Onkyo TX-NR686 is another modestly priced AV receiver with amazing HT performance for the money and it is a THX Certified Select AVR. To play source materials at the THX reference level, one of the requirements is to have an 80Hz crossover being set in the setup menu. You will need to mix in an active subwoofer though and we will be preparing a list of the best subwoofers to match with your Onkyo TX-NR686 AV receiver.
To enjoy an exhilarating home cinematic experience, integrating an active subwoofer is one of the essentials. Watching a high-octane action movie scene without an active sub delivering thunderous bass and room-shaking low ends is just not the same. We understand that some HT enthusiasts would also like to enjoy listening to music from time to time and you can go for subwoofers which are designed to deliver precise bass response with taut delivery. Such subwoofers tend to be great for music playbacks and would still be acceptable for home theater use.
The Onkyo TX-NR686 is a 7.2 channel AV receiver and this means it could connect up to 2 powered subwoofers. There’s a saying, two heads are better than one, and having two subwoofers is certainly better as you could easily fill up a medium-sized home theater room with ease. Using 2 active subwoofers would provide a near equal amount of bass energy and presence for everyone inside the HT room, not to mention, you will have more headroom to play with as well. This enables you to ramp up the subsonic bass performances even more and handle most low-end demands with ease.
Some may find the Onkyo TX-NR686 a bit too polite when it comes to movie playbacks and lacks the impact. The neutral sonic character of the TX-NR686 does make it a suitable AV receiver for music playbacks though as it is not as exaggerated as some of the AVRs in the same price range. You might want to choose subwoofers with similar sonic traits to match the Onkyo TX-NR686 and these can be part of your requirements. We should now work on your subwoofer requirements as they will influence your choice and also gives you a better understanding of what you want in an active sub.
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Subwoofer Requirements
HT enthusiasts would probably prefer a subwoofer which can provide a more exciting cinematic experience when watching their favorite movies. This is where a ported subwoofer comes into play and for listeners who mainly listen to music, you can go for either sealed cabinet or studio-grade subwoofers. If you are unsure whether to go for a ported or sealed cabinet sub, then maybe requiring a hybrid subwoofer would be a better option for you.
Midbass performance can be crucial for some HT enthusiasts and there are subwoofers that focus on this area. You will need to decide if a midbass module is what you require. Another important requirement to consider will be your budget. We suggest working out an amount you are comfortable with and if you have a really tight budget, you might want to save up more and go for a better quality subwoofer. A powered subwoofer will take up a permanent spot in your room and if you decide to go for 2 subs then you really need to check how much available space you can allocate. For listeners who have limited floor space, you can go with subwoofers that use cabinet height to produce high bass outputs as they tend to have smaller footprints.
You might want to seek your spouse’s opinions and approval, from there you might get more subwoofer requirements to consider. Do take some time to work out more requirements on your own and when you are confident with what you require from a powered sub then please take a look at the list of the best matching subwoofers to go for and partner with your Onkyo TX-NR686 AVR.
Best Subwoofers to match with Onkyo TX-NR686
The HSU Research VTF-2 MK5 is an excellent entry-level hybrid subwoofer to match with the Onkyo TX-NR686 AV receiver. As a hybrid subwoofer, it has two operating modes which are ported (1 port or 2 ports open) and sealed mode. This gives you the flexibility to switch between each mode for different material playbacks and/or subsonic bass performances. You can go with ported mode when watching movies and sealed mode for music playbacks. HSU Research VTF-2 MK5 can reach below 20Hz with 1 port open and it is really impressive for an entry-level sub.
The Rythmik Audio F12SE is one of the top sealed cabinet subwoofers and is specially designed for audiophiles who prefer bass quality over quantity. This award-winning sealed subwoofer is an exceptional choice to go with your Onkyo TX-NR686 AVR especially if you mainly listen to music or simply want fast and precise subsonic bass performance. Rythmik Audio F12SE is not only fast and agile, but it is also capable of delivering below 20Hz low frequencies with prominence. Furthermore, this audiophile sealed subwoofer is sanely priced.
SVS PB-2000 Pro is a ported subwoofer that also gives you the option to switch between standard (ported) and sealed mode. This is a highly rated ported subwoofer and will be an ideal match with your Onkyo TX-NR686. It has a very powerful bass performance, is capable of reaching below 20Hz bass extension, and has a built-in Sledge STA-550D amplifier driving up to 1500+ Watts of power into its 12″ driver. The SVS PB-2000 Pro is well suited for medium-sized HT rooms and this makes it a good match with the Onkyo TX-NR686.
More Information at Amazon – SVS PB-2000 Pro Subwoofer (Black Ash)
If you are looking for midbass modules to pair up with your Onkyo TX-NR686, you might want to take a look at the Rythmik Audio FM8. This is a dual 8″ driver sealed audiophile subwoofer, the FM8 uses the company’s Direct Servo Technology to provide its users with agile and articulate bass performance. You can also switch it back to standard operation and this will enable the Rythmik Audio FM8 to reach down to 18Hz bass extension. The FM8 MBM uses a Class D amplifier with up to 600 Watts of RMS power.
HSU Research ULS-15 MK2 is another powerful midbass module to go for and match with the Onkyo TX-NR686. When compared to the Rythmik Audio FM8, the ULS-15 MK2 has only one single driver but it is 15″ in size. The HSU Research ULS-15 MK2 can go up to 2000 Watts of power in a short term period and this enables the sealed subwoofer to handle most bass demands without breaking a sweat. The frequency response is between 20Hz-200Hz (+/-1dB) and it can easily deliver a tight prominent subterranean bass response.
For listeners who have very limited floor space but still want a subwoofer that has plenty of bass output and can provide you with an exhilarating home cinematic experience. The SVS PC-2000 Pro is an excellent choice to go for. This is a 12″ ported subwoofer with a cylindrical cabinet where it uses height to produce powerful bass frequencies while using minimal floor space. SVS PC-2000 Pro can reach down to 16Hz bass extension and will be a suitable match with the Onkyo TX-NR686. You can also switch to “Sealed” mode for a faster bass transient.
More Information at Amazon – SVS PC-2000 Pro Cylinder Subwoofer (Piano Black)
To Conclude
For listeners who are aiming for 2 subwoofers but do not have enough budget to get at least decent quality subs. We suggest you use currently what you have in your budget on one high-quality subwoofer first and save up until you can get another similar sub. Along the way, you might even find that a single high-quality and powerful subwoofer would be enough to satisfy your home theater experience. Do audition the subwoofers first before making the purchase though.
