Subwoofer for Monitor Audio setup

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I've got a mish-mash of Monitor Audio speakers making up my surround sound set up:
Fronts: MA Silver 8i
Centre: MA RS-LCR
Rears: MA RX-FX
But I'm still using the sub from my KEF 2005.2 set up. My cunning plan is to sell my KEF eggs and the sub on eBay to fund the purchase of a sub. Now the obvious choice would be to get an RXW-12 or an RSW-12. But here's the rub...
She who must be obeyed has decreed that the sub must be in light oak. Now I can't afford an RXW-12 at £750, as my funds will be limited to the proceeds of the KEF sale. And RSW-12s are as rare as rocking horse droppings these days - thought I'm still looking...
Can anyone suggest any other sub that I could get that would gel with the MAs, and which is available in light oak...

 

[michael hoy]

What price range are you looking at?

 

[lobby]

BK Monolith springs to mind, available in light oak, other models to choose from but i think this will definetly be as good as the MA if not better. Do remember it's huge reguard it as a bit of extra furniture the size of a decent coffee table, and very heavy.

 

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michael hoy:What price range are you looking at?

Oops - missed that off the original post! Probably around the £300 mark, though might be able to stretch that a little: "But darling, it's great, I got £350 for the sale of my KEF eggs on eBay..."

 

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lobby:
BK Monolith springs to mind, available in light oak, other models to choose from but i think this will definetly be as good as the MA if not better. Do remember it's huge reguard it as a bit of extra furniture the size of a decent coffee table, and very heavy.

Thanks lobby, I just had a quick shufty at the BKelec website. That is insanely huge! 47kg! I'm not sure whether my house, nor my wife could take it! I'm not saying I don't like it - but boy, that's going to be a hard sell

Also, might be a little out of my price bracket - but suppose I could get ex-dem / secondhand...

 

[Dave_]

I agree with lobby, but if the Monolith is to big/pricey, then i'd consider their smallers subs, i.e xls400/300/200

 

[scene]

daveh75:I agree with lobby, but if the Monolith is to big/pricey, then i'd consider their smallers subs, i.e xls400/300/200

OK, I agree they do get good reviews (and as you've got one, I know you're speaking from experience). I saw on their website that they did the smaller xls4/3/200s. And with my small ones (6, 4 & 2) the xls400-DF is tempting as less likely to get the cone damaged (assuming it doesn't get a toy stuck under it

)

How does the xls400 compare with the monolith?

 

[bigboss]

Slightly over your budget & not in your preferred colour.

 

[scene]

bigboss:Slightly over your budget & not in your preferred colour.
Thanks for that bb, but I've already tried alternate colour suggestions and Mrs. S is adamant on the light oak.

 

[bigboss]

What do you think of this? I know that it's again over your budget, but it's a great price.

 

[bigboss]

Another here.

 

[Anonymous]

The BK XXLS400 all the way, more musical than the monolith, and go's to about 90% of it's depth. For the money SUPERB!

 

[scene]

Well Mrs S is OK for the upgrade, as long as it costs no more than I get for my Kef eggs. Which is OK, I'm sure there will be some wiggle room on that

I think that, whatever sub I get, a down firer will be best, as the liitle ones are less likely to damage it. This is something that's been worrying me about the MA RSW12 and the RXW12, as I can see the cone getting trashed. There is also the added advantage that a down firer is more partner-friendly, as there's no visible cone or grille, which is a bonus

Speaking of which, in for a penny, in for a pound, following on from recommendations for the BK monolith and its friends, I showed Mrs S a picture of the BK XLS200-DF in light oak and... She liked it

So I pushed my luck, and showed her the picture of the monolith down firer... And it wasn't rejected out of hand. She was a little concerned about it's size. I did not come clean on the 47kg table

This could take some time...

 

[scene]

bigboss:Another here.
Thanks for both of those bb, I'll run them past my financial controller

and see what she says, but as I intimated in my other post, I think Mrs. S is keen on the down firers...

 

[scene]

nickolp:The BK XXLS400 all the way, more musical than the monolith, and go's to about 90% of it's depth. For the money SUPERB!
Ooh, that is interesting, thanks for reminding me of that option, I forgot all about this one...

I think it might be time to execute the "Yes Minister" strategy. (I present three options, the unacceptable, the unaffordable and the one I really want...) So the BK monolith as the unacceptable, the RXW12 as the unaffordable, and can I swing the xxls400?

Or something else?

 

[Anonymous]

you will struggle for that kind of money, even if you get an ex dem brand, it may only just be a match for the 400. it's awesome

 

[Anonymous]

scene:
I think it might be time to execute the "Yes Minister" strategy.

Doing a Mosley. Sir Humphrey, I mean Max would be proud.

 

[scene]

Well, plans to get a new sub are slightly stalled. I have approval to spend "what I get for my KEF 2005.2 setup", but I'm not sure how much that would be? If I eBayed them, would I get? £300? £250? £200

And then there's the new sub itself...

Following string representations, I find myself drawn to the BK XXLS400-DF - in Light Oak (see previously

). Mrs S. was not against it have been shown carefully selected pictures...

However, I now have the issues that the the sub retails at £408.64 + shipping and Mrs. Scene has asked the question "exactly how big is it compared to the current sub". I tried to fudge the answer "a bit larger", but she wanted the exact size comparison... So I fessed up to it being 400D x 460H x 400W compared to 360 x 320 x 320 mm for the Kef. So twice the size then

The XLS200 is smaller (I haven't mentioned this to Mrs S yet), but will it be enough for my 6.4x5.8m listening room?

 

[Anonymous]

Thats a big room, and my rsw12 does a good job with a 5m x5m listning area, but I dont think the xls200 is going to do an amazing job in a room that size. but then again I have not heard it, just going off specs really

 

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canada16:
Thats a big room, and my rsw12 does a good job with a 5m x5m listning area, but I dont think the xls200 is going to do an amazing job in a room that size. but then again I have not heard it, just going off specs really

That's sort of what I thought...

 

[Anonymous]

is your tv in front of one of the two 6 metre long walls scene? with seating opposite?

edit.. thats irrelevant i guess..i read 6x4 room... 6.4x5.8 is a different story, thats one big room to fill with bass..

 

[scene]

My living (and listening) room is my living room is 5.8x6.3m, with a 2.35m ceiling height. TV / front speakers along 5.8m wall, sofa 2/3 to 3/4 of the way back. It is a big room, allowing for some angled walls and the fake fireplace, probably just under 3,000 cubic feet...

Hmmm, maybe I'll fire an email to BKElec, see what they say...

 

[Anonymous]

thats a good idea scene...

 

[jiggyjoe]

How about 2 subs?

 

[scene]

jiggyjoe:How about 2 subs?
I'm having enough trouble persuading Mrs.S that ONE sub is acceptable...