Sierra-2 Bass, Subwoofers, Acoustical Treatment

[cubusmybro]

Hey guys. Even though I've been a forum member for seven years, this is my first post!

In about four years, I'll be building a dedicated music listening room. My endgame will be Sierra RAAL Towers with dual Rhythmik subwoofers, proper room treatment, etc., etc., but for now, I am a proud Sierra-2 owner in a simple small room.

Over the next four years, I will be moving various times and will mostly be listening in smaller rooms. Currently, my system is struggling with the low end. Without a subwoofer, the Sierra-2s do not have sufficient bass output in my room for music. With my HSU Research STF-1 subwoofer (8-inch), the bass often becomes boomy.

Since I'll move a few times over the next four years, if I spent around $500 to even out the low end, where would my $500 be best spent? Acoustical treatment? Another STF-1? A different sub, like the Rhythmik L12?

Appreciate any answers. The Sierras sound excellent running by themselves, but when I try to fill out any bass, I always run into this boomy issue.

[Bruce Watson]

Have you tried the Sierra-2's without any sub? Mine sound great without a sub as long as I'm listening to music that doesn't go too deep. For example, a sub wouldn't get used much listening to a string quartet. But if it's techno dance music, you're going to want a sub for sure.

That said, servo subs typically do a much better job of reducing "boominess" and integrating well with your mains, compared to non-servo subs. If you're only going to listen to music and not do any HT, a sealed sub like a Rythmik L12 would be a good choice. If you can swing a pair, you can get better control of room modes, which is a problem in any small room. But you can always add a second one later.

Thing is, you can try it and see how you like it. If you don't like it, send it back. I think Rythmik gives you like 45 days of in-home trial.

Personally, I do more HT than music, so the subs I use with my Sierra-2 mains are a pair of Rythmik LVX12s. They do surprisingly well with music. And the integration with the Sierra-2s was just scary for me -- the subs completely disappear and all I get is the Sierra-2 sound ruler flat down to around 16 Hz (does a mean pipe organ). Those bottom two octaves just sound like the Sierra-2s are effortlessly playing them.

I'm just sayin' if it works that well with the LVX12s, I would imagine that it would work even better with an L12.

[N Boros]

If it were me and I knew that I would be moving around quite a bit, I might wait on a subwoofer. It would be too bad to get subs that are too small, when you end up in a more permanent place. You could avoid this issue by just getting huge ported models with lots of output, but then you are trying to move them from one place to the next and as you say they will go in small rooms.

I too have the Sierra 2s as my main, but an Outlaw LFM1, which was also designed by Hsu. The subwoofer is about 15 years old and I am really itching to get a pair of Rythmiks that better keep up with the Sierra 2s in terms of transient response and have more extension and output capabilities. I too have noticed that if I set an 80 Hz crossover that the bass is a bit sloppy in comparison to setting it between 40 to 60 Hz. You might try different placement, if you haven't played around with different locations and then a lower crossover. Maybe you will be okay with it for the next few years, until you settle on something more permanent.

For me I primarily do HT more than music, like Bruce. So I need the extra output from a subwoofer from 40 to 60 Hz and so end up switching back to an 80 Hz crossover when I watch movies that I know will have lots of LFE. I get tired of switching back and forth on the crossover, so I usually just have it at 80 Hz and live with the sloppy bass. Hopefully just another year or two for me before I can get a pair of Rythmiks.

[cubusmybro]

I am considering upgrading the subwoofer, but still, I do not want to buy something like an L12 and one day have to upgrade again to an even bigger, more musical subwoofer. My HSU-STF1 has a lot of output if placed in a corner, but the corner gives more volume but less quality.

I've done something fairly controversial by raising my subwoofer to ear height and placing it closer to the center of my room. The volume output from the subwoofer has decreased, but the quality of the output has dramatically increased and all the bass-boominess I had been suffering from has essentially disappeared.

Still, I'm wondering if quality acoustical paneling placed in corners may allow me to have a more normal subwoofer position. I was thinking about something such as this:

https://www.acoustimac.com/dmd-bt4000-bass-traps-48x24x4-g

How much of a difference would upgrading from an STF-1 to an L12 make? And can anybody comment if there is any real musical difference between an L12 and an F12, especially if I am running dual L12s or dual F12s?

Thank you all again.

[white_darren]

The boominess is primarily going to be a room integration issue and is pretty common with corner loaded subs. Knowing that you're going to be moving around a lot, I'd focus on solving the room integration and worry about upgrading subs when you settle into a more permanent listening space.

FYI, I also raised my E15HP up off the floor to resolve my boominess issues. My listening area is far from from ideal as it has lots of hard, reflective surfaces (tile floors, lots of glass, etc) and the reflections off the floor were the cause of my boominess. It doesn't get discussed much but I'd argue that vertical placement is just as important as horizontal placement, it's just a little more difficult to raise a big, heavy sub up off the floor and make it blend into the room decor....

[jjackkrash]

My personal opinion is sell the sub you have for whatever you can get and get the biggest ported Rhythmik sub you can afford. If you can up the budget, do that. When it comes time to move, just stick it in the moving van with everything else and move it. Skimping on subs compromises the whole system, especially when it comes to the HT experience.