AVS Forum welcomes Bruce Hall, President/CEO of Velodyne.

In this thread, please feel free to ask support questions in regards to Velodyne products. Velodyne staff will monitor the thread and respond as they can. Members of this forum of course are also welcome to help out as they can. For after all, this site is dedicated to people helping people in Home Theater.

I have 2 questions, but maybe only one is a "support" question. :)

1) I came across a demo HGS-15THX at a local dealer for $1800. Seems like a good deal, but what do you think?

2) I've had Velodynes in the past, but now not. The dealer says, no more HGS series II. Is there a replacement? Or rmaybe this is a better way to phrase it: is there a replacement I can afford? :) I know the new DD subs are quite expensive. Or maybe the DD-12 is more or less equivalent to the old HGS-15 in terms of performance?

Bruce,
Thanks for taking the time to contribute here and more importantly develop the DD series of subs. First significant advancement in sub technology!
I just purchased the DD-18 & love it.

Here goes:
1. What do you recommend regarding mains, small or large?
The general assumption is mains can't go low...but some can.
See attached for freq.resp of my mains (VA Mahlers per Stereophile). They go to about 35Hz before serious dropoff occurs.
Aren't I wasting the mains running them small?
The impact on the curve by adjusting the DD18 eq is minimal when they are set to Large (since mains are not being controlled).
Does THX mode forces them small to avoid this low freq competition?
2. GUI question: If I adjust the sliders & exit without saving changes, then return to setup the sliders are as I left them (as if I did save changes).
Is this intentional?
3. Didn't I read that the HGS Series will live on as a budget model called the HGS-X?
4. What are the capabilities of the DD subs computer-wise?
i.e. How much memory, what programming language does it use, what chip, might this become an open-architecture where users can program it?

Thanks again!

PS The finish on the DD-18 is beautiful.

An online support thread for a retail only manufacturer? Wow! I'm surprised - but very pleased.

Welcome Bruce - glad to see you here!!:D

1) I came across a demo HGS-15THX at a local dealer for $1800. Seems like a good deal, but what do you think?

2) I've had Velodynes in the past, but now not. The dealer says, no more HGS series II. Is there a replacement? Or rmaybe this is a better way to phrase it: is there a replacement I can afford? I know the new DD subs are quite expensive. Or maybe the DD-12 is more or less equivalent to the old HGS-15 in terms of performance?

1). Can't tell you that's the BEST price - there are a lot of places to look and a lot of older Velodyne subs out there. I can say that the price is well under the street price for the HGS-15, and is likely under what will be the suggested price for the HGSX-15 (see #2).

2). The HGS series will live on in the form of the HGSX. We will be doing 12 and 15 inch versions, shipping next month. Re the DD-12 versus HGS-15, all DD subs have an additional 1/4" travel and more liberal gain compressor processing, both allowing them to play louder. I don't know how the DD-12 will stack up to the HGS-15, but I do know that a DD-12 was being tested at the factory and it was bringing the walls down. We'll look at that tomorrow and get some specs.

Hope this helps,
Bruce

Bruce,

I have and existing M&KV125 (12 inch 125w amp sealed box). I am moving into a new home with about 6500 cubic feet including all rooms connected to the home theater (archways going to other parts of the house). The actual theater will be 19 feet by 18 feet by 9 feet. Will a DD15 combined with my M&K provide an ample amount of low frequency energy?

Bruce,

I'm not a current velodyne owner, but I am seriously considering velodyne subs for my new HT setup (anyting in the price rnge of the servo 15's canadian prce), and i just wanna say that what you are doing is extremely cool.

we need more guys like Mark Shifter and Bruce in here!

Well since no one will reply to this in another thread, I'll post it here.

How do the CHT8 and CHT10 sound? what are they like?
Is $179 for the CHT-8 a good price from Video Only in Tukwila, WA. I'm not sure if they are a seattle washington only dealer or not. i wanna know how the CHT-8 and 10 are.

Thanks Bruce!

I've been trying to find prices for the new DD line and can't find any. Will you give me the price points for the new subs? Thanks

Daniel Smith

1. What do you recommend regarding mains, small or large?
The general assumption is mains can't go low...but some can.
See attached for freq.resp of my mains (VA Mahlers per Stereophile). They go to about 35Hz before serious dropoff occurs.
Aren't I wasting the mains running them small?
The impact on the curve by adjusting the DD18 eq is minimal when they are set to Large (since mains are not being controlled).
Does THX mode forces them small to avoid this low freq competition?
2. GUI question: If I adjust the sliders & exit without saving changes, then return to setup the sliders are as I left them (as if I did save changes).
Is this intentional?
3. Didn't I read that the HGS Series will live on as a budget model called the HGS-X?
4. What are the capabilities of the DD subs computer-wise?
i.e. How much memory, what programming language does it use, what chip, might this become an open-architecture where users can program it?


Hi Cajun,
Glad you're enjoying the sub!

1. Of course, we think that the DD sub will handle the bass frequencies better than any main speakers, since that's it's one and only job (backed up by 1250 watts and a large motor structure to handle the long excursions required for low frequencies). This also frees up amp headroom for the rest of the audio spectrum being played by your mains. Bass below 120 Hz is non-directional (as long as it's low distortion), so there is not a compelling reason to run the mains full range. A better crossover point might be in the 60 - 80 Hz range, to retain the "personality" of the Mahlers yet give the sub enough to do to lighten the load on the Mahlers and to have enough bass contribution to let the EQs flatten the response.

Re the THX mode, ALL the crossovers are handled by the processor, and in that case you'd want to run the DD low pass crossover up to 199 Hz (the slope doesn't really matter at this point).

2. Yes, it is a bit counter-intuitive, but it is working by design. The save settings preserves the settings through a power-off condition (by writing the settings to flash memory that is accessed at power up). The active memory in the unit is changed in real time as you change the settings (i.e. there is no "undo").

3. True. There will be 12 and 15" HGSX models, shipping next month.

4. The chip is a TI 2407 DSP with 32K RAM. The code is TI assembler (we had to get down and dirty to get the video timing right - it is all generated directly form the chip) and the IDE is Code Composer from TI. I doubt we would or could open up the architecture - it is highly integrated and complex. What might happen is that we open up the ability to have folks save off crossover points and other setup data externally then share with others. For example, we're seriously considering offering default settings for various kinds of mains. All this could be done via the serial interface.

Hope this helps,
Bruce

Bruce,
Thanks, excellent reply...(assembly language YUCK!)
One FINAL question (I promise):
What is your position on sub driver size versus speed?
There was a post here by UncleEric that basically said it was a non-issue (that post is mysteriously deleted).
IOW do you feel that smaller are faster & larger are deeper thus 2 are needed?
If not why is there is an 18" and a 12" in the Signature 1812.
Thanks for your time.

Hey I do low level assembly and happen to like it...but then again I'm a masachist when it comes to programming. :-)

You MUST be :).
It's funny when you need something reliable the first thing you avoid is Windows...even though that's all I use. updates, dll's, patches, vxd's etc.
Assembly is LEAN AND MEAN & stable.
Meanwhile back at the C++ compiler....

Buggs,
Sent you a PM.

Bruce

Mr. Hall, I own the SPL-1200 and have had to tighten the tiny screws which hold the amp plate on, on two occasions. Both times occured after the sub test via the AVIA disc. I mention this because of the load the sub is given during the test. Anyway, is this a known issue and is there something I can do to the screws (add glue maybe?) to keep them secured? Just so you know, I've tightened them down as far as I could without stripping them. I can't imaging tightening them anymore. Aside from that, I LOVE this sub !

Thanks in advance.

Bruce,

Welcome to the fourm!

I've been a very happy HGS18 owner for several years and was currious about changes implemented in the HGS II series. As I understand, there were changes to the amp to reduce the noise level and some changes to the driver as well.

1) Is it possible to rework the amp to a Series II configuration and does the driver also need rework?
2) What benefits does the Series II offer over the original?
3) Does Velodyne offer Series II upgrades?

TIA for your answer.

What is your position on sub driver size versus speed?
There was a post here by Uncle Eric that basically said it was a non-issue (that post is mysteriously deleted).
IOW do you feel that smaller are faster & larger are deeper thus 2 are needed?
If not why is there is an 18" and a 12" in the Signature 1812.


Cajun,
This is a hotly debated topic but of course, I do have an opinion. In short, I agree with Uncle Eric, but let me explain in my own (numerous) words.

As I see it, the implication that folks make when they say that a 15" or 18" driver is "slower" than a smaller 10" or 12" driver is either that the mass of the driver is such that the motor cannot move its weight with the same precision as that of the smaller driver and/or the cone is flexing enough so that the woofer sounds boomy or muddy. The latter effect will have more impact on the perceived boominess and muddiness of the driver (in that it will produce more distortion) so let’s address that first. This of course relates to cone stiffness, and a larger cone made of the same material will bend more and, in the worst case, buckle under the load of long throw bass combined with cabinet pressure. This is overcome with stiffer materials and/or cone reinforcement, and while it is true that a larger cone is subject to less linearity along the cone surface, this effect is minimized with a stiff enough cone. Too often, large drivers are made out of the same materials as smaller drivers and so aren’t stiff enough – this is where this perception likely started.

Regarding the driver being heavy to be moved correctly, there are three main forces opposing the motion of the cone structure: the weight of the cone, the pressure inside the box, and the resistance of the suspension (i.e. the surround and spider). It's true that the bigger the cone the more mass there is, but you'd be surprised how much the air pressure in the box and the suspension stiffness affect cone movement too.

All of these factors can be overcome by motor force, otherwise known in speaker land as BL. BL is the combination of magnet force combined with the length of voice coil wire in the gap. The higher the BL, the more motor force is applied to the cone. As a speaker designer, one has to ensure that there is enough BL to overcome the cone mass, suspension stiffness, and box design you are planning on. Not enough BL and your cone doesn't move correctly, and too much and you spent too much on the driver. Of course, one also needs sufficient amp power to drive the motor. We also use a high gain servo to make sure the cone movement is true to the input signal.

An often overlooked spec in comparing speakers is magnet weight. We use 310 ounce (19.3 pound) magnets for the DD-10 and DD-12 and 380 ounce (24 pound) magnets for the DD-15 ad DD-18. Why so big? Because we never want to run short of motor force and we need more BL for the 15 and 18.

Now let's talk efficiency. SPL= sound pressure level = amount of air moved by the speaker cone. Given similar travel distances (all DDs go up to 1.75" peak to peak), the formula is 2 pi r (i.e. cone area) * travel. Some simple math shows that a 15" cone moves a heck of a lot more air than a 10 or a 12. And an 18 more yet. Yet, the additional motor force to move the larger cones is disproportional to how much more air they move - so the larger the cone the more air is moved for less energy.

Lastly, let me comment on the phrases "slow" versus "fast". To us, these terms almost entirely describe the amount of perceived distortion the speaker is producing. That idea is somewhat radical, but we've based our designs on it for almost 20 years with a fair bit of success. We've strived for very low distortion in all our subs, and the DD-15s and DD-18s have no more than the DD-10s and DD-12s. So, we consider them as "fast" as anything going.

Re the 1812 - what we did there is let the 18 handle the lowest bass, since it's efficiency lets the long excursions needed for 40 Hz and below be reproduced with optimal use of BL and amp power. The 12's job is to handle the upper bass frequencies and not spend its headroom trying to recreate 20 Hz. The result is a sub that will play louder than either alone, or even in tandem, because we've optimized the efficiencies of both. This does not mean that a stand-alone 18 cannot play 100 Hz or that a stand alone 12 cannot play 20 Hz - but combined (and crossed over internally with special software) we can squeeze out more clean bass since the efficiency of each driver is optimized.

Sorry for the long post!

Bruce

I've been trying to find prices for the new DD line and can't find any. Will you give me the price points for the new subs? Thanks

Look here:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=301339&perpage=20&pagenumber=2

Hope this helps,
Bruce

Mr. Hall, I own the SPL-1200 and have had to tighten the tiny screws which hold the amp plate on, on two occasions. Both times occured after the sub test via the AVIA disc. I mention this because of the load the sub is given during the test. Anyway, is this a known issue and is there something I can do to the screws (add glue maybe?) to keep them secured? Just so you know, I've tightened them down as far as I could without stripping them. I can't imaging tightening them anymore. Aside from that, I LOVE this sub !


Iguana,

This is a new one to us. First thought is to try some Loctite. If that doesn't work, could you contact the service department at 408-465-2800 or service@velodyne.com?

Thanks
Bruce

I've been a very happy HGS18 owner for several years and was currious about changes implemented in the HGS II series. As I understand, there were changes to the amp to reduce the noise level and some changes to the driver as well.

1) Is it possible to rework the amp to a Series II configuration and does the driver also need rework?
2) What benefits does the Series II offer over the original?
3) Does Velodyne offer Series II upgrades?


Hi Phil,

The most significant benefit of the Series II over the original series are improved reliability in the electronics and a stiffer cone material in the driver. Depending upon when your unit was manufactured, it may actually be every bit as much of a Series II as one that actually carries that designation on the back. An upgrade of the amplifier and driver to turn a Series I to a Series II is not really practical in most cases since there is not a dramatic audible benefit.

Hope this helps,
Bruce

Bruce--

Thanks for your time and expertise--you are an incredibly valuable addition to this forum! I currently own a Velodyne HGS-18, but am concerned that I am not CERTAIN as to what my settings on the sub should be to get the maximum impact from it for my system. My mains are big Polk SDA-2.3's, my centers (front and rear) Polk CS350's, and my surrounds Polk Fx-500i. I'm running a Yamaha RX-V1 with the all of the speakers set to "Large", and with the subwoofer set to "Both", meaning (I believe) that the Low Frequency Effects are sent to both the mains (which can go pretty low) and the HGS-18. My thinking behind doing this is that the Polks can go low enough that I should have the HGS-18 just emphasizing the very bottom end (40Hz and below)--and I THINK that if I set up the Yamaha so that the LFE channel goes exclusively to the HGS-18, I'll lose out on anything from 90Hz to 40Hz with my current settings (my current settings are: High Pass Crossover: 80Hz; Low Pass Crossover: 40Hz; Subsonic Filter: 15Hz; Log Volume Level: about halfway, with electronic volume control to adjust for different sources.) Anyway, I'm not exactly sure that I am setting this up optimally, and I would LOVE to hear your opinion and advice as to how best to set this up. Also, because I'm not in the know, could you explain to me like I'm a three-year-old what the High Pass Crossover, Low Pass Crossover, and Subsonic Filter selections are meant to control and how they interact? (I have a vague understanding, but not enough to feel confident that I am setting this thing up properly...)

Thanks in advance for both your patience in reading this excessively long post and for your help...

Chadvz

An upgrade of the amplifier and driver to turn a Series I to a Series II is not really practical in most cases since there is not a dramatic audible benefit.

Hope this helps,
Bruce Thanks so much for the reply! I always like saving money and really enjoy my HGS18 which was a good investment! It's great to see the innovation continuing with the new DD subs. Good luck to you and your organization.

Phil

Bruce -

I really appreciate what you are doing for this forum. Thanks!

I have something of an odd question. I recently purchased a used SPL-1000 subwoofer. When buying, the seller told me something interesting: that the subwoofer was one of the first 100 SPL-1000s made, and used an HGS-10 Series II amp (albeit with SPL-1000 pre-amp and controls) as well as an HGS-10 driver (minus the servo components). Everything else is stock SPL-1000. The seller said he used to work at your company which is why he knew this about the sub, and I had no real reason to doubt him. Now, I didn't really have the resources to audition a variety of subs and so I purchased this without listening to another SPL-1000 or any other quality sub for that matter. I like the sub, but being of a pessimistic nature, this situation has been nagging at me since I bought the unit and I can't help but wonder. Were there SPL-1000 subs made and sold using HGS-10 components? If so, how do they compare to the normal SPL-1000s? Did the better quality components result in any performance differences?

