Price Paid:  $65.00 from Local Auctionsite

Summary:
I paid about $65 for this sub from a guy at a local auction site for my college!!! Talk about awesome!!! It has a lot of power and shakes everything near it. For the price this thing keeps up with most subs under $500, and from what I hear if you replace the driver in it the thing really is worth the $.... For $65 and no shipping or taxes to pay I think I got one heck of a deal. Even for $200 I would feel happy about my purchase.

Strengths:
Awesome amp!!! Sunfire 500Watts
Great sub for the $, especially if you make a few modifications

Weaknesses:
telling your friends you own a "Jensen" blah!!!
Eyesore!!! this thing is almost as tall as my mains (JBLS310s)

Similar Products Used:
Sony SA-WM40
Cerwin Vega LW12

Price Paid:  $203.00 from Ubid.com

Summary:
This is an update to my MS500 experience. I took the plunge and ordered a car sub from 1cache.com. I researched the specs and went with the Pioneer TS-W384C due to its price ($75), low Qtc, low frequency response, 4 ohm rating, 350/700 watts, poly-injected cone, single-voice coil, 14" mounting hole (same as the Jensen's paper driver), 8 screw holes (3 of the holes matched perfectly, 5 had to be drilled new which is OK since the sub edge covered the other holes completely especially with weather-stripping that came with the Pioneer sub. Let me tell you, those of you who's using the 6-ohm Jensen paper driver are not maximizing the power of the Sunfire amp or the MS500. This new driver is tighter, more powerful, louder, looks cooler (silver compared to black). I'm very happy with this alteration. Installation is as easy as removing turning off the power, removing 8 screws, pull out the quick-connect wire clips, swaping the drivers, push on the wire clips (+ to red, - to black), and re-screwing. I can maximize the volume on the sub-amp without any distortion now. This is great at low volume if you want the thumps. At high volume, I turn it down to 1/2 volume on the sub-amp as it's too loud (not distorted mind you, just too damn loud--can't hear other sounds of the movie. I also found that if you stuff one of the port (not both since the SPL seems less loud) with rolled up fiberglass insulation, bass is even tighter. If you sit near the sub it feels like someone is kicking your chest. I highly recommend the MS500 and adding this or equivalent 4 ohm driver (to maximize the 500 watts output). I had no whistling problem with the port(s) probably because the Cerwin-Vega Vega 154 moves more air and causes more whistling. It may be a better driver at twice the price ($150 minimum). I place the Jensen paper driver in a home-made box and used it upstairs in my bedroom (passive with Radioshack crossover setup).

Strengths:
See review below.

Weaknesses:
See review below.

