Small or large sub for music

I use a pair of JL Audio F113V2 subwoofers, each with 13.5" drivers and 3000 watt amps built in, each also weighing in at 133#.

To Erik_Squires excellent point, my "man cave" had an extremely obnoxious "one note" it would add, no matter what the bass players were playing, and it was very loud.  So, I had to purchase a calibrated microphone and "REW" (Room EQ Wizard) software and eventually apply 10 bass traps to the room, to get the low bass under control.  Now it sounds great, but it was not easy getting there!

One thing about my comparison of the JL models, the F112V2 subs (12" driver, 1800 watt amps) were probably a better match for stand mounts, as they go higher in the bass range before they roll off.  In my case, my F113V2's pair with some Focal Sopra No2 floor standing, three way speakers.

More important, IMO, is to have a SEALED sub for music.

"More important, IMO, is to have a SEALED sub for music."

Can anyone provide a supportable reason for this, or is this just an ad nauseum repeating of inaccurate information? 

Subwoofer sound is primarly dictated by QTC and group delay.  It is easier to build a sealed subwoofer with a low QTC and group delay (just throw a driver in a large sealed enclosure, the bigger the lower the QTC), but a vented subwoofer (whether ported, slot load, transmission line, or passive radiator) works just as well or better when properly designed.  With decent quality subwoofers, the vast majority of issues people have are room and tuning related, not equipment related.    

Just a few music focused manufactures using vented designs:

Vandersteen- Yep, slot load, including his $18,900 Sub Nine.  Perhaps someone should let Richard know he isn't building his speakers correctly. After all, he is just a truck driver from Hanford, what does he know?   

Wilson Audio-  Yep, ported.  But hey, David Wilson was just just selling speakers to deaf people.

Legacy- Passive radiators.  I only heard Legacys once and was less than impressed, but it was 20 years ago and the room was less than optimal, so I really can't say they are good or bad.  That said, they seem to be among the most liked brands.  But again, perhaps Bill Dudleston doesnt' know what he is doing.  Someone should let him know he should change his designs, as they are not audiophile approved as sealed. 

   

Love my JL Audio F113 great sub 

Hello ejr1953,

      Let me get this straight, you bought and installed 2 JL Audio F113V2 Fathom subs, JL's latest and finest that are huge, weigh 133 pounds each and have a msrp of $4,500 each, but were initially greeted with "one note" bass?
      I feel for you, brother, that must have felt like a punch in the gut.       
     Your dealer then added insult to injury and sold you a calibration mic, room correction software and 10 big and expensive bass traps to fix the problem? 
     You must have the patience of a saint, I'm getting worked up just hearing about it. 
      I'm sorry, ejr, I know you're pleased now but  the Fathoms still seem like an unnecessary compromise in many aspects from my perspective.  
     Is it too late to just return everything and start from scratch?  I can tell you, with a high degree of confidence, that either an Audio Kinesis Swarm or Debra bass system would be a significant upgrade from the Fathoms in all respects at a price about $1,500 less than a single Fathom.along with a free 30-day in home trial period.
  
    However, I get the sense that a quality bass system is a much higher priority for you than price.  I'm as certain as I can be that either a Swarm or Debra bass system will provide state of the art bass in your room while also eliminating the need for any bass traps, mics or room correction software.  I know it will provide the absolute opposite of "one note" bass, the ability to choose your cutoff frequency between 30-200 Hz on the front of the 1,000 watt supplied amp and  a choice of wood finishes that actually allows the subs to appear to my wife and I like the art pedestals you often see in the better art galleries.

Tim