If you would rather not have this posted, I can edit out my post but if possible I would like a response (maybe through PM).

Thanks!

Originally posted by vvv
Bruce,

I have and existing M&KV125 (12 inch 125w amp sealed box). I am moving into a new home with about 6500 cubic feet including all rooms connected to the home theater (archways going to other parts of the house). The actual theater will be 19 feet by 18 feet by 9 feet. Will a DD15 combined with my M&K provide an ample amount of low frequency energy? :) Hi VVV, Bruce is traveling today and asked me to reply to your question. Given your room size with the openings and all, I would recommend you go with the DD-18. While the DD-15 with your M&K will do a good job, the added reserve of the DD-18 will be a valuable asset. We're seeing more deep, powerful bass in the newer DVD's and CD's. Nothing matches the DD-18 for deep, clean, powerful bass in a large room.
Thanks for thinking Velodyne.
Curt Chisholm
Velodyne tech and customer support

Hi Curt,
Eric from London here.
Can you tell me what the differences will be (if any) between the out going HGS and new HGS-X range.

Best Wishes
Eric

Originally posted by uncle eric
Hi Curt,
Eric from London here.
Can you tell me what the differences will be (if any) between the out going HGS and new HGS-X range.

Best Wishes
Eric

Hey Eric,
One of these days- I pick you up driving a Morgan, hit the local pub and down some hard cider.
Meanwhile back at the factory, the HGX's will be the same as the previous HGS's except the cabinet will be black woodgrain instead of gloss. and the remote will be optional. There will be a HGX-12 and 15.
Say HI to Tony B.
Take Care,
Curt

Thanks Curt :)

I take it the black woodgrain would be similar to that of the SPL models?

Looking forward to you guys visiting London one day.

All the best to you
Eric

Originally posted by uncle eric
Thanks Curt :)

I take it the black woodgrain would be similar to that of the SPL models?

Looking forward to you guys visiting London one day.

All the best to you
Eric

Eric,
Yes, similar to the older SPL finish. The new SPL II has three new finishes; cherry, maple and black gloss.
Curt

Bruce or Curt,

I asked this question on this forum once, so I'm pretty sure I already know the answer.

Is there anyway to attach spikes to the HGS15-II without ripping off the current feet or drilling holes in the cabinet? I doubt there is, but I thought I would ask the experts.

Also, is there any issue with leaving the subwoofer on all of the time? I am currently using it in the Auto-On mode, but sometimes during a non-action movie, it just shuts off. Does this mean it has no signal at all to play, or just that the signal doesn't meet some threshold? Maybe I should just crank up the signal sent out from the pre/pro and turn down the volume on the subwoofer a little so it gets a larger signal.

Thanks.

Hi Kevin,
There are spikes and there are spikes. Some just sit under the sub unattached. If you use the type that screw in just do it carefully and the shorter the screw, the better. If later on you remove them fill the hole with silicon or a like material.
As far as the auto/on funtion using a "Y" splitter into both inputs will help and your idea of more input and backing off on the Velodyne's volume control is right on. Velodyne's funtion best with plenty of input. I normally run the receiver's level control for the subwoofer jack about two thirds of the way up.
Hope this helps,
Curt

Kevin,
You can find the answer to your question at Velodyne Tips and FAQs (http://www.velodyne.com/) under the fourth FAQ. It is best to keep the pre-amp subwoofer volume below -5.
-Jai

Curt or Bruce-

When will the SPL Series II specs be posted on the Velodyne website. I'm interested in a SPL 1000 but may be able to swing a SPL 1200 depending on it's physical dimensions.

Thanx,

-skip

Hi Skip,
The new SPL II's will have 1000 watt RMS (2000 watt dynamic) amplifiers.
The dimensions on the SPL 1200 II are 14 3/4 H X 14 1/4 W X 16 3/8 D.
We hope to have them on the website in the next thirty days. They're great performers, available in maple, cherry and black gloss.
Curt

Hey Bruce, thanks for your time with this thread, its interesting!

Can you give me a somewhat uncolored view as to whether a Velodyne F-1500 is competitive at all with newer 12 inch and 15 inch subs?

Is it obsolete? Would replacing the driver on it with a more modern, faster driver bring this old beast up to date?

Or is it best to just move on to something newer?

Thanks again
John Rutkai

What's the Velodyne Deco system 5 like? is this system on the Velodyne web site and if it is, what's the direct url please? And what does it list for?
Deco System 5 sats and 8"sub

I currently own a Velodyne HGS-18, but am concerned that I am not CERTAIN as to what my settings on the sub should be to get the maximum impact from it for my system. My mains are big Polk SDA-2.3's, my centers (front and rear) Polk CS350's, and my surrounds Polk Fx-500i. I'm running a Yamaha RX-V1 with the all of the speakers set to "Large", and with the subwoofer set to "Both", meaning (I believe) that the Low Frequency Effects are sent to both the mains (which can go pretty low) and the HGS-18. My thinking behind doing this is that the Polks can go low enough that I should have the HGS-18 just emphasizing the very bottom end (40Hz and below)--and I THINK that if I set up the Yamaha so that the LFE channel goes exclusively to the HGS-18, I'll lose out on anything from 90Hz to 40Hz with my current settings (my current settings are: High Pass Crossover: 80Hz; Low Pass Crossover: 40Hz; Subsonic Filter: 15Hz; Log Volume Level: about halfway, with electronic volume control to adjust for different sources.) Anyway, I'm not exactly sure that I am setting this up optimally, and I would LOVE to hear your opinion and advice as to how best to set this up. Also, because I'm not in the know, could you explain to me like I'm a three-year-old what the High Pass Crossover, Low Pass Crossover, and Subsonic Filter selections are meant to control and how they interact? (I have a vague understanding, but not enough to feel confident that I am setting this thing up properly...)

Hi Chad,
Let's start with the crossovers. Since we're bass kind of guys, we'll start at the bottom with the subsonic filter. Basically, this is the point at which the sub will begin to roll off the lowest frequencies it plays. So, if you have it set to 15 Hz, the electronics will, starting at 15 Hz and heading downward in frequency, play those frequencies gradually softer (how gradually depends on the slope of the crossover). So, 14 Hz will play a little software then 15Hz, 13 softer than 14, and so on. Depending on your musical/theatrical tastes, you may want to raise this a bit since having the sub not play the deepest frequencies frees up amp headroom to play higher frequencies louder, and sometimes there is noise down at those frequencies that is unwanted. Of course, for the HGS-18 we set it at a default of 20 since we think that's the best setting for most applications, and your HGS-18 has little trouble playing those frequencies accurately.

The low pass crossover pertains to how high the sub plays. This defaults to 80 Hz, and the rolloff goes upwards. So, 81 Hz will play a little softer than 80 Hz, and so on depending on the slope of the crossover. You want the sub pretty much silent by 120 Hz, since that is the frequency at which the bass can become directional and expose the location of your sub. You have it set relatively low at 40 Hz, so the woofer is in fact doing little at, say, 60 Hz and above.

The high pass crossover pertains to your main speakers. This dictates how low the mains will play. A high pass crossover set at 80 causes the main speakers to play a little softer at 79 Hz and so on, again depending on the slope.

All the crossovers are very important since they dictate the relationship between the sub and the main speakers.

Now let's talk about your Polks. Whatever anyone tells you about this is their opinion, and you need to experiment to get your system sounding good to you.

First of all, even though your Polks are pretty "big," I would still set the setting on the Yamaha to "small", and I would change the setting that is currently on"both" to "sub only" or however it's labeled. This is because the HGS-18 will play the mid-bass frequencies louder and cleaner than your Polks, since it has lots of power (1250 watts dedicated to the bass), and a servo to keep things clean and tight. I would then run the low pass crossover on the HGS-18 up to 80 or so and adjust for taste.

You can try variations on this, but I would definitely give the sub more to do in the 40 - 80 Hz range. I believe that your whole system will benefit.

Hope this helps,
Bruce

Can you give me a somewhat uncolored view as to whether a Velodyne F-1500 is competitive at all with newer 12 inch and 15 inch subs?

Is it obsolete? Would replacing the driver on it with a more modern, faster driver bring this old beast up to date?

Or is it best to just move on to something newer?


Hi John,
The F-1500 is the 15" precursor to the HGS series HGS-15. It has a 200W RMS amp, and 5/8" linear travel. By contrast, the HGS has about 1" of linear travel, and 1250 watts. To go one step further, the DD-15 has 1.25" of linear travel and the same 1250 watts, as well as the built in EQ, digital control, etc. All have accelerometer-based servos and so keep distortion very low.

There isn't any upgrade path for the F-1500 - we don't make the driver or the amp anymore, and all our subs have carefully matched amps and drivers.

The F-1500 was and is a great sub. New HGS or DD subs will play with slightly lower distortion, but not much lower. The biggest difference in the new subs is that they will play quite a bit louder and stay just as clean. It is certainly true that the DD-12 and possibly even the HGS-12 would play louder than your F-1500, but just as cleanly.

So, the question is, does the F-1500 have enough output for you? If so, I'd see no reason to upgrade.

Hope this helps,
Bruce

Bruce or Curt,

First, thank you guys for spending time replying to questions posed here at this forum, it is most certainly a nice touch.

Now, on to my question, or concern really, I have purchased and am demoing a CHT-10 Sub, it has a foam surround.... I knew this before I bought it, but I bought it because it sounded very well. But a "foam surround" in the year 2003? Why? I was told it was to keep costs down by someone at Velodyne. Now, I can understand the need to keep costs down, but surely, the cost saving in that amount of foam vs. even a good quality rubber surround could not be that great, geez... I would certainly not think that there would maybe be a few pennies difference... even if it was a few dollars difference, I would gladly pay 5 or 10 dollars more for a sub with a rubber surround thats not going to dry rot in 7 to 10 years down the road... And yes... If I pay good money for something, I plan to keep it.. not junk it for a new one ever two years. Even if some consider the CHT line to be a value line... it should still have a rubber surround. Paradigm sells their PDR line very cheap, and they don't have foam surrounds. In fact, I know of no other ones that do still use foam.. I quess there may be... But, foam was outdated 15 years ago if not longer.

Sorry, if this sounds like a rant... It's not meant that way.. it's just that in this day and age, using foam for a driver surround is like sending a telegraph, when you have a cell phone in your pocket.

Thanks for listening,
Terry

Could someone please give me some opinions on these systems?
Velodyne CHT 14 sat speakers
Cht24 center
SPL523C which includes 5 sat speakers I assume, but no sub.
Deco Satilites
Deco System 5 sats and 8"sub
I wanna know how the sound is for the Deco sattelite speakers. If you have full range sound minus the bass, or if say you had them with a sub you get lot of bass and highs, but missing some midrange/midbass. Like you are with Bose cube speakers.

Hi Bruce or Curt,

I currently have a HGS12 II in my system. I have a couple of questions concerning using this sub. I have a little different setup than most. Although many will debate whether I truely have this setup, I have my main speakers (Nautilus 804s) biamped. The way I have the amps fed is that I have one set of unbalanced cables from my Bryston BP25 running into one side of both amps to drive the mid/tweeter. The other connection is running to the HGS12 and then to the remaining channel that drives the woofers. I have done some tests with an SPL meter both before and after adding the sub. No matter what I do, I can't quite get the response the same after adding the sub in the 100 Hz range. It is about 3-4 db down. Although I'm measuring a drop in output in the lower operating range of the mains with the sub in the system, I'm actually pretty pleased with the overall presentation. Is there some other way I should be looking to hook the sub up? I'm guessing the lowered output of the woofers could be a drop in signal output after being passed through the high pass filter of the sub. In a normal system setup, this isn't an issue.

My second question is this. I'm planning on maybe adding a second sub to my system (DD12.) My plan is to add the DD12 as the sub to reinforce the Nautilus 804s. I plan on moving the HGS12 as my LFE sub during HT use. I've been told I would be better off adding the DD12 as the LFE sub and keeping the HGS12 where it is. My reasoning for adding the DD12 to the 804s is that my major emphasis is on two channel listening. So I wanted the better sub on the 2 channel setup. Also when I do get a DD12 which way would be the best way to hookup the sub? At the time of purchasing the DD12, I'm planning on upgrading my current amps used in the 2 channel biamping to balanced amps. When I do this I have a couple of options. One is to run the system in fully balanced mode where I have everything hooked up like I do currently but now with balanced connections. I think I'll still be suffering the effects I'm describing above in question 1. The other way I'm thinking of hooking up the sub is to have the amps driving the 804s running balanced connections but also running the speakers full range without adding the high pass crossover of the DD12. The DD12 will be hooked up via unbalanced connection from the freed up unbalanced outputs of the Bryston BP25.

Sorry for the long post. I appreciate any help you can give me on my setup issues.

Thanks,

Henry

PS. I'll also be looking for your advise when I decide to introduce an active crossover to the mix so I'll be running the 2 channel setup in active biamp mode.

Originally posted by buggs1a
Could someone please give me some opinions on these systems?
Velodyne CHT 14 sat speakers
Cht24 center
SPL523C which includes 5 sat speakers I assume, but no sub.
Deco Satilites
Deco System 5 sats and 8"sub
I wanna know how the sound is for the Deco sattelite speakers. If you have full range sound minus the bass, or if say you had them with a sub you get lot of bass and highs, but missing some midrange/midbass. Like you are with Bose cube speakers.


At the recent price drop of the Deco system (used to run $1600) Velodyne is pretty much giving away this system. The subwoofer alone is worth the $999 cost of the package. They are on sale at CC right now as well.
Get them quick because when word gets out that these things will
be hard to find. I am feeding my Deco system with a Yamaha RX-V3300 and they just sing! I watched Chicago and LOTR 2 last night with some friends and all I got was compliments. Heck , they were talking more about the sound then the 6' wide sweet looking projection set-up I have.

I think the Deco system is a true "diamond in the dirt" so to speak.

Snatch up a set. :D

James, thanks for the message.
How do the sat speakers sound though? That is what concerns me more then anything. And the sub, I'm not sure why they put that much of a sub with those tiny cheap sat speakers. What do you mean they are on sale at CC? is that circuit city?
Check your PM though James, I have a question to ask ya.

How do the CHT-14 and CHT-24 sat speakers sound in a 5 speaker set.

Hello Bruce or Curt,

I have been looking into the SPL 1200 Series II and DD12 and wondering what the differences are between the two units? I understand the the DD has the build in EQ but in overall performance how much difference is between the two units?

I am currently running my home theatre setup in my living room of approximately 11.5 feet wide by 17 feet long, open concept with a hallway to the front of the house and stairways to the top floor.

Regards and thank you for your assistance,
Matthew

Bruce,
I totally missed your reply....found it....THANKS!
I'm still amazed by the DD18.
If no one has mentioned it:
You should be commended for producing your speakers in the USA!
You are proving it CAN be done....contrary to others' claims.
Do you get a lot of pressure to fabricate them in China? Just curious.

