Reddit reviews Bic Acoustech PL-200 II Subwoofer - Gloss Black

Barring significant discounts, the following list tends to be the best bang-for-buck value subs, in order of increasing price:

$110 Dayton Audio SUB-1000

$140 Dayton Audio SUB-1200

$200 BIC F12. ^(Edit: not sure if designed by Dr. Hsu.)

$290 BIC PL-200 II (now $250). ^(Edit: Designed by Dr. Hsu.)

They are all great at their price points. But if you can swing the pricier BIC, you should be VERY happy.

Bic Acoustech PL-200 II Subwoofer $249 on Amazon with Prime shipping.

Go with a larger 12", the BIC America F12 for $200.

Next step up is the Bic Acoustech PL-200 II for $300.

The better HSU or Rythmik subwoofers start around $550 for a 12".

Not sure what your sub budget is but you can do way better than that Onkyo sub if you increase your budget.
for $200: https://www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-sub-1500-15-150-watt-powered-subwoofer--300-634.
for $250: https://www.amazon.com/Bic-Acoustech-PL-200-II-Subwoofer/dp/B074131NKS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1521495264&sr=8-2&keywords=bic+subwoofer.
EDIT: the Bic apparently increased in price. I remember it being $250 at some point .

You have a budget going up to 1k? This is what I'd go for:

Bic Acoustech PL 200 II subwoofer for $250.

Denon AVR-X1300W AVR for $280.

For speakers there are a ton of options, check out the Ascend Acoustics CBM-170SE at $330 shipped. There really are a ton of options though, like the HTD Level 3, Kef Q100, etc. If you already have the Infinity R162 then you have a fantastic pair of speakers and can skip out this part of the expense.

$1000 isn't much to work with, but you can still get a decent setup.

Receiver: Denon 530

Towers: Bic PL-89

Matching center

Sub

Total comes to $1069, but I don't think you will have any complaints about this setup.

If you really want to go cheap, get some Polk Monitor 70s which I routinely see on sale for $170-180, a matching center from Crutchfield's scratch and dent for about $70 with the same sub and receiver.

Whatever you do, have some patience and just wait until Black Friday. Last year Best Buy had Polk and Klipsch stuff on sale for 50% off. You might be able to snag some Polk Signature S55s or Klipsch Reference series for cheap.

For that budget here is what I would recommend:
Denon X-1500H - Stepping up to the X series gets you Audyssey XT room correction which is the 2nd best available. IMO this is a big step up.

Klipsch RP-150m - This is where most of the subreddit is divided. I personally think the Klipsch RP are some of the best value home theater speakers available and this particular pair is discounted for being outgoing and a less popular color.

BIC PL-200 II - This is my least favorite of the 3 pieces picked and IMO if you can budget enough to step up to the entry HSU, Rythmik or SVS, I'd rather go down that route. This is not to say that the BIC sub is bad but it would definitely be the first on the list to get upgraded when funds allow.

If you decide to save up or stick to your budget, stepping up to a receiver that can do full atmos or getting better or different sounding speakers are an option but it can get confusing fast. I'll let others come up with their recommendations and you can decide.

The reason I hesitate to recommend this is because I like to present people with a clear upgrade path (i.e. you don't throw everything away when you upgrade, you take your small fronts and make them the surrounds when you buy bigger fronts for example), but at this low of a budget so many compromises are being made that you might feel like upgrade means swapping everything (eventually).

That being said, tons people have no problem with these items and think they are amazing, so your mileage may vary. These are great, well received speakers. If you are set on 2.1, here's what I got.

Option 1:

2x Jamo S 803 ($160 for pair)

1x AVR-S540BT 5.2-Ch x 70 Watts A/V Receiver from Accessories4Less @ $200

1x Polk Audio PSW10 Subwoofer @ $130

Total: $490

Stretches the budget a bit, but will sound great. Receiver does actually support 4k, but does lack room correction. Overall this is a nice system and the Jamo's are bang-for-buck kings (and they actually look decent, come in several finishes).

Option 2:

2x Fluance Signature Series HiFi ($200 for pair)

1x AVR-S540BT 5.2-Ch x 70 Watts A/V Receiver from Accessories4Less @ $200

1x Polk Audio PSW10 Subwoofer @ $130

Total: $530

Same idea, just different speakers. Also highly regarded/well reviewed.

Option 3: Forgoes subwoofer for clearer upgrade path

2x ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2 Bookshelf Speakers @ $300 (comes in a pair)

1x AVR-S540BT 5.2-Ch x 70 Watts A/V Receiver from Accessories4Less @ $200

Total: $500

IMO, Elac Debut 2.0s crush everything else at this price point by a significant margin and is worth missing the sub (temporarily). The upgrade path down the road is clear here: first get a sub (huge fan of the Bic Acoustech PL-200 II Subwoofer @ $300 or the RSL Speedwoofer 10s (sold out until Oct) @ $400)), then get the rest of the Elac Debut 2.0 speakers (center channel, surrounds - they even offer on walls), and finally way down the road you upgrade your receiver to something that can deliver more power, which will make you Elacs sound even better/go louder.

