Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater Subwoofer Advice?

I have just received my M 60's, M 2's, and VP150, and am amazed! Although they provide more low end than I've ever had before, I can't help but wonder if a sub would further enhance my listening experience. The problem is that my existing Axioms are already a bit of an overkill for my small apartment. Anyone have an opinion as to a sub that will supplement what I have without annoying the nieghbors too much?

MJ, welcome. It isn't so much the size of the sub, but rather how loudly you play it, which might annoy the neighbors. You can have the most powerful sub in the world if you play it at a low level(of course that wouldn't be taking full advantage of it). Consider even an EP500 if it fits your budget, but be judicious in entertaining the neighbors.

Thanks for the adivce John. I'm assuming that I will be able to appreciate the sub at lower volumes because I will be able to hear the lower frequencies regardless of the the volume of my other speakers. Is this correct?

Sure, it can be appreciated at moderate volumes, but it's also true that very low frequencies are less audible than mid-range frequencies at the same volume level. So, the effect of the sub is definitely audible, but not to the extent it would be if it was calibrated "hot".

That's depends if you watch HT more than listening to music. The reason why I ask is that you will hear and feel more of the sub when you are watching movies than playing music. If you listen to music most of the time and the music you listen to doesn't have too much lows, then having a sub would not be wise due to your neighbors.
This weekend, when you have a chance, bring your music with you to your audio store and audition a sub. When you audition, pick a similar setup as yours and see how it sounds with and without the sub. After that you can make a better judgement for yourself. If you are using your setup mostly for HT, then you will need a sub. PERIOD. Just warn your neighbors first.

I can't comment on the neighbor part because I haven't had any in shaking distance for a lot of years but I can comment on the difference between having no sub, a cheap sub, and a 'great' sub even at low levels.

When I bought my M60's and VP150 I waited a few months before ordering the sub to build up the cash. In that time, I watched movies without a sub until I unpacked my old wimpy sony one from my old HTiB system.

My wife doesn't like movies loud like I do, if they are action oriented. Adding the little sub added a bit of fullness but not so much at low volume levels. You could tell the difference but you were not hearing the extreme lows.

But!! When I added the EP500, even at low volumes it did so much more. The deepness came out very full. It didn't vibrate your world at low levels but the difference was significant.

The differences at high volumes were vast. It created lows that would make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. However, it did so without drawing attention to the box itself. You could crank the old Sony for sure but it mostly rattled and drew your attention away from the movie as your eyes tended to look at the sub because it became very directional.

NO advice on what to do, just sharing info to help you decide.