How did you audition your sub?

[StuartBooth]

I'm curious how people auditioned their subwoofers.

How you compared two side-by-side for instance.
What films/scenes you used or preferred.
What sort of things you were looking for.

I've never had a sub before so when I do an audition I'm not going to have any testing experience to draw upon.

I'm wondering if it's worth disconnecting all the other speakers to hear the sub in isolation? That sort of thing! What do you think?


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Stuart Booth
Somewhere in Buckinghamshire, England, UK

[General Skanky]

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away......... I tested mine a dealer now called The Edge in Ipswich. Very nice people.

The main aim was to convince the wife how vital it was, I'd already demoed it previously.
It was the days of LaserDisc.
We used Speed (bus knocking down posts coming off motorway), The Fugitive (train crash), Jurassic Park (T Rex attack and any rain demo scene, excellent test of clarity aswell by the way), Congo (the rock falling scene). I had a Toshiba demo video aswell.
The difference in all cases was blatant.

Take some music with you aswell, especially a female vocal (or George Michael as the wife is demanding over my shoulder ). You'll be surprised at how much better it will sound. The bass bit is obvious, but treble? Surprising!

At the time it cost £350 for the Q Bass from REL, and couldn't afford anything better. But I really don't want anything else. It's such a good little beast.
Unless you follow Ramius and build a DIY sub, I don't believe you'll go far wrong.
given what I know now (due to Ramius) I would build my own.
But you'll enjoy the demo. I promise you'll want to buy the biggest, baddest mutha there.


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Douch!!......Wot's da madder, da CIA got you pushing too many penzils?

Work: www.hughes-tv.co.uk

[This message has been edited by General Skanky (edited 20-01-2001).]

[StuartBooth]

General, buying the "biggest, baddest mutha" is exactly what I'm concerned about! But I'd at least like to TRY auditioning them properly!

Interesting comment re. rain demo scene. I hadn't thought of that. My favourite, as it springs easily to mind, is at the beginning of Se7en when they walk out of the crime scene for the first time. That's all around, which I like.

But I Have My Demo Scene picked out! Well 3 actually. I received The Haunting in dts on Friday, and watched it tonight. Bl00dy hell! This is an awesome sounding disc, and I really enjoyed the film to boot. Chapters 3 and 10 stood out, along with a sequence with something chasing after Lili Taylor down the corridor, thumping along above and behind her. WOW!! And this, on a system lacking a sub entirely. Awesome. I can't wait to demo THIS to friends!!

Your comment on female vocals surprises me I must admit. I guess because it allows the speakers to concentrate on the mid-band and higher frequencies more? Now that is also an interesting top tip!

Not really into home DIY. Maybe in a few years...

Thanks!


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Stuart Booth
Somewhere in Buckinghamshire, England, UK

[Matt F]

Stuart - two important things:

1. Demo the subs at home if you possibly can as your room, type of floor, position of the sub etc will all have an effect on the way it sounds.

2. Make sure you audition M&K subs before you buy anything - I'm a huge fan of REL (I use a Q50 myself) but you really mustn't overlook M&K, especially their MX "push-pull" models.

I don't know how much your planning on spending but whatever your budget you won't go far wrong by comparing M&K and REL i.e.

£600-800 - REL Strata/Storm III or Q200/201E vs M&K VX100 or V125
£1000 - REL Q400 vs M&K MX70B or MX105
£1250 - M&K MX125 vs ?

One other absolute beast is the Mirage BPS 400 (£1300) - check out the review of it on this site.

Then there's always second hand - Audio Excellence have an M&K MX200 (£1800 new) on their website for £999. Awesome sub!

As for films to demo it with, I personally think The Haunting is a bit over the top on bass and would rather go for something like Saving Private Ryan (DTS) and/or the beginning of Tommorow Never Dies (DD).

Hope this helps - what speakers are you using by the way?

[Phil Hinton]

Best Female Demo CD is.....Annie Lennox-diva
with a major bass extension and her haunting voice,this gives you a rush like no other....
It was what i used to demo the REL STORM,which i now own two off.......

[General Skanky]

Really? I thought that Diva is the most distorted CD I own.
Just turn it up and it goes s**t.
Have you not noticed this THX?

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Douch!!......Wot's da madder, da CIA got you pushing too many penzils?

Work: www.hughes-tv.co.uk

[StuartBooth]

Matt,

Not sure yet on how much I want to spend, although my thinking is from the £600 bracket upwards. My instinctive budget restrictions come in automatically at £1000 though.

Auditioning at home is a great idea, but I know I'm only going to be at this address for the rest of this year at the most. It's a huge 17th century barn, so not representative of my eventual room, worse luck. I suspect the shop demo room will be more appropriate.

You're the 2nd person to tell me The Haunting has some quite OTT bass. I could very almost feel this one throbbing away even without a sub, but that's the feeling I want from this one I believe, a palpable feeling in the room.

My speakers are Dynaudio Contour 1.1's + Centre, and Audience 40's at the back. Large on the front/rear left/rights and Small on the Centre at the moment.

THX, one of my current audio disc choices is The Cardigans, Gran Turismo as I just love the weight of the very tidy bass on this CD. Don't have Annie Lennox unfortunately, but thanks for the suggestion.


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Stuart Booth
Somewhere in Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Hi Iam looking at the 300 pound market Subs.
And i was looking forward to audition them at home.
One advice i can give you is to audition a "old" run in SUB.
Most sub needs some time to be at their best.

What about Boston Accoustics?
It seems they are starting to sell their homeaudio in europe now.
Their TOP sub is a small beauty. 1000watts RMS. It has won some prizes too.
Forgot the name of the sub...but it's their TOP one...easy to find.
Check it out on line at their website