So has anyone heard the CHT-14 and 24 speakers? i need some help and it seems no one will answer me, :(

Originally posted by buggs1a
So has anyone heard the CHT-14 and 24 speakers? i need some help and it seems no one will answer me, :(
Hi Buggs,
I wasn't sure if you were looking for a reply from an end user or the company. Let me give you my viewpoint of the Velodyne satellite speakers. The CHT satellites were the first, after eighteen months of development. It takes a long time to find the best drivers, design the crossover and then voice it correctly. I bring all this up because in one of your comments you called the 'DECO' satellite a cheap little speaker. Cheap in price - yes, but certainly not in sound quality. Both the CHT and DECO satellites use a high quality 4" woofer/midrange and a silk dome tweeter with a very sophisticated crossover. The enclosure on the CHT is a simple but nice design while the DECO is a stylish molded design. Both sound extremely good on music and home theater, especially considering price and size. The SPL satellite is a taller, slimmer design utilizing a built-in stand or mounting unit. It uses a pair of 3" woofer/mid's and the silk dome tweeter. All three of these satellites sound about the same, with a nice presence and sparkling but not agressive highs.
All the satellites have nice frequency response down to about 110hz. They start rolling off but still hold up fairly well to 80hz. So even with older receivers that offer only an 80hz crossover they intergrate well. In newer receivers that offer higher crossover points such as 100, 110 or 120 they will do even better.
The CHT and SPL satellites are available seperately, whereas the DECO system is currently sold as a complete package. And yes the DECO sub is very high-tech. It is comparable to a $1000. sub. So to me the system price of $999. is a steal. As James Johnson pointed out, the system was designed to sell for much more. Pick up one of our satellites and the weight of the unit gives you a good idea of what's inside. I have yet to hear any satellites in our price range that come close. Sure it sounds like a sales pitch but I've been in audio for a long time and it's my honest opinion. I hope you get a chance to audition them. BTW our website is; www.velodyne.com, click on products and take your choice.
Have a good one.
Curt Chisholm
Velodyne Acoustics

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Woodley71
Hello Bruce or Curt,

I have been looking into the SPL 1200 Series II and DD12 and wondering what the differences are between the two units? I understand the the DD has the build in EQ but in overall performance how much difference is between the two units?

I am currently running my home theater setup in my living room of approximately 11.5 feet wide by 17 feet long, open concept with a hallway to the front of the house and stairways to the top floor.

Regards and thank you for your assistance,
Matthew [/QUOTE)

Matthew,
The SPL 1200II is the best small (non servo) subwoofer we build. It does a great job in small to medium home theater applications. The DD-12 is the best small subwoofer we can build, period. It's not just about equalizing, you have an on-board digital computer. All rooms can benefit from equalizing and some need a lot. Our flexible eight band system is years ahead of what's included on any other subwoofer. The DD subs include a calibrated microphone and you do real-time corrections at your listening position. You view the signal sweep and watch your corrections on your television set. But that's just a part of what the computer can do. Want custom crossover flexibility? Got you covered. How about flexible adjustments for phase, polarity, subsonic filter, presets and my favorite the ability to choose between theater (maximum loudness) and music (maximum accuracy) or in between. All this and more - you start to see the power of the DD series. Nothing like it. If we ignore the computer for a moment, how would the two subs compare? The DD-12 would play louder, go deeper and have less distortion since it has the servo. Add the computer and it's one of a kind.

Curt Chisholm
Velodyne Acoustics

Curt, thanks for the response. I wanted opinions from anyone even you guys at Velodyne. Because in my opinion I don't believe you guys would like just do a sales pitch.

I can't listen to them as no one in washington state sells CHT Satellite speakers. My cousin can get them for me and I would be buying the CHT-14 2 pair, and CHT-24 along with the Velodyne CHT-10 sub. Unheard also, since I am sure I'd like them, plus I know velodynes sub reputation. All for an awesome cost. I did get to listen to Infinity Primus 140's for $99 each and I think they sounded ok. These speakers are for my parents. I am pretty sure the Velodyne CHT14 and 24 sould sound even better then the Infinity Primus bookshelf ones, so I was going to have my cosuin get for my parents the Velodyne CHT-14 and 24 and for me the CHT-10 sub for my bedroom considering it's really kind of small. 15 feet long, 12 feet wide and 8 feet tall.

The receiver that will be used for the Satellite speakers is the Denon AVR 1800, it's an 80 watt x 5 really nice model Denon. I'm not sure about the x over, but it wouldn't be used, or at least I forget how I have it set up right now, I think 80 hz and that's all it does I think, but forget. The sub however goes in my bedroom and the Satellite speakers go upstairs in the main room which also already has a sub.

The woofer is recessed right? like the cone isn't a normal pushed out bubble like cone on traditional speakers in the middle of the woofer. What I mean is the cone you have in the CHT-14 and 24 is flat. How come that is and what does it do being flat? I like that in a woofer/cone in that it looks cool.

I've also checked out all the stuff on the Velodyne web site and like how the CHT speakers look.

Bruce or Curt, I just thought of a question about the anti clipping protection in the Velodyne subs on all the mdoels. Could you please explain to me and others what this does, how it works please? Here's what I think.

It detects how far the woofer is moving and if it senses it is getting to the max capability of how far it can move it will shut down or something. is this about right? my hope is that it is correct cus if i drive it hard I'd love for it to be able to sense how far it's pushing outward and when it's close to the max, shut off or something so I don't drive it to clip or pop or move to far. Also is that woofers movement called Excursion? And when the bass hits the woofer it moves. What level of movement is it made for the CHT woofers/CHT-10 specifically? Like 1 inch or what?

Originally posted by curt c
So even with older receivers that offer only an 80hz crossover they intergrate well. In newer receivers that offer higher crossover points such as 100, 110 or 120 they will do even better.


Curt,
Doesn't the Deco system already have a built in high pass crossover @ 110Hz?

Originally posted by buggs1a
Bruce or Curt, I just thought of a question about the anti clipping protection in the Velodyne subs on all the mdoels. Could you please explain to me and others what this does, how it works please? Here's what I think.

It detects how far the woofer is moving and if it senses it is getting to the max capability of how far it can move it will shut down or something. is this about right? my hope is that it is correct cus if i drive it hard I'd love for it to be able to sense how far it's pushing outward and when it's close to the max, shut off or something so I don't drive it to clip or pop or move to far. Also is that woofers movement called Excursion? And when the bass hits the woofer it moves. What level of movement is it made for the CHT woofers/CHT-10 specifically? Like 1 inch or what?
Buggs,
There's a monitor circuit that makes sure the amplifier isn't overdriven so the driver isn't pushed beyond it's capability. This in turn keeps distortion low and protects the woofer.
Curt

Originally posted by James W. Johnson
Curt,
Doesn't the Deco system already have a built in high pass crossover @ 110Hz?
James,
No there is not a crossover built into the satellite at 110hz. The small sealed box acts as a mechanical roll off for the 4" driver. We rate response 110 to 20K because below 110 it's rolling off fairly rapidly.
Curt

Hi Curt,

Did you get a chance to read my post? Was wondering if you all had any answers for my situation.

Thanks.

Curt or Bruce,

I was also wondering if either of you could answer my question (on the 2nd page)

Thanks.

Thanks for the response Curt. Could you or Bill reply to my question about the Middle of the woofer in the CHT Satellites? How they are flat like. I'm really curious about that design.

Thanks and God Bless you man!! Can't wait to check the CHT-14 and 24 and CHT-10 5.1, :)

Originally posted by curt c
James,
No there is not a crossover built into the satellite at 110hz. The small sealed box acts as a mechanical roll off for the 4" driver. We rate response 110 to 20K because below 110 it's rolling off fairly rapidly.
Curt


Thanks Curt, they sure do handle alot of power without sounding strained for such small speakers, they keep amazing me every time I hear them.
The reason I asked is because I have fed them full bandwidth material for testing and they never strained or distorted...so the mechanical
roll off makes sense.

They really blend well with the Deco subwoofer in my small 12'x8.5' HT room and they dont really seem to be too picky about placement. I have yet to tweak the subwoofer and sat positions for better performance because they sound so good in the inital positions I placed them in when I took them out of the box.
While my room may be more active then others I am getting usable output down to ~20hz in my small room with this little thing. I would never need any more bass then what this subwoofer can provide.

I have to wonder if you guys are not going to start including a lesser subwoofer with this package or something because at the current going
price I feel like I stole them. I have been in the HT hobby for many years
and this is by far the best Sub/Sat system I have ever heard..if fact if these
were not available then I would have had to use large speakers in this room because I was not interested in anything else, I did spend some time listening to the Energy Encore system (which also recently got a price drop from $1500 to $999) and I the subwoofer was such a dog that I could not justify even $999 for the package..the subwoofer seemed to cheapen the whole deal.

I actually called Velodyne before buying these , I was curious about the warranty as well as the product itself because at the price point I was
wondering if these were being discontinued or something.
I am not sure if it was you or not Curt but I received a level of customer service that I would never have expected, the man I spoke with was very knowlegable about his own product , so much so that it seemed like the guy was a designer for Velodyne. We spoke for 10min or so and I learned a little about Velodyne and had alot of questions answered about the Deco system. Rarely have I received this level of personal service from a company. The conversation sealed the deal, I ran back to Good Guys and bought the set.
BTW guys , these have a 5 yr warranty on the sats and 2 years on the sub.


I hope this did not sound too much like a salespitch because I certainly dont have anything at stake in Velodyne but I think credit should be given where credit is due.

BTW this is my first Velodyne subwoofer , the first commercial subwoofer I had was a Paradigm PW2200 and the last commericial subwoofer I had was
a Paradigm Servo-15. After that I began building my own HT/music subwoofers because I found the DIY section of HTF where Tom Vodandle
of SVS used to partipate. I have build at least 10 subwoofers for myself and friends since then ,so
I consider myself a bass connoisseur and the Deco subwoofer provides very satisfying bass for music and movies.

BTW if anyone buys the Deco system , make sure and buy a DVD-A player because they are good at mutichannel music as well as HT duty.
;) :D

Hi James,
Yes I remember our telephone conversation. Thank you very much for the positive feedback. We do try harder! I wish everyone was aware of the DECO system. It's an incredible system for the price. Thanks again and enjoy the speakers.
Curt

Originally posted by WonHung
Hi Bruce or Curt,

I currently have a HGS12 II in my system. I have a couple of questions concerning using this sub. I have a little different setup than most. Although many will debate whether I truely have this setup, I have my main speakers (Nautilus 804s) biamped. The way I have the amps fed is that I have one set of unbalanced cables from my Bryston BP25 running into one side of both amps to drive the mid/tweeter. The other connection is running to the HGS12 and then to the remaining channel that drives the woofers. I have done some tests with an SPL meter both before and after adding the sub. No matter what I do, I can't quite get the response the same after adding the sub in the 100 Hz range. It is about 3-4 db down. Although I'm measuring a drop in output in the lower operating range of the mains with the sub in the system, I'm actually pretty pleased with the overall presentation. Is there some other way I should be looking to hook the sub up? I'm guessing the lowered output of the woofers could be a drop in signal output after being passed through the high pass filter of the sub. In a normal system setup, this isn't an issue.

My second question is this. I'm planning on maybe adding a second sub to my system (DD12.) My plan is to add the DD12 as the sub to reinforce the Nautilus 804s. I plan on moving the HGS12 as my LFE sub during HT use. I've been told I would be better off adding the DD12 as the LFE sub and keeping the HGS12 where it is. My reasoning for adding the DD12 to the 804s is that my major emphasis is on two channel listening. So I wanted the better sub on the 2 channel setup. Also when I do get a DD12 which way would be the best way to hookup the sub? At the time of purchasing the DD12, I'm planning on upgrading my current amps used in the 2 channel biamping to balanced amps. When I do this I have a couple of options. One is to run the system in fully balanced mode where I have everything hooked up like I do currently but now with balanced connections. I think I'll still be suffering the effects I'm describing above in question 1. The other way I'm thinking of hooking up the sub is to have the amps driving the 804s running balanced connections but also running the speakers full range without adding the high pass crossover of the DD12. The DD12 will be hooked up via unbalanced connection from the freed up unbalanced outputs of the Bryston BP25.

Sorry for the long post. I appreciate any help you can give me on my setup issues.

Thanks,

Henry

PS. I'll also be looking for your advise when I decide to introduce an active crossover to the mix so I'll be running the 2 channel setup in active biamp mode.

Hi Henry,
In your current setup I would hook it up just the way you have it. The 804's have small woofers and I would want to roll off the bass going to them. I wouldn't worry about the 3 or 4 db drop at 100hz if the sound was good. Of course you could run the 804's full range and just augment with the HGS-12, adjusting the low pass on the Velodyne probably somewhere between 40 and 60hz.
When you get the DD-12 you may very well have to experiment to see how to best utilize it. Your question is, which sub for LFE and which for music. That's a hard call. So you know, the DD sub only has one (mono) balanced input and no balanced output. It does have stereo (L&R) unbalanced inputs and outputs like your HGS. With it's flexible crossovers, slopes and phase adjustments and it's EQ capabilities it's a natural for two channel since it can easily intergrate with any speaker. At the same time there's nothing better for home theater. In addition to the previous mentioned features, the presets and servo control really come into play here.
If I were going to use them as you suggest I would lean toward using the DD-12 for the LFE and the HGS as you are currently using it. The DD-12 also has a little more output, we've increased the excursion a 1/4 inch.
Truth is, you're going to need to experiment and see what works best.
Hope this providedsome help.
Curt Chisholm
Velodyne Acoustics

Originally posted by Yousaf
Curt or Bruce,

I was also wondering if either of you could answer my question (on the 2nd page)

Thanks.
Hi Yousaf,
We both sent you a PM on your question. Are you not getting them? I tracked the one I sent and it shows 'unopened'.
Curt

Oh boy, now I'm a little embarrassed...I think I checked my PMs right before he sent it then haven't looked again since, figuring one of you would mention it in the thread. My mistake, sorry :o I'm following up with Bruce now.

When are the HGSx sub's shipping? What is their MSRP? Any pictures of the finish?

Curt,

Thanks for the reply.

Henry

Welcome to the forum Bruce. Do you ever consult with M&Ks Barry, or Doug, or any of the SVS and HSU folks to try to find happy mediums with competition and share any design creativity simultaneously? I understand the world of making things different, but sub manufacturers share some common ground. Thanks for your time.
Scott

Originally posted by Tom Grooms
When are the HGSx sub's shipping? What is their MSRP? Any pictures of the finish?

Hi Tom,
HGSx's should be shipping by the end of this month. No pictures yet. List price will be $1999. for the 12, and $2499. for the 15.
Thanks,
Curt

Curt or David,

I seem to recall the compression ratio of the HGS series(as it approached it's predetermined limits) as being approximately 8:1...a ratio which some folks derided as being a bit too strict. Care to comment on the compression ratio of the new DD models?

thanks,

Randy

Bruce,
What are your thoughts on manufacturing your subs out of the USA?
Are you solicited by overseas manufacturers?

Always wondered how this works....
Thanks in advance...

PS Thanks for NOT doing so.

Bruce,

I am currently using a pair of HGS 18's in a 2048 cu ft bedroom based system. I use an ART 1/3 octave graphic in conjunction with a RANE PE-17 five band parametric for room correction equalization.

In your opinion would a pair of DD18's offer better performance?

Thank you,
John

Looking for better performance than 2- HGS-18's in 2000 cu.ft.??? You're kidding, right?

Ran

Curt or David,

I seem to recall the compression ratio of the HGS series(as it approached it's predetermined limits) as being approximately 8:1...a ratio which some folks derided as being a bit too strict. Care to comment on the compression ratio of the new DD models?

thanks,

Randy



Hi Randy,
Not sure where that 8:1 number came from, but it's a bit overstated. Another way to look at compression is in terms on internal box pressure, which for DD subs (varies depending on model) comes in at somewhere between .3 and .5 PSI or possibly a bit higher. If we start at sea level of 14.7 PSI, and add .3 PSI, we get 15/14.7 which comes out to only about 1.02 to one.

This is still quite a bit of air compression by speaker standards, but it's not nearly the same as, say, a racing engine that takes air/gas and compresses it mightily with a long throw large diameter metal piston before igniting it.

