akjohnny

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
Less than 1 month

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
I got this subwoofer at a thrift store, it was on sale for 34.99 but somehow I walked out the door with it for $17.50. It wasn't blown, but I had no idea what kind of bass it could produce as I tested it at the store with a 30 watt stereo. I got it home, hooked it up to a 400 watt receiver. So far, I've only tested it by itself without any speakers and its got some reasonable bass. Not sure how many Db its hitting but it's shaking my mirror and door pretty easily.

Overall, I can't complain, got it for less than 20 dollars just because I couldn't pass up a 12 inch sub for that price. I'm not worried if it blows.

Price Paid:  $50.00 from ebay, used.

Summary:
hi guys, i read about this subwoofer over 1 year ago before i purchased it. instead of the famous sock-mod, i have gone with the old-boxer-mod :) ...my Fruit of the Looms have been tightening my bass for a year now...

i just wanted to add a few things with my experiences. first my setup, consists of a 2 Bose 301V's, and 2 subwoofers, the SW-14, and a MTXT4000 10". i run them off a 100x2 Pioneer amp. yes, all 4 speakers are tied into two channels...a sub and speaker on each channel.

using all 4 connections of the subwoofer is NOT necessary. i currently run a +,- wire into the right channel of the sub. it plays just fine, and loud enough to make decent bass. i just wanted to inform everyone that it did not need to be used in-conjunction with other speakers.

i'm upgrading my stereo presently, with a newer 5x100 amp, and more Bose for surround. i am also getting a powered Cerwin Vega sub...but i'm keeping the SW14 as well...i love the sub, and everything it does.

thanx for the reviews, and happy music to all...

Adam

reinkster@hotmail.com

Price Paid:  $70.00 from ebay

Summary:
This is an excellent value. The low price coupled with the deep bass is an unbeatable combination. I drive this from a separate amp using an electronic crossover at 50 Hz thus bypassing the internal crossover. In order to do this you must open the cabinet to bypass. In doing this I noticed the apparrent low quality of the driver and the complete lack on internal damping. I could do nothing about the low quality driver but I did add damping. This greatly reduced the boomy bass but not the distortion at higher sound levels. I recommend that this sub only be used at lower sound levels. In summary a great price and deep bass make this sub worth getting.

Strengths:
Great Price, Deep Bass

Weaknesses:
Boomy Bass, Distortion at higher sound levels, Upper crossover frequency too high

Similar Products Used:
None

Price Paid:  $75.00 from Radioshack

Summary:
I purchased this sub for 75 dollars on sale (usually $150.)
There is little bass just a sort of low-midrange to regular mid-range tha is highly distorted. My favorite subwoofer is the Yamaha SW-160, it goes down to 20HZ and has 150 watt amp.
This radioshack sub is passive (not reccomended unless you don't have jacks for a powered sub.) A passive sub is limitted to your amps power and has to be hooked up parrallel to another set of speakers. It has a bad crossover and worsens the sound of the connected speakers.

Strengths:
None

Weaknesses:
Little bass

Similar Products Used:
Many radioshack products, Cerwin Vega, Advent

Summary:
Time for an update and a correction.

First, I'm pleased that the Sock Mod has given good results to others. Tiny changes in room placement can change the sound of a sub drastically-- sometimes moving the cabinet an inch can do it-- and when you recommend a procedure you have no idea what the result might be, especially if the unit was moved a little during the modification!

My bedroom system still includes the SW14 passive sub but now has includes LX5 IIs whose cabinets have been lined with fiberglass. The blend from satellite to sub is still about the best I've ever heard, which is extremely fortunate considering the SW14 has no controls whatsoever. With the LX5s pulled back from the walls and set at ear height, the system is very satisfying indeed for such a small investment.

I mentioned that stuffing the sub's cabinet with polyester (or fiberglass) fill would make the sub's sound move in the direction of looser bass, and this is misleading. In a *sealed* box, adding the stuffing to make the box acoustically larger *tightens* the bass. So if you go for the Sock Mod, you might try the "rip open an old pillow and stuff it in the sub" trick and see if the bass tightens up even more.

If you keep the port open, however, you'll want to use thin but dense fiberglass (such as used in suspended ceilings) to line the cabinet, taking care not to obstruct the port. In this case, the easiest way to tighten the bass would be to lengthen the port's duct (not easy, since it faces down) or decrease its diameter.

Beginners will find simple explanations and interesting projects in David Weems' series of loudspeaker books. Check your local library.