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Looking for a new Subwoofer

I am looking to replace my Definitive Technology Supercube 6000 with a new subwoofer to augment my Fyne F-702 speakers. My listening room is about 13 x 22 ft with 8’ ceilings and an 8’ opening to the dining room to the left of the listening area. I try to avoid major products made in mainland China—in spite of their at times very good quality, and I have narrowed the brands down to Paradigm, Vandersteen, and JL Audio, specifically, a single Paradigm XR11 or dual Defiance X12s, the Vandersteen Sub Three with “required” crossover, and the JL Audio Fathom f110v2.  My budget is about $4K, with the XR11 and Fathom right at that price, the dual X12s at about $3K, and the Vandersteen with required crossover at about $5300 (including two crossovers, as they are sold in pairs).  I may be able to audition the Paradigms and the Vandersteen; a friend has told me the room correction software with the JL Audio sub is way behind that of the Paradigms.  In light of the excellent advice I have received in this forum, I wonder if folks out there have had an experience with these subwoofers and what they might recommend.  Many thanks.

mike4597
grislybutter
3,239 posts
 

my 2 cents:

everything about the Fyne F-702 screams that they go down to cover the bass frequencies (30Hz) and do it well.

To add a sub to those without massive overlap is challenging. You either cut off the lows of a full range speaker with crossover control or you double the lows almost all the way, both are questionable approaches. I would get the least powerful 10" or 12" subs (2) and see if they improve anything. I spent a year trying different approaches until I successfully dialed them in.

I ended up ditching the crossover and turning down the subs to 85Hz and very low gain. They just add a subtle accent to the lows, helping with the soundstage, but helping a lot.

soix
9,672 posts
 

my 2 cents:

everything about the Fyne F-702 screams that they go down to cover the bass frequencies (30Hz) and do it well. To add a sub to those without massive overlap is challenging. You either cut off the lows of a full range speaker with crossover control or you double the lows almost all the way, both are questionable approaches. I would get the least powerful 10" or 12" subs (2) and see if they improve anything. I spent a year trying different approaches until I successfully dialed them in. I ended up ditching the crossover and turning down the subs to 85Hz and very low gain. They just add a subtle accent to the lows, helping with the soundstage, but helping a lot.

@grislybutter There’s almost nothing I agree with here. “The least powerful sub?” Really??? If you position a good sub(s) properly and set the crossover, volume, and phase with any care whatsoever then good subs can blend seamlessly with most all speakers. That the speakers go down to 30Hz is totally irrelevant. 🙄 My speakers go down to 28Hz (-3dB) and I can easily integrate my “lowly” SVS SB2000 sub completely seamlessly. If you can’t do that then you really just don’t know what you’re doing IME.

 

mike4597 OP
105 posts
 

For Soix, I checked the Paradigm website, and it states that it is a sealed sub.  However, many thanks for the link, and they look pretty good, so I will have to check them out as they are made here in the USA and are very reasonably priced.  Now, to convince the wife about putting two in the front room.  Thanks again, as usual, your advice is good.  Time to hunt down some reviews.

soix
9,672 posts
 

Sorry, my bad.  I meant to say the Defiance X12 is ported.  The XR11 is obviously sealed but is also $4k.  I’d take two Rythmik F12Gs for $1600 less than one XR11 all day every day.  Not even close. 

sfgak
122 posts
 

+1 @soix re: the Rythmik F12G subs. I am also a happy owner of a pair of these, and I think they are awesome value for the money. Made in Texas.

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