Whats a good cheap subwoofer?

Question

I need to add a subwoofer for my Paradigm Atoms. I don't need a lot of bass, actually only very little. I still want it to sound clean. However, I don't want to spend a lot of $$$$. Again, I am not looking for people to hear me 5 miles away. I just want enough to where it compliments the Paradigms but not overpows the sound.

Answer 1

On a tight budget...

The Dayton subs from Parts Express are pretty popular with audiophiles on a budget. They're said to sound clean and musical... http://www.partsexpress.com/webpage.cfm?webpage_id=3&SO=2&CATID=25&ObjectGroup_ID=620

HSU Research STF-1 or STF-2, also popular with the audiophiles for a little more $. These are serious, detailed sounding, audiophile quality subs at a very good price... http://www.hsuresearch.com/products/stf-1.html

Also... Check out the Sony SA-WX700. Unlike the other Sony subs, this one uses dual push-pull drivers in a sealed cabinet with decent amplification. Musical... not boomy like the other Sony subs I've heard... and the price is right (under $200.00)... Lots of user reviews on the web to read.

I'm sure you know about SVS, but they start at over $400.00... http://www.svsound.com/products-sub.cfm

What about a matching Paradigm PDR-8 that retails for $299.00?... http://www.paradigm.com/en/paradigm/subwoofer-pdr-pdr8-model-5-9-4-1.paradigm


So Robert is saying the HSU Research and Paradigm subs are too cheap and will degrade your system??? No... These are very high quality, musical sounding subs that would do an excellent job of extending the frequency range of your tiny Atoms. Could they extend the frequency response of large floorstanders, play at concert hall levels or shake a large room??? Absolutely not. That's what costs more to do with a high quality musical sounding sub. But, one of the smaller high quality subs will absolutely enhance your particular system. Your post shows you already know better than to go for quantity over quality. I think the Sony SA-WX700 would surprise many though.... at the quantity and quality of sound you can get for $200.00

Answer 2

Hi there.Real sub woofers are speakers that supplement the main speakers and only play the lowest frequencies (the lowest two octaves, below 80HZ) .Good sub woofers don't play muddy one-note-bass.They are clean and clear and you can easily follow the bass line in the music.They are not just for home theater systems to generate low frequency noises that compliment the sountrack of the movie.

Unfotunately you can't buy a cheap subwoofer that is good .
and usually you can't buy a good sub woofer that is cheap.You have to have one or the other.
to integrate subwoofers properly into a system you must place the sub woofer at the same end of the room as the main speakers.To make the bass less directional and blend better you need to cross it over (or transition to the woofer) at a low frequency and ideally use a PAIR of SUB WOOFERS.
Like everything else in audio, QUALITY is more important than quantity. Choose the clearer sub.over the bigger sub woofer (good sub woofers start at about $600 to $800)

I would buy 2 Paradigm sub woofers which will intergrate with your main speakers seemlessly to give you a rock solid image which is what we all desire.

So what do you want .Something good to compliment your excellent speakers ,or something cheap to degrade them ?