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Active subwoofer for 2.1

L

Lokidtc99

What does this button do...?
Hi all,

I'm looking for advice on good active subs for a stereo (i.e. not home cinema) system.

I've had to downsize from large standmounts to bookshelfs due to SWMBO, but am keenly missing the warmth/depth to the sound.

Current system is Naim with Neat Petite III's. I'm looking to spend no more than £500, and obviously want something musical, as opposed to something tailored to making explosion-packed soundtracks reorganise your internal organs!!

Thanks all
David
 
+1 BK. Highly capable and highly discreet. The DF Monolith is their biggest one and is not that big or imposing TBH and looks like a cube that no one would bat an eyelid if you put a table lamp and a few (heavy!) books on it.

Mine has a kangaroo on it but thats only because I caught her sitting on the washing machine during the spin cycle.



She loves her WubWubWubs does Roo.
 
I would look at the Velodyne digital series, they have their own built in room correction, which may be invaluable if you have a resonance problem .
Keith.
 
I've just looked at the Velodyne website for the prices! $3000 +

I, too, have my eye on the BK XLS400 and wonder if the XLS200 would be sufficient.
 
Another thumbs-up for the '400. I've been using one for a couple of years now.
 
simonom said:
I've just looked at the Velodyne website for the prices! $3000 +

I, too, have my eye on the BK XLS400 and wonder if the XLS200 would be sufficient.
Click to expand...



Really depends on a few things really, what you plan to use it for (HT or music), your musical taste and of course the size of your listening room.

The XLS200 is a 10” woofer and 200 watt amp, as with all the BK subs it is very well made so a solid and study cabinet. It certainly isn’t a big sub but isn’t a toy either, this will give you quality tuneful bass but isn’t going to shake the room and it you push it you will find its upper limits. For a normal / small listening room of say 3 x 4m just to underpin the bass of some stand mount speakers at normal listening levels I’d suggest this is enough.

The 400 as the name suggest has a 400 watt amp, much bigger enclosure and the larger 12” cone, it’s very similar to the 200 but those extra litres, inches and watt will give you more of everything, if you have a larger room, are a bit of a bass fiend or want that bit more bass that can rumble a bit for film use then I’d suggest the extra outlay is worth it.

It you really want bass you can feel and can accommodate the larger ported design then the Monolith is a beast, for me the sealed design of the 400 gave me everything I wanted.



Sure there are better subs out there but at a cost, the BK subs are a very solid purchase for those that want quality but also don’t want to be splashing huge amounts of cash on subs.
 
simonom said:
I've just looked at the Velodyne website for the prices! $3000 +

I, too, have my eye on the BK XLS400 and wonder if the XLS200 would be sufficient.
Click to expand...

I think you may have been looking at their most powerful model, subwoofers can excite room frequencies , to be able to cut that resonance is invaluable, unless you enjoy an accompanying BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR with all your music ,films etc.
Keith.
 
I use a Naim nSub with my SL2s having tried a number of other subs. As the nSub has been discontinued you might be able to find one second hand for a little more than your £500 budget. It should be a very good match for your amps and the neat speakers you use.
 
Great responses - thanks all!

I've just had a quick look at the BK website. Interesting that they offer identical subs in either front-firing or down-firing configurations. What differences would the different orientations make?

Given that I live in a converted Georgian town-house flat, on the second floor, with good ol' wooden joists and floor boards (carpeted), my instinct says I should steer clear of down-firing subs unless I want to really p*** off my downstairs neighbour!!

David
 
It’s more down to athletics really, most people go for the DF as it just looks cleaner, the FF may be a little easier to integrate. Get yourself a couple of granite chopping boards, on the provided spikes they should be fine.

Georgian town-house, nice! I love the proportion and feel of Georgian properties.
 
The BK subs are really excellent value for money and great in a home cinema system, but if you want musical I'd definitely go with htm's suggestion of a Naim n-Sub (I've owned both by the way). The remote control for setup plus the six different presets are very useful.

Might be difficult to find though.
 
I'd agree with the BK XLS200 or XLS400 recs., but would suggest you also budget for an Anti-Mode DSP room correction. The best £200 pounds I've spent in a long time.
 
I was at a friends house the other night, very tuneful Nait 2 + Katans. I usually really enjoy this, and we spend the evening flipping through LP's, and ripped music.

But something wasn't right, the pace, and delicacy were lost……..

As it got later, the newly arrived Rel Quake was switched off for neighbourly harmony, and SNAP, it was all brought back into focus, the PRAT in bucket loads.

On paper the Katan/Quake should work well together, but not this time?

I imagine getting the integration's the difficult task, it wasn't my kit, maybe more fiddling would help, but there's a Quake on ebay now ;-)

Best of luck

Mark
 
Bluedroog said:
The XLS200 is a 10” woofer and 200 watt amp, as with all the BK subs it is very well made so a solid and study cabinet. It certainly isn’t a big sub but isn’t a toy either, this will give you quality tuneful bass but isn’t going to shake the room and it you push it you will find its upper limits. For a normal / small listening room of say 3 x 4m just to underpin the bass of some stand mount speakers at normal listening levels I’d suggest this is enough.
Click to expand...

Thanks, very helpful. This description fits my set-up and needs perfectly.
 
Here's a bit of a thought for you: a pair of Neat Gravitas. Designed to compliment the Petite III, they double up as stands. Once owned a pair of P-III/Gravitas and it was a very fine combination.
 
Yes, I did think about the Gravitas, but 1) they're rare as hens' teeth, and 2) it was the standmounts that SWMBO specifically had a problem with - floor space is a real premium in my place!

I think I'm going to have to audition a BK and see where I can tuck it away. I'm also intrigued by the DSP. Any point in trying a Dual Core over the straight sub- oriented Anti Mode?

David
 
I built my own sub from a pile of bits intended for car stereos. It was only built for a laugh, but I love it. It's well integrated and you can turn it up to movie levels or subtle reinforcement as you see fit. It cost me loose change.
 
Lokidtc99 said:
Yes, I did think about the Gravitas, but 1) they're rare as hens' teeth, and 2) it was the standmounts that SWMBO specifically had a problem with - floor space is a real premium in my place!

I think I'm going to have to audition a BK and see where I can tuck it away. I'm also intrigued by the DSP. Any point in trying a Dual Core over the straight sub- oriented Anti Mode?

David
Click to expand...

Only get an anti mode if you come across problems i.e. consider purchase if you cannot integrate easily. The dual core DAC is fine, as good as a £25 FiiO. The room sweep and graph display leads to a whole new world of paranoia and the remote control is an easily lost piece of plastic shit and that is your main interface with the unit. Otherwise it works fine and does what it says it does.

I got mine at the time I bought a DF Monolith (used mainly for music not movies, people worry too much about this idea that ported subs only being good for movies), but anti mode, while a capable but of kit was not needed, I tuned the sub by ear for now so returned it.
 
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