New sub for £200 or less.

fireblade900 · 28 Mar 2006 at 21:27

Can someone recommend a sub for £200 or less? I have been looking at the Kef 1000.2 which I can get for £169.95 delivered. Superfi also said a Mission sub they sell was pretty good, can't remember the model but that was reduced from £250 to £150. I prefer to feel the bass rather than hear it. My Kef floorstanders provide enough bass for me to hear.

Matblack · 28 Mar 2006 at 21:34

fireblade900 said:
Can someone recommend a sub for £200 or less? I have been looking at the Kef 1000.2 which I can get for £169.95 delivered. Superfi also said a Mission sub they sell was pretty good, can't remember the model but that was reduced from £250 to £150. I prefer to feel the bass rather than hear it. My Kef floorstanders provide enough bass for me to hear.

Which KEFs do you have? This will effect my recomendation having owned a few and matched them to a few subs

MB

fireblade900 · 28 Mar 2006 at 21:34

Kef Q Series 65.2

Matblack · 28 Mar 2006 at 21:43

If you can push the budget a bit I'd say BK XLS200 or MS309 new, or look for to the secondhand market. As an owner of some 103/4s I got some reinforcement with the MS309 but not really that much extra extention.

I now have a M&K MX150THX having sold my MS309, and that makes a big difference but its a little out of your price range.

MB

james.miller · 28 Mar 2006 at 21:46

sub's dont really start behiaving like a sub should untill you start spending £300+....... if you want to spend less you'll either have to coem up lucky on a 2nd hand sub or build your own.

Like matblack said, the ms309 while being highly regarded, doesnt really offer the extension you'd want from a proper sub. Its more of a case of "a bit more of what you already have".

Matblack · 28 Mar 2006 at 21:52

Oh and I had a kef sub before the MS309, I wouldn't buy another one unless it was the 15" THX reference and they're a bit fragile! I'm a huge KEF fan but I haven't heard one of their subs which couldn't be bettered for a cheaper price

MB

DRZ · 29 Mar 2006 at 01:43

fireblade900 said:
I prefer to feel the bass rather than hear it. My Kef floorstanders provide enough bass for me to hear.

I cant better the advice that MB et al have offered here but I would like to ask you why you feel that way about bass.

Music is a very personal sensory experience and to some degree, physically interacting with the music adds to the experience but why on earth you would want that at the expense of hearing it, I am not entirely sure.

I can understand for a film soundtrack containing lots of explosions etc but for music listening, ramping up the amplitude to a level where you can feel it just... unbalances everything for me.

Although I have quoted you (and would like a reply from you) I have heard that exact phrase being uttered by too many people and it really troubles me. It goes against what "true music reproduction" is about - and therefore, in essence, hifi.

tom_nieto · 29 Mar 2006 at 11:23

I often turn up my speakers to the point where the floor shakes a bit, I don't have a loud PA system so I can't feel it in my chest like when I'm at a gig. However, I don't have a sub, and I wouldn't want one for music as I feel it would give too much bass.

gt_junkie · 29 Mar 2006 at 12:19

Hi fireblade900,

I've purchased from a company called hyperfi a couple of times. They sell clearance and ex demo kit!

They currently have a THX spec Kef reference sub that used to be £800 now at £300 - the catch... you have to collect from their warehouse in essex. :rolleyes:

They also have a Kef PSW3000 Subwoofer at £200 and a Mission m70as Subwoofer at £150. All good prices and quite effective subs!

Especially the THX Kef as that can reach down to around 15hz. :cool:

I own a Mission M5AS which is very effective. It was £500 at launch but i managed to barter down to £260 from a local av store! Is 350 watts with a 30cm driver so is quite a puncher. I have a titchy little room and i've managed to get it to hit 15hz at about 90 decibels! :eek:

If you can find one they're great!

Matblack · 29 Mar 2006 at 12:38

gt_junkie said:
Hi fireblade900,

I've purchased from a company called hyperfi a couple of times. They sell clearance and ex demo kit!

They currently have a THX spec Kef reference sub that used to be £800 now at £300 - the catch... you have to collect from their warehouse in essex.

They also have a Kef PSW3000 Subwoofer at £200 and a Mission m70as Subwoofer at £150. All good prices and quite effective subs!

Especially the THX Kef as that can reach down to around 15hz.

I own a Mission M5AS which is very effective. It was £500 at launch but i managed to barter down to £260 from a local av store! Is 350 watts with a 30cm driver so is quite a puncher. I have a titchy little room and i've managed to get it to hit 15hz at about 90 decibels!

If you can find one they're great!

They lie about their stock, I've called them a few time and they NEVER had any TDMs in stock

MB

gt_junkie · 29 Mar 2006 at 12:47

That's a bit naughty! Never had any problems - sorry you were messed about!

fireblade900: Have you checked any auction sites etc?

As i say - if you can pick up a sub similar to mine it would do you proud!

If you search for m5as on google a home cinema choice review will come up. This shows it winning it's group test jointly with a £1100 focul jm lab monster sub! Pretty impressive for something costing half as much and that can be found for half that again!!! :cool:

Keep me posted on what you decide to do!

:EDIT: Just noticed an M5AS up for auction on a well known auction site! It's rosewood though!

tom_nieto · 29 Mar 2006 at 13:00

I had no trouble with hyperfi when I used them. Just ring them and check the stock and don't be afraid to haggle!

Matblack · 29 Mar 2006 at 13:29

tom_nieto said:
I had no trouble with hyperfi when I used them. Just ring them and check the stock and don't be afraid to haggle!

I don't need to anymore

MB

tom_nieto · 29 Mar 2006 at 15:51

I would love an awesome sub, but I don't think I've got the space or the neighbours for it right now.

/checks bank balance...

/cries.

fireblade900 · 29 Mar 2006 at 16:50

DRZ said:
I cant better the advice that MB et al have offered here but I would like to ask you why you feel that way about bass.

Music is a very personal sensory experience and to some degree, physically interacting with the music adds to the experience but why on earth you would want that at the expense of hearing it, I am not entirely sure.

I can understand for a film soundtrack containing lots of explosions etc but for music listening, ramping up the amplitude to a level where you can feel it just... unbalances everything for me.

Although I have quoted you (and would like a reply from you) I have heard that exact phrase being uttered by too many people and it really troubles me. It goes against what "true music reproduction" is about - and therefore, in essence, hifi.

I never said anything about listening to music using a sub, my Kef floorstanders provide more than enough bass for music and considering I listen to heavy rock I don't want loads of bass anyway. I want a new sub to replace the Wharfdale one I have. The only time it is used is when the surround amp is switched on for movies and the 360. The only thing music gets played through is my Rotel amp and Kef speakers. So, back to the original question: What sub do you recommend for £200 or less (or around that figure).

Matblack · 29 Mar 2006 at 16:56

Matblack said:
If you can push the budget a bit I'd say BK XLS200 or MS309 new, or look for to the secondhand market. As an owner of some 103/4s I got some reinforcement with the MS309 but not really that much extra extention.

I now have a M&K MX150THX having sold my MS309, and that makes a big difference but its a little out of your price range.

MB

If you can't push the budget

http://www.bkelec.com/HiFi/Sub_Woofers.htm

the Gemini or the Minotour

MB