Daniel I'm sure the Monoprice subs are quite good.
But what I really NEEEED to know is how did you persuade your wife (if your married that is) on the four reference Subs you already own.
I have a Deftech STS Home Theater speaker system with an additional 10"Deftech supercube sub.
My speaker selection was highly influence by their aesthetics as my wife nixed much larger Home theater speaker systems that I preffer(ugly, says my beloved).
I have attempted to add the same HSU Research and SVS model subs you owned, but no dice.
You will be my eternal God if you so kindly share your enchanting the wife skills.
Mine stink. Adding a ceiling projector and retractable screen cost me a complete kitchen remodel.
If you are single (co-habitating does not count, as they can't leave you broke on the gutter) disregard my request.
Monoprice Monolith 12" and 15" THX Ultra Subwoofers Review Page 2
Not for Girly Men
Unboxing either subwoofer is a two-person job: The 12” weighs just under 100 pounds (98.5, to be exact), and the 15” weighs 128.5 pounds. Then there’s the added weight of the double-boxed shipping container. There are no instructions for unpacking the beast, but it’s best to open the top of the outer box, slowly flip the whole thing over, and lift the outer box off the inner one. Repeat the process to remove the sub from the inner enclosure; your back will thank you. Each sub has spiked rubber feet, so it’s best to use some sliding furniture movers (available at your local hardware store) to position it. Monoprice includes a pair of white gloves in case you want to provide your own white-glove service and keep oily fingerprints off the satinfinish, black ash vinyl.
Given their size, neither of the subs would fit in the preferred front left corner of my room, due to a fireplace hearth and my wall-mounted front left speaker. (I usually put the small-footprint, cylindrical SVS Ultra there.) So I placed each of the Monoliths in Position No. 2, which is along the right side of my room, about a third of the way—where I usually keep my reference Hsu Research sub.
I set up two user profiles—one for the 12” and the other for the 15”—in my Anthem AVM 60 pre/pro and calibrated the speaker output levels using an SPL meter and test tones from a THX calibration disc. As mentioned, you can choose to use either sub sealed by installing the provided port plugs. This will give you the tightest bass, at the expense of some low-frequency extension. Or, given the multi-port design, you can close one of the two ports on the 12” or two of the three ports on the 15”; by doing so, you’ll get the greatest extension at the expense of reducing maximum output. I listened to both subs in this extended mode, as well as with all ports open. For music, I really liked all ports open, but for movies, I preferred the extended mode.
My go-to audio tracks to test subwoofers include Justin Bieber’s “Baby,” Regina Spektor’s “Fidelity,” and Joss Stone’s “Sleep Like a Child.” I moved back and forth between the 12” and the 15” with each of these songs multiple times, and I was surprised at how well the 12” was able to hang with its larger sibling. In a lot of cases, the 12” was a tad tauter, but I’m really splitting hairs between the two subs when it comes to music: Both sound fantastic.
On some bass-intensive rap tracks, such as N.W.A.’s “Dope Man,” the 15” definitely showed that it could dig a little deeper and play louder than the 12”, which foretold what I would hear later with movie soundtracks. Of course, that shouldn’t be a surprise given the 15” sub’s larger enclosure, woofer, and amplifier.
The Ultra HD Blu-ray of Pacific Rim is one of my favorite discs in the new format. Not only does it boast fabulous-looking HDR, but the Dolby Atmos mix is a stellar example of the breed with its ample use of overhead effects and its deep, sub-20-Hz bass content. In the movie, after the Jaeger battles the Kaiju off the coast of Alaska, the Jaeger makes its way to shore while a grandfather and his grandson search for treasure with a metal detector. With the 15”, I could literally feel the approaching giant before I saw him come through the fog thanks to its reproduction of the accompanying low-bass information. The same scene on the 12” didn’t have quite the same visceral impact. Granted, my room approaches 5,000 cubic feet, so it really puts the 12” in a situation beyond its intended application. In most every case, I was able to hear—and feel—either subwoofer deliver movie sound that had ample bass above 20 Hz, such as the dive-bomb scene on the beach in the first part of Dunkirk or the battle in “Blackwater” (season 2, episode 9) from Game of Thrones. Each sub was able to cleanly reproduce articulate bass with good extension down low and plenty of output, although I always got more oomph with the larger sub.
