# Sunfire True Junior; To keep or resell?



## yosturm (Apr 10, 2011)

So I accidentally bought a Bob Carver Sunfire True Junior sub from ebay for $500.

Last week I was auditioning speakers at a mid-to-high-end retail location and I told the sales person that I had just purchased that sub. He then proceeded to make fun of my purchase and tell me that I should try to get rid of it for something else. He explained to me that it is not a very musical sub and that it is pretty much a novelty item.

I understand that this is one of those items which is trying to push the laws of physics. How can you wish for deep and accurate bass from such tiny drivers in an even ridiculously smaller package? Once you account for the drivers and the amp there must be .1 cubic feet left over on the inside.

And now that it has arrived, I have hooked it up to my system and am starting to believe what the salesman was saying as it is not as amazingly impressive as how I recall it sounded the first time that I had heard it (which was about 7 years ago in a retail store). And I am having a little trouble getting it to integrate well with the rest of the system.

Should I try to resell it and hopefully recoup what I paid for it, then get what I was originally going to get in the first place, a B&W ASW610? Or am I just paranoid because of what the salesman told me?


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## drdoan (Aug 30, 2006)

before you give it up, try some of the suggestions about sub placement, and balancing found on this forum. It could just be improper setup. Have fun. Dennis


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## smurphy522 (Sep 21, 2010)

Regardless of what you have or purchased, unless the "salesman" is your personal friend they should not be making fun of something you have. 1st off I would not return to that place of business or at least ask to deal with another salesperson. Tactics like that may work on some people but are not at all professional. Unless this salesperson actually sold the Sunfire line or owned it they probably have as much information as those who read online or forum reviews of it. They are most likely not in the position to mock that product. sure they can be selling something superior to it but that is always in the eye of the beholder (you!).

Like you mentioned the Sunfire True Jr was meant to do something: make bass/sub-bass in the smallest form factor. If you do not require the small form factor then yes by all means think about looking into something else. For perhaps the same amount of $ (a little more or less) you can have more impact and musicality in the sub.

As Dennis suggested try setting it up in a different manner; meaning placement options and settings (on the sub itself and the source/receiver). you may be pleasantly surprised, who knows?

Best of luck. Keep us posted in the development.


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

Bob Carver is a well known audiophile and knows his stuff He makes some fantastic all be it expensive audio gear. Sunfire is nothing to laugh at, the Junior is a great little sub and is capable but its not going to compeat with the likes of SVS or some of the other higher end subs.


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## yosturm (Apr 10, 2011)

The salesman had previously sold Sunfire products and was familiar with the sub.

Additionally, I asked him for his honest opinion so my feelings weren't hurt by his frankness. It just got me thinking that he was probably right about the subs musicality. 

The problem is now all I can think about is whether I would be better off with something like a B&W ASW610 which I had recently heard at a store and was impressed.


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## engtaz (Jul 9, 2010)

smurphy522 said:


> Regardless of what you have or purchased, unless the "salesman" is your personal friend they should not be making fun of something you have. 1st off I would not return to that place of business or at least ask to deal with another salesperson. Tactics like that may work on some people but are not at all professional. Unless this salesperson actually sold the Sunfire line or owned it they probably have as much information as those who read online or forum reviews of it. They are most likely not in the position to mock that product. sure they can be selling something superior to it but that is always in the eye of the beholder (you!).Like you mentioned the Sunfire True Jr was meant to do something: make bass/sub-bass in the smallest form factor. If you do not require the small form factor then yes by all means think about looking into something else. For perhaps the same amount of $ (a little more or less) you can have more impact and musicality in the sub.
> 
> As Dennis suggested try setting it up in a different manner; meaning placement options and settings (on the sub itself and the source/receiver). you may be pleasantly surprised, who knows?
> 
> Best of luck. Keep us posted in the development.


So true, they only person that count is you when it comes to how something sounds.


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

For the price the SVS SB12NSD is the best option right now. not many other subs can touch it.


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## caliberconst. (Dec 10, 2009)

The first thing I would do is go find a different shop to spend my money at. That salesman sound's like a complete jerk, I have never been treated like that. Are there better subs than the sunfire, sure, but like some one else said the sunfire is no joke. Don't worry about it you didn't make a foolish purchase by any means, just play with the placement more, and if you are still unhappy than look for another sub.


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## nebrunner (Jul 27, 2010)

While the Sunfire subs fill an important niche, if you have the space and the $$$ for a larger sub, I sold my Sunfire and went bigger and have been very happy with that move. My wife, maybe not as happy about it as me.


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## diggles (Jul 23, 2010)

Let's worry less about the salesman and talk about options. Sound like a plan?


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