# Advice on sub type based on room location



## Toolatecrew (Jul 10, 2008)

Ithink I have found the supplier of my next sub in one of the sponsors of this forum Funky Waves. Looks like great product and price and I can buy in Canada to boot. . I've narrowed it down to basically 3 choices . What I need now is some help on 1. How much sub I need and 2. Whether to go tube or box based placement limitations

1. My room is basically 17X12 X 7 H so around 1600 cubic feet. I watch mostly movies/TV Games. While I do like impact having 2 kids means I can only go above -20db on my Denon 3808 about once a week.

Without a lot of detail (I'll do this once I get farther in the project) I can get a sub for about 500 under my budget that would be equivalent to a SVS 20-39 PC-Plus.
or if I wait a month (no big deal) for right on budget I can get the equivalent of a SVS PB13 Ultra. 

I'm told that either will be a huge improvement over my PW2200. Question is how much sub do I need/can use in this room. $500 can certainly be put to good use but I'd rather spend the $500 now while its available than want an upgrade in a year or 2 when the money is gone and spent on other things.

2. Type location. I've attached a diagram below. Basically the right side of the room is out people entering the door, a desk and my gear rack mean the sub can't go anywhere on the right. So here is where the dilemma comes in. The projection screen runs 80 inches across the front. Its 28 inches off the floor with about 26 inches clearance on either side. The tower speakers need to be to the side of the screen as they are 39 height and 7 wide. The sub needs to either be short enough to fit under the screen (but it would also be at least 28 wide maybe more) or if its a tube on the side. My concern is limiting my placement options. Chances are that left corner area between left corner and middle of the screen are best placement you can see in the diagram where the sub is now). Jamming it way into the corner corner loads it too much. The response seems to drop off as I move farther to the center. WAF is not an issue. If I want to put a big tube in the corner I can. If I want to have a a big box under the screen I can. My fear is that no matter what I pick I have to get it right because if its a tube it has to go in a left side corner (front or back ) if its a box it basically has to go under the screen (if I put it in the corner it would have no clearance lest the tower speaker be pushed too far toward the screen) or along the left wall. 

So there you have it. 

Big sub or BIGGER SUB?
Tube or Box.

Look forward to advice plan to have a decision made by end of weekend so I can place my order.


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## Mike P. (Apr 6, 2007)

Without knowing what 3 choices you're thinking of, I personally would get the most I could afford. The best part about kids is they grow up, and you'll have more freedom to listen at levels that you want to. If you were at home alone, what loudness level would you want? As for placement issues, since you have a PW2200 already, you can experiment with it and move it to different locations to see how it sounds. I would also try the back wall behind the couch. Will you be keeping the PW2200?


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## Toolatecrew (Jul 10, 2008)

OK I'm debating between an FW 12.1 (which is built now) and FW 15.1 cylinder sub or the equivilant to the FW 15.1 except built in a custom made box which would have dimensions around 24 H 24"high 34"deep 28" (maybe slightly larger) 

I will likley sell the Pw2200 but it doesn't HAVE to go before I get the new sub. I can shove it in another room and wait till I get a decent price for it. I have moved the PW2200 around before some. Like the I said the right side of the room sucks. The left corner gives the most output but can get boomy if pushed too far into the corner. I have no tried it behind the couch. The back corner behind the couch is a possibility but behind the couch would require a tube as I only have about 24 inches between the coch and back wall now. I could move it a few inches to accomadate a tube but not 1-2 feet to put a box and breathing room for a ported sub. 

I'm also a little wary of placing too much faith in moving the PW2200 around becuase a downfiring tube may react totally differently and even a larger 15 box sub may behave differently. 

Thanks though you got me things. Strange as it might have sounded at first a tube may give me more flexibility. Basically a tube eliminates 80 inches on the front wall of options. Height only matters to me in front of the screen. A box basically contrains me to about 80 inches worth of options. Under the screen and far enough from the wall to allow the port to breath. 

This actually really helped.


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## Mike P. (Apr 6, 2007)

Tube or box, go with the FW 15.1. Depending on your listening habits, it's better to turn a sub down a bit rather then wishing you had more. Been there, done that!


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## kseniuk (Jun 9, 2008)

I just bought the FW15.3 that they used for the pics in their catalog. I had them add a 1300 watt plate amp. It hasn't shipped out yet. Can't wait to hear it.

Kevin


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## Toolatecrew (Jul 10, 2008)

kseniuk said:


> I just bought the FW15.3 that they used for the pics in their catalog. I had them add a 1300 watt plate amp. It hasn't shipped out yet. Can't wait to hear it.
> 
> Kevin


And we can't wait to hear your review.

I am very curious to hear what you think. What is your current setup and room size?

I truly think I'm down to deciding between the 12.1 and the 15.1 both in tube style. I spent some time with a measuring tape and there is actually very limited placment options for a big box sub (now that I have a projection screen on the wall) so a tube is gonna be the answer I think. Just have to decide how much I abuse my house will withstand :hide::hsd:


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## Toolatecrew (Jul 10, 2008)

Thanks for all the help guys. I guess I was just waiting for enough people to support what I really have wanted to do in my head ever since I found out about this product. So I've decided to jst go for it before something gets in the way of this purchase

I've asked Nathan to build me an FW 15.1
I did not get good reponses from HSU ..big shipping costs and no Canadian service/dealer. The local options like Paradigm would have excceded my budget to get this kind of performance. SVS was considered but to get this tupe of perfomance would require going way over budget. So based on positive ffedback from an admitedly small group, avery good feeling I get from dealing with the builder and faith in buying Canadian I'm going to take the plunge. Hopefully this will be the last sub I'll need/want for a LONG time. The window to spend my windfall is short. I've had a couple other ones in the last 2 years always intending to buy something nice for the HT and I put it off and then the $ ends up buying a new kitchen table or swing set for the kids. This one is all about ME! At least until the FW 15.1 knocks all my wifes China off the shelves addle:


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