I currently have an Aperion Intimus S10 which I've had for several years now and really like a lot, but I'm ready for a replacement. Satisfied with the brand quality and their customer service, I looked at Aperion's new Bravus line with the dual 10's and dual 12's with parametric EQ and remote controllability but I'm not sure I want to bother with a sealed subwoofer since I mostly use it for home theater and not so much for music. And this is the reason I want to move up a little... but not too much because keep in mind, I live in a high-rise condo building and only want to piss off neighbors to a moderate extent, and certainly wouldn't want the bass to reach more than 10 floors down :)

I thought about Hsu VTF-3 but I have been warned that it may be way too much sub for a condo. Again, I must be somewhat respectful of my neighbors yet still be able to enjoy earth shaking bass on movies on occasion when neighbors aren't looking. I also don't want to spend too much (<$1k is my budget).

Any reason why I shouldn't go with the SVS PB10 NSD? It seems ideal for my needs according to the SVS saleperson on the phone but then again that's sales talk for you. Or should I give the dual-10 sealed Aperion Bravus a shot or at least 30-day audition?>

SVS PB10 NSD $429
<img src="http://www.svsound.com/products/subs/pb10nsd/front-blk-lg.jpg">



Aperio Bravus 10D (sealed dual 10) $799
<img src="http://www.aperionaudio.com/ImageCachce/Product-346.jpg">

looking for?

- more extension? means angrier neighbors, but way more fun. Usually means a larger unit.
- more spl? Also usually means a larger unit.

What's the ceiling height? Usually you size a sub based on volume.

So yeah, I guess everything you said :)

While the SVS has the same size woofer as my current Aperion S10, it seems to spec better for home theater, has a 300w BASH digital amp (vs Aperion's 200w AB amp), more efficient design, and reviews I've read say it performs like a sub with larger woofer.

Plus, I'm bored and I like new stuff.

Ceiling height is 9 feet on this 16x20 room that opens up to a 8x10 dining area in the rear.

12" would be better imo to get enough air moving down low with the SPL you want.

what's your response look like now?

:)

if by corner-loading you mean placement, then the current subwoofer is already ideally placed in the only corner of the room bordered by actual walls. The other corners of the room are either part of a floor-to-ceiling window or a partial opening to another area of my home. I've experimented with different placement and the current location seems to work best in practice as well as theory.

most people corner-load to get more SPL and lower extension out of an overmatched sub. The problem is that can introduce other problems with bumps at certain frequencies you can't tame without EQ. The lack of EQ will force you to keep the sub's volume down thus compromizing its full extension.

Not worth buying a better sub if you can't tame the room response to take full advantage of the lower extension.

with all that said, a bigger sub will reduce the need to corner-load and therefore should be easier to take full advantage of.

With the size of your room, I wouldn't hesitate to buy the same sub as markbradford.