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iSub (is it good)

M

mac15

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Dec 29, 2001
3,099
0
I was looking into purchasing the iSub
I just wanted to see I they are anygood
I wasn't going to worry about the sticks..... They are to expensive
I have heard the isub and it sounds good
but are there any alternatives to the iSub

looking forward to hearing your reply
 
I have the soundsticks and the iSub on my TiBook and I'm very, very happy with them..... the sound is very good, the bass is very good, and they look stunning aswell...... especially the blue/purple light at the back, that reflects beautifully around the inside of the iSub.....

There are probably better computer subs available, but none look as cool!!!

Just my thought!!:D
 
It you get an iSub you're going to want to get some sort of speakers to go with it. Have you ever listened to a subwoofer by itself? Part of the engineering behind the idea of a subwoofer is that the low frequency sound waves appear to be coming from a general and not an exact direction. You can put it under a table and get great results, leaving the full dynamic range to another set of speakers.

When the volume is loud enough you feel the subwoofer more than you here it which adds to the audio experience.

I love the looks of the iSub, a big acoustic jelly fish. If you could figure out how to get some lights to glow on the inside would be very cool. I've got the Bose Acoustamass system - which shakes the walls when I turn it up:D , so I'll not be getting anything new soon, but if I did it would be the sticks and an iSub.
 
I've had two iSubs for my new iMac, and both of them... hmmm... "crackled" is the best word for it. They sounded great for an hour or so, and then they just started crackling. The first time I thought it was just a fluke, and the Apple store agreed. But by time I got around to hooking up the second one, finding out it didn't work, and getting back down to the Apple store, the guy said it was a known issue and Apple was investigating. Not sure if that means it's an issue with OS X, the iMacs, or just the funky new age music I listen to. Anyway, I'm going to wait a few months and try again... they sure sounded sweet!
 
Originally posted by cleo
I've had two iSubs for my new iMac, and both of them... hmmm... "crackled"

... and getting back down to the Apple store, the guy said it was a known issue and Apple was investigating.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the post, I hadn't heard that one. I love it hearing about the known issue from Apple. I think the biggest one was the Cube and its cracks.

One of the reasons I bought the Bose system was I new the quality was superb. I had bought some Yamaha speakers and they exhibited 'crackling' and I ended up having to rig the connectors and wire in a certain position to get them to play without the noise. I've had the Bose for 4+ years now and they've given me perfect sound the whole time.:D
 
I purchased an isub with my iMac DV+, and have to says that the sound is jjust great, I never experienced any problems with it.
Only that when X came out it was not supported yet, when .1 came out I could scare the neighbours again
 
Originally posted by dukestreet


I've had the Bose for 4+ years now and they've given me perfect sound the whole time.:D
Click to expand...

I agree, on the quality of Bose. I have a little 6-year old WaveRadio that is just magnificent... In fact, I think I'm going to see if I can pump my iMac sound through that (when my iMac comes home from getting fixed :( ) because the quality of the sound out of that thing is just amazing.
 
I would advise getting the Soundsticks with the iSub, the Sound sticks and linked togethor in serial and are incredibly accurate.

Ensign
 
I have been thinking about soundsticks, but find the cost for them too high, seen the fact that we're still talking about a computer, I only play some music when I import into itunes, or when I receive some.
(the iSub itself I got that for free, when purchasing an iMac DV through the Apple Store, summer 2000. Otherwise I think I would still be stuck with the standard built HK)
Lucky for me thus:D
 
Will it work...

Will the iSub work with the Cube and it's H/K speakers? I read somewhere that it would only take one sound output at a time. Is this true, and if so is there a way to daisy chain the speakers and the sub to get connectivity?
 
Careful!!

I bought the iSub and Apple Pro Speakers when I bought my DP 800 G4. Everything will work fine under OS 9 (as good as a 6" sub and two crummy tweeters can sound). But under OS X 10.1.x (including 10.1.4), the speakers will crackle and pop almost all the time. Apple is aware of the problem and blissfully ignoring it. There are a bunch of cranky G4 owners at the Apple support site (look in the Discussions-->OS X--->Using Audio forum). There is also no means by which to turn down the thundering volume of the iSub in OS X.

