This sub has the same amp that is included in the $2499 pair of AR1s. I got this sub for $227.50 off of eBay from a small company called K&T Sales. They said it was brand new, but when I got it, I noticed it isn't really brand new. It's close, but it sounds like something is loose in the voice coil. I can hear it rattling at medium volume levels, but not when it is quiet and not when it is loud. I don't think the binding posts are actually gold plated, now that I look at them, but they are still OK. Too close together, but they always are, damnit. It has 2 ports that I can put my arms in, but still isn't enough to allow all the air it pushes at high volumes to escape (I'm talking nearly maxed out volumes). I'm in a bit of a bind here because the item is under warranty, I guess, but not to me. I asked K&T Sales for their receipt of the item and I should get it, I think. They haven't responded to my e-mail yet. Anyway, it kicks hard...alot harder than my four KLH 12" speakers I had before. I can't hear the bass below 35 hZ but I think that's just the human ear's fault, not the sub's. A remote or front-mounted controls would have been EXTREMELY nice, but once you set the gain (volume) to a good spot on the sub, you can adjust it on your receiver. But that takes a little while, no problem. The speaker can really flex! Sounds good at all volume levels with the crossover set half way (it's not a very exact knob for crossover settings, but it's OK). At $227.50, I'd say I got a good deal, now I just have to deal with Jensen and K&T Sales in getting the speaker replaced. Sounds good with my NHT SuperOnes. I was thinking if I can't get the speaker replaced under warranty, I could get a sub made for a car and put that in there instead, but I'm not sure because car subs are all 4 ohms and the speaker in the MS500 now is 6 ohms. If anyone could help me here, please email me. Thanks.

Awesome amp!!! Sunfire 500Watts
Great sub for the $, especially if you make a few modifications

telling your friends you own a "Jensen" blah!!!
Eyesore!!! this thing is almost as tall as my mains (JBLS310s)

I paid about $65 for this sub from a guy at a local auction site for my college!!! Talk about awesome!!! It has a lot of power and shakes everything near it. For the price this thing keeps up with most subs under $500, and from what I hear if you replace the driver in it the thing really is worth the $.... For $65 and no shipping or taxes to pay I think I got one heck of a deal. Even for $200 I would feel happy about my purchase.

Similar Products Used:

Sony SA-WM40
Cerwin Vega LW12

Powerful Sunfire Amp, Deep and tight bass, Cheap, 5-way binding posts for speaker ins and outs.

Paper driver, cheap construction, large, heavy, ugly grill, small knobs in back, no soft-on circuit.

Tight, low bass at twice the volume (with both subs at max setting) of my SW-15 (15 incher 200 watts sub). Cheap since Ubid messed up shipping weights (35# is only 1/2 what it should be). Needs more insulation. If there was air leaks, may need caulking inside to seal box up better (mine did not need it). May have cosmetic blemishes due to poor quality control and Fedex ground carelessness but nothing significant. Ideally would benefit from new 4 ohm polypropelene car sub driver to give even tighter and lower bass (paper is not as stiff and as durable). Amp is very powerful so becareful when you turn it on--make sure volume is on zero and never hook any wire up to it with it live as it will pop and may damage cheap driver. At 169+33 S+H it's a steal.
Sub has LFE in and out, RCA L/R input, high level 5-way binding posts in and out, and 3 tiny (1/4" diameter) knobs in back: GAIN (volume), PHASE (can turn continuously from 0-180 degrees, adjusts until bass sounds loudest), and CROSSOVER (40-160 Hz, to blend with main speakers). Grill is a stiff, black, perforated, ugly plastic sheet with JENSEN logo at bottom that won't fit very well even with velcro tape. I had to turn my sub to face my couch to hide its ugly face. I have small kids otherwise it's better looking without grill on. Driver is paper cone with green rubber surrounds. It has 100 oz magnet, rates at 6 ohm, and weighs 14# with single voice coil. It produce very loud, tight, low bass but distorts a little at maximum volume (375 watts into 6 ohm may be too much for this cheap driver).
I opened up the driver (8 hex-key, round screws) and noticed cross bracing but scant insulation (2 walls had loose, thin, fiberglass sheets of insulation). I got some R-20 from my attic and lined the walls thicker but careful to allow enough air space for ports to work. Ports are cardboard, 3" diameter and 6" in length. No real air leaks so caulking was not needed. Amp is hooked to driver with 18 gauge red and black wires spliced near driver (too short by default). I left this alone as I don't believe in the wire theory. Replacing the driver would be easy although will cost $100 minimum for a good high wattage poly, unicone driver.
Overall I'm happy with this sub and can't wait for the driver to blow so I can justify to my wife to buy new, better driver. I expect the amp to be durable as it's a Sunfire amp. Good luck and aim at $200-220 shipped pricing from Ubid. Email me with more questions. Huey :-)
P.S. BIC sub was also very good, loud, and tight except amp hums and pops with DVD track changes (got rid of it as it's very annoying in a quiet theater room). It can be had for $170 on Ubid. KLH is a great buy too as only $99 at Costco or Ubid. It's fine for a bedroom home theater and can rumble pretty well. More musical than the 15" subs but not as powerful of course. Audiosource SW-15 is also great if you can buy it for $200. Half as loud as the Jensen but also tight bass after you stuff it with insulation. I think the 15" Audiosource driver is better but too chicken to swap drivers since 375 watts may be too much for the Audiosource. The 8" Audiosource is really too small for any good shaking bass. I gave it to my in-laws. You can buy this on Ubid for $60-$80. My setup is as follows: Wharfedale MFM-7 for fronts (great mids and highs, bass is good at high volumes), BIC DV-62CLR center (great center by the way), Wharfedales Opal 50 rears (nice speakers too), and Audiosource SW-15 in front and Jensen next to my couch. Feels like someone is kicking you during gun shots and explosions shakes your gut. My DVD is Toshiba 3109 and Receiver is Onkyo 50 watts X 5. This setup is too loud to hear each other (have to yell to talk) at 1/2 volume on receiver and subs with NO distortion. At this volume you have to readjust all pictures on walls after movie as they are all crooked. Also the recessed lights tend to fall down a bit and needed pushing up. My wife hates me when we watch movies :-) Sorry for the long review but I love HT :-) Five star for value definitely. Four star for overall since there are always better subs.....for much more money. Under $500 category I feel this sub is best.