Let me know if you have any questions!

Is there room on the sides of the TV for speakers? Ideally they would be a couple feet to either side of the TV.

You probably just want to go with a 3.1 system, because the placement of the surrounds will be so wonky with a corner L-shaped couch and a corner TV that I don't think it would be worth it. You could do in-ceiling speakers, and do a 3.1.2 system though. https://www.dolby.com/us/en/guide/speaker-setup-guides/3.1.2-overhead-speakers-setup-guide.html

For $1,000 3.1.2 system I would get this:
Receiver - $300 (doesn't have eARC, but you probably don't need it)
Front L/R speakers - $200
Front center - $170
in-ceiling speakers - $80
Subwoofer - $250


If cutting holes into your ceiling to install speakers and run wiring is a daunting task, then just do a 3.1 system and you can spend more on the subwoofer. If you can push your budget this very high quality SVS PB-1000 subwoofer goes on sale on the outlet site for $400 several times a year, I imagine it will during labor day subwoofer option 2 - $400. It will be infinitely better than the $250 one linked above.

That system will certainly get the job done depending on your room size and how loud you like it. Here are some thoughts.

• Either AVR is solid but I would opt for the X1300W.
  
  
• The sub is probably the best entry level sub that you can get. However, I would consider the BIC PL200 for $250 as it is considered an upgrade. Since it's on sale I would go this route.
  
  
• The Miccas are very good entry level speakers that the Audyssey on either denon will make sound even better. For the size and price these are good options.

This is tricky, when you're willing to spend more than $200 but less than $500, I'd either say drop down to the $200 range and pick up two BIC F12's $400 and change or or a single BIC PL 200 II $300 and change, or save up and for one SVS PB 1000 for $500 shipped or one HSU VTF2 $568 shipped

As always there are pro's and con's to each choice here. The HSU being the best subwoofer under $600, SVS PB 1000 next best, and so on.

Both the HSU and SVS will play down to 20hz with authority, again the slight advantage to the HSU, then the BIC PL 200 II is a dang good sub for $300 but doesn't get anywhere close to 20hz or as loud as the other two options.

Finally dual F12's isn't a bad choice either but again even two F12's can't touch a single SVS/HSU option.

https://www.crutchfield.com/p_033AVX1500/Denon-AVR-X1500H.html

PLUS

https://www.ebay.com/itm/6-5-2-Way-Tower-Speaker-Floor-Standing-Home-Theater-Audio-DCM-TP160-CH-2-Pack/183952338190

PLUS

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1-Pair-of-6-5-Bookshelf-Speakers-with-2-Way-Center-Channel-Speaker-DCM-MTX/174060660626

PLUS

https://www.amazon.com/Bic-Acoustech-PL-200-II-Subwoofer/dp/B074131NKS

Frys often has good sales on Jamo speakers, but I'm not sure what's available in Europe. I've seen the S809 HCS 5 speaker set go as low as $399, so maybe you could get a good black Friday deal. The 803 set with bookshelf speakers is $269 right now, might be a decent option.

The Pioneer AJ set got some good initial reviews as a solid budget set, but I have seen some people complaining about it online after getting the set. The center channel in particular seems to be pretty lackluster based on user feedback.

The Sony Core series speakers get good reviews as a budget option. I've seen the bookshelf SSCS5 speakers go as low as $73 a pair and with black Friday coming up there might be some good deals on them.

For a decent sub you'll probably need to up your budget a little bit or wait until you can save a little more. The Bic PL200ii is a good sub for the price and often goes on sale for $250.

With black Friday deals maybe you could get the Jamo 803 set with a PL200ii sub within your budget or 4 Sony core bookshelf speakers and the matching SSCS8 center channel instead of the Jamos.

Receivers/Amps:

I suggest you get the SMSL AD18 amp for desktop use as it is compact and sized perfectly for a desk. It has a stereo amplifier, DAC, and headphone amplifier in one as well as bluetooth. Link: https://www.amazon.com/SMSL-AD18-Amplifier-Bluetooth-Subwoofer/dp/B071JN7GXN

If you don't want a headphone amplifier or Bluetooth, get something like the Micca Origain. It's just a stereo amplifier with a DAC. Link: https://www.amazon.com/Micca-OriGain-Compact-Integrated-Amplifier/dp/B01LXV4O6B

If you want a 5.1 system down the road for surround sound on your PC, you can get this: https://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/denavrs540bt/denon-avr-s540bt-5.2-ch-x-70-watts-bluetooth-a/v-receiver/1.html

If you like the idea of a full sized stereo receiver and don't want all the bells and whistles of an AV receiver, this receiver should work well for your needs:

https://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/yamrs202bl/yamaha-r-s202-2-ch-x-100-watts-natural-sound-stereo-receiver/1.html

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Subwoofer:

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Dayton SUB-1000 - $109($99 with $10 off coupon code BF10)

https://www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-sub-1000-10-100-watt-powered-subwoofer--300-628

