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Which sub to buy: JL Audio f113 or Velodyne DD18+?

I've narrowed down my search for my next sub to either the JL Audio Fathom f113 or the Velodyne DD18+. Which one would you recommend, and why? I would really like to hear from people who have listened to both subs.

Factors to consider:
- Mains are currently Legacy Audio Signature IIIs (rated to 20 Hz);
- My next speakers will be Legacy Audio Focus SEs (rated to 18 Hz);
- Room size is 13'x20'x9';
- Listen to 60% music & 40% movies; and
- No set budget.

Thanks in advance.
shak
bryoncunningham
890 posts
 
Hi Shak - I've heard both. Personally I went with the F113. But I could have easily been happy with the DD18. There's no bad decision here.

Since the performance of a sub is very room dependent, it's a bit difficult for me to say exactly how the two subs differ in sound quality. Both are powerful, fast, deep, and tuneful. The F113 may be a touch faster, and the DD18 might be a touch deeper, but I could be wrong about that. If I'm right, then I would also say that the F113 might be a slightly better choice for music, while the DD18 might be a slightly better choice for movies. But others may have a different opinion.

One significant difference between the two subs is that the DD18 has an 8 band digital EQ and the F113 has only a single filter for reducing the room's primary bass mode. IMO, digital EQ is virtually essential to good sub performance, so if you don't have a plan in mind for adding digital EQ to the F113, I would go with the DD18. When I was making a decision about which to buy, I already had a digital EQ in the system, so I didn't need to choose on that basis.

Good luck.

Bryon
martykl
3,578 posts
 
Pretty much agree with Bryon, but I'll state it a bit differently:

If you go with the JL (a great product!) or other non/minimally -EQ'd subwoofer, I'd strongly suggest that you functionally add digital EQ/crossover to your system. Either look at the Velodyne SMS-1 (essentially the x-over/EQ from the DD series subs pulled out and sold separately) or find an integrated amp (HK-990) or pre-pro (anything with Audyssey, ARC, or equivalent) to provide the functionality.

IME, the odds of optimally integrating a subwoofer improve exponentially when you go this route.

Good Luck,

Marty
dgarretson
2,598 posts
 
If you're planning to roll in the sub without a crossover, consider that the Vel doesn't offer a corner point below 40hz. This may produce excess overlap with main speakers that go as deep as Legacy.
rlwainwright
1,904 posts
 
Go with Velodyne, they have decades of experience and their room-correction software is very good. The DD-18+ is a terrific subwoofer...

-RW-
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