The frequency graph for the EP800 sure looks delicious, but it is expensive and big. I spent $2,500 on M80s + VP180 + QS8s and now I need to spend that much again to get the last 15Hz?

However, I am not sure what features I should be looking for.

My room is 23 x 21 x 8.75 = 4,226 cubic feet. In one corner there is a 6ft wide opening into another large area.

I would prefer musical accuracy and bass tightness over movie LFE loudness if I had to choose.

What questions should I be asking?

have you read reviews on the net, there are a ton of them and it could help you narrow down your choice?

2 makers who have an excellent reputation: Hsu and SVS;
there are others, but i can't remember right now.

if you have a good setup and calibration, you will never hear the sub, whatever you listen to, and the transition will not be heard;
it will be "invisible" to your ears.

hope this helps. :-)

Elemental Designs and Epik are another I will through in the hat, and Outlaw.

I don't think you need 15Hz.

People are going to tell you that "accuracy and tightness" are not a function of sealed v. ported design. I don't know. I like my SVS ported box, but it does have a signature sound that isn't quite as dry as some sealed subs I've heard. It's quite powerful enough, and I think I've got more cubic feet than even you do, but my listening habits/needs might be different.

I'm thinking about the sealed, 18" ED A7S-450 for $850 shipped.

I don't think you can go wrong with any of the other companies mentioned.

If you have multiple listening positions (i.e. you want to share the rumble rather than just rumble solo), I'd consider a couple of good-quality 12" subs rather than having one monster.

There's really no substitute for trying something out in your room.

You not running a sub at all at the moment? Do you know if you have any bad nulls in your room?

I don't like ED's "list price" marketing. Do they ever sell at that price, or is it just to impress the customer with the huge discount?

Yeah, I don't like it, either. Hsu does the same thing, albeit to a somewhat lesser degree. They use "MSRP" instead of "List".

Don't forget Paradigm! I have two of there subs(the same model) with the M80s and sounds fantastic.

My wife didn't like it with one but with two it's acceptable because they even out the lows. But I also have .2 capability.


Anyway....just a thought! Shop around and have fun..

Aww man, I was hoping to narrow my options, not widen them!

Henry, you want less money and narrowed, so get two Hsu VTF-2 Mk3s .

I'll second te Outlaw suggestion.

I don't have a lot of (any) audiophile friends but my Outlaw LFM1-Plus outperforms anything my peers have and puts out more power than my space can handle.

My room is aprox 10x16x9 so its not huge but not tiny. After numerous calibrations the volume knob on the Sub has come to rest just shy of 2 and my signal is at -1.5db on the receiver.

Best of all its not expensive. Actually, scratch that. The satin black finish and glass top give it high WAF which is *most* important.

Wow... I sound fanboy-ish.

snazzed

You have a fairly large area to cover and you want a musical, clean, accurate,deep display from the subwoofer - my recommendation is the EP500

http://www.axiomaudio.com/ep500.html

the DSP is the key - This unique circuit allows the subwoofer to:
- be exceptionally linear
- play without audible distortion over its entire frequency range at full output - use all of its power to produce clean sound
- turn on and off instantly its amplifier upon the presence or absence of an audio signal

Contrary to conventional subwoofers which try to correct distortion once it has a reached a certain distortion threshold; Axiom DSP circuitry monitors and analyses the incoming audio signal, a digital roadmap if you will, allowing it to be perfectly reproduced within the limits of its components. It assures not only a playback free of audible distortion but the entire power of its amplifier is used uniquely to reproduce sound.

Does the DSP potentially provide power savings as well? I'm becoming rather concerned about the amount of power my system uses just sitting around in standby, especially when I walk by the cabinet in the dark and it's lit up like a Xmas tree.

I always shut mine down. The only lights left on, are some dim panel lights on my surge suppressor/power conditioner.

I can't see how having a DSP amp would mean any powering savings, as the DSP is only for when it is running. The amp and standby electronics design would be where any savings would come from.

The amp on my EP500 V2 from 2006 is always warm to the touch when not being fed a signal. I have a Kill-a-Watt meter and it measures 16 watts in standby.

Rythmik would be my vote

so, at 16 watts in standby hmmmmm at 15 cents a Kilo/w/per hr
my calculations are it would have to be in standby for 62.5 hrs to use one kilo at a cost of 15 cents.
I guess that is 15 cents every three day so it would come to about $1.60 per month. that's if it isn't turned on.

Why not use the trigger? i use the trigger on my EP600, so the amp isn't on when the rest of the system isn't on.....