I would STRONGLY suggest that you think twice if you are buying any kind of speakers for a G4.

(I've posted this kind of message in lots of places, so let me anticipate a few responses. To those who don't have the "snap, crackle and pop" problem -- great -- lucky you -- others really do have this problem. It's extremely serious, since it renders a new G4 useless as far as audio is concerned. Also, there are two unrelated problems: (1) All audio (from all ports) is distorted and crackles under OS X, (2) MP3 playback in iTunes skips and stutters. I have a great deal of experience troubleshooting both issues, but I still can't tell you why either is happening. Neither can Apple, apparently.)
 
Harmon/Kardon

H/K makes the finest quality speakers you can buy for your Apple Computer. The iSub, and Sound Sticks, among others, are built exactly to Apple's specifications.

:cool:
 
Originally posted by mmmdreg
I think I'm getting a iSub and soundsticks for various reasons..hope they're good.
Click to expand...

You can't go wrong with them really..... I used to lecture at SAE Institute in London (School of Audio Engineering) as a Multimedia and Hypermedia lecturer, and one of the audio engineers had the soundsticks and iSub, and he reckons they're exceedingly good quality for computer speakers...... and beens as he spends his days with his head in bass bins, I'm inclined to believe him!! ;) :p :D
 

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I have the Sticks and the iSub

I got the Sticks and the iSub (with the Blue LED) together. I am very happy with them. I have a very nice Sterio system but I only use it when watching DVDs now. 2 4way 15' Floor speakers, 1 3way center channel Speaker, and 2 2way satilites. But for music... I end up using my Mac and my Sticks and iSub most of the time.
 
I would STRONGLY suggest that you think twice if you are buying any kind of speakers for a G4.
Click to expand...

I have a 1.25Ghz DP G4 and the soundsticks with the isub and they work great for me but then again that could be because im running 10.2.1
 
Originally posted by medea
if you want an alternative to the soundsticks and isub check out the JBL Creature (same people behind the isub etc..)http://www.harman-multimedia.com/shop_list.html?cart=HK1_103979540948605&id1=2
Click to expand...

I want a pair of those so bad! Apple doesn't offer them in the uk. I e-mailed JBL and they said they won't import them. They will match my mac so well. I've decided I'll get a usb 5.1 adapter (also a supreme pain to get here) and get a yamaha 4.1 or 5.1. Can you use 4.1 with a 5.1 adapter?
 
An old audiophile poem

If you own Bose, then hold your nose,
and test your ears as well.
For when you get your hearing back,
you'll know they're not too swell.
You've got twelve bucks of paper cones
and a flimsy cardboard box -
not enough to be bare bones,
much less to say, "It rocks!"
No top, no bass, just muddy noise
and cabinet resonance too.
It's clear now that the K-Mart boys
gave you a royal screw.
Why buy Paradigm or Energy, B&W or NHT
when you can shell out twice as much for Taiwan quality?
But be indignant; tell yourself
you don't really think it sucks.
(What else can you do after flushing 600 bucks?)

I don't have enough experience with Bose to say whether or not I agree, but I thought that was clever :)
 
A simple Y audio splitter should give you all four speakers if you are looking for that, W-_-W.

[Side: Alex, where the blue heck did you get that avatar? :p]

Looks can be deceiving. There have been reports of iSub crackles, including cleo's from over half a year ago. :)

If you really want effecient (costwise and audiowise) x.1 systems, check out www.hifi.com or www.klipsch.com.
 
Originally posted by King Cobra
A simple Y audio splitter should give you all four speakers if you are looking for that, W-_-W.

[Side: Alex, where the blue heck did you get that avatar? :p]

Looks can be deceiving. There have been reports of iSub crackles, including cleo's from over half a year ago. :)

If you really want effecient (costwise and audiowise) x.1 systems, check out www.hifi.com or www.klipsch.com.
Click to expand...

I want surround sound for medal of honour, a splitter won't do it right?
 
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