Thread: Best sub for music for around $300-$400?

Posts: 5
Post by BruinPirateAnteater July 27, 2012 (1 of 5)
Hey guys,

Just wanted to see people's opinions on what is the best sub for music at the $300 to $400 range?

Within the next month, I will be purchasing Wharfedale Evo2-30s to us as fronts, while my current Evo2-20s will be moved to the rear, and I will continue to use Evo2-Center as the center. During this same time period, I will also be upgrading my Yamaha HTR-3064 to a Denon 4311CI.

Here's the caveat: my system is going to be used for both music AND video, however , music is primary. My system MUST do music well, before anything else, even if its at the expense of movie sound quality. With that said, I love the sound signature of my Evo2-20s for stereo music, but I am looking to improve my 5.1 music experience.

Caveat #2: I just purchased a condo, and while I do not share any walls with neighbors to the side, I am on the second level, so I have a neighbor below me. I do plan on placing every speaker on sound absorbing mat, covered by a thick rug, and the sub will also be place on an additional sound absorbing pad; I understand this will only make a nominal difference on how much I bother my neighbor, but a little help is better than none.

With that said, I am looking for a sub that gives nice, tight bass, I am not looking for a sub that will rattle my entire space. So far, I am considering these options:

- Wharfedale SW150 - $299
- Wharfesale SW300 - $399 (seems like overkill, but price seems right and I can always turn down the volume)
- Wharfedale Diamond 10.SX - $399
- Energy ESW-M8 NA - $299

Out of these, which is the more musical sub? What subs in the $300-$400 range are more musical than these?
Post by Iain July 27, 2012 (2 of 5)
Post by Beagle July 27, 2012 (3 of 5)
I love my Paradigm PDR-10, but I have been very fond of all my Paradigm purchases. Perhaps the best testimonial was that, when my wife came home, she approved of the addition when I fully expected a rolling of the eyeballs. The asking price was $500 but I haggled it down to your price range. I appreciate the controls for sound level and frequency entry.

"Built-In High-Power, High-Performance Discrete Amplifiers provide tremendous high-current, low-distortion power: 360 watts Dynamic Peak / 120 watts RMS."
http://www.paradigm.com/products/archives/paradigm/pdr-10
Post by BruinPirateAnteater July 28, 2012 (4 of 5)
Beagle said:

I love my Paradigm PDR-10, but I have been very fond of all my Paradigm purchases. Perhaps the best testimonial was that, when my wife came home, she approved of the addition when I fully expected a rolling of the eyeballs. The asking price was $500 but I haggled it down to your price range. I appreciate the controls for sound level and frequency entry.
Thanks for the suggestion, Beagle. Read up some more on this sub, and it really does look like it would fit the bill. Unfortunately, they do not sell it anymore. I wanted to get some idea on prices and looked all over the net, but found NO ONE who carried it.

I was also reading reviews for the Emotiva Ultra 10 sub, and the reviews also sound like what I am looking for, and the price seems right, but like your PDR-10, it's no longer being sold, but the X-Ref 10 seems to be the successor of the Ultra 10 and from what I read, is even better than Ultra. They have it on sale for $399 and Emotiva has free shipping too. So I think that's in the running too.

Does anyone have any experience with either the Energy sub or the Emotiva sub (or the Wharfedale subs I mentioned)? Could anyone point me in the direction of a place that still sells the Paradigm PDR-10 (or even its smaller brother, the PDR-8)?
Post by BruinPirateAnteater July 28, 2012 (5 of 5)
BruinPirateAnteater said:

Does anyone have any experience with either the Energy sub or the Emotiva sub (or the Wharfedale subs I mentioned)? Could anyone point me in the direction of a place that still sells the Paradigm PDR-10 (or even its smaller brother, the PDR-8)?
NVM on suggesting a place to buy one, I have found a couple of spots that sell the PDR-10 and its newer version, the PDR-100. I have not found a place to buy the PDR-8, but did find a few spots to buy the PDR-80.

Thus far, I think I am most interested (in this order):

1) Emotiva X-ref 10 for $399
2) Paradigm PDRs
3) Energy ESW-M8
4) Wharfedale SW300

If Emotiva jacks the price of the Xref up to $499, then I think it would sink to #2 (maybe #3).

Any more comments on these 4 choices or any other subs I should consider? I am VERY glad Beagle suggested the Paradigm, reviews are awesome and everyone praises the way it handles music!

Closed