i have the 990/7125 combo w/velodyne ct80 subwoofer.. the subwoofer bottoms out so i have to turn it way down... i want a subwoofer that can handle bass.. my room size is 24' x 20'.. klipsch lascala mains w/ polk center and sides.

So you are in search of a good sub? There are a number of good options available. One option that is convenient to the forum is to go with an Outlaw sub to keep your 990/7125 combo company.

Your room is a bit larger than mine (23'x17'x'8), and my original LFM-1 handles the space very comfortably. You could look at an LFM-1 Plus for $550 or one of the new LFM-1 EX's for $650. You might also look at the specials that were just announced via e-mail this morning: an LFM-1 EX/SMS-1 combo for $999, or an LFM-1 Compact for $339. Aside from having a few less dB of maximum output, the Compact offers specs that are very reminiscent of my LFM-1.

lcm, I sent you a pm

Hi jcm,

I don't have any first-hand experience, but the SVS subs have been extremely well received and popular. Velodyne and HSU also make some sweet subs.

That said, I would highly recommend doing an infinite baffle sub yourself. If you have the space and desire, building your own sub will give you extreme bang for the buck. The sub I built appears to have no unreasonable limits; I've never turned it up "all the way" for fear of my house. I think I put the whole thing together for <$1k. That includes drivers, amp, BFD, and wood.

Here's a link to my build thread --> http://www.hometheatershack.com/forums/d...her-w-pics.html

It's just another idea. Sometimes people aren't aware of what can become with DIY. I'm not skilled in woodworking, and it was basically my first attempt at putting together a sub, and it came out very well.

Good luck either way.

Jcm,

As Gonk suggested, you could look into the current Outlaw Audio subwoofer deals. I used to own a Velodyne HGS-10 in a room about your size and even it would bottom out when I used Klipsch Heresy II mains and Klipsch KG2 rears. Once I replaced it with a Velodyne HGS-12, I didn't have the subwoofer bottom out anymore. I suspect with the highly efficient LaScalas and using "only" an 8" subwoofer driver found in the CT-80, you probably need to look into subs with at least a 12" driver and at least 300+ RMS watts to keep up with your 7125 and LaScalas. It's about driver size and wattage to move the air. The CT-80 with 135 watts RMS and the 8" driver is not enough for the room size you describe. Another alternative you may want to look at is the current Velodyne SPL-1500R offered at Audio Advisor for $999 shipped. It includes a 15" driver, 1000 watts RMS and built-in microphone to calibrate the sub to your room. Also, going with the Outlaw sub or larger Velodyne will enable you system to go deeper. That CT-80 only goes down to 35 Hz while the Outlaw or Velodyne can easily go down to 20 Hz and below.

The 990's bass management is tricky. First question, what firmware version are you using? I had trouble with my sub bottoming out after I upgraded to the latest 3.11. This weekend I went over my channel settings with an SPL meter and the sub was too high. I turned it down 5db and now the whole system sounds better. Also, I don't know if you're handy with wood at all, but I highly recommend any of these "tuba" subs. http://www.billfitzmaurice.com/index.html I have the Tuba 18 and it fills my 11x25 basement no problem.

I own a SVS PC-Ultra sub. It does a great job in my existing space (18 x 14 x 8, open doorway). It could handle a larger area. Bottoming out is definitely not a problem. It's a very musical sub, in addition to adding slam to home theater.

I've also heard very good things about HSU subwoofers - particularly their top of the line model (under $1000 with turbo... a great deal). Since Outlaw's subs are designed by Hsu, I'd guess that this great subwoofing ability can be had for a lot less here at Outlaw.

If you have a lot of spare cash, there are some great options from Velodyne (DD series) and Thiel. These will set you back a pretty penny, but go a long way to off-setting room/boundary effects (one of the reasons I went with the SVS... it had a parametric EQ that could tame a peak I have in my room). They will also get you clean, sub-20Hz response.

jcm, I would like to second what slbenz said about the Velodyne SPL series. Small, loads of power and calibration microphone with built in Velodyne multiband EQ. Great value with super tight and scarry powerful sound. My room is about the size of Gonk's and It's never bottomed out as far as I know. SVS and Outlaw would be my other 2 choices to fill out my top 3 value picks. I got a great deal on ebay with the Velo.