Still, this compression does cause non-linearity that is corrected by the combination of dual voice coils and the digital servo.

Hope this helps,
Bruce

Bruce,

Thanks for the reply, but perhaps I should have used the term "limiter" instead of compression ration. What I was curious to know was how agressive the limiter is on the signal as it reaches it's excursion limits. I believe that it was either one of your techies(maybe Curt?) that threw out that 8:1 ratio(at the predetermined excursion limit, for every 8dbl of spl signal increase, only 1 dbl gets thru)or some of the "basshead" folks over at Home Theater Forum had tested some of them, I forgot which. Of course, this is to protect the driver from over excursion damage and/or too much distortion, but as I said, some folks thought that the concern for that ultra low distortion on the bottom end came at a little bit of a sacrifice of ultimate volume. Perhaps the increase in driver excursion in the new models will ameliorate that concern. I'm looking forward to a demo of these new models. Congrats on such a high-tech approach.


Randy

Originally posted by John H
Bruce,

I am currently using a pair of HGS 18's in a 2048 cu ft bedroom based system. I use an ART 1/3 octave graphic in conjunction with a RANE PE-17 five band parametric for room correction equalization.

In your opinion would a pair of DD18's offer better performance?

Thank you,
John
Hi John,
You certainly have enough subwoofer for the room. I'm not familiar with the Rane or ART that you are using. The DD's EQ has 8 bands that are adjustable as to frequency and width of frequency spectrum. Included is a very high quality (bass) calibrated microphone. In addition it offers the most flexible crossover ever designed. You can choose frequency, slope, phase and many other parameters including fine tuning the servo. So if you are having issues with equalizing or integrating the DD would certainly offer you more flexibility.
Curt

I just realized that if you can "fine tune the servo", you can loosen it up a bit to get the volume down low....great idea!

Ran

Bruce or Curt, why is it that no one sells the CHT Satellite speakers? I have never seen any local in Washington state nor even knew Velodyne made anything other then subs. So another question is also why don't you advertise them or get the word out about the CHT Satellite speakers? Why don't more stores in Washington state carry velodyne and the CHT sat speakers?

What are the differences between a DD series sub and a standard sub combined with a Behringer Feedback Destroyer?
Do they share any similar parts?
(this may be a stupid question since I have zero experience with the BFD.)
I ask this because the microphone is nearly identical.

Bruce,
What are your thoughts on manufacturing your subs out of the USA?
Are you solicited by overseas manufacturers?

Always wondered how this works....
Thanks in advance...

PS Thanks for NOT doing so.



What are the differences between a DD series sub and a standard sub combined with a Behringer Feedback Destroyer?
Do they share any similar parts?
(this may be a stupid question since I have zero experience with the BFD.)
I ask this because the microphone is nearly identical.

Hi Cajun,
Let me do a twofer with you...

Regarding made in USA, to us it is a matter of quality control. There are many fine subs, speakers, and other consumer electronic components designed in the U.S. but made, either wholly or partly, outside the U.S. (China is a hugely popular source for the speaker industry). We make DD here so we can keep control over the quality - it is simply too new and detailed a product to make anywhere else.

Re the BFD - I'm not too familiar with the component but I can tell you that is shares NO technology whatsoever with DD - DD is completely designed and programmed by us with no external or OEM'd components.

Hope this helps...

Bruce

Hi Bruce...I'll aim this 1 here rather then at AV talk as you seem to be local here ;)

Does the SPL 1200 go deeper then the CHT 15 or are they similar?

i've no concerns over size only over depth and how clean it goes down.

Thanks in advance..

Hi,
Yes the SPL-1200 goes a little deeper and is a bit more accurate than the CHT-15. The SPL is a very musical sub and handles home theater fine in a small to medium room. The CHT-15 is a better choice for home theater in a large room or home theater on a budget.
Curt

Originally posted by buggs1a
Bruce or Curt, why is it that no one sells the CHT Satellite speakers? I have never seen any local in Washington state nor even knew Velodyne made anything other then subs. So another question is also why don't you advertise them or get the word out about the CHT Satellite speakers? Why don't more stores in Washington state carry velodyne and the CHT sat speakers?

Hi Joe,
We certainly try to place our satellites in as many places as possible. We have and will continue to advertise our speakers. In the current issue of 'Sound & Vision' we are running a full page ad on the DECO system. If anyone is having a problem purchasing our speakers, let us know and we will make every attempt to put you in touch with a dealer.
Curt

For those interested in the Deco ..


Here is a review done last year from Home Theater Hifi on the Deco system...


http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volume_9_3/product-roundup-small-speakers-velodyne-9-2002.html


Here is a shootout against the Deco sat and several others..
You'll see the Deco came in second for lowest distortion @ 110db & 1.52 %.


http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volume_9_3/product-roundup-small-speakers-wrapup-9-2002.html


Deco review @ Sound and Vision..........
"Bruce was absolutely The Boss on the Deco, with his voice sounding more natural and less abrasive than it did on the other systems, yet still authoritative. Clark Terry wailed with pure honey, although the system tended to gloss over a bit of his horn's inherent edginess. And the sub produced ample bass without thumping its port. The Velodyne Deco system has the heftiest price tag of the four systems here, but it's money well spent.
In this comparison at least, price was a pretty accurate indicator of quality. The $1,499 Velodyne system takes top honors for sound."

http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/article.asp?section_id=1&article_id=404&page_number=1


http://mywebpages.comcast.net/bentvalve/outsidethebox.jpg


Curt, I would like to see the review from The Perfect Vision from 5/03, can you post it? Otherwise I found a site that will sell it to me for $3.

http://www.avguide.com/product/Complete_Speaker_Systems/Speakers/Velodyne_Acoustics/Deco_Home-Theater_Loudspeaker_System/2484.jsp



I going to dedicate one of my webpages to the Deco system, I am going to post pictures of my theater with the Deco system as well as include some tips, my personal review of the speakers as briefs of the above reviews.

Thanks Curt, my problem is that no one in Washington State sells your Satellite speakers that I know. I checked your site and Circuit City and Video Only were the only place that sells Velodyne in like zip code 98188 or anywhere, might just be the zip code, Video Only does not anymore, they don't even carry the subs. The Satellite for sure not. Circuit City does not carry anything except subs and they even say they didn't even know you make satellites. So this really bothered me and made me have my cousin order the CHT series without my being able to even demo them anywhere, BUT, I'm fairly confident I'll like them and so will the fam here.

Where are some CHT Satellite speaker reviews? I've done searching and all I come up with are online warehouses that sell stuff.

Joe,
For a very complete review on the CHT Satellites go to www.hometheaterhifi.com and enter Velodyne in the search box and the forth review down is the one you're looking for.
Curt

Hi James,
I'm sorry we are not able to post the DECO review from 'The Perfect Vision' at this time. We are going to completely redo our website in the near future and it will include owner's manuals and reviews and the most complete information on subwoofers available.
Thanks for all your feedback.
Curt

Curt,

As long as you're redoing the site, you might want to have the designer throw in the couple extra lines of code for us lowly webtv users...it's barely viewable in its current form...yeah, I know...get a "real" computer.

Ran

Thanks for the reply, but perhaps I should have used the term "limiter" instead of compression ration. What I was curious to know was how agressive the limiter is on the signal as it reaches it's excursion limits. I believe that it was either one of your techies(maybe Curt?) that threw out that 8:1 ratio(at the predetermined excursion limit, for every 8dbl of spl signal increase, only 1 dbl gets thru)or some of the "basshead" folks over at Home Theater Forum had tested some of them, I forgot which. Of course, this is to protect the driver from over excursion damage and/or too much distortion, but as I said, some folks thought that the concern for that ultra low distortion on the bottom end came at a little bit of a sacrifice of ultimate volume. Perhaps the increase in driver excursion in the new models will ameliorate that concern. I'm looking forward to a demo of these new models. Congrats on such a high-tech approach.


Hi Randy,

Yes, there are gain limiters on every sub we sell. We've always believed strongly that a driver should be carefully matched with its amplifier and control circuitry for exactly the reasons you've stated - protecting the driver from over excursion and damage. The exact formulas we use for gain limitation differ from sub to sub - I can show you code in DD for example that accounts for the mass of the cone, the size of the cabinet, and other factors as they differ between the 10, 12, 15 and 18 in determining what parameters need to be fed into the digital gain limiting filters.

We do care about distortion but don't limit output to minimize it, as some might believe. We limit output only when the cone is reaching its maximum travel limits. The main job of the limiter is to protect against rogue signals that could bottom out the woofer violently. Distortion comes when a cone travels beyond its point of linearity ? that is, travels near the edge of the suspension limits and/or nears the outside of the magnetic gap. The box designs, servos, dual coils, and other design factors we use for our subs do more to limit distortion (i.e. maximize accuracy) than any gain limiter might do. Of course, a sub must have lots of output, which is why we use very heavy magnets, long throw drivers and lots of power - to provide the cleanest, loudest output possible.


Hope this helps to clarify this...

Bruce

To Bruce and Curt,

Thank you for your reply, it looks as though for the size of my room and for overall performance the Digital Drive Series 12" Sub may be the best way to go instead of the SPL 1200 II. However, I have been unable to locate a dealer here in Ontario that has any in stock. It seems as though any 12" Sub in either the SPL or Digital Drive line is very hard to obtain from Velodyne. Any item on a time frame that these units may arrive to Canadian Dealers?

Regards,
Matthew

Curt, thanks, but that review is not for the CHT-14 and 24 speakers. it's for much older speakers or something. Where can I find a review on the speakers that are actually at your site? the CHT14 and 24?

When should we look for a software upgrade for the DD's later than version 1.2?

Originally posted by Woodley71
To Bruce and Curt,

Thank you for your reply, it looks as though for the size of my room and for overall performance the Digital Drive Series 12" Sub may be the best way to go instead of the SPL 1200 II. However, I have been unable to locate a dealer here in Ontario that has any in stock. It seems as though any 12" Sub in either the SPL or Digital Drive line is very hard to obtain from Velodyne. Any item on a time frame that these units may arrive to Canadian Dealers?

Regards,
Matthew
Hi Mathew,
WE have product available in both DD and SPLII, in all sizes. We're shipping orders daily.
Curt

When should we look for a software upgrade for the DD's later than version 1.2?

We've got some updates in mind that we are working on, but don't have a final schedule yet. Unlike Microsoft products, there are no "critical updates" required to prevent a security breach or fix obvious bugs! ;)

Bruce

Woodley71,
That's what I thought until I realized my dealer was not authorized for the DD line.
He somehow could get me the HGS but not the DD (said the DD was not distributed thru "distribution" but direct only?).
Meanwhile several months went by with no sub.
He finally admitted it.
I had to get a refund & purchase it thru an authorized dealer.
FWIW, it made absolutely no difference since I set it up myself.
Also the Velo website won't tell you who is authorized to sell DD.
PS Circuit City is NOT authorized :)
Curt fixed me up :D

Just a thought:
Personally I dont think Velodyne is getting the proper represention to the masses, Good Guys and Circuit City being the main chains that the majority of the people can get their first taste of Velodyne, the stuff they carry is excellent but IMO its not enough. I think you need to saturate each store with your product so the consumer has a wider selection and price/quality range to choose from. Its too easy to look at something else when a newb goes into CCs listening room and sees a sea of speakers with only a few specs of Velodydne. I'd like to see Velodyne go internet direct .

The internet direct model is not gonna work with a company that also sells retail through audio specialty shops - unless each channel gets separate and distinct product lines.

Hello Bruce,
I am about to buy Velo sub. My current setup is
Amp: Arcam P7
Pre-Amp Arcam AV8
LF and RF: NHT 1.5
RL and RR NHT SuperOnes
SL and SR NHT Super Zeros
Center Speaker: NHT Audio Center 1
I am considering an upgrade to some of those speakers, but am not sure yet.

The room: it is a large space, room opens into a largish corridor and a kitchen. There are various dividers like pillars, floor-to-ceiling cabinets. I attache a picture, the green dots are the speekers, the blu would be the sub and the red line is the screen. The main part of the room has about 45sq. meters and the rest (corridor and other) another 30sq. meters (the hight of the rooms is 2.6m). I sit about 5-6m from the screen.
Which of the subs would be the best for me. I was considering DD15 or DD18? Wouldn't they be too big?? I was also thinking about HGS18 (could get it in Poland, this is where I live, for $2900, ex-demo 110V version wich in Poland requires a transformer from 220v to 110V I would get a third party transformer, do you think it is worth it???). However, I thought that DD series would be much better due to the irregular shape of the room ( i might hit serious problems setting up the HGS18. Pls help, as in Poland this is very difficult to listen to any of your subs, as they do not have anything in stock and I have to make up my mind purely on reviews, recommendations and the internet.

One last question, can place the DD18 on its side as it is too tall to fit in a place I would like to keep it (given I woul dgo for DD18)
Thank you very much
Adam Rodecki

Bruce or curt - what do you guys recommend when placing Velodyne subs on hardwood floor - nothing, spikes, marble slab, etc? Please answer in general, and also specifically in regards to the SLP-12. Thanks.

Mit07
I certainly would not use spikes on a hardwood floor. I prefer a small rug or rubber mat. I see nothing wrong with using a slab of marble or other solid material. Some users have had the small subs, like the SPL-12, move a bit on hardwood floors, that's why I like the rug or mat solution. Performance should be the same regardless.
Thanks,
Curt

I too pondered laying
a rug atop my head,
but visions of slipping and sliding
filled my head with thoughts of dread.
So now I leave it bare
for everyone to see;
the shine from my subwoofer,
my maple floor, and me. :)


thank you, thank you very much

Ran

Hi guys,
I just auditioned the new mighty velodyne DD18 in a medium sized room at my local dealer. I was very impresed with it's EQ's and all the adjustable settings.
But when we auditioned the Two Towers dvd in the Helm's Deep explosion I wasn't comletely blowen away.
Don't get me wrong it was very impresive with excellent bass extension,but when we compared the DD18 to the older HGS15 it wasn't a night and day difference. The HGS15 had probably 3-4 db less overal output then the DD18.
I am wondering if anybody has any first hand experience with the new DD subs.
Gabor

I'll betcha 3-4 dbs is about right, but you'll get a little bit lower extension to boot with the "18".

I agre the the bass was lower, tactile extension was noticably lower.
The point I was trying to make is in my opinion the DD18 compare to the HGS18 might be identical or very close in ultimate output.
But than agin maybe the DD18 wasn't optimized for the room or at least it wasn't set up right for movies as the DD18 have the option to loosen the servo for Movies/Music mode.
I still think the new DD subs are a great choice for either movies or a music system. I would love to try one out with my own setup and speakers my room is only 14 by 19 so I might give a DD15 a try:)

Bruce,

Just so you guys know I purchased the Velodyne Deco Home Theater Speaker System after reading about them online. I listened to them at Circuit City before and thought they sounded great. Since they were going in my den I wasn't sure I wanted to invest that much and I was hoping for styling that would disappear in the room.

After a little research online I gave them another listen and not finding any other speakers with such a transparent sound (versus "boomy") that I could listen to for hour after hour I was sold.

I didn't find this thread until after I purchased them but your online presence does help!

Good choice on the Deco's , I love mine. This weekend I decided to give mine a good workout and see what sort of SPLs I could extract out of them. I am running my Decos with a Yamaha RX-V3300 which is just one step down from their Flagship Z1. I bought both the Deco and the receiver at the same time so both of them needed to get a good run in.
Two channel purists might not like it but I found that the Deco system in my small room sound awesome with Yamaha's 8 channel stereo DSP mode.
The Deco's took everything the 3300 could dish out, I know I had the amp at near full output because I got the fan to kick in, the Decos never sounded strained. The 5 Decos and the Deco sub can go VERY VERY loud! I wont say just how loud though because I dont want my warranty voided. :D The 5 Decos and Deco sub go much louder than my 80lb 4' tall Adire Kit281 speakers which use dual 8" drivers and 1" tweeters and the Kit281s go louder than many commerical speakers.
Amazingly the Deco subwoofer could hang in with the sats all the way up to even the highest SPLs.
I am using my Decos in my 12'x8.5' dedicated HT room and I am confident that they could be used in a room 2X the size and still have some headroom left.

