killerbee_vr6 Posted October 19, 2004 Share Posted October 19, 2004 System is comprised of a McIntosh MC452 and Chorus IIs. The room is pretty big, around 25x15 with two rooms opening onto it. It's a music only system, rock/pop mainly, very little other types. I'm looking for solid output to 30hz, as the CIIs are down ~6db in the bass below 100hz due to room placement. Luckily, even though the levels are down, they are +/- 2db to 31.5hz. Anywho, I'm looking for a punchy, musical 6db of reinforcement below 60hz. From what I've read, the RSW-15 seems to be described as a very musical sub. I've heard it a few times, but it's always set up out in the middle of a room and never calibrated right. Thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edwinr Posted October 19, 2004 Share Posted October 19, 2004 You need a big room for the RSW15 to weave it's magic. It's awesome. Actually looking at your room size, it's probably big enough. There would be few subs that could keep up with the RSW15 in full flight. Personally I favour the smaller RSW10 and RSW12 for music, depending on room size. But then I've never been a bass freak anyway. But some other bass maniac's on this forum (no, I didn't mention The Ear!) will disagree... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CECAA850 Posted October 19, 2004 Share Posted October 19, 2004 I'm sure I'll catch some flack on this but........ For music, to me it is more important to have the sub set up correctly than the brand. To me, once you cross the $1000.00 threshold, you are getting a pretty decent sub no matter what the brand. The musicality and speed are very much dependant upon location and phase setting. A $2000.00 sub that is not callibrated correctly sounds worse than a $1000.00 sub set up right. The canned answers that you are looking for are that the Klipsch subs have more slam and the SVS subs dig deeper and have a flatter response. I'll head for cover now. Carl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Underhanded Penguin Posted October 19, 2004 Share Posted October 19, 2004 ---------------- On 10/19/2004 12:17:05 PM CECAA850 wrote: I'm sure I'll catch some flack on this but........ For music, to me it is more important to have the sub set up correctly than the brand. To me, once you cross the $1000.00 threshold, you are getting a pretty decent sub no matter what the brand. The musicality and speed are very much dependant upon location and phase setting. A $2000.00 sub that is not callibrated correctly sounds worse than a $1000.00 sub set up right. The canned answers that you are looking for are that the Klipsch subs have more slam and the SVS subs dig deeper and have a flatter response. I'll head for cover now. Carl ---------------- This is one of the most informed posts I've read of late. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruinsrme Posted October 19, 2004 Share Posted October 19, 2004 That was a well written post. Looking through some posts I do not see very much talk here about sub calibration which brings me to believe either its not important or everyone know how to do it. I seem to calibrate my subs everyother month, not sure if they need it of I jsut like playing with the spl meter and Excel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dkp Posted October 19, 2004 Share Posted October 19, 2004 ---------------- On 10/19/2004 7:30:50 PM Bruinsrme wrote: That was a well written post. Looking through some posts I do not see very much talk here about sub calibration which brings me to believe either its not important or everyone know how to do it. I seem to calibrate my subs everyother month, not sure if they need it of I jsut like playing with the spl meter and Excel. ---------------- Bruinsrme: I don't know that I've ever read anything about this. I don't want to hijack this thread, but maybe we can get one going on this subject as I'd like to learn more about it. David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sivadselim Posted October 20, 2004 Share Posted October 20, 2004 ---------------- On 10/20/2004 12:03:59 AM 007 wrote: the pb12 is definitely a better subwoofer. I'm guessing it would take twin rws-15's to match it. ---------------- yeah and it'd be just that; a guess which pb12 are you talking about? must be the ultra/2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Professor.Ham.Slap Posted October 20, 2004 Share Posted October 20, 2004 ---------------- On 10/20/2004 12:03:59 AM 007 wrote: the pb12 is definitely a better subwoofer. I'm guessing it would take twin rws-15's to match it. ---------------- Right... Maybe in YOUR opinion, not necissarily everyone elses. At the top he said he's looking for a lot of good slam. There, the RSW definitely trounces any SVS offering. Seriously 007, SVS is not the only good sub manufacturer in the world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Professor.Ham.Slap Posted October 20, 2004 Share Posted October 20, 2004 Double post... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CECAA850 Posted October 20, 2004 Share Posted October 20, 2004 Compliments instead of flames, thanks Bruins and Underhanded....... Carl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinipig523 Posted October 20, 2004 Share Posted October 20, 2004 Per 007, I dont know if it takes TWO RSW-15s to match a PB12 (especially one that is unspecified). I would go with a PB12ultra over the RSW-15, the PB12plus gets the nudge, too. However, RSW-15 over the PB12isd. With the RSW15, you get oober slam though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DillonW Posted October 21, 2004 Share Posted October 21, 2004 Professor.Ham.Slap - "Right... Maybe in YOUR opinion, not necissarily everyone elses. At the top he said he's looking for a lot of good slam. There, the RSW definitely trounces any SVS offering. Seriously 007, SVS is not the only good sub manufacturer in the world." Look I understand your need to defend the RSW-15, after all, you've invested your money in three of them. However, clinging to "slam", and claiming the RSW "trounces" any SVS offering is just a little misguided. This is the main reason for all the SVS talk on the Klipsch forum. When considering the cost and performance, the RSW-15 does not compare favorably with some other subs. Wheither Klipsch, or SVS, the product should be touted on its merit, not the brand. For a music lover, the RSW may be the right choice. But, if you need three RSW-15s to fulfill your bass needs, you may have made the wrong choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
