Subwoofer choice

[louishob]

I'm looking for a subwoofer for my Sequels (Sequel 1). The Martin Logan Dynamo would be a natural choice. However, I'm on a budget. (I guess that's pretty obvious. I'm still listening to Sequels.) Any opinions on the Hsu STF or VTF series of subwoofers ? They seem to have a lot of good reviews and they're prices are relatively low.

 

[roberto]

I'm looking for a subwoofer for my Sequels (Sequel 1). The Martin Logan Dynamo would be a natural choice. However, I'm on a budget. (I guess that's pretty obvious. I'm still listening to Sequels.) Any opinions on the Hsu STF or VTF series of subwoofers ? They seem to have a lot of good reviews and they're prices are relatively low.

Welcome to the club luishob. You are right. Those are a very good sounding subs and have great prices...just remember, trust your ears!!! happy listening,
Pura vida,
Roberto.

 

[hakalugi]

Vtf-3 Mk 2

I installed one of these for a client (I do some installs as a side gig, so i can write off my tools ) and was very impressed.

i began with a clean sllate:

their budget, finish choices, size contraints, and freq response vs. room volume (size volume). it's corner loaded in a new addition of their house (wood floors over garage), it's a media/great room, about 36' x 30' with a 20' high cathedral ceiling and it works nice.

i'll be installing a VTF-2 in about a month. this one is a smaller room and is on a concrete slab/walls (basement HT) so if you're still shopping in late Feb, email me and see if i've heard it yet.

but yes, for the money, they're a good value. hence why i install them.

 

[louishob]

You're an expert at this, so let me ask you a question. I figured I would just Y my preamp outputs into the subwoofer. However, I want to seriously roll off the Sequels attemtps at reproducing this very low frequency information. Will I need to buy crossovers for the Sequels ? By the way, my Sequel 1s are biamped. They didn't have this feature originally. I did a little rewiring and added the extra posts. Each of the two Rotel 890 amps handle their respective L/R information. One channel of an amp drives the panel, the other the woofer.

 

[LaserMark4]

Thumbs Up for HSU

Here are my comments regarding HSU a few weeks back-- hopefully they will help:

I, too, debated going ML vs. HSU/SVS/Outlaw. I demo'd the ML's and went off of a lot of favorable forum feedback from happy users with the others. I recently picked up a brand new gloss black HSU VTF3-MK2 for under $600-- a price I could not pass up in trying.

What shocked me was the value for the price for this 80+ lb beast!

This is one GREAT sub in every way!! My greatest reservation was it's musical ability to blend with my ML's, which was ultimately unfounded-- it is very musical, never booming, and has huge headroom that pressurizes the room when it's called upon in HT use (significant dB below 20 Hz).

I can't say enough good about HSU. And the new HO turbo models just about to be released will fire yet another shot across the bow for all sub manufacturers.

These things keep getting more incredible for lower and lower prices.

 

[louishob]

Thanks for the recommendation. I have located an Hsu VTF-2 MK2, new, for $335 plus shipping. (I hope this price doesn't turn out to be too good to be true.) I plan to purchase them tomorrow.
One question I need answering is: How do I roll of my Sequels and let the subwoofer handle the low frequency information ? On occassion, for instance the initial explosion scene in Star Wars 2, the Sequels will distort trying to handle deep bass.

 

[DTB300]

One question I need answering is: How do I roll of my Sequels and let the subwoofer handle the low frequency information ?

If HT Receiver, make setting changes there for Main Speaker sizes and use LFE for sub.

If two channel, you will need an external Xover box from someone like Paradigm or Marchand. That way you can use a High Pass Xover to Sequels and send the rest to Sub.

Dan

 

[roberto]

Thanks for the recommendation. I have located an Hsu VTF-2 MK2, new, for $335 plus shipping. (I hope this price doesn't turn out to be too good to be true.) I plan to purchase them tomorrow.
One question I need answering is: How do I roll of my Sequels and let the subwoofer handle the low frequency information ? On occassion, for instance the initial explosion scene in Star Wars 2, the Sequels will distort trying to handle deep bass.

Hola louishob. With all respect, I think that your amplifier is clipping, not the woofers of your Sequel. I have heard them playing very difficult passages with a lot of low frequency information, and they resolve it without any stress or distortion. Bring the level of your amp just a little bit and listen carefully again...-3 dBs at high level means the half of the power used at the amp. Hope this can help! Happy listening,
Pura vida,
Roberto.

 

[socialxray]

I have a HSU VTF-2 mk1 paired with SL3's. They are a great value and the specs are correct, meaning don't expect anything below 25Hz and don't bother trying either.

Don't expect miracles from this 10 incher but it is a solid performer and a great value. It does not go as loud as I would like without bottoming out (which may be a good thing actually) but it mates well with my SL3's. I use it for both music and HT and I am very satisfied. I am actually toying with the idea of getting another one since I cannot afford a high-end subwoofer right now.

Do yourself a favor when setting up any subwoofer: buy a sound meter, a test CD (HSU subwoofers come with one), and use this to setup your subwoofer. You will be much more satisfied with the results. Setting up subwoofers is very difficult to do by ear and will probably lead to buyer's remorse. Remember that sound meters (like Radio Shack's) are very inaccurate when measuring bass frequencies. There are websites that have corrected output charts.

 

[louishob]

Hola louishob. With all respect, I think that your amplifier is clipping, not the woofers of your Sequel. I have heard them playing very difficult passages with a lot of low frequency information, and they resolve it without any stress or distortion. Bring the level of your amp just a little bit and listen carefully again...-3 dBs at high level means the half of the power used at the amp. Hope this can help! Happy listening,
Pura vida,
Roberto.