BTW the Decos seem to sound better and better as they break in more, they really opened up nicely after the hard run in this weekend.

Good Luck with your Decos. :cool:

Charles,
Thanks for the positive feedback on the DECO system. It's truly a fine system and outstanding value.

Curt
Velodyne Acoustics

Gabi,
Under the same measured conditions, the DD-15 will play 3-4db louder than the HGS-15. The DD-18 will play 6-8db louder than an HGS-15. We added an additional 1/4" throw to the DD drivers. For your room size the DD-15 will do a great job.
Curt
Velodyne Acoustics

curt c
I was wondering if you can list the msrp for the DD12 and let me know how I find a specific dealer that carries the dd line (zip code is 03841).
Thanks
~Glenn

List price for the DD-12 is $2999. Sorry, I can't locate a dealer by zip code. Please check our dealer locater at our website; www.velodyne.com I think it goes by area code.
Thanks for your interest,
Curt

Originally posted by curt c
List price for the DD-12 is $2999. Sorry, I can't locate a dealer by zip code. Please check our dealer locater at our website; www.velodyne.com I think it goes by area code.
Thanks for your interest,
Curt

Thanks

Gabi - when you get to the HGS15 / DD18 level the point of diminishing returns levels off. The differences become more subtle and will certainly not be night and day different.

curt c,
Can you explain the difference between the Movie/Music setting on the DD sub.
Is the Movie setting basicaly let's the servo produce a couple of extra db spl for a higher distortion compare to the very low distortion in the Music setting, or is it more like an adjustably Q controll like on the Linn or Monitor Audio FPB212 sub?
I am also wondering how much more max spl in the movie mode compare to the music?
Thank you,
Gabor

Bruce / Curt:

I have a rather large void to fill. I don't have precise dimensions to provide, but ceilling is 12' and although the viewing / listening area is not overly large (+/- 30' x 35'), there are no physical boundaries on into the formal dining area, kitchen and dinette (big "great room", open archetecture). In other words, a lot of on-going "back space".

One of my (wife's) requirements is that the sub be as small as (im)possible. Common story of woe. Worse, the sub won't quite be in the corner but near it; maybe somewhat shrouded by a leather chair. Argggh.

Seems that Velodyne offers the smallest subs with the most punch. Do you think the DD12 would do the job; primarily for DVD movies? With all the potential accoustical problems due to location, the equilization feature might help to overcome the disadvantages.

Any advise appreciated.

DFA

Bruce,

I have had my Velodyne VA-810X since July 1995 and have had to replace the Passive Radiator three (3) times in that period because of splitting. This seems to be excessive to me and I'm just wondering if you may know of any causes for it. I'm not playing it at extremely loud levels (the dial on the back never goes past 4) and I only watch around 3-4 movies per week so it's not excessively used either. Each time I've replaced it, I have only used original Velodyne parts but of the same type as the original. I wonder if I should use another type or 'grade' of Passive Radiator on it that can last longer.

Any thoughts?

Regards,
Steve.

DFA,

If you are strictly limited by subwoofer size(and yes, Velo and Sunfire give you the most punch for size, with the former giving less distortion and the latter, a little more spl), I would seriously consider the installation of some type of tactile transducer(Clark Synthesis, Buttkicker, RBH, Aura etc) to give you more of the oomph you'll lose by not having a BIG subwoofer. You'd be amazed at how well these work.

Ran

Curt, I have a quick question about the Deco Satellites, what exactly is the "Automatic resetting solid state "muting" device" ? I got a little carried away trying to push the front stereo pair of Deco sats and the sound cut out for a short time then came back on. I am pretty sure I was not clipping my amp but I probably sent a solid 130 or so clean watts to them before they cut out.

Also I have had the system long enough to be able to nitpick about a few things or actually just one. I find the center channel lacking a tad bit , what are the odds of you guys making a decidated center channel for this system?

One possible solution I have is the try moving the subwoofer closer to the center channel speaker. Right now the subwoofer sits in the back of the room so the lower octaves in voices that has to be handled by the subwoofer are probably arriving at my ears out of time.
Another SPL800 would really help though but then I would have to deal with possible bass cancelation issues.

Originally posted by DFA
Bruce / Curt:

I have a rather large void to fill. I don't have precise dimensions to provide, but ceilling is 12' and although the viewing / listening area is not overly large (+/- 30' x 35'), there are no physical boundaries on into the formal dining area, kitchen and dinette (big "great room", open archetecture). In other words, a lot of on-going "back space".

One of my (wife's) requirements is that the sub be as small as (im)possible. Common story of woe. Worse, the sub won't quite be in the corner but near it; maybe somewhat shrouded by a leather chair. Argggh.

Seems that Velodyne offers the smallest subs with the most punch. Do you think the DD12 would do the job; primarily for DVD movies? With all the potential accoustical problems due to location, the equilization feature might help to overcome the disadvantages.

Any advise appreciated.

DFA,
Given the size of your 'open area', you would need a DD-18 or a pair of them to do it right. In your case it's more about energizing than equalizing. The DD-12 is certainly the best small sub available and you might be able to try one out and see what it does. The DD-15 would be a much better option if you can get it past the wife. It's still fairly small.
Good Luck,
Curt

DFA

Originally posted by James W. Johnson
Curt, I have a quick question about the Deco Satellites, what exactly is the "Automatic resetting solid state "muting" device" ? I got a little carried away trying to push the front stereo pair of Deco sats and the sound cut out for a short time then came back on. I am pretty sure I was not clipping my amp but I probably sent a solid 130 or so clean watts to them before they cut out.

Also I have had the system long enough to be able to nitpick about a few things or actually just one. I find the center channel lacking a tad bit , what are the odds of you guys making a decidated center channel for this system?

One possible solution I have is the try moving the subwoofer closer to the center channel speaker. Right now the subwoofer sits in the back of the room so the lower octaves in voices that has to be handled by the subwoofer are probably arriving at my ears out of time.
Another SPL800 would really help though but then I would have to deal with possible bass cancelation issues.

Hi James,
The muting device is a thermal switch. When heat reaches a certain point it shuts the speaker down, and resumes after a short cool down. At the moment we have no plans to build a dedicated center channel for the DECO system. Most experts feel all five speakers should be identical if possible. I have the sub up front in my system and have never noticed an issue with the voices.
Curt

curt c,
Can you explain the difference between the Movie/Music setting on the DD sub.
Is the Movie setting basicaly let's the servo produce a couple of extra db spl for a higher distortion compare to the very low distortion in the Music setting, or is it more like an adjustably Q controll like on the Linn or Monitor Audio FPB212 sub?
I am also wondering how much more max spl in the movie mode compare to the music?


Gabi,
I'll take this one if it's okay. TO understand the movie/music setting, first let me explain the servo system. It is based on an accelerometer that senses cone motion and reports it back to the digital controller where it is compared to the input signal and the cone motion corrected as needed. This happens between 6,000 and 15,800 times per second. The more it happens, the tigher the cone motion and the lower the distortion. Distortion is directly related to how loud the woofer plays, as distortion by-products add to the total output of the woofer.

The theater/music setting controls the servo. The theatrical setting (setting 1), causes the cone to be corrected at 6,000 times per second. The music setting (setting 8) causes the full 15,800 times per second correction. The settings in between control the servo in between accordingly. As a reference, HGS corrected at around 3,500 times per second, so even at the lowest setting, the servo is still doing quite a bit of cone correction.

So, action adventure will play louder since there is more distortion, but how much louder is heavily dependant on the frequency of the source material. For example, 60 Hz will play louder since it is closer to resonance, and there may be more output at 120 Hz (the second harmonic distortion product of 60 Hz). There may actually be a bit less infrasonic playback, since the servo ensures flat response down to 15 Hz and below - some of this effect is lost when turning down the servo loop gain.

Overall, look for a couple dB louder for action adventure, and look for the lowest dostortion at setting 8 (Jazz/Classical out of the box).

Hope this helps,
Bruce

Bruce / Curt:
Thanks for the explanation.
Right now I have an HGS12II for a home trial, and the sub is pretty impressive with deep extension and output. (16 by 19 room ).
My plan is to upgrade to the DD15 which should be more than enough in my room.
Actually my dealer has a DD12 in stock, but I don't think it would be a worthwhile investment over the HGS12. (He also has a DD18 in stock):)
Thanks for the info,
Gabi

Guys,
Am I right in thinking you've never produced downward firers, and what is the reasoning behind this. Although my preference is for forward firers, I know there's some great downward firers out there notably from SVS and a few others.

Also, are there any plans in the near future to send one of the DD models for review. Mr Johnson did a superb job with his HGS-18 review some time ago and I'm looking forward to seeing reviews by folks of equal standing.

Hi Eric,
The original Velodyne's, the ULD series were all down firers. It was mainly to get it past the wife as furniture. Subwoofers weren't very popular then. Fortunately things have changed. We made these units from the early 1980's through the middle 1990's. Since then it's been all front firing.
There are currently three DD-18's out for review and a couple of 12's. John Johnson has an eighteen and should have his review on line very soon.
Thanks,
Curt

Originally posted by curt c
There are currently three DD-18's out for review and a couple of 12's. John Johnson has an eighteen and should have his review on line very soon.
Wow, that's great to hear. Looking forward to Mr Johnsons review.
I'll also be putting up a few words on my site as and when I receive my DD-18.

Thanks Curt

Hello Curt or Bruce,

I have a question for either of you, how does one reset the Digital Drive Sub to factory settings?

Regards,
Matthew

This looks to be a good thread to use for a question I had.

With the introduction of the DD series, I was thankfully able to find a brand new HGS-18 Series II at an insanely discounted price through my local HT retailer. This has been a dream sub for me for years, and I am so thankful to finally have one!

My initial goal was to have two of these. What I wanted was to be able to re-create the big movie theater bass impact in my own home….so naturally I was thinking two.

However, now that I have an HGS-18 II in my system, I have been SERIOUSLY floored by its performance! This thing is absolutely dangerous, and I’m just astounded on how powerful it is, and how much impact it has! Honestly – I’m a little intimidated by it, it has scared me on a few occasions with the amount of impact it can produce!

With that, I’m now questioning whether I should even be thinking about a second. If the first is this mighty by itself, what gain will I actually accomplish by adding a second? The DB count goes up (by 6 right?), but do you think it makes a truly noticeable difference (if you assume one would re-calibrate the levels so they would be in-line with the rest of the system)? Especially considering the major drawbacks (equalizing, placement) that are introduced with two subs that have a good chance of actually hurting performance. I appreciate any thoughts on the matter!

PS: no room sizes to share as the system is not in its final resting place yet – I am building for the future, not settling for the current.

Multiple subs should be used when required. Many homes have 'open architecture', that is rooms that open into other rooms. Many times in these situations a pair of eighteens are required to attempt to energize the large area. A six db increase is about right if the subs are correctly placed. It appears in your current configuration one is plenty. If in the future your area might be much larger, then a second one may be called for. You're right that a pair doesn't necessarily give you better performance. Multiple subs require careful placement to support each other. Hope this helps.
Curt

I have an older Velodyne (bought in the mid 90s) in our family room. It occasionally cuts/in and out during movies (always has done this). It is a model SF12BVX10. What is causing this? I have tested it on two different receiver/processors with the same results. Thanks for any info!

The F-12 servo sub you are using was designed for music playback in a small to medium room. It is heating up and shutting down attempting to cope with home theater. A couple of things to try; make sure you're using a "Y" splitter into both inputs, and raise the volume for the subwoofer jack in the receivers "bass management" section so you can reduce the volume on the Velodyne. This should help.
Curt

The F-12 servo sub you are using was designed for music playback in a small to medium room. It is heating up and shutting down attempting to cope with home theater. A couple of things to try; make sure you're using a "Y" splitter into both inputs, and raise the volume for the subwoofer jack in the receivers "bass management" section so you can reduce the volume on the Velodyne. This should help.
Curt

Originally posted by Woodley71
Hello Curt or Bruce,

I have a question for either of you, how does one reset the Digital Drive Sub to factory settings?

Regards,
Matthew

Matthew,
To reset the DD sub to factory settings, press 8, 9, 0 in sequence on the opening page.
Curt

Thanks for the info! I don't use this sub anymore for our main HT, but I have always wondered! I am using a y spliiter, but currently have the receiver set to "0" as far as signal goes. I will try turning up the receiver and turning down the volume on the sub. SJ

Steve,

I sent an e mail to you with regards to your passive radiator problems, but never recieved a response.
I'll be happy to assist you with the repair of your VA subwoofer, especially since the rate of failure you're experiencing is way above the curve.
In answer to your questions, the only thing I can attribute such a rapid deterioration rate to is high humidity in your area.
Velodyne does manufacture another style passive which was produced for the product line that succeeded the VA line, which installs much like a replacement speaker. The surround material is different and I suspect will prove to be more resilient to the elements then the original.

Regards,

D. Saint

Originally posted by D. Saint
Steve,

I sent an e mail to you with regards to your passive radiator problems, but never recieved a response.
I'll be happy to assist you with the repair of your VA subwoofer, especially since the rate of failure you're experiencing is way above the curve.
In answer to your questions, the only thing I can attribute such a rapid deterioration rate to is high humidity in your area.
Velodyne does manufacture another style passive which was produced for the product line that succeeded the VA line, which installs much like a replacement speaker. The surround material is different and I suspect will prove to be more resilient to the elements then the original.

Regards,

D. Saint

Hmm... I did send a reply. Guess I mucked it up somehow. Anyway, I was just wondering what part number the other style of passive radiator was so I could order it through the local distributor here in Australia.

Thanks and regards,
Steve.

Great Forum!

I am interested in purchasing a Velodyne SPL 1200 Mk2 possibly in one of the wood effects.

Can anyone tell me when these will be available in the U.K. and how much one will cost me.

Kind Regards,

GJC

P.S. apologies if this has been covered already.

The new SPL II's should available in England by the first of the year. Please check your local dealer for pricing.
Thanks,
Curt

Thanks Curt.

I am a happy owner of the HGSII-12 and have it mated with Monitor Audio Gold Reference 60 L/C/R.
Together they blend great, however the sub's placement is in the bottom of the eq rack, open in front by a door, and open totally in back.
The sub and other speakers line up in a row.
To offset this horrible, yet needed placement, I have been experimenting with my B&K AVR 507's notch filter and the THX boundary compensation setting. I have not been able to come to a definitive solution as I have been chasing our 2 year old while holding our 4 month old!
What would be the better solution to tweek the inevitable boom?
What is boundary comp doing to my baby( the sub )?
Thanks to a great company in advance!!!!

KidDoc

Hi all

may i ask what is the differance between the mk1 and mk2 spl's?
Im sorta looking at the 1200 but will hang on if mk2 is better

Glad you asked. The SPL II has a new enclosure with rounded corners and is available in maple, cherry and black gloss. The amplifier has been upgraded to 1000 watts.
Thanks,
Curt

Originally posted by smcleod
Hmm... I did send a reply. Guess I mucked it up somehow. Anyway, I was just wondering what part number the other style of passive radiator was so I could order it through the local distributor here in Australia.

Thanks and regards,
Steve.

No worries mate !