Similar Products Used:
See review below

Price Paid:  $203.00 from http://www.ubid.com/cat/1226.asp

Summary:
Tight, low bass at twice the volume (with both subs at max setting) of my SW-15 (15 incher 200 watts sub). Cheap since Ubid messed up shipping weights (35# is only 1/2 what it should be). Needs more insulation. If there was air leaks, may need caulking inside to seal box up better (mine did not need it). May have cosmetic blemishes due to poor quality control and Fedex ground carelessness but nothing significant. Ideally would benefit from new 4 ohm polypropelene car sub driver to give even tighter and lower bass (paper is not as stiff and as durable). Amp is very powerful so becareful when you turn it on--make sure volume is on zero and never hook any wire up to it with it live as it will pop and may damage cheap driver. At 169+33 S+H it's a steal.
Sub has LFE in and out, RCA L/R input, high level 5-way binding posts in and out, and 3 tiny (1/4" diameter) knobs in back: GAIN (volume), PHASE (can turn continuously from 0-180 degrees, adjusts until bass sounds loudest), and CROSSOVER (40-160 Hz, to blend with main speakers). Grill is a stiff, black, perforated, ugly plastic sheet with JENSEN logo at bottom that won't fit very well even with velcro tape. I had to turn my sub to face my couch to hide its ugly face. I have small kids otherwise it's better looking without grill on. Driver is paper cone with green rubber surrounds. It has 100 oz magnet, rates at 6 ohm, and weighs 14# with single voice coil. It produce very loud, tight, low bass but distorts a little at maximum volume (375 watts into 6 ohm may be too much for this cheap driver).
I opened up the driver (8 hex-key, round screws) and noticed cross bracing but scant insulation (2 walls had loose, thin, fiberglass sheets of insulation). I got some R-20 from my attic and lined the walls thicker but careful to allow enough air space for ports to work. Ports are cardboard, 3" diameter and 6" in length. No real air leaks so caulking was not needed. Amp is hooked to driver with 18 gauge red and black wires spliced near driver (too short by default). I left this alone as I don't believe in the wire theory. Replacing the driver would be easy although will cost $100 minimum for a good high wattage poly, unicone driver.
Overall I'm happy with this sub and can't wait for the driver to blow so I can justify to my wife to buy new, better driver. I expect the amp to be durable as it's a Sunfire amp. Good luck and aim at $200-220 shipped pricing from Ubid. Email me with more questions. Huey :-)
P.S. BIC sub was also very good, loud, and tight except amp hums and pops with DVD track changes (got rid of it as it's very annoying in a quiet theater room). It can be had for $170 on Ubid. KLH is a great buy too as only $99 at Costco or Ubid. It's fine for a bedroom home theater and can rumble pretty well. More musical than the 15" subs but not as powerful of course. Audiosource SW-15 is also great if you can buy it for $200. Half as loud as the Jensen but also tight bass after you stuff it with insulation. I think the 15" Audiosource driver is better but too chicken to swap drivers since 375 watts may be too much for the Audiosource. The 8" Audiosource is really too small for any good shaking bass. I gave it to my in-laws. You can buy this on Ubid for $60-$80. My setup is as follows: Wharfedale MFM-7 for fronts (great mids and highs, bass is good at high volumes), BIC DV-62CLR center (great center by the way), Wharfedales Opal 50 rears (nice speakers too), and Audiosource SW-15 in front and Jensen next to my couch. Feels like someone is kicking you during gun shots and explosions shakes your gut. My DVD is Toshiba 3109 and Receiver is Onkyo 50 watts X 5. This setup is too loud to hear each other (have to yell to talk) at 1/2 volume on receiver and subs with NO distortion. At this volume you have to readjust all pictures on walls after movie as they are all crooked. Also the recessed lights tend to fall down a bit and needed pushing up. My wife hates me when we watch movies :-) Sorry for the long review but I love HT :-) Five star for value definitely. Four star for overall since there are always better subs.....for much more money. Under $500 category I feel this sub is best.

Strengths:
Powerful Sunfire Amp, Deep and tight bass, Cheap, 5-way binding posts for speaker ins and outs.

Weaknesses:
Paper driver, cheap construction, large, heavy, ugly grill, small knobs in back, no soft-on circuit.

Similar Products Used:
BIC 1210R (12", 200 watts, down-firing sub), Audiosource SW-5 (15", 200 watts, front-firing sub), KLH ASW10-120B (10", 120 watts, front-firing sub), Audiosource SW-6 (8", 50 watts, down-firing sub).