Hola Roberto,
I really need to check the distortion I mentioned again. I've recently converted my Sequels for bi-amping. The original Sequels didn't have the dual binding posts, but they're fairly easy to add and it's a snap to move the leads to the woofer to its own set of posts. I have two Rotel 890 amps capable of 160 watts per channel at 8 ohms. One amp is responsible for the left channel information. The other amp, the right. I Y the left and right outputs from the Rotel preamp into the channels of each respective amp. So, each panel gets 160 watts to play with and so do the woofers. Since electrostatics are a strange load to drive, I thought this hook-up was better than bridging the 890's.
If it was the amp clipping, and not the woofer distorting, then I suspect the bi-amping would clear that up. Also, I don't think I'll need to roll of the Sequels when I add the VTF-2.
I'm expecting somewhat of a dramatic improvement by adding the VTF-2. I know dramatic can be a somewhat subjective term, but I'm expecting considerably better low frequency performance by adding the VTF-2. Is my expectation unrealistic ?

 

[roberto]

Hola Roberto,
I really need to check the distortion I mentioned again. I've recently converted my Sequels for bi-amping. The original Sequels didn't have the dual binding posts, but they're fairly easy to add and it's a snap to move the leads to the woofer to its own set of posts. I have two Rotel 890 amps capable of 160 watts per channel at 8 ohms. One amp is responsible for the left channel information. The other amp, the right. I Y the left and right outputs from the Rotel preamp into the channels of each respective amp. So, each panel gets 160 watts to play with and so do the woofers. Since electrostatics are a strange load to drive, I thought this hook-up was better than bridging the 890's.
If it was the amp clipping, and not the woofer distorting, then I suspect the bi-amping would clear that up. Also, I don't think I'll need to roll of the Sequels when I add the VTF-2.
I'm expecting somewhat of a dramatic improvement by adding the VTF-2. I know dramatic can be a somewhat subjective term, but I'm expecting considerably better low frequency performance by adding the VTF-2. Is my expectation unrealistic ?

So you have connected them in vertical configuration, left (or right) drives the panel and the other remain channel drives the woofer. Believe it or not, you could be overdriving the amps, no matter if the can produce such high power. The clipping could damage your woofers, it is DC at the coils of the woffers...so make a quick test bringing the level down just a little bit. As I said before, -3dBs for our ears is nothing at high level, but for the amp means playing at half power...this way you could find out if the amp is clipping. Too much low frequency info could saturate the input of your amp also, and that is the distotion that you might be listening. Happy listening and trust your ears!!!
pura vida,
Roberto.

 

[danconio]

Sub match for ReQuests?

I am looking to upgrade my system from Front/Rear subs to Stereo subs in front and single in the rear.

My room is 18.0'Lx16.1'Wx9.5'H.

I have the ReQuests as Front Left Right and Currently have the Aerius i in the rear although I am also in the process of upgrading to ReQuests in the rear as soon as I can find a pair locally.

I am considering a pair of either velodyne HGS-18's, Descent's, or Bag End Infrasub 18's. I currently have the bag end in the front and a velodyne F1200x in the rear.

I like the sound and performance of the Bag End, but I have not yet heard the descent or the velodyne in my system yet and wanted to get some feedback on wether it is worth auditioning them.

Dave

 

[LaserMark4]

I'm expecting somewhat of a dramatic improvement by adding the VTF-2. I know dramatic can be a somewhat subjective term, but I'm expecting considerably better low frequency performance by adding the VTF-2. Is my expectation unrealistic?

I guarantee you that the addition of any sub at this level (or beyond) will put a non-stop smile on your face from the first moment you connect it. IMO, it will most definitely be a dramatic improvement over just the ML's.

Also, good advice I've heard from many forums is to find the sub you think you can afford, and then choose the next model up so you will never wonder whether that one-up sub would have REALLY done the job. I know the VTF-3 II will more than dramatically rock your socks (unless you decide to get another one to match the first- ) You'll definitely see sub 20 Hz in most rooms. Just can't get "too" much of that sub in HT....but they also are very musical and well mannered.

Either one..... you cannot go wrong. The HSU turbo and HO models are just about to come out (talk about power!), so I know there will be a slug of VTF-2's and 3's on the used market momentarily....and probably some great deals as well. Put out a request on the HSU forum for a used one.....there is a good tight knit group of followers who are dying to buy the new and trade up.

I also definitely agree that a sound meter is the only way to go in dialing one in.

 

[balleklorin]

SVS subwoofers is probably one of the best choices out there.

www.svsubwoofers.com

Velodyne are too expensive I think and not better than SVS subs costing 1/3rd, HSU is a SVS alternative but the test I have read the SVS are the best subs.

Just a friendly advice from a super happy SVS owner from Norway.

 

[LaserMark4]

Good Subs

SVS makes GREAT subs as well. Was high on my final list as well.

SVS....HSU....Outlaw LFM-1--- cannot go wrong with any of these Internet manufactureres for an alternative, low cost, great sounding sub.

Here's a couple of great comparison articles on these three (albiet not exactly the same models):

Outlaw and SVS from the Editor of Audiohaulics Magazine: Outlaw LFM-1 vs. SVS PB2-ISD

Also one pitting SVS to HSU: SVS PB1-ISD vs. HSU STF-3

Mark S.

 

[balleklorin]

I would choose a more expensive model, the PB12 plus or the PB12 plus/2.

The tubes are also just as good, go for the plus models.
2531, 2039, they are fantastic and easy to place.

 

[LaserMark4]

I would choose a more expensive model, the PB12 plus or the PB12 plus/2.

Your PB12 plus/2 is "a crusher"-- some serious foundation shakin' going on in the HT, yes?

 

[balleklorin]

Seriuos yes, and soon I will get one more just for the symmetry.

The Aeon`s are just awesome as well!