To be fair to the 12” and gauge its performance in a more suitable space, I spent some time with it in my secondary system that’s housed a 1,100-cubic-foot room. In that room it performed marvelously with movies. So this certainly is a case of choosing the proper subwoofer, or quantity of subwoofers, for the environment. I’m sure that dual 12” Monoliths would have performed flawlessly in my larger theater.
Double the Fun
Monoprice has definitely impressed me with their initial offering of THX-certified subwoofers. Each warrants a Top Pick—but if you can swing the extra cash for the 15” model, it would be my preference, especially if you have a large room. One thing worth repeating: In order to receive THX certification, these subs need to meet a low distortion number, which really translates to clean and controlled bass response. I truly enjoyed my time with both of these subs and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them to a friend, but I would add to this my usual adage: Two is better than one, because, well...there’s never such a thing as too much bass!
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For $300 more wouldn't a setup of dual Monolith 12's be far superior to the single Monolith 15? Both seem like well made and fantastic subwoofers but The 15 at $1000 or $1100 would be a more logical price point.
I have a 10" Velodyne that goes down to 19Hz, like the Monolith 12, and I do feel the bass, the floor shaking under my feet from 10 feet away, so why would the Monolith not be able to do that.
Those subs are way too heavy, how are you supposed to experiment with location? That'd be a killer chore.
Also, why use 4 different Subwoofers? Most reviewers always advocate same make and model, and you turn around and mix and match from 3 different manufacturers? And one more thing, who listens at home at THX levels? unless you have no neighbors, of course.
So, if I'm more interested in extension- especially at lower volume than I'm in maximum loudness, wouldn't it make more sense to go for a sub that may be limited in headroom , but accurate to below 20hz?
I'm currently using 2 subs in my theater room that can dig down to below 20hz (at reasonable loudness)and still give me enough visceral impact that I more feel than hear, and yet, even put together, they weigh less than either of these monoliths here.
Frankly, I feel Monolith is trying to be the American muscle car in the lot of exotic imports, offers a lot of value /performance, but leaves something to be desired. But I'm sure they'll generate a lot of interest for the value they offer.
Please have Monoprice send you the 10 inch sub for review. That sub will most likely be the preferred choice for people with apartments and small rooms.
I've had a Mirage Omni S8 for several years and though it has nice sound, it doesn't have enough oomph for my medium sized basement theater. So, after reading this review, I think it's time I pull the trigger on a couple of these. My room is about 2700 cubic feet (11.5'x31'x7.5'). From what I've read, the 10" version would be too small, but would two be enough to pressurize the room? Or do I really need to step up to the 12" subwoofers?
Thanks. I had already went ahead and bought two of them. :) Arriving in a few days.
I have a 5000 cubic foot apartment/living room. I want a sub mainly for movies -- for that deep bass impact.
Until now I was targeting the subs from HSU, SVS, and Rythmik for this price point. Not sure where these Monoprice fit into that segment.
What happened to the Marantz 8802a?
Total home is approximate 2,000 sqft. Will setup in loft (upper floor), 20ft by 17ft. One side of loft is open to lower floor living, kitchen dining. I am confused among SVS PB or SB 2000 (500 RMS)/ Monolith 12"(500 RMS)/ HSU VTF-2 MK5 (350 RMS) subwoofer. Which subwoofer should I get?
Movies 65%, Music 35%
Have Martin Logan Motion 40s as main speaker.
Any help?
Hi Dave, I’m building an M&K atmos system at home (S150s & SS150s) and I’d like to upgrade my sub from a VX-760. Is a MX-350 the way to go or is the Monolith 12 a better option? I believe you’re an old M&K guy like me, so I thought I’d ask your advice. Love your work, thanks!