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How to audition subwoofer?

Would any please tell me how to audition a good subwoofer w/o dragging my own subwoofer to the store? I have a Polk Audio PS350 (10" 150w w/ variable crossover 60-160Hz & frequency response from 25-180Hz). I went to the Good Guys to audition a $1200 Velodyne sub (sorry don't remember the model #). The rep closed all the doors of the sound room, put in the CD, and cranked up the volume of Parasound separate system. It sounded so boomy that I didn't find it any better than my current sub even though two salemen used the exact same lines, "Velodyne would blow your sub out of the water." I was thinking how? By shaking my room? My 12X13 room was already shaking with my current sub. I was hoping to hear the tight bass that I have heard from this websites and others similar. They told me to bring my sub in for side by side testing, but before I do so, I like to consult with Audiogon members, i.e. how do you audition a thousand-dollar subwoofer. What is the trick? My preference is 1:1 of movies:music. Do you prefer dual 12" for push and pull? Do you like the down firing? If I get a better sub, I was thinking of stacking them and use a Y splitting cable. Or should I just forget about upgrading to a better subwoofer by taking an easy route, i.e. getting another PSW350 to place each behind a main speaker to get better marginal affect. Any personal experience. Please shed lights. Thank you for reading.
lej1447
phasecorrect's avatar
phasecorrect
2,013 posts
 
I would look at home trial companies such as Hsu Research,Adire,etc..if there is one thing I have learned over the years...nothing can simulate your own system and your own room..good luck..
kgveteran
377 posts
 
Go to a true high end audio store.There is a big difference between a best buy and a high end retailer.Look for gear like krell,bryston,b&w speakers,some vandersteen.Sales people who are interested in giving you information to help make an educated purchase.Check out some of the clubs in the forum in your area and get with people who have dedicated hometheaters.If you walk in and some pimple face kid offers you one of fourty HDTV's all lined up and hasn't a clue to what 1080i is you may be in the wrong store.Good luck.
lej1447 OP
117 posts
 
Thank you for your inputs. I did go to a true high end audio store. I was surprised to learn that they did not even have a subwoofer. They let me listen to Hotel California through a CD transporter and a "1-kg remote control" with a $10,000 heavy speaker set. Wow! I was told that with those speakers, I did not even need a separate subwoofer. Cool toys, but hot price tags. The quality was there, but at this point in time, the rate of diminishing return truly run high for a minute marginal effect for me. Again, I failed to hear what tight bass for music from SW sound like, and I failed to feel what 20Hz at 125 db in movies would be.
goose
710 posts
 
This is a tough question since the listening room plays such an important role. I have found that the better subs have the most controls i.e. an excellent array of crossover points to blend with the main speakers. I have also found that there is a tendency to cross the subs over at say 50 cycles when a better blend would be 28 to 34 cycles. As far as the actual testing of the subs with music is concerned, I never audition with electronic or the obvious low frequency insturments. My favorite is a well recorded kick drum so I can hear the snap, roundness and decay of the drum. The last point is that amplifiers can make a big difference in determining if you really need a sub. I have monitor speakers and when I changed the amplifer the sub became less important. I'm currently using a REL Stadium III with JM lab Mini Utopias crossed over at 32 cycles with Herron electronics.
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