I just got a MTX 12" subwoofer from CircuitCity to see if a subwoofer will make my setup sound fully. It definitely did, but I am really unimpressed with sound the subwoofer. The bass lags like 1/4 seconds behind. Also, it is a little too big for my application I think....
So I am pretty sure I need a subwoofer in my setup.
What will be some good choice for 10" subwoofer in the neighborhood of $200?
I don't need wall shaking sub since I am not using it to watch movies, just one that will fill the lower frequency.

$200 bucks is a pretty low budget to get a decent quatlity sub for. If you saved up alittle more(another$150 or so) you could get a dayton sub from partsexpress
Also if you look carefully you might be able to find a velodyne cht-10 for under 300. I haven't heard it so i can't say how it sounds but the other velodyne subs i have heard were pretty good.

I havent heard it myself but I have heard good things about the Energy XS range and there is an 8inch one on Audiogon right now within your budget. So you can check it out.

D

The easy way? Try to find a used hsu stf-2. It should sell for just under $200, holds its value, and goes deep. Play with the sub placement to get the phase lined up and hopefully get as much away from the room modes as possible. It's very tricky. I sold my hsu a year+ ago and I kinda regret it. Placement is definitely something you will need to play with. I was concerned with the response as well back then, but I don't think I was tuning it right. I was trying to play it too loud. When I upgrade my sub this month, I'm definitely getting an spl meter.

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Second the Energy 8" sub. If you're using it mostly for music and not in a big room, this sub is very good.

The JBL 250w 12" sub can be had for $250. I love mine and it's the best sub I've heard for under $300. I listened to polks, infinitys, klipsch, etc. I think this is the best entry level sub.

In my opinion the VTF-2 is better than the STF-2

Hmm, interesting, I just got back from school. I let the subwoofer playing when I was away.

I am working very few hours (stacked class schedule) this quarter, so I don't have a very large budget.

The response is a lot better now. However the size is still a concern.

I just checked around, Compusa had the STF-2 on clearance for $200 in Nov.! I will see if I am lucky or not this weekend to still find one for sale.

The Energy XS subwoofer on Agon is from Hawaii, so shipping will probably be $$$$.

Any other names you guys can throw out so I can keep track in Agon?

Also, how do you guys make your purchase? I mean don't you have to bring the sub back to your home to see if it fits into your system? Or do nice subwoofers always mix well with any bookshelf speakers?

I like my 10" alpine type-r with my parts express amp in my sealed enclosure, it integrates nicely when I want it too.

I also suggest the Energy subwoofer, it was the favourite of the old home theater magazine crew (brent butterworth, etc.).

You're not going to find a good subwoofer smaller than 10". They just don't exist, due to the laws of physics.

To get decent bass extension from an 8 inch woofer, the designers need to port the speaker and tune it aggressively, which causes a high group delay, leading to the slow sound you're hearing. Designers can also add a passive radiator, which tends to have an even worse transient response. There is a third option, sealing the cabinet and applying an equalization like a Linkwitz transform, but inexpensive commercial models do not do this because it eats up amplifier power and you end up with limited SPLs anyway.

Virtually all the 8 inch subs on the market are ported designs with small cabinets and a midbass hump (60-80 Hz) which causes them to sound like they have more bass than they do. You don't get a fast, tight sound, nor low bass.

A better bet for your budget would be to consider a small used 12-inch subwoofer like the Adire Rava. You could also go the DIY route, though realistically you cannot expect to do this for less than $300. You can build a nice 12" sub in a 1.5 cu ft box, or inside a tube if floor space is at a premium. Barring that, I would just try to live with your current 10" unit, or try another commercial 10" unit, especially one from Hsu or SVS. Moving to an 8" unit is almost certainly going to give you something worse than you have now.

Hsu. STF-2 or VTF-2, take your pick.

Amazing value.

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I used to sell these at CC. It'll give you a smooth sound but has a very subdued punch. Look for open box items for something closer to your price point (any sales guy can search nationally for specific open boxes) and remember you can audition (buy->return) any and all of the subs in stock. For more punch look at the Polk* line.

*Polk's have a tendency to distort when really pushed, but perform well at reasonable levels. I've never heard a Velodyne distort, though they're a bit mellow for my musical taste.

vtf-2 is not going to be under $200 no matter how you look at it. Well, maybe for a busted one.

UncleWai,

Does your sub have an adjustable phase potentiometer on it? If so, try switching things around the get the phase to correspond to your other speakers. This will act as a delay to the incoming signal, causing an effect like you're hearing. If it doesn't, replace it with one that does! Not having a phase pot makes for difficult incorporation into your system.

Variable phase, unfortunately, doesn't make things perfect, but it does help just a bit. Otherwise, you really have to play with the positioning.