Good musical sub under $500


I need to replace my crappy old AudioSource sub, my listening room is 12'X14' x9', hardwood floors (livingroom, not sure if furniture such as couches effect subs in absorbing sound as it does with mids & tweeters) . It will be 70% music so a accurate tight bass is a must,. It will be matched up with my NAD T752 A/V and Paradigm Studio 20v3s up front. MY present Audiosource I've had for years has to be turned to full volume just to add some low-end (Crossed over at 80, anything higher and you get vocals and such coming out of it, really crappy as I said lol). I had ordered a Velodyne DLS-3750R earlier in the week(cancelled my order) the more I read up on them it seems they are rather boomy and velodyne's good subs are the higher end stuff which are out of my price range. Used is ok as long as it's from a reputable dealer or owner (ebay is definitely out, really don't trust high end stuff from there). Suggestions?
pmt1209
Phasecorrect,
I will thanks... and YES I believe it, I have a pair of B&W monitors I replaced 2 years ago with my present Paradigms but just can't part with them.. they're sitting in the basement covered and dry for I know someday I will use them again or hand them down to one of my kids.. they do make great speakers. Speakers are all personel preferece, to one person a pair may sound wonderful then to another not... Subs are the same way, it's all personel preference. I've been a drummer all my life and still play and I know what sound I like, we'll see with the rockets, I keep hearing they are tight and musical not boomy and earthshaking low to me that is not musical that's special effects.. we'll see when it arrives early next week. One thing I have noticed when the Rocket UFW-10 goes up for sale be it here or at their site they are gone within a couple hours.. I've been beat out of around 4 this past week alone and only got mine because I approached a fellow on their forum who mentioned in a thread he might move up to the UFW-12s..
Actually Rackons post is kinda funny. What happens here is that folks used to spending lots of money can't imagine anything that doesn't cost a great deal of money could possibly compete with what is perceived as higher end.

But with the Rocket UFW-10 comment as a sub, Rackons folly is exposed. Rackon- you are right about the rocket speakers being mid-fi, but this particular sub is a standout and easily is the most musical sub I have ever heard, including comparisons to REL and certainly martin Logan and Velodyne and a host of others. I have 5 audio systems in my house, been to the last two CES/THE shows, and have audtioned, GMA, Merlins, Silverline audio, ZU definition, Thiels,Mcintosh,Krell, Linn, Vandersteens, Dynaudio, B&W and just about everything else out there. I've been a musician for 30 years and am classically trained in music and have performed under world renowned conductors.

The UFW-10 sub by Rocket is the most musical sub I have heard. It is the standout product. You made a comment about a product you havent heard based on the rocket and reference speaker lines, which are not even close to being in the same league with the UFW-10 sub comparatively.

Its worse on the video comments on this forum- there was a thread about Runcos being better than all the other plasmas bacuse they put their own layer of glass on. Wow. Talk about ignorance. Runco charges more so they must be better.

Its great to get a hold of speakers that are wonderful and cost a great deal-- but folks like Rackon look pretty stupid when they start in with that arrogant hogwash about products they have never heard.

The only limitations the Rocket UWF-10 have are as follows; 1. With the best placement- they will not extend effectively below 24 HZ. 2. They cannot fill a very large room with sufficient SPL.- 6000 cubic ffet is out of the question. 2000 is within easy reach- 3200 is on the border.

I use two for HT and concert DVDs only and articulation and decay times are perfect reproductions of live music across all of the concert DVDs. The blend offers a nice integration with my mains and all of the walls shake rattle and roll in the HT setting.

Its best to stick to giving advice about something you actually know about. Rackon- you learning anything?
Rysa4's quote:
" I've been a musician for 30 years and am classically trained in music and have performed under world renowned conductors."
I am truely impressed.. that's wonderful!! I too was a bit disappointed in Rackon's comments but as he said I took it "with a very several large grains of salt" beside the fact they were not aimed at me, technically I don't even have a Rocket UFW-10 yet lol, but I am sure there were some who were offended.. Like you I as a musician (no where near in your league) feel I have a pretty good sense of what music "should" sound like. Along with that I would never bash any product unless it was absolutely a given (say comparing Altec Lansing PC sub to a Hsu VTF-2). As I said earlier everyone has their own preferences, I like the sound of Ludwig Classics others like the sound of Pearl References, is one better then the other absolutely not. I always treat this forum as a constructive site not a destructive one and always will...
Pmt1209...I have been using a UFW-10 for over a year (got one used on agon before they became so popular) in a room approximately the size of yours, with a pair of VonSchweikert VR-1s. FWIW, I have been a bass player, and am somewhat sensitive to how low frequency gets reproduced in home systems. I agree entirely with Rysa4's opinion of this sub. I think you made a good choice, and you should enjoy your purchase.
Ajn22 it's funny you should mention the VR-1s I came sooo close to pulling the trigger on a pair of them when I bought the Paradigm Studios, the reviews for them were just incredible but I couldn't track down any dealers remotely close to me to give them a listen and still just on reviews by mags and owners I almost ordered them sight unseen but decided $1000 was just too much $$ to take that chance.. I bet they are as good as they say huh?? Even to give the Paradigms a listen I had to drive an hour and a half to find a dealer. Sadly Best Buy and Circuit City put all our local mid to hi fi dealers out of business. Thanks for the reassurance on the UFW-10, If the UFW-10 works with your VR-1s they should be a good fit for my Studio 20v3s.. Who would know more about a good tight musical low end then a bass player :) What amp/receiver are you using with them if I may ask?