007 Posted October 21, 2004 Share Posted October 21, 2004 The PB12 I am referring to is the one in question; namely the ULTRA/2 -of course the Plus would have an edge over the RWS15 as well in at least depth. I also guessing the PB12-ULTRA/2 would have more slam even up high in the 50/60hrz range over the rsw-15, but it might be a close call. What slam generally is, is a peak in the upper bass region which can be heard well by the human ear which starts to lose sensitivity around 40 or 30 hrz or so, and by 10 or 15 you cant hear anything (expect the distortion). For example, 100dB at 20hrz sounds about 1/3 as loud as 100dB at 50hrz. -to my ears. So when you have subwoofer that has a natural peak in the 50 or 60 hrz region, you really get some output and it sounds loud because it is loud! SVS's are tuned lower which results is less output across the board, but longer and more linear output grafts from 100hrz on down. Now this is not to say the rws-15's can hit lows very well. It certainly can, but the svs does it better. But as far as sound quality, tightness, port noise, distortion, harmonics. I cant really go into that. Thats more option and preference. I really enjoyed my SVS for music. It was not apparent, and filled the room quite well. It did not have the slam that a RSW-X did, which I probably would have preferred for music, but at times, there were a few points in some songs that had deep bass slides or dips and the svs plowed thru them like a freight train. Did not slow down or choke, it just rocked. And for movies the sub 30hrz region of the svs really comes into play. The SVS did the low stuff equally as well as it did the higher stuff. My subwoofer really felt well rounded. I did return it because I wanted more slam as you say so I will be thinking about what sub to get next. Im almost certain it will be an svs, but proably a dB or Ultra driver. I had the PB12-ISD. I have not heard the ultra/2 and I have only heard the 15 in crappy demo stores. but I was thoroughly impressed with the big beast. I will say this, and this is an unbiased true fact. With SVS you generally get more for your money then retail manufactures. Im not going to go into sound quality issues, but for the shear output and especially depth, you cant find much else for the better money unless you perhaps build your own sub. Now considering that, consider this. The PB12-Ultra/2 is more money than an RWS-15. I think its safe to say its in another league and a better compare would be with the new Klipsch Premier subwoofer. PSW-18?or whatever they will call it, or perhaps dual KW-120s. But the kw-120s would probably best the ultra2 above 20hrz. The ultra2 can be tuned to 16hrz which gives it a serious edge down low. This is all my speculation, I have no grounds for any of it so take it for face value. The rsw-15 is a awesome sub and I can only dream what Klipsch will do with their premier subwoofers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
007 Posted October 21, 2004 Share Posted October 21, 2004 ---------------- On 10/20/2004 10:02:00 AM Professor.Ham.Slap wrote: ---------------- On 10/20/2004 12:03:59 AM 007 wrote: the pb12 is definitely a better subwoofer. I'm guessing it would take twin rws-15's to match it. ---------------- Right... Maybe in YOUR opinion, not necissarily everyone elses. At the top he said he's looking for a lot of good slam. There, the RSW definitely trounces any SVS offering. Seriously 007, SVS is not the only good sub manufacturer in the world. ---------------- I would not bet on that. I'm sure there are 5 or 6 svs's that can best the rws-15. I mean twin SS's is 5 grand. Lets get real. The rws-15 is awesome, but SVS has more expensive and potent subwoofers. Klipsch has some new subwoofers in the works too! Next year will be fun when the premier stuff hits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay481985 Posted October 21, 2004 Share Posted October 21, 2004 wasn't there a post about 007 being a double agent working for SVS? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sivadselim Posted October 21, 2004 Share Posted October 21, 2004 true, the rsw15 doesn't go down as low, but spl-wise, an rsw15 is a monster. the list is old now, but no one can dispute the output capability of an rsw15. http://subwooferinfo.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myriadcorp Posted October 26, 2004 Share Posted October 26, 2004 I was in the same boat as you. I could have purchased the RSW 15 at around the same price I paid for the SVS PB12plus/2. After reading several reviews and such I decided on the SVS. When I purchased my klipsch speakers at ultimate electronics, the manager was telling me how he thought the RW12 sounded better than the RSW15. Not really demoing them side by side I would have to believe him. Why would he tell me that when the RSW15 sells for twice the RW12? Who knows. I have a paradigm servo 15 in my living room so I am use to hearing nice bass. I chose the SVS because it contains two 12inch woofers and all the reviews were very good. I am sure the RSW 15 is pretty good too but from what the manager was saying I chose the SVS. Once I get it setup I will see how good it sounds. The guys at SVS said the one I chose is much better than my servo 15. One downside to the SVS is the 140lbs weight of it. But if the RSW had two woofers it would prob weigh the same as the SVS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CECAA850 Posted October 27, 2004 Share Posted October 27, 2004 Did you make a decision yet Killerbee? Carl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAS Posted October 27, 2004 Share Posted October 27, 2004 The RSW-15 sounds great but it just not worth the money in my opinion when there are so many other options out there with similar or better performance for the money. I have to admit it is one of the prettiest subs on the market IMO, so if I had matching RF7's I probably would find the need for an RSW-15 or two. But when it comes to pure audio for the $ I'd check out the Ultra (especially now in the reduced price black finish). I don't think you'll be returning it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
killerbee_vr6 Posted October 27, 2004 Author Share Posted October 27, 2004 ---------------- On 10/27/2004 9:03:27 AM CECAA850 wrote: Did you make a decision yet Killerbee? Carl ---------------- I went and listened to the RSW-15, and actually got to move it around and adjust the settings. It's a nice sub, but it always seemed to lack low bass. The slam was good, but then again, I have enough of that from the CIIs. With music it made RF7s sound like my Choruses, but the bottom octave wasn't as strong as I would like. I'm looking at the SVS now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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