Price Paid:  $203.00 from http://www.ubid.com/cat/1226.asp

Summary:
Tight, low bass at twice the volume (with both subs at max setting) of my SW-15 (15 incher 200 watts sub). Cheap since Ubid messed up shipping weights (35# is only 1/2 what it should be). Needs more insulation. If there was air leaks, may need caulking inside to seal box up better (mine did not need it). May have cosmetic blemishes due to poor quality control and Fedex ground carelessness but nothing significant. Ideally would benefit from new 4 ohm polypropelene car sub driver to give even tighter and lower bass (paper is not as stiff and as durable). Amp is very powerful so becareful when you turn it on--make sure volume is on zero and never hook any wire up to it with it live as it will pop and may damage cheap driver. At 169+33 S+H it's a steal.
Sub has LFE in and out, RCA L/R input, high level 5-way binding posts in and out, and 3 tiny (1/4" diameter) knobs in back: GAIN (volume), PHASE (can turn continuously from 0-180 degrees, adjusts until bass sounds loudest), and CROSSOVER (40-160 Hz, to blend with main speakers). Grill is a stiff, black, perforated, ugly plastic sheet with JENSEN logo at bottom that won't fit very well even with velcro tape. I had to turn my sub to face my couch to hide its ugly face. I have small kids otherwise it's better looking without grill on. Driver is paper cone with green rubber surrounds. It has 100 oz magnet, rates at 6 ohm, and weighs 14# with single voice coil. It produce very loud, tight, low bass but distorts a little at maximum volume (375 watts into 6 ohm may be too much for this cheap driver).
I opened up the driver (8 hex-key, round screws) and noticed cross bracing but scant insulation (2 walls had loose, thin, fiberglass sheets of insulation). I got some R-20 from my attic and lined the walls thicker but careful to allow enough air space for ports to work. Ports are cardboard, 3" diameter and 6" in length. No real air leaks so caulking was not needed. Amp is hooked to driver with 18 gauge red and black wires spliced near driver (too short by default). I left this alone as I don't believe in the wire theory. Replacing the driver would be easy although will cost $100 minimum for a good high wattage poly, unicone driver.
Overall I'm happy with this sub and can't wait for the driver to blow so I can justify to my wife to buy new, better driver. I expect the amp to be durable as it's a Sunfire amp. Good luck and aim at $200-220 shipped pricing from Ubid. Email me with more questions. Huey :-)
P.S. BIC sub was also very good, loud, and tight except amp hums and pops with DVD track changes (got rid of it as it's very annoying in a quiet theater room). It can be had for $170 on Ubid. KLH is a great buy too as only $99 at Costco or Ubid. It's fine for a bedroom home theater and can rumble pretty well. More musical than the 15" subs but not as powerful of course. Audiosource SW-15 is also great if you can buy it for $200. Half as loud as the Jensen but also tight bass after you stuff it with insulation. I think the 15" Audiosource driver is better but too chicken to swap drivers since 375 watts may be too much for the Audiosource. The 8" Audiosource is really too small for any good shaking bass. I gave it to my in-laws. You can buy this on Ubid for $60-$80. My setup is as follows: Wharfedale MFM-7 for fronts (great mids and highs, bass is good at high volumes), BIC DV-62CLR center (great center by the way), Wharfedales Opal 50 rears (nice speakers too), and Audiosource SW-15 in front and Jensen next to my couch. Feels like someone is kicking you during gun shots and explosions shakes your gut. My DVD is Toshiba 3109 and Receiver is Onkyo 50 watts X 5. This setup is too loud to hear each other (have to yell to talk) at 1/2 volume on receiver and subs with NO distortion. At this volume you have to readjust all pictures on walls after movie as they are all crooked. Also the recessed lights tend to fall down a bit and needed pushing up. My wife hates me when we watch movies :-) Sorry for the long review but I love HT :-) Five star for value definitely. Four star for overall since there are always better subs.....for more money.

Strengths:
Powerful Sunfire Amp, Deep and tight bass, Cheap, 5-way binding posts for speaker ins and outs.

Weaknesses:
Paper driver, cheap construction, large, heavy, ugly grill, small knobs in back, no soft-on circuit.

Similar Products Used:
BIC 1210R (12", 200 watts, down-firing sub), Audiosource SW-5 (15", 200 watts, front-firing sub), KLH ASW10-120B (10", 120 watts, front-firing sub), Audiosource SW-6 (8", 50 watts, down-firing sub).

Summary:
My friends consider me somewhat of a HiFi fanatic. For that
reason I am usually somewhat embarrased to tell them my subwoofer is made by Jensen. Not exactly a name associated with hi-end audio. Most of my equipment is respectable. I own a pair of dual 10" Audio Concept tower speakers, and seperates by NAD. After auditioning many subwoofers with my trusty test CD. The Jensen stood out amongst the crowd in the sub $500 category. It went much lower and at greater levels. Many "cute" little subs rolled off around 50Hz, which I would hardly consider a subwoofer. I remember the infinity subs to be particularly BAD! The Jensen is a big, ported box with a tiawaneese 15" CAST FRAME woofer. I would estimate the magnet weight at about 100oz. My Jensen had a problem after about a month. The voice coil had a buzz and emitted a tell-tail electrical smell. I sent the woofer in for replacement. I chalk the failure up to an absence of a soft turn-on circuit. When first plugging in the sub, inrush current violently bottoms out the cone. I am fairly sure that is what damaged my first woofer. Since then I added a double-pole, double throw switch that is connected to a large 8 ohm power resistor. This resistor absorbs the inrush current. After plugging in the sub, I then throw the switch to "play mode".

My home theater room is somewhat large about 15'X 35'.
For that reason, and the simple fact I like it LOUD, I needed a high output sub. The MS-500 has been doing a great job providing the bass I need. With the help of it's built in 30hz bass boost, the sub plays quite low. Overall, I am
very happy with it. I would recommend it to anyone who can tolerate a big box and has decent size main speakers to blend with. Small bookshelf speakers would not be a good match, you would notice a "hole" in the sound. I would recommend an 8" two-way satellite minimum. It would be hard to beat for the price. If anyone of my friends knock it without hearing it, I say: "bring your sub on and lets get ready to rumble" Then tell me Jensen sucks.

Strengths:
Very Solid, High output bass below 30Hz

Weaknesses:
Big,Ugly, the wife's gonna kill you presence
No soft-start circuit

Similar Products Used:
Demoed Klipsch,Infinity,Carver, friend has HSU.