessions for this review.
@@Chuck-- strange that you came to that conclusion. It really is.
Sub 45 is $7,000
1: Infrasonic means that it is below the frequency that humans can hear. Circa 20hz. What's your plan? Why would anyone purchase these? To feel the vibrations? Maybe we shouldn't be using labels we don't understand.
2: Unless you have a specially designed microphone, it isn't going to pick up anything less than 20hz. And the gain at 20Hz will be substantially less than at 100hz. You didn't say you were using a calibrated measurement microphone. You know microphones don't have a flat response curve?
3: Also pretty hilarious that by sticking your microphone near the speaker, that you think the audience is going to be able hear anything at that frequency. RUclips has a bit of a habit of filtering and compressing things. And tell us again about that microphone you've got.
4: Thanks to youtube algorithm for bringing me here, but I won't be back. All I learned was that you appear to be out of your depth.
Maybe you shouldn't be commenting. Don't pretend you know wtf is going on. Bye bye.
DAYTON ULTIMAX
I asked that question before and they say its a Starke design, not an Ultimax, Shane should take it apart so everyone can see whats in there.
deffinetly not go look at pics of the dayton and this sub on starkes website basket looks completely different..not the same sub
That sub enclosure sounds like cheap IKEA cabinet
UM15 driver.
nope diffrent basket its not the same sub cone design looks similar but thats it look up both on google youll see diffrence
Well yeah dude no wonder it wasn't as articulate. Your response is trash.
Stupid response