Similar Products Used:

BIC 1210R (12", 200 watts, down-firing sub), Audiosource SW-5 (15", 200 watts, front-firing sub), KLH ASW10-120B (10", 120 watts, front-firing sub), Audiosource SW-6 (8", 50 watts, down-firing sub).

Powerful Sunfire Amp, Deep and tight bass, Cheap, 5-way binding posts for speaker ins and outs.

Paper driver, cheap construction, large, heavy, ugly grill, small knobs in back, no soft-on circuit.

Tight, low bass at twice the volume (with both subs at max setting) of my SW-15 (15 incher 200 watts sub). Cheap since Ubid messed up shipping weights (35# is only 1/2 what it should be). Needs more insulation. If there was air leaks, may need caulking inside to seal box up better (mine did not need it). May have cosmetic blemishes due to poor quality control and Fedex ground carelessness but nothing significant. Ideally would benefit from new 4 ohm polypropelene car sub driver to give even tighter and lower bass (paper is not as stiff and as durable). Amp is very powerful so becareful when you turn it on--make sure volume is on zero and never hook any wire up to it with it live as it will pop and may damage cheap driver. At 169+33 S+H it's a steal.
Sub has LFE in and out, RCA L/R input, high level 5-way binding posts in and out, and 3 tiny (1/4" diameter) knobs in back: GAIN (volume), PHASE (can turn continuously from 0-180 degrees, adjusts until bass sounds loudest), and CROSSOVER (40-160 Hz, to blend with main speakers). Grill is a stiff, black, perforated, ugly plastic sheet with JENSEN logo at bottom that won't fit very well even with velcro tape. I had to turn my sub to face my couch to hide its ugly face. I have small kids otherwise it's better looking without grill on. Driver is paper cone with green rubber surrounds. It has 100 oz magnet, rates at 6 ohm, and weighs 14# with single voice coil. It produce very loud, tight, low bass but distorts a little at maximum volume (375 watts into 6 ohm may be too much for this cheap driver).
I opened up the driver (8 hex-key, round screws) and noticed cross bracing but scant insulation (2 walls had loose, thin, fiberglass sheets of insulation). I got some R-20 from my attic and lined the walls thicker but careful to allow enough air space for ports to work. Ports are cardboard, 3" diameter and 6" in length. No real air leaks so caulking was not needed. Amp is hooked to driver with 18 gauge red and black wires spliced near driver (too short by default). I left this alone as I don't believe in the wire theory. Replacing the driver would be easy although will cost $100 minimum for a good high wattage poly, unicone driver.
Overall I'm happy with this sub and can't wait for the driver to blow so I can justify to my wife to buy new, better driver. I expect the amp to be durable as it's a Sunfire amp. Good luck and aim at $200-220 shipped pricing from Ubid. Email me with more questions. Huey :-)
P.S. BIC sub was also very good, loud, and tight except amp hums and pops with DVD track changes (got rid of it as it's very annoying in a quiet theater room). It can be had for $170 on Ubid. KLH is a great buy too as only $99 at Costco or Ubid. It's fine for a bedroom home theater and can rumble pretty well. More musical than the 15" subs but not as powerful of course. Audiosource SW-15 is also great if you can buy it for $200. Half as loud as the Jensen but also tight bass after you stuff it with insulation. I think the 15" Audiosource driver is better but too chicken to swap drivers since 375 watts may be too much for the Audiosource. The 8" Audiosource is really too small for any good shaking bass. I gave it to my in-laws. You can buy this on Ubid for $60-$80. My setup is as follows: Wharfedale MFM-7 for fronts (great mids and highs, bass is good at high volumes), BIC DV-62CLR center (great center by the way), Wharfedales Opal 50 rears (nice speakers too), and Audiosource SW-15 in front and Jensen next to my couch. Feels like someone is kicking you during gun shots and explosions shakes your gut. My DVD is Toshiba 3109 and Receiver is Onkyo 50 watts X 5. This setup is too loud to hear each other (have to yell to talk) at 1/2 volume on receiver and subs with NO distortion. At this volume you have to readjust all pictures on walls after movie as they are all crooked. Also the recessed lights tend to fall down a bit and needed pushing up. My wife hates me when we watch movies :-) Sorry for the long review but I love HT :-) Five star for value definitely. Four star for overall since there are always better subs.....for more money.

Similar Products Used:

BIC 1210R (12", 200 watts, down-firing sub), Audiosource SW-5 (15", 200 watts, front-firing sub), KLH ASW10-120B (10", 120 watts, front-firing sub), Audiosource SW-6 (8", 50 watts, down-firing sub).