Official Rythmik Audio Subwoofer thread - Page 248

FYI, I just sent a note through your contact page. The finish I want is black matte.
I'm holding out hope that I could get it by next Friday, but I certainly understand backlogs and I'm sure this is a busy time of year for you. Vacation season (I have a lot saved up) has snuck up on me, so suddenly I'm very eager to get my new toy and get it dialed in. Being a type-A personality, that can take some time
BTW, I'm assuming that an F15-DS1505 has essentially the same performance as an F15-DS1501? The CI page makes note of 10Hz higher extension, but that's not important for my application.

I do not think you will find a direct replacement. The servo feedback is a little different for every manufacturer. You could try sticking in whatever speaker you can find and remounting the sensor from your unit to see if it works, seeing if you can get it reconed by a service over the 'net, or buy a new sub. Did Velodyne offer any alternatives other than buying a new sub?

You would get more responses posting in a Velodyne thread or starting a new thread.

Hi!

I'm trying to contact rythmic audio via their website but there's no answer! Is there a problem with this brand?

Thanks: David

No, there is no problem with Rythmik products or services.
Brian, the designer/engineer/assembler/parts guy is pretty much a one man band, based out of Texas. It sometimes takes him a while to respond, might be travelling around the world or spending some time with family. He will get back to you, he checks in here time to time. You could also PM him here, just read back in this thread, Brian goes by the usename "Rythmik". Its worth the wait and just remember, people do have a life other than their business or subs.

Ok thanks!

No problem to wait, I was just affraid rythmic could be closed!
So, I'll wait for Bryan answer!

I've had good luck speaking with Enrico at this address: tech@rythmikaudio.com . He was responsive and answered all my questions.

None, but the other brands has a problem with this brand

So I got a lot of flack from some guys that my center was channel was too low. I guess it's one of those details that I just let slip and didn't focus on. I got a new stand over the weekend.

I think it looks much better and the sound coming from the front does sound better.

Only posting here is I was using the picture to show my new Rythmiks.

Great-looking set-up, and the CC speaker is definitely at a more appropriate height.

Thanks, I thought your setup looked familar, we checked out your pictures when we were getting my buddy some CHT subs. He actually bought two likes yours, and I sold him my old 1st GEN CHTs. 4 18s.

