small sub for computer setup

[soloz2]

I'm not ready to buy yet, but I'm mostly just doing a bit of research right now.

My desktop/computer/office rig currently is as follows:

Auzen X-Fi Prelude w/ opa627 op-amps (I like to game too)
Musical Paradise MP-301, a 5wpc 6v6 tube amp, on pre-out just speaker taps
Tekton Designs 4.1 single-driver speakers

Due to the speakers there isn't a lot of low frequency response, so adding a sub is more or less something I really should do.

Since this is a 'budget' setup I don't want to spend a lot of money and used is alright with me.
It needs to fit this criteria:
-The sub needs to have high-level inputs.
-I listen at mostly low volumes so I need a sub that can play well quietly
-tight articulate bass that won't become too boomy when placed near barriers (it will be placed under my desk, or right next to it, but still near the wall)
-small form factor due to above

I had originally tried the TAD SW-100 in my office setup with previous amp/speakers, but it was on the large side and it wouldn't sense any signal unless I turned the gain up higher than I wanted resulting in boomy bass.

I have a spare 500w ULW10 amp, and I can pick up a used ULW10 with a bad amp, but I'm wondering if there would be something better.

[alphaiii]

If the Martin Logan Dynamo went back on sale for $325 at amazon, that'd be a good pic.

Others I can think of are Aperion Bravus 8D, and Elemental Designs is releasing a new 10" sealed sub - preorder price is $315 (check their forum) - although it's not quite as small as the ML or Aperion.

[mojave]

I use a Hsu Research VTF-1 with my ELT525M's. It is sitting underneath my desk with file drawers on one side and a wall at the back. I use both ports open (maximum output mode) and get very nice, clean, tight bass even at low volumes. I am using it at my office at work, so I can't really crank it.

It has high level speaker inputs/outputs. If your Prelude X-Fi is like my Creative X-Fi, you can set it to 5.1 output and with 2 channel audio, it will only send audio to the L/R speakers and also use the bass crossover for the subwoofer. Just hook the sub directly to the soundcard. For movies or gaming, I used Audio Creation mode in the drivers and duplicated the L/R channel to the Center/sub channel. This ran the mains in full range and I used the sub's crossover to fill in the bass. Actually, I think I ended up leaving it that way for music, too.

I recently sold the X-Fi and am now using an external USB Tascam DAC with the Gizmo. I just connect the sub directly to the Gizmo and use its built in crossover.

I bought the VTF-1 used last year for $200 from av123's classifieds. It was only about two months old and looked like it had never been used. The seller was local, so I just picked it up from him.

[alphaiii]

I bought the VTF-1 used last year for $200 from av123's classifieds. It was only about two months old and looked like it had never been used. The seller was local, so I just picked it up from him.

You got one hell of a deal on that sub!

[mojave]

Here is another good deal: For Sale: Hsu STF-2.