Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater Axiom 8 Channel amp or multiple 2 channel amps

Micah, I think you've got it.

It would be interesting to EQ a good sub like my PB13 to have an output bump in the 50-80hz range just see if it can produce that chest pound feel.I guess this would be a good reason to run multiple subs above an beyond the normal 2-4. I can remember the PB12-nsd had a chest thump feel to it and it does have a minor bump in the 50-60hz range.

I also know the bass Micah is talking about from the M80s, they had my room rattling AND had some pretty good chest pound when I had the A1400 hooked up.

Roar, I can assure you the M22s won't have any great change in sound with a more powerfull amp. I ran them with the A1400 and the only difference I heard was the highs had better seperation and were cleaner at louder volume. I actually thought they sounded a little anemic due to the lack of bass they produced because the mids and highs over shadowed them so much, they really needed a sub when hooked to the outboard amp.

I know you weren't wowed by the sub you tried, unless it was a quality sub like the Axiom ep350 and up, Paradigm dsp series or the SVS subs or of similar/better quality like we mention here, you were not getting the full picture. I tried many subs out and none were as good as those we constantly bring up on this forum. I feel the Paradigm DSP series is quite possibly the best bang for the buck along with the EP350.

Well, it's sounds like you've put a lot of thought into it at least. Yes the unit did ultimately let me down as far as movie performance goes, but the cause of this is still unknown. I don't really know if it was the sub's lack of capability, trying to fill too much space with bass from one unit, or some other problem in my equipment that has yet to surface.

And it's because the exact reason is yet unknown that I hesitate to either recommend or dismiss the EP800, or any other Axiom subwoofer for that matter. Once I get the chance to roll the dice with another subwoofer set up then hopefully more of these questions will be answered. Until then.... me and my M80's will dance the night away!

roar,
Many decades ago when I left my parents house and moved into my first (and only) apartment I bought a bed and $2,000 worth of stereo equipment, a lot of money in the 70's

My logic is as follows. I NEEDED a couch, chairs, tables, etc. etc. so I knew that I would have to find a way to get them. I didn't NEED a stereo system and if I had spent my money on furniture there is a chance I would have never gotten the stereo system of my dreams.

I was single then and that served me well, I wouldn't advise it if you are married.

In other words buy the amp. The subwoofer will follow.

Ah a man after my own heart! I used much of the same logic you speak of back in my 20's... well, for that matter I guess I still do. I'll site my own example...

When my first wife and I first met I had just discovered motorcycles and had a 250 Ninja that I'd had for about 3 months, but was quickly outgrowing. She of course was totally into the bike since we were just starting to fall in love, so naturally she loved everything about me. And since the bike was part of me, she loved it. I also had a Cavalier Z-24 coupe with a full blown car stereo system installed (twin 12 inch Kicker subs, Kenwood reciever, Kenwood separate speakers, Precision Power amps, Precision Power electronic cross-over, etc...). So when we got engaged and found out she was preganant the Z-24 was no longer going to be the ideal car for us. My parents had a station wagon that was sort of old, but ran perfectly well and they were willing to sell it to me dirt cheap. So I had a dilema to consider... do I sell my car and buy a really nice family car/minivan/SUV? Or do I sell my car and my bike, buy my parents station wagon and the bike of my dreams? Well I followed the same logic you did, I decided that if I blew all my money then on a really nice family vehicle, the motorcycle of my dreams would never find it's way into my garage. So I sold my 250 and my Z-24 and bought a Kawasaki ZX-7 with all the aftermarket goodies (full Muzzy exhaust, stage 3 jet kit, ignition advancer, super coils, 520 chain and sprocket conversion kit, one down two up gearing upgrade, Corbin seat, chrome and carbon fiber bits sprinkled all over the place... everything my heart desired), and my parents station wagon.

Probably not the same call most would make, but my love of motorcycles has lasted 15 years now and only gets stronger as the years go by. And after we got married my motorcycle was suddenly the root of all evil in the eyes of my wife (ex-wife now), and she thought up every possible reason imaginable as to why I had to sell it. Which I never did, but it showed me that had I opted for the nice family car and then gone after my dreams of having a kick-ass motorcycle later, it never would have materialized while I was with her (5 years). So I for one, never regretted the move. The car was a hoopty, but it got us where we needed to go reliably. I bought a Honda Accord 2 years later, but the station wagon stuck around until her younger brother finally got his drivers license and totalled it 3 months later.

All the same arguments can be said for buying a ~$2000 subwoofer.

I think it still comes down what will make the biggest improvement in SQ and right now I think the sub will have more impact/improvement. Now if he was to be buying some M60s/M80s and a new amp to drive them then I would have to go with the towers and the new amp

Have you considered using a ButtKicker

Nothing I’ve used goes that low with as much authority. Use one and you will quickly learn that there is almost nothing out there to reproduce in the under 20Hz range.

If your looking for chest pounding maybe try a MBM-12 Mid-bass Module

I haven’t ever used one but am thinking about trying one to see what it can do in conjunction with a Buttkicker and EP500.

If you do go for it, I look forward to what you'll have to say about it.

As will I! Are there many other options out there? Not that the HSU doesn't look adequate, just curious.

The HSU mid-base module is interesting, it kind of makes you wonder if anyone out there is working on a "two-way" sub, one driver dealing with the lowest bass/the other driver playing the the upper bass(if it's not been done).

Yeah, it seems like if subwoofers have multiple drivers, they're all of the same size. I wonder how hard it is to integrate different sizes of drivers into the same subwoofer.