The Paradigm represents a great bargain within its' price range. The woofer is a cast frame with a fiber reinforced cone; you can look in the port with a flashlight and check out the driver. Neat. The sub goes quite low and works well with both music and Dolby Digital sources. I only have it turned up just past halfway and my room rocks with authority. Priced similarly was the Infinity BU-2 which chuffed out the port early and disturbingly. The JBL 12" was a bit better, but the Paradigm cleans them up. The sound doesn't whack you the same as a front driver, it is a more enveloping bass. Extension is reported by the manufacturer to be 23hz., again very good for the price. The next step up would be prehaps a Velodyne CT-150 or a Definitive Technology PF15. However, if around $589 is around your target price, look no further, you won't be disappointed. Note: Don't let the elitest/purist types lead you astray with off-putting comments regarding band-pass subs not being acceptable. One has to eat, you know.

This sub churns out sickening amounts of bass. It's fairly tight for a 12" bandpass, so it's pretty decent for most music. I haven't been able to hear it with movies *yet* but I'm sure it's damn good. I thought the PDR 12 was an excellent sub as well but just didnt have the impact that this one does.. and boy this baby will knock you down. I still want to demo a Klipsch KSW 12 but I'm sure the PS 1200 is more than I will ever need for the low frequency spectrum. Kudos to Paradigm for making a killer sub for a great price. I can't imagine what the PW2200 or even the Servo would sound or feel like.. good lord.

This is a hell of a sub in any price range. I've always been a big fan of Paradigm products and this piece has really impressed me. I'm thinking about matching this up w/ one of the center channels. I'll be auditioning this weekend.

The PS-1200 plays deep and is fairly accurate and quick. I auditioned M&K-105, Polk's sub, and numerous others, but for the money the Paradigm really impressed me with its wide range of abilities.
I've owned this sub since mid '95 and have enjoyed it immensely. Most of its life it has been used in apartments and had no problems filling the livingrooms with full impact bass from movies or various music. Overall I've been quite impressed. Recently, I've moved into a house with a somewhat dedicated theater room (meaning my wife doesn't mind all those black boxes everywhere) with dimensions of 15x25 approx., opened on one end. The speaker never seems to be overworked, but the amp on extended bass outputs (long explosions, etc.) has a hard time keeping up (great impact, but falls off slightly in output). I'd attribute this to perhaps the power supply using smaller capacitors that needed. Either that, or the fact that I watch movies at very loud levels.

Overall, I've been happy with my PS-1200 (though, with the bigger room, it's probably time to upgrade to a PW-2200, or something equivalent), and would recommend it to anyone looking for a bargin.

Punchy, loud, room moves to the beat. Good for music and video. Goes deep and well formed bass.

Controls and case not the best quality though solid. I would like a higher top range. Wish I could see that cone move! Its huge!

Great sub that currently doubles as a desk. Its huge! Great value for money, I got mine for 250 pounds! It addes that little bit more punch to base that is good to hear and something you miss when you turn it off. I can hear music more like the way it was recorded. Tub thumping under base is well produced! I am more than happy for the money and it certainly does the job. Using with Rotal 971 amp and AE 109 speakers. Good combo.

Similar Products Used:

REL - others

Deep Bass

Not for jazz

I finally gave in. I had planned to not buy a sub until I had enough money to get a really, really good one. Most of the subs I had heard really suck with music. Then I realized that I don't really need the subwoofer more music. I have two separate systems now, so I want my home theater system to be optimized for movies, which means getting deep bass. I found this subwoofer for $450 on sale, because I guess the newer models are coming out. It is a great product! You know that scene in the Matrix when Morpheus flies into the air and then kicks his foot into the ground as Neo rolls away (in the Kung Fu fight)? When his foot breaks through the floor, it feels as if I'm being punched in the chest with the subwoofer. You can actually feel the air pressure in the room changing (which is what sound is afterall). I've never had this sensation before, even in the movie theaters. I don't know if I will ever go to a movie theater again! I just hope my neighbor don't get pissed off. Oh...who cares?

Big, doubles as a coffee table

deep bass is muffled, no punch

After listening to this woofer for several months I can't say it was worth the money. Although the bass is just as good as the cerwin vega woofer I had earlier, the cerwin vega was several hundred dollars cheaper. My friends have been raving about paradigm speakers, but if the sub-woofer is any indication.....I might just hold on to my hard earned cash.

Deep, tight, clean bass. Price was awesome. Hits loud, hard and clean with no distortion.

A bit large.

Well, I have to say I am VERY pleased with this recent purchase. I listened to many subs at different hi-fi stores and not many impressed me until I cranked up this slammin' sub.

Being a car audiophile for many many years I have listened to a lot of quality subwoofers with quality bass (not just loud boom). I was looking for something that could match the sound of my US$4,000 car system. After tons of research on this site and others I had concluded that I liked the Velodyne CT-100. But after I put this sub side by side to the Paradigm (which was about the same price), I was blown away. While the Velodyne was good, this sub just did everything BETTER. I dont understand how the Velodyne - which is a good sub (read the reviews)- rates higher than this. This thing hit deeper, harder, cleaner, and much louder with less distortion. This was with the same amp, same CD track, and same room placement. True, this is a 12 and the Velodyne is a 10, but still. The sound was just better, even at low levels where woofer size/amp power shouldnt matter. I tested both these two subs for over an hour, just so you know.

THRILLED at the price I got (around SG$650 or US$350), I got home and hooked up this bad boy. It simply SLAMS. I just bought some sweet floorstanding Acoustic Energy Aegis Three's and together with this sub it sounds simply SICK. Incredible. The crispest highs, the deepest sub-bass. I could not be happier. It was exactly what my system needed. Compliments my highs perfectly.

Be sure to experiment with the location, crossover setting, and level with this sub. Once you got it dialed in just right...look out! Can be subtle but can also really hit deep and hard. This thing has wayyyy more volume potential than I need in my medium sized room (i keep the volume on 3-4) but great for future expansion and bigger houses (some day). This sub is great for music OR home theater. I am 60% music, 40% HT. This sub does it all beautifully. Don't hesitate, check it out. Simply an amazing sub at this price.

Similar Products Used:

Velodyne CT-100

Gives out lots of bass. Great value

This is an awsome sub.

High output and great build quality for the price. Very flexible controls/inputs.

Lacks definition on music. Ugly, cheap looking cabinet. Captive power cord gets in way while moving.

I've had this sub for a few years now. Great for the price, especially for home theater. I'm not as happy with it's musical performance. The details of many bass lines, even in rock recordings, tend to be lost. It is not an overly boomy sub, but music shows the design trade-offs the engineers had to make to get the output potential it has. I would like something with less output and better definition for music at the same price. I am more or less satisfied it's performance, FOR THE PRICE, but since I got rid of my home theater gear (apartments suck)and use it mostly for music, my satisfaction has gone down quite a bit. I would still recommend this to anyone assembling a home theater or a home theater/music system on a budget. I have certainly heard lesser subs for the same price, and more.

Similar Products Used:

Paradigm PS-1000