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Dayton SUB-1200 - $138($128 with $10 off coupon code BF10)

https://www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-sub-1200-12-120-watt-powered-subwoofer--300-629

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BIC Acoustech PL-200 II - $250

https://www.amazon.com/Bic-Acoustech-PL-200-II-Subwoofer/dp/B074131NKS

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Klipsch R120SW - $224(On sale for black friday. Normally $400+)

https://www.klipsch.com/products/r-120sw-subwoofer

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I have the x1300w, and just bought a BIC PL-200 II sub off of Amazon a month ago and I love it.

https://www.amazon.com/Bic-Acoustech-PL-200-II-Subwoofer/dp/B074131NKS/ref=sr_ph_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1511876896&sr=sr-1&keywords=pl-200+ii

You can get an x2300 for $400 but personally I would spend the $100 to get the x3300 to get the more power, better room calibration, and if you play retro game consoles, the analog to hdmi conversion. I have an x3100 and I love it. Additionally the extra $38 is worth it to go to the Bic PL 200 II. It's not the loudest or most accurate sub out there, at that price what do you want, but for movies it reaches deep comfortably even at moderate volume. The F12 in my experience doesn't hit the explosion rumble unless you crank it.

Bic Acoustech PL-200 II Subwoofer - Gloss Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074131NKS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_rsAKzb5PDG54W

Try finding the BIC Acoustech PL-200 II on a sale. There's also the Klipsch SUB-12HG as a viable option (was on sale on Fry's recently), but I've read about amp problems with it.

If not, BIC F-12 or Dayton SUB-1500 should do the trick. My budget was <$200, so I managed to grab a BIC F-12 for $180. If I decided to spend more I'd go with the Acoustech.

If you’re on a tight budget then this is an excellent sub for the money: https://www.amazon.com/Bic-Acoustech-PL-200-II-Subwoofer/dp/B074131NKS

2 of them would be fantastic.

If you’re willing to spend more than that then look at SVS, Rythmik, Monolith, and REL

Yes, get rid of that soundbar. They are terrible in all but a few very fringe cases.

Replace immediately - start here.

Add a used 5.1 receiver and a BIC PL200 (or similar).

I see lots of commenters recommending high-end stuff which is understandable since you are building your own house and having a large dedicated space for a banging HT. A good 7 channel receiver plus a subwoofer powerful enough for your large room will add up to $1000 pretty quick. Heck, I'd reccomend two subwoofers for a space that large. I will probably get downvoted, but let me help you find some more budget friendly choices.

Receiver $300 - DENON
AVR-X1400H

Subwoofer $300 - Bic Acoustech PL-200 II

Front LR $200 - Fluance Signature Series

* Matching Center - $150

Surround and Rear Surrounds - Micca MB42X 2x$80

This puts you just slightly over budget. also factor in speaker mounts / shelves / stands, cables, etc.... There's obviously lots of options and everyone has their own opinions. Have fun researching, I hope this helps!

https://www.fluance.com/signature-series-hi-fi-three-way-floorstanding-speakers

https://www.fluance.com/signature-series-hifi-two-way-center-channel-speaker

https://www.amazon.com/Bic-Acoustech-PL-200-II-Subwoofer/dp/B074131NKS/ref=sr_1_14?keywords=Subwoofer&qid=1567895366&s=gateway&sr=8-14

If you want everything around $1,000 here's a decent plan.

Receiver Denon 1500 for $300 https://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/denavrx1500h/denon-avr-x1500h-7.2-ch-x-80-watts-a/v-receiver-w/heos/1.html

Subwoofer Bic PL200 II for $300
https://www.amazon.com/Bic-Acoustech-PL-200-II-Subwoofer/dp/B074131NKS

Front L/R NHT SuperOne (2 of them)
https://www.amazon.com/NHT-SuperOne-2-1-Bookshelf-Speaker/dp/B00LJX4HCY/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?keywords=nht+super&qid=1566675258&s=electronics&sr=1-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzTTRER1RCUVk0NUdWJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwODc2MDc4MUVCNDJUT0VHSjlDMyZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMjkwNzU3VUFISldVUFowWllOJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

Center NHT Super Center
https://www.amazon.com/NHT-Super-Center-Channel-Speaker/dp/B00QHDC32C/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=nht+super&qid=1566675307&s=electronics&sr=1-4

Surround L/R (2 of them)
https://www.amazon.com/NHT-SuperZero-2-1-Mini-Monitor-Speaker/dp/B00CKNOYWK/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=nht+super&qid=1566675307&s=electronics&sr=1-5

With a bit bigger budget you would still want that receiver. Bump the subwoofer up to the SVS PB-1000 (most likely). And end up with a lot of different speaker options to consider.

There is!

PL-200 ii sub for $249

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074131NKS

For $612, I would consider:

Elac Debut B6.2 bookshelf $150/pair

ELAC Debut C6.2 center, $140

Sony SSCS5 surrounds, $73

BIC PL-200 II subwoofer, $249

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