The part number is 71-10VP (10") or 71-12VP (12")

Regards,

D. Saint

To Curt or Bruce,

I am getting ready to upgrade my HGS12II to either the DD12 or the DD15.
I am wondering what kind of spl gains I should be expecting over the HGS12. I know the new DD subs have a 1/4 inch more excursion but how much louder is that translates into?
(My room is 16 by 19 with 8 foot ceiling, concrete floor in the basement.)
Any advice is appreciated.
Gabor

Hi Gabi,
All other things being equal, we measured the DD-12 at 2.5 dB louder than the HGS-12. We measured the DD-15 at 4 dB louder than the HGS-15.

Hope this helps,
Bruce

Hi Bruce,
It sounds like a DD15 have an output of two smaller DD12 or at least two HGS 12 which makes it actually a better value than two smaller subs.
The DD15 should be perfect for my room size.
I am just wondering if anybody on this thread has the new DD subs and what are their initial impression or comparison to other Velodynes.
Thanks again,
Gabor

this thread seems dead now, did curt and bruce go away and stop posting here now?

Hi All,
We're still here. Lately we've been working hard catching up on demand for the new DD subwoofers. Our feedback has been fantastic. We also hope to be shipping the first "Signature 1812's" very soon. For those not familiar, this is the first 2-way sub with the 18" driver handling the very low frequencies and crossing over to a 12" driver for the upper (low) frequencies. The unit is bi-amped with 2500 RMS watts and has the same digital computer as the DD series. This is in my humble opinion the ultimate subwoofer.
Curt

I have a bit of an odd question.

I have the Series I HGS-10. The magnet in it is incredibly powerful. If I put it two feet of a TV, it turns the whole side of the screen purple.

My toy poodle really likes sleeping next to the HGS-10. I can't figure out why. It's not when it's on or anything, it's not particularly warmer or cooler in that corner or anything? she likes sleeping next to it when it's on stand-by (off). I've even moved it, and she moved to sleep by it.

Would the magnetic field emitted by my HGS-10 possibly be beneficial or harmful in the long term?

My fiance theorizes that the magnetic field is helping with our poodle's arthritis, she is quite an old dog.

Perhaps there is an alternative therapy benefit with powerful subwoofers?

Oh, and on a more serious note, would the magnetic field from the HGS-10 be harmful to a Hard Drive in a Home Theater PC or PVR? How close can I have a computer near the HGS-10 without any problems?

-Ed

Bruce, Curt,

When are the new HGSX's going to be available?

Also, when is your website going to be updated to reflect the new specs of the SPL II's?

Mark,
We have the HGS12X and HGS-15X in stock now. The SPL II specs should be on the site within a week.
Curt

EdWood:
Very interesting pooch you have! If you do some searches on "magnetic field therapy", you'll find a plethora of quackery and something of a dearth of good science. But like many "alternative" therapies, there's probably a kernel of truth down there somewhere, and perhaps that kernel is embedded in your pup.
I'm sorry I don't have an answer to your question, and I doubt somehow that anyone really has a satisfactory one, but FWIW and with absolutely no scientific backing, I'd say to let your sleeping dog lie.
rss

Originally posted by Edwood
I have a bit of an odd question.

I have the Series I HGS-10. The magnet in it is incredibly powerful. If I put it two feet of a TV, it turns the whole side of the screen purple.

My toy poodle really likes sleeping next to the HGS-10. I can't figure out why. It's not when it's on or anything, it's not particularly warmer or cooler in that corner or anything? she likes sleeping next to it when it's on stand-by (off). I've even moved it, and she moved to sleep by it.

Would the magnetic field emitted by my HGS-10 possibly be beneficial or harmful in the long term?

My fiance theorizes that the magnetic field is helping with our poodle's arthritis, she is quite an old dog.

Perhaps there is an alternative therapy benefit with powerful subwoofers?

Oh, and on a more serious note, would the magnetic field from the HGS-10 be harmful to a Hard Drive in a Home Theater PC or PVR? How close can I have a computer near the HGS-10 without any problems?

-Ed

Hi Ed,
I personally trust animal instincts. Another possibility is, dogs like enclosed boundaries especially when sleeping. So maybe the sub and the wall are creating a secure zone.
As for the computer issue, the experts I talked to indicate there would be a problem with the strong magnetic field so our recommendation is keep them at least 3 feet away.
Curt

Thanks, 3 feet sounds about right, as that is about how far I need to keep it away from my TV without it getting affected.

Could be a new ad campaign.

"Woof for Woof, more dogs prefer a Velodyne subwoofer." :D

-Ed

Curt/Bruce - could you please recommend a Velo sub that is similar (in terms of sound, quality, price and value) to the SVS 16-46 PC-Plus. My use is 50/50 music/movies. Room 18x14x8. Thanks.

Notes:
SVS 16-46 PC-Plus
525 watt RMS BASH amp
12" woofer
+/- 3db 16-100Hz

Hi Folks,

I just found this thread and some day I will go through all 8 pages. But for now, I am having a problem with my HGS-10 sub and thought that someone could help.

I have had this sub for 4 years and I have loved it. Just recently, I built a HT in my basement and moved this sub (and all my other stuff) down to the basement. I did a quick calibration of the speakers (nothing on the sub) and then put in a movie (Toy Story 2, my reference DVD). I immediently noticed a strange sound and narrowed it to the sub.

So, out came my AVIA DVD and I did a low frequence sweep on the LFE. Now, I have done this dozens of time (especially when doing my bass shakers setup and trying to find items that rattle) and this time the results were different.

The Low Freq LFE sweep starts out and 100 hz and goes down to 20 hz. I used to get a satisfying tone that got deeper as the sweep progressed. Now, I get lots of distortion or something. As the sweep approaches 40 hz, I can start to hear a buzz. The volume of the buzz increases as the hz drop and when I get to about 29 hz, all of a sudden the volume really increases. It is like someone started a chainsaw in my HT.

So, what gives, did I break my sub? All the rest of the equipment is identical to what I had before. Did it some how get damaged or did it wear out? Any help would be appreciated.

Because I am a complete goofball, I have attached a wav file that I recorded off my laptop of what the LFE sweep sounds like. The wav file should start around 40hz.

I thought I should add that I use a Y splitter to connect the sub. Also, I have the subsonic filter set to 20hz. If I set the filter to 35hz, the buzz is somewhat reduced. Also, I use the internal crossover of the sub. I usually have it set to around 100 hz. Also, the volume control is usually set to about 4 dots from minimum.

Thanks again,
- Hal

I really don't think the little HGS-10 sub is meant to be pushed hard into the 20-25hz range(even though the website quotes -3db at that frequency). In fact, I'd be somewhat surprised to hear any appreciable volume at that level, and if so, I suspect it'd be really straining. Perhaps you've overdriven it? Also, did you correct for the Radio Shack meter error in your measurements?

Ran

ps-what size is your room?

Hal - I listened to your file. A chainsaw is definitely a good description - and it sure sounds like you damaged something. FWIW - I talked to a Velodyne rep when I was considering a sub - and he told me they had the most problems with the HGS-10. He attributed the problem to people pushing them too hard in rooms that were too big.:(

Well, before the problem, the volume does considerably drop off starting at about 30 hz. At the end of the AVIA sweep, it has lost a lot. I don't think I am over driving it since the volume is set to only 4 dots above the minimum. However, that does sound like something I would do. :) Now, when it gets to about 25 hz, the volume really increases; explodes almost.

My new room is basically just under 15x20. I also have 10 of the Aura bass shakers arranged in the seating area, so I have generally been satisfied with the bass performance. So, what ever punch I am lacking from the small sub is offset by the shakers.

What is the RS meter error? I have one of the older analog ones. I set the weighting to C and the response to fast. Does it have a problem with low freq's?

Regards,
- Hal

most certainly does...it becomes less sensitive. I can't find the link now, but if you do a search on "Radio Shack compensation chart", you'll probably find it.

Ran

Hal,

The sound you recorded sounds a lot like a sound I encountered. It was not with my Velodyne subs (I now have 2 - a VA1210 I purchased in 1997 and a HGS-18 Series II I purchased earlier this year), but with the powered subs on my 6 year old Polk Audio RT20P's. I have had to replace a couple of the bass drivers over the years (not for that sound, but for scraping of the voice coil in the magnet), but when I finally got the Avia DVD I was doing the frequency sweeps and I noticed a very similar noise that you have. Mine did not drop in volume though and it was not as noticeable when I was listening to music or movies. I have been planning on sending them in, but not until I get my new speakers in the next month or so. I figured it was a crossover problem (maybe inexpensive design, but I don't know for sure) since both of my powered subs in my main speakers do it.

In my opinion it sounds like your sub crapped out - I think the move may have just been a coincidence IMHO.

Dan

Well, looking at the compensation charts, it seem perhaps my sub performance does not drop off as much at the lower freq's than I thought. When I calibrate my sub, I generally use the AVIA reference tone that alternated between channels and the LFE. I have no idea what adjustment you would need to do to that rumble that the AVIA disc produces.

I have talked to Velodyne support and they were hopeful. Oh well, my sub is broken, though I am not sure if it is an amp problem or a coil problem. I will get this one fixed and perhaps buy a new one as well.

Regards,
- Hal

Short version first: I brought home my new DD-15 last night and ran through setup and performed some initial tests. Velodyne deserves a lot of credit for this new sub-woofer, it's silky smooth, clean as a whistle, super fast and thumps hard down to 15Hz. I've listened to HGS18s in the past but simply don't have the room for one. I think the DD-15 would best the HGS18 in my family room considering flatter response, but that's purely speculation. The DD-15 is an astonishing sub, it's not often I get that kid in a candy store feeling. The on screen system settings and 8 band EQ are a knob-tweakers dream.

Long Version: Until last night I ran dual HGS-12IIs. Our family room had acoustic issues that could not be resolved with the Room Resonance Filter on the Anthem AVM20 preamp, so last night I upgraded one of my HGS12's to a DD-15. Since my preamp has set crossover points, I ran the EQ output from the Sub directly back into the input and was able to EQ the DD-15 to near ruler flat response from 15 to 100 Hz. Then, I got to thinking (my wife tells me this is normally a dangerous thing) that there were two EQ outputs on the DD-15, why not send one to the DD-15 and one to the HGS12 and see if I could EQ the DD-15 enough to compensate for the HGS12 placement as well. I got it fairly close, but not as good as I'd like. The DD-15 is in the better position but there's still not enough slide in the EQ to compensate for HGS12's location, so I powered off both subs and disconnected the HGS12. I ran some initial tests of the DD-15 against a baseline previously recorded with the dual HGS12s. The lone DD-15 bested both HGS12's by over 2db, and sounded much better as the bass response was much flatter. I'd previously set my crossover points at 75Hz for Theater and 55Hz for Music. I upped the crossover points to 75Hz for music as well with very good results. Very seamless integration and crossover between sub and B&W N804s/HTM1. I then connected the HGS12, and though the db count was up by about 6.5 over dual HGS12s, the lower 55Hz crossover sounded better because of EQ issues.

An upgrade of the second HGS12 to a DD series is definitely in the near future, now to decide between the DD-12 or DD-15, I really don't have the room for a DD-18. I don't think I really need another DD-15, so I'll likely go with a DD-12, if it's not enough, I still have a year to up from the DD-12 to the DD-15.

I haven't seen any reviews on the new DD series yet, and I know others are asking questions, so I thought I'd offer my thoughts for those also considering a new DD. I've had about 7 sub-woofers in and out of my system and the DD-15 is the best one by far. It's not extremely small, but fits nicely behind a chair. Again, the on screen system settings and 8 band EQ are a knob-tweakers dream, very comprehensive and functional. The DD-15 is as rugged and accurate as an M40A1 and hits almost as hard. In short, it's a music lover's fantasy and a bass junkie's fix all in one box.

Unlike the magazines, I'll also voice the two minor annoyances I have as well, one Velodyne can easily fix, the other is my own comical issue. 1 - The box is awkward to get a firm hold on, unless you have gorilla arms. Though it tips the scales at roughly 100 pounds, it would be easily manageable if there were build in hand holds on the box, and there's no double boxing as before with the HGS series, :-(. 2 - I've noticed some of my windows rattling and pots/pans rattling on the pot rack in the kitchen is more pronounced between 15 and 30Hz now, go figure....

rwright - great review. I'm jealous. Send me a PM if you are interested in selling your HGS12.

I've been considering the dd15 as well, can get on accomadation from velodyne....seems like it could replace the 2 subs I have now....

An observation:

As a one time owner of 2 HGS-10 subs, I had the opportunity to open one of them up. Upon inspection, I noticed that there was an amount of Dacron stuffing contained therein. Presumably this is done to lower the Q(increase the dampening or "tightness") of the box.
As it so happens, I just came across a picture of the much higher priced clear acrylic version of the exact same sub, only this time, it contained NO dampening material. Presumably THIS was done to create a nicer/cleaner looking aesthetic.
Question is: wouldn't the removal of the stuffing affect the dampening of the sub? If not, why was it placed in the non-acrylic version in the first place? I asked Pete(velodyne service) about this and he seemed to imply that this was due to the differences between the acrylic(thicker/denser) and MDF cabinet structure. I say-"here, pull this leg, it plays jingle bells". Explanation?

Thanks,

Ran

Hi ,
I need some advice,I just obtained velodyne cht 10 sub for my new ht
I would like to understand line level and speaker level setups
Which is best?(i have no satellite speakers)
My audio equipment is as follows

Infinity tower speakers for front speakers
infinty centre channel
integra 5.3 a/v receiver

thanks in advance

Does anyone have any experience with the CHT12 subwoofer? How does the CHT line compare to the other Velodyne lines and other manufactures subs?

Thanks,
Greg

Originally posted by jossix
Hi ,
I need some advice,I just obtained velodyne cht 10 sub for my new ht
I would like to understand line level and speaker level setups
Which is best?(i have no satellite speakers)
My audio equipment is as follows

Infinity tower speakers for front speakers
infinty centre channel
integra 5.3 a/v receiver

thanks in advance

Hi Jossix,
Line level, also known as preamp or low level is usually the best way to feed a power amp or a powered subwoofer. Speaker level, also called power or high level would need to be transformed back to a lower level before inputting to another power amp (it's already coming from a power amp). For some older receivers and integrated amps there are no preamp jacks (line level) available to hook up a subwoofer and these can be connected speaker level and fed through a resistor circuit (internal in the subwoofer) to reduce the level down as if it were line level. So when available, line level hook-up is the preferred method.
Assuming your receiver is Dolby Digital, there will be a subwoofer jack for hooking up your CHT-10. You would use a single run of audio interconnect cable (also called rca cable). At the subwoofer end use a "Y" splitter into the two input jacks on the Velodyne.
If your Infinity towers use 6-1/2" woofers I would call them "small" when doing speaker setup. Then on the Velodyne sub, put the crossover switch to "direct". This will bypass our internal crossover. If your Infinity's have large woofers and you're calling them "large", then put our subwoofer crossover switch in the "in" position and adjust our crossover knob so the bass from the subwoofer blends with the bass from your Infinitys, probably somewhere between 40 and 60hz.
Hope this helps.
Curt

thanks Curt
I am not too familiar with all of the terms
But my infinity Alpha 50 floor standing system have 3 speakers and a tweeter- the lagerst speaker is 8"(is this what you mean by "woofer size")
When playing some dvd's my velodyne just seems to stop working
I don't know if this is a connection issue, a receiver issue or if the subwoofer is malfunctioning.
I connected a smaller subwoofer and there were no problems of the type
I am encountering with the newer and more powerful velodyne
Any advice would be appreciated

Jossix,
I sent you a personal message (PM) and haven't heard back. I need additional information in order to try and help. So please check your message and get back. When our subs shut down, it's usually the volume control is set to high on the Velodyne or the sub is to small for the room or rooms.
Curt

thanks for your help Curt

I previously upgraded one of my Velodyne HGS12IIs to a Velodyne DD-15 and posted my quick thoughts. I was so taken with the DD series that I upgraded my second HGS12II to a DD-12. All of the things I liked about the DD-15 are equally as likeable about the DD-12, the 12 doesn't go quite as low or loud as a DD-15, but it's very impressive for a 12" driver. FYI,
Output seemed to be about 2 to 2.5 db louder than an HGS12 and the 8 band parametric EQ made the bass response much flatter and precise.

rwright,

Out of curiosity, what kind of extension and output levels are you getting in what size room? You might try posting some Radio Shack SPL meter results..corrected, of course.

Ran

bump

Bruce,
I have B&W 802's in a HT setup. I'm also using the Velodyne F-1500. I have the 1500 going into a Sony sound processor rather than into the (recommended) amplifier and then the speakers. Is this the right way to connect the 1500? I also have the 1500 in the front with the 802's (in the left corner). Is it okay to put the Velodyne in the front? I've read that the back of the room behind the viewer is where the sub should go. What are your thoughts? I was thinking about buying a second 1500 from someone. Is their a benefit from having two 1500's in the HT setup or is this overkill? The sub input on the Sony has two inputs for a subwoofer. I hooked the 1500 into the Sony using (red and white) the interconnect cable. Is this the way or should I connect differently as the sub has a "mono" sound? Thanks for answering my questions.
Tim

Hi Tim,
The connection to the Sony processor is the correct hook-up for your equipment. The processor will also support two subwoofers if you go that route. Properly setup two will provide additional reserve for those explosions and heavy bass tracks on the newer movies. Rear position is no better than front, sometimes it's handier but both can provide equally good performance. Another consideration would be a new DD-15 or 18 as one of these would provide as good or better performance than a pair of F-15's with all the advantages of the digital computer.
Thanks,
Curt

I finally got my sub and just had a chance to set it up initially. Yes, it is infinitely variable. Yes, it is relatively easy to use. Yes, it sounds super clean. Yes, it has scary power. I have it in a 6,500 cubic foot space using about 1/3 to 1/2 of the sub's volume. I don't know how to stop things like windows from rattling.

You might consider moving to a more southernly climate where the permanent removal of your windows will most likely stop the rattling....unless it is the windowframe that is causing the problem.

Ran

ps- my advice is worth exactly what you've paid for it.

vvv,

What sub did you have before the DD-18?

Allan

I had an M&K V125 12 inch sealed box with a 125 watt AMP. Very clean sounding. not nearly enough impact for my new room.

Curt,

I get much flatter response when I send the DD-18's frequency sweeps through my 7 channel stereo mode. Can I do this, or do I have to use the 2 channel mode?

vvv,

Wow that was fast. I have a Vel. 18" also, not the DD. The room is about 3800 sq. feet. I just love the thing. I didn't know how much I was missing. Enjoy the new DD-18.

Allan

vvv,

I'm jealous, I have a dd-15 and a dd-12 but not enough room to hide a dd-18, I can only imagine. For a quick grin, put Finding Nemo DVD in, go to Chapter 25 and feel Darla pound the aquarium. U-571 and T3 should be all new experiences as well.

r

First thank you king of bass for answering questions here it is appreciated.

I have an F-1800R that was reviewed in Wide Screen Review and didn't receive a good review. Issue 24 page 69. Not sure of the details but Velodyne sent in another Sub for review and it recieved a much better review. Issue 26 page 79.

I purchased my F-1800R in March of 1997, and about a year ago it started thumping and humming very loudly. I sent it in for repair (the driver board) and I was told this was a common failure for that design.

I am still not satisfied with the repair that was done because I get intermittent problems similar to my first problems. And other problems that make it seem like it just isnt working properly.

My question is can I pay you to take it back with a trade out for a different model?

DD owners......remember to post a review of your sub/subs @

www.audioreview.com

Allan

PS...If the DDs aren't listed you can start a new listing of the model.

I'm hoping that Velodyne has a good response for Utopia's F1800.:eek:

r,

I will have to get around to watching those movies as I do not own any of them. I watched Fight Club last night and kept having to turn the sub down (Neighbors). The impact of the punches during the fight scenes were producing high levels of bass! The plane impact scene was just plain scary. I started the movie with a sub level of 35 and ended with a level of 18. I just couldn't tame it.....and I was only listening to my receiver (B&K AVR307) at a -20.

V

Hi there.

I bought an used Velodyne F-series, FX1000 subwoofer about a year ago and it had worked beatifully before, but now I'm experiencing some problems:

When watching the movie the sub sometimes (after some use) freaks. In a second the woofer (element) retracts back from its normal position and starts making a weird noise. Not very low noise, you can hear it easily.

Few months ago it happened for the first time but now its more frequent and I'm afraid if it will damage the sub somehow.
Is this a completely new kind of problem or is there something I could do about it?

And a second one. I'm thinking if I'd buy new DD-10 woofer next autumn.
How much more (clean) bass does it provide than this F1000X? Is the difference significant?

Thanks dearly.
Erno Syvalahti, Finland.

Erno those symptoms were similiar to mine and I have a feeling you will need to send you driver board in. Mine got so bad that it sounded like fire crackers going off.

I hope no one takes all this in the wrong light because David Santos of Velodyne was very understanding and seemed to care about my situation.

I have nothing but positive things to say for my experience working with him on my repair, and would not hesitate buying Velodyne in the future.

Originally posted by vvv
Curt,

I get much flatter response when I send the DD-18's frequency sweeps through my 7 channel stereo mode. Can I do this, or do I have to use the 2 channel mode?

Hi Again,
By all means use the 7 channel mode if that provides flatter response. We normally recommend two channels to keep it simple, especially for initial setup. But for multi channel systems either method is fine. Sounds like you're having fun. Thanks for spreading the word.
Curt

I just want to express my appreciation to the fantastic support provided by Veleodyne's David Santos. Yesterday I hooked up a DD-15 to my Dunlavy/Bryston 5.1 system. This is my first sub, as I had previously been concerned about being able to seamlessly blend a single sub for stereo and, also getting great realistic slam for HT.

Bottom line ... I am very happy with the dramatic and coherent improvement made by the Velodyne DD-15 to my system for both music and movies. The stand-up string base in the new Nora Jones live concert DVD now sounds like it is located in my room. The D-Day landing scenes in Saving Private Ryan sounded far superior (clean and powerful) to anything I had ever heard before in commercial theaters or HT's in friends' houses.

When I had questions about sub placement and equalization with my SP 1.7 pre-pro, David was very helpful and patient. After he downloaded Bryston's owners manual, we were able to produce a terrific result in my room ... To top things off, I got a follow-up phone call from David late today, just to see if there was anything else he could do. Needless to say, I was blown away with this unexpected very high level of customer support and their very fine product.

Michael

Hi,
As our Service Manager, David normally receives the bad news. How nice of you to provide such positive feedback. We as a customer support team are very dedicated to helping our customers. David thanks you and Velodyne thanks you.
Have a great thanksgiving.
Curt

Last night I listened to several recordings at a low setting. My receiver was at -30 and my DD-18 volume at 15. This sub continues to impress even at low levels. Clean & realistic. So realistic, it seems as though the low frequency sounds are in the room. I don't know what is causing this "You Are There" feeling. I never had the "You Are There" feeling with my previous M&Kv125. I can only guess that the larger woofer and more powerful amp have the reserve to reproduce sounds more coherently. If anyone is considering a DD sub, I advise to go big. You can always turn it down.

F1800R11 servicing questions
Evening all - Great Forum
I have a F1800R11 - stamped Nov 20,1997 (model with detachable power cord)
After yrs of flawless service died on me last night
Sub powers on (green light) however no output and no noise
(Always had audible hum)

Looking for advise on my next step - I'm located in Halifax
Nova Scotia.
Where are velodyne service shops in Canada?
There has never been velodyne dealer in this area and none
of shops have any experience with a velodyne .
Concerned about getting proper servicing but also leery of shipping the beast a great distance
Is servicing these subs highly specialized ? difficult to pinpoint what
has failed ?


Thxs for any input

I have been contacted by Velodyne and will be closing my personal remarks regarding my experience with a simple (took care of the Problem) or (did not take care of the problem) in the future and leave it at that.

I do not think it is right to go into any detail on a public forum about what was done or not done by Velodyne for my personal situation since each case would be unique and what works for me to resolve my situation may not work for some one else.

Once again I would like to thank Velodyne for being so helpful and taking the time to read and respond to all the questions asked. Thank you also AVS for making this all possible.

Seasons greetings to all.

P. S. Dont for get Live and Die in L.A. is out 12-02-03

I am sure Velodyne will have some answers for you. But since it is out of warranty I would open it up and check the fuses.

Don't follow my advice though until a Velodyne rep cofirms this idea.

Ill see what they say - don't want to spend labor costs at a place if they
will not be able to diagnose properly anyhow.

Hi GP,
Please contact our service manager, David Santos on Monday. He will determine the best location to repair your amplifier. The amp comes out very easy and being small is economical to ship. David's direct number is (408) 465-2819 or E-Mail is; dave.santos@velodyne.com.
Sorry for the problem.
Curt

Thanks will do
glad I stumbled on this forum
first time w/o a Vel in 12 yrs ( uld 12, uld 15)
man I miss that more than the wife when she's gone - lol
won't even bother watching a film w/o

Hello,

I bought a DLS-4000 subwoofer over the weekend, and for the past couple of days, it's handled everything thrown at it. (Movies, Music CDs from Enya to Bass CDs). I gotta say it pumps out some pretty damn good bass in my townhome.

However, yesterday, as I was doing more testing, the sub shuts off on Scene 25 (fishtank scene) of finding Nemo. Sub volume is set at the middle. Receiver volume is at normal listenening volume. (size of room is approx. 300 sq. ft)

Granted the bass on this scene is pretty loud and deep, but not any louder than when I play my bass CDs. I have put in all other kinds of material and tried to recreate the problem, but the sub will only shut off with that one particular scene in finding Nemo.

It'll play my Bass CDs with ferocity, but when it comes to finding nemo, it's scared. What gives???

Curt, Bruce

I bought a DLS-4000 this past weekend as well. It does not shut off on Chapter 25 of Finding Nemo, however there is another strange problem...

The unit goes in to stand-by mode during normal listening levels. But that's not the strange part. The strange part is that it keeps putting out Bass while in stand-by (when the rear status light is red).

How much power is the unit drawing when it's in standby mode? Is there a way to make the Auto sense feature more sensitive? Would a Y-Adapter help?

James330i

Try turning the volume on the sub down to @ 9 O'clock position (1/4 turn),
then adjust the LFE output on the receiver to compensate for the output loss.
I've watched that movie as well and some of the LFE information is scary !
I think the high gain setting is causing the amplifier to go into thermal protection.
Please let me know if that helps. You may contact me off line if you'd like (preferred) and I'll be happy to assist you in any way possible.

David J. Santos
Velodyne Acoustics, Inc.

James330i

Try turning the volume on the sub down to @ 9 O'clock position (1/4 turn),
then adjust the LFE output on the receiver to compensate for the output loss.
I've watched that movie as well and some of the LFE information is scary !
I think the high gain setting is causing the amplifier to go into thermal protection.
Please let me know if that helps. You may contact me off line if you'd like (preferred) and I'll be happy to assist you in any way possible.

David J. Santos
Velodyne Acoustics, Inc.

Originally posted by MarkMSM
Curt, Bruce

I bought a DLS-4000 this past weekend as well. It does not shut off on Chapter 25 of Finding Nemo, however there is another strange problem...

The unit goes in to stand-by mode during normal listening levels. But that's not the strange part. The strange part is that it keeps putting out Bass while in stand-by (when the rear status light is red).

How much power is the unit drawing when it's in standby mode? Is there a way to make the Auto sense feature more sensitive? Would a Y-Adapter help?

Hi Mark,
Very nice talking to you today. It appears that the LED circuit is malfunctioning on your unit so exchanging the unit should take care of it.
Thanks,
Curt

Okay so i've got a set of the deco's (had them for a while.. 6-12 months or so, and they completely rule)

2 questions.

1. I've had some weird overheating with the sub. It was hapening with the sub volume jacked up and constant base (some movie soundtrack).. The sub shut off for a bit, and then came back.. this happened a few times, i turned down the sub a bit (still sounds great though).

Is this normal?

2. Is there any way to get another speaker? I'm looking at getting a 6.1 receiver.. and feel like i should have another speaker. heh

Hi,

1) You should keep the volume on the sub around 9 or 10 o'clock if possible. Use a "Y" splitter into both input jacks and increase the volume for the subwoofer jack in the receiver, in the bass management section. When the sub is pushed to hard it is designed to shut down. It's a small (8") subwoofer designed for small rooms.

2) Yes, additional DECO satellites can be purchased through a Velodyne dealer or direct from Velodyne.

Good to hear you're enjoying the DECO system. For the money, nothing comes close.

Thanks,
Curt

I currentky have a Onkyo TX-SR501 receiver and JBL NSP1II speakers. How would your budget level VX-10 compliment this setup. I know that velodyne is a trusted name in the subwoofer field, but that is in the higher end category. I have yet to hear of any review from anyone trying the VX-10 so I'm not sure of what to think.

I am also looking at the following two subs...

1.)JBL PB-10, the older model from JBL. I like this model because it got high reviews from over 100 people on audioreview.com Also it is from the same maker as my JBL speakers.

2.)Dayton sub from parts express. I have yet to read any reviews of this model also, but i hear it's name being thrown around as one of the best subs for the money.

Which of these three would you recommend and why? I listen to about 60% music 40% movie. How does your velodyne model compare with these other two? Also why did your company decide to go with such a low price/budget sub, when you are known for your high-end equipment.

Thanks....

Our VX-10 is an excellent entry level subwoofer. I tested one for a month and was very impressed with not only the output but the tonality of the individual bass notes. I used it with both entry level and high end satellites and it was impressive with both. So far our customer feedback has been very positive.
I have not had any experience with the other units you're considering so I cannot express an opinion. I would however definitely recommend you add a subwoofer to your home theater system.
Give the VX-10 a try. I think you'll be very pleased with it's performance.
Thanks for your interest.
Curt

Hi guys,
First off I just want to say that I think it's great for the end user to be able to interact with a company in this format. I know this has been said many times when this thread started but this is my first post in this thread. It's great for the customer and I believe it leaves a good impression in the customers mind when they have a quick and easy way get answers to their questions and concerns.

I wanted to know if you could verify some info for me. I started this list (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=289594&highlight=nousaine) to help objectively compare subwoofers. Over at this thread (http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htforum/showthread.php?postid=1912396#post1912396) there seems to be a disagreement about the numbers on the Velodyne F1800 that Tom Nousaine measured and as to whether the numbers came from his small 2400ft^3 room or his large 7500ft^3 room. I would really appreciate it if someone from Velodyne could give me what ever numbers Nousaine measured and tell me whether they came from his small or large room. Any other data besides the 25-63Hz average like his indicated low end extension point or the spl @ XHz would be appreciated.

Also if you happen to look over the list, and see any wrong information for any of the Velo products I would appreciate a heads up on what isn't right. Thanks.

Regards,

Frank

Hi Frank,
I don't know which size room TN used when measuring the F-1800. AS you probably know the F-1800 is an older unit superseded by the FSR-18 and then the HGS-18 and now the current DD-18.
While maximum output is one criteria for judgement on subwoofers, Velodyne has always stressed accuracy above all. In 1982 Velodyne introduced the ULD servo series of subwoofers which redefined low bass accuracy. As you probably know TN rates maximum output at 10% distortion. We keep distortion below 2% (usually below 1%) in our servo subs. We certainly realize that adequate output is necessary in today's home theater environment but not at the expense of accuracy. Of interest is the fact that as of now only two stand alone subwoofers have met the very rigid THX ULTRA II certification which essentially means the subwoofer must play loud and accurate (low distortion) down to 20hz. Those two subs are the Velodyne HGS-15 and HGS-18. They have been replaced with the DD-15 and DD-18 with the on board computer for unparalleled flexibility for room correction and customization of crossover points, slopes, phase etc. So we at Velodyne have addressed the output issue while maintaining the accuracy that made Velodyne the industry standard.
Keep in mind that a subwoofer with more distortion will always measure louder than one with low distortion as the distortion elements become part of the SPL reading.
I saw nothing on your chart that needs correction and thank you for your effort in compiling the list.
Thanks for your interest in Velodyne.
Curt

velodyne,
i have had the hgsII-18 for a couple of years now and recently moved to a home where it is on hard, uneven floors. i was wondering if you recommend any kind of adjustable feet that i could put on the sub to level it out and decouple it from the floor. i havent looked under the sub since i got it, but i felt underneath and it has what seems like hard plastic feet. there are a number of companies that make feet that are adjustable, so i was wondering if you guys had come across this before and if so what size diameter screw thread does my sub take? please reply here or email at curegeorg@yahoo.com. thanks. oh and it would be nice to add some email support to your webpage...

Curt (or anyone else for that matter),

I was moving my stuff around the other day getting ready for my speaker upgrade, and stupid me set a lamp (with a plastic base) on my HGSII-18. I then was checking out my new sound, and noticed yesterday when I was cleaning the top of my shiny sub, that I had scratched it!! I feel so stupid!!. It is not a scratch like a key or something, just from the hard plastic base of the lamp (which will never be close to my sub again)!!

My question is, what methods are there, if any, to get rid of scratches and get the surface looking like new again, or will I have to be reminded of that fateful day forever!!

Humbly submitted!!

Dan

2) Yes, additional DECO satellites can be purchased through a Velodyne dealer or direct from Velodyne.

How do you purchase direct from velodyne these deco speakers? Is there a phone # or website.

Can I also buy the remote sensor and remote for my HGS-12? Anyone have one they want to sell me, PM me. :-)

Thanks

Drew

i dont think you can purchase directly from velodyne unless you work for one of their retailers. i agree that one of the disadvantages of piano black is that it shows scratches as small as swirls easily, just like the finish of the clear coat on your car. i have to remind my significant other to not clean my sub with any kind of cleaners other than warm water.

Parts, such as additional satellites and remotes may be purchased directly from Velodyne using a credit card. A Velodyne dealer may also order these parts for a customer.
Thanks,
Curt

Hi all,
I just ordered Velodyne DD-12 but am wondering if I should have ordered DD-15. My room dimensions are 22x23x7.5'. The volume levels I listen to is quite loud. Please suggest because I still have time to change my mind. Also, a stupid question: What's the best way to connect my new sub to B&K ref50 i.e., should i use xlr cable? If so, which one? My sub is in the back of the room (22ft from TV) so I need a very long cable because it goes up into the ceiling and then down.

DD-12 vs. DD-15 sounds kinda like "maybe vs. guaranteed"? :)

Heck, if sub size and price isn't a major concern, it's a no-brainer, no?

Ran

Great reply! I guess budget is a concern. If DD-12 is good enough that will be fine with me. However, if it is a big mistake then I will spend the extra $$$. Thanks though you have a point. Also, I was deciding between a used HGS-15 and DD-12 and decided to go with DD-12.

In re: HGS-15 vs. DD-12, with me, small size is a priority, so I'd have gone with the DD-12 as well. Then again, I don't crank it up to ear splitting level since I'm a condo dweller.

Presently, I'm trying to decide between the DD-10(at cost) and the Onix UFW-10, and although the DD-10 is considerably more money, it's damned hard to resist the neato torpedo high tech built-in wizardry...ToUgH decision. :(

Ran

Originally posted by bujji
Hi all,
I just ordered Velodyne DD-12 but am wondering if I should have ordered DD-15. My room dimensions are 22x23x7.5'. The volume levels I listen to is quite loud. Please suggest because I still have time to change my mind. Also, a stupid question: What's the best way to connect my new sub to B&K ref50 i.e., should i use xlr cable? If so, which one? My sub is in the back of the room (22ft from TV) so I need a very long cable because it goes up into the ceiling and then down.

Hi,
If you gave me the above room dimensions and said you listen very loud, yes I would recommend the DD-15. It has more headroom for sure. However we're finding the new DD-12 with the additional 1/4" throw on the woofer to be quite a performer. I would do some serious listening at loud levels and see (hear) what you think. As far as cables go, since you'll probably need about 35-40 feet to get back there, I'd go with XLR (balanced). It's a safe bet. As far as brands go, you'll have to figure that one out. If you decide to get inexpensive XLR cables go to a "Pro Audio" store(one that sells guitars, etc.) and they will have long lengths already made up.
Curt

Curt, Theranman, Thanks for your responses. I will try listening at high levels and will keep you posted. How much better if any is DD-12 to HGS15? I'm no audiophile so extra 1/4" means very little to me. However, I do like the tweakability of dd's in general. As far as xlr cables go, is there a specific XLR subwoofer cable?

I think you hit the nail on the head when you mentioned "tweakability" regarding the DD-12 vs the HGS-15. You can really customize the DD as to room placement and intergration with different speakers. That can be a huge advantage.
No there is no specific XLR subwoofer cable. XLR is a type of interconnect with a different type of connector and is designed for long runs without RF (radio frequency) or other interference. It has been used in the pro arena for years and is becoming popular for home use.
Curt

Curt,

Do I understand correctly that if you use the xover in a pre-pro, you won't be able to take advantage of the low pass xover flexibility in the DD series without cascading xovers? Also, if one runs a full range signal to the DD and then uses the high passed signal out to the amp(for the sats), it only has a 6db high pass slope? Is there any particular reason why Velodyne has chosen to stick with such a shallow highpass slope for all these years?

Curious,

Ran

bujji,

You should definitely consider the DD-15 or a pair of the DD-12's for your size room, especially if your into high volume listening.
Remember creating bass is all about moving air and changing air pressure, no matter how loud a sub can play, if you don't have a large enough woofer your not going to get the desired effect.

D. Santos
Velodyne Acoustics, Inc.

Hi Santos,
Thanks for the response! What's your philosophy on one DD-15 vs two DD-12's. Obviously from financial stand point it is cheaper to buy one DD-15 than two DD-12's. I used to own two PSB Subsonic 7's and I liked the effect of 2 sub's in the room. However, I keep reading totally different philosophies on that subject and I would really love to hear from Velodyne. If two are better, I can always pick one up at a later date after living with one for some time.

bujji,

I was running dual HGS12IIs and then upgraded one of them to a DD-15, not so much because I wanted more spl, but because I had a nasty resonance issue. Shortly there after, I upgraded the other to a DD-12, so I can speak with some experience here.

I'm not speaking for Velodyne, but I've spoken with them in the past. I would definitely go with a single 15 before going to dual 12's, it's cheaper and will yield about the same performance, you won't have as many placement issues and no cancellation issues. For the cost of dual DD-12s, you could swing a DD-18 and giggle yourself silly for the next year or so. Don't buy into the hype some people push about a 12" driver being faster than a 15" driver, at least not in the case of the DD series. The DD-15 is every bit as fast and tight as the DD-12 and it hits harder and lower. I'm very anxious for an official review to come out on the new DD series, I have a feeling it will become known as the new reference subwoofer.

Optimally, I would have gone for a single DD-18, but size is an issue, and I also have a one year trade up policy at my local store that is a one for one deal, so I traded up one HGS12 for the DD-15 and one for the DD-12. Let us know what you decide and how it shakes out as well as your impressions on the DD series.

two subs are good for very large rooms, one sub (that is better) is better for a normal sized room.

Originally posted by theranman
Curt,

Do I understand correctly that if you use the xover in a pre-pro, you won't be able to take advantage of the low pass xover flexibility in the DD series without cascading xovers? Also, if one runs a full range signal to the DD and then uses the high passed signal out to the amp(for the sats), it only has a 6db high pass slope? Is there any particular reason why Velodyne has chosen to stick with such a shallow highpass slope for all these years?

Curious,

Ran

Hi Ran,
Yes if you use the X'over in the pre-pro and our X'over in the DD, that would be cascading crossovers. That is not necessarily a bad thing. If you have to select a low pass filter in the pre-pro (rather than full-range), you could select the highest one offered and work the DD's filter below that. Our high pass filter is 6db, it was originally done for phase relationship. Most two channel users still prefer 1st order (6db) for the high pass output.
Actually our high pass filter is rarely used in home theater applications where the pre-pro can provide the high pass filtering.
Thanks,
Curt

thanks for the info, Curt. My Lexicon MC-1 has a 12db/octave high pass, so I'd probably use that(ported satellite with good response to 50hz), and I'm trying to find out what the low pass options are...

Ran

Hi all,
I read somewhere that Velodyne DD-10 and DD-12 subwoofers do not come with Mic only the DD-15 and DD-18 come with the mic. Is that true?
Thanks!!!

Hi Again,
All DD subwoofers come with the mic.
Curt

Hi Velodyne,

A coworker of mine got one of your sub-woofers at accommodation and i have been having trouble getting in touch with Irene. I was just wondering if there was anything else i could do. Please email me at tcdesaix@yahoo.com. Thanks.

Hi all,
Thanks for all the help I received. I've decided to go with DD-12 for now because the dealer said I can trade up if I want at a later date. Financially it also makes sense today. Again, Thanks but I've couple more silly questions....

1. DD-12 comes with rubber feet while the DD-15 and 18 come with milled aluminum feet. My question to you all, will they make a difference and if so where can I purchase similar feet?

2. For xlr cable, I only need one right, if so, will it make a difference whether it is left or right? Previously, when using rca cables, I always purchased a Y-splitter for my sub.

Again, Thanks and as soon as I receive it I'm sure I will have more questions regarding calibration and setup.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

Hi,
1) The feet will not make any performance difference.
2) A single XLR cable will be fine. We only have one XLR input, so you're in good shape.
Curt@Velodyne

I dunno....I've been told that the low frequency resonance absorption of milled aluminum has a higher capacity to ameliorate vibration induced sonic anomolies than does rubber. Although this might beg additional research, I'd probably play it safe and go for the DD-15..mostly for the feet.

Ran

2.5 hrs with no response?

Pull-eeeze don't tell me you believed that big bubbling crock.

Ran

Ran,
I assumed all realized you were having fun. Thought some others might reply.
Take Care,
Curt

Well, I figured that YOU knew I was funnin', but I'm not so sure about all the others. :)
Tis the season to lighten up!

Ran

You're right!!
Curt

Ran,
I also hear it's good to run properly grounded 12 volts through your feet. And make sure your sub's feet are secure too. :D

Bruce

Those wishing to bone up on technical discussions of ground feet should research the writhings of the late Prof. Dahmer.
And yes, I'm quite secure with my feet, but it's a neat feat to talk feet with you audio elite.

Bon Appetite

Speaking of feet. Do you think spikes help? Spiked heels that is...

Depends on who's wearing them. It must be Friday. Have a good weekend all!
Curt

Bruce, curt

I am in need of advice on which velodyne sub or subs to get my room dimension are 16x18 with vaulted ceilings peaked at 11 foot and my room is also opened on one side to the kitchen and hallway so I have three walls and then open space. My front speakers are infinity alpha 50 quad wired. I was considering going with a spl 12 mk2 as I can get one for 1,000 or two cht 15 not sure which one would sound better. After reading some threads in here not sure if I need to get two spl 12 mk2 or two cht 15 or a dd 12 given my measurements what do you recommend.


Next question is how much better does the dd12 sound next to the spl 12mk2

Bruce,
thank you for participating here. Can you tell me more about what your model is with the DLS-4000 and what I could expect from that product?

Hello....I would like to thank you for keeping this a support thread as it was intended.

Originally posted by David Bott
Hello....I would like to thank you for keeping this a support thread as it was intended.

AMEN!

Originally posted by havasuman
Bruce, curt

I am in need of advice on which velodyne sub or subs to get my room dimension are 16x18 with vaulted ceilings peaked at 11 foot and my room is also opened on one side to the kitchen and hallway so I have three walls and then open space. My front speakers are infinity alpha 50 quad wired. I was considering going with a spl 12 mk2 as I can get one for 1,000 or two cht 15 not sure which one would sound better. After reading some threads in here not sure if I need to get two spl 12 mk2 or two cht 15 or a dd 12 given my measurements what do you recommend.


Next question is how much better does the dd12 sound next to the spl 12mk2

Hi,
You have a lot of open space to energize. Two CHT-15's would be the bang for the buck solution. A single SPL-1200 would not be enough, neither would a DD-12. Another possibility would be the servo controlled HGS-15X. In the DD line line look at the 15 or 18.
Curt

Originally posted by kippjones
Bruce,
thank you for participating here. Can you tell me more about what your model is with the DLS-4000 and what I could expect from that product?

Hi Kipp,
The DLS-4000 is a fairly new design featuring a 200 watt amplifier and a 12" driver with a vented pole piece. It is designed for small to medium rooms and performs very well on music and home theater. It's many features allow setup flexibility. Complete specs and info. are on our website; www.velodyne.com.
Thanks,
Curt

Thanks Curt,
I picked the unit up on 12/13 for my second system in a medium size room. I am running a Pioneer VSX-43TX with Klipsch speakers SF-2's, SS.5's and SC-1. The room is 15x20 suspended above a crawl space with carpeting on top of a wood floor. I have not dialed it in yet. Is there anything out of the ordinary I will need to do to get optimum performance out of the 4000?

Kipp,
Since your speakers are very efficient, we need to maximize the output of the DLS-4000.
1) Use a "Y" splitter into both inputs of the Velodyne.
2) Placement; in or near a corner, away from any openings.
3) Bring the receiver's volume control for the subwoofer jack up to about
3/4's of the way up. It's normally 1/2 way. (It's usually located in the
bass management section).
4) Call all your speakers "small" in speaker set-up.
Thanks,
Curt

Hi,

I currently have an HGS-15 connected to a B&K Ref 20 via a single RCA cable from the subwoofer out on the Ref 20 to an RCA y-cable that plugs into the HGS-15 in both the left and right line level inputs.

In a few days I'm upgrading the Ref 20 to a Parasound Halo C2, which has balanced analog outputs in addition to the standard RCA type. I am planning to use all balanced connections to hook up the C2 to my Parasound A52 (also new), but I'm not quite sure how to hook up the C2 to the HGS-15 via balanced connections.

The HGS-15 has two balanced inputs - a left and a right. The C2 only has one balanced subwoofer out. With the Ref 20 I split the single signal going to the HGS-15; but I'm not so sure that I should do that for the balanced input.

How should I hook up the HGS-15 to the C2 via balanced connections? Should I hook up the balanced subwoofer out from the C2 into just the right balanced input of the HGS-15? Or into just the left one? Should I get a balanced y-cable splitter and hook up the HGS-15 the same way I did via RCA cables? Will the balanced y-cable splitter cause noise or other audio problems?

I looked at my manual, but it doesn't go into detail about using the balanced connections; it just says the HGS-15 has them :)

Thank you.

Omen,
A single balanced cable into either balanced input on the Velodyne will be just fine. You could also use a balanced "Y" splitter into both inputs. A splitter will not add noise. Most users go with a single input when using balanced cable. On the new DD series there is a single balanced input.
Thanks for the question.
Happy Holidays,
Curt