[thejm]

My set up is: a Schiit Modi (love that thing!) running into my Behringer Xenyx 802 mixer. I have M Audio BX5 D2 monitors hooked in as my mains. I am looking for a sub that will be comparable in quality to my BX5's. Obviously I am planning on running the sub through the mixer. Any suggestions?

From my initial looking around I have seen these mentioned (but have no experience or preference towards them):

Polk PSW505
http://www.amazon.com/Polk-Audio-12-Inch-Powered-Subwoofer/dp/B000092TT0/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1420261657&sr=8-2&keywords=polk+subwoofer

BIC America F12
http://www.amazon.com/BIC-America-F12-475-Watt-Subwoofer/dp/B0015A8Y5M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420261733&sr=8-1&keywords=bic+subwoofer

Thanks!

 

[Igor01]

Check out the SVS sealed powered subs like SB1000 or SB2000, they should be a lot better for music than the ported models you listed.  They are much more compact than the ported ones you looked at and the bass will be tighter, faster and won't get flabby/muddy even with very bassy tracks.  Ported subs are generally better for home theater applications since the extreme low frequencies they produce have a lot more raw power as they move more air, but with music you probably want to hear the base rather than be kicked in the chest with every drum beat.   SVS is one of the highly regarded companies making subs and selling them directly to the consumer over the internet and it's widely thought that their products beat anything the large commercial outfits can offer even at higher prices.
 
If you're in the US, SVS offers a 45 day risk-free trial period, they'll even pay for return shipping.   If you email them they usually go out of their way trying to answer any questions and help you decide what product is the best choice for  your setup, and there's no sale pressure at all.  When I was trading emails with someone there they actually tried to convince me to get a cheaper less powerful SB1000 but I wanted moar powah...  Turns out they were right - the SB2000 I got is a ridiculous overkill for my computer den, even at relatively low volumes the impact is felt (even when not heard on very deep notes) throughout the apartment.  But I am not complaining, it should be future proof if and when I move the sub to my home theatre setup
 
HSU, Rythmik, Epic and Outlaw are also well regarded for producing excellent subs but I have no experience with their products or customer service so I can't comment on them. 

 

[thejm]

Igor01, Thank you for responding to my question! I really appreciate the feedback. I checked out the SVS line of subs and found that their cheapest unit was $500. I got my speakers for $100 a piece (I have 2) so I was looking for something more in the ~$200 price range for my sub. At the same time though I am a new to high quality audio so idk; Is it normal to spend much more on your sub than your speakers to match the quality?

 

[RonaldDumsfeld]

Is it normal to spend much more on your sub than your speakers to match the quality?

 
Yes. Very much so. Clean and smooth FR down to ~60Hz and ~95dB+ using 4"-7" active monitors is now almost a commodity item. I bet your $200 speakers sound great.
 
The real problems start when you want to go deeper and louder. Not least because of the complex electronics and room correction needed to do it properly.
 
To take a very high end example. Neumann sell an pair of excellent, reference quality near field 5" monitors, the KH120,  for ~$1500/pr. A humungous bargain for the performance on offer. The first upgrade they recommend on their website is a KH810 sub which costs. wait for it, ~$3000. The next upgrade is two KH810. The one after that is four KH810.
 
So you get reference quality down to the dolby limit of 85Hz or even below for ~$1500. To get the same quality down to 20Hz costs an extra ~$12,000 and you better have been prepared to spend a fair bit on your room acoustics into the bargain.
 
As a working rule expect to spend at least twice as much on your sub(s) as your mains. So igor is about right on that front. ~$500 sounds realistic. Otherwise you are short changing yourself.
 
ed: rd tidy up

 

[cel4145]

The BIC F12 only has a single RCA input. Make sure your mixer has a dedicated subwoofer single line out. Otherwise, you should go with the PSW505 if you need left and right inputs on the sub. However, the current Amazon price on the PSW505 seems a bit high. For the best <$300 subwoofer, I would go ask in the AVS subwoofer forum. There is likely to be an even better sub for the money.

The SVS subs are a good upgrade in SQ over the F12 and PSW505. However, the SB1000 is not very big. If you are looking for heavy bass output in a medium to large sized room, you would probably be better off with the PB1000. For nearfield use (3 or 4 ft away or less), the SB1000 will work very well.

 

[SugizoYoshikiX]

I compared the bic and polk with svs. And I also recommend the svs. The extra price is worth it. Hits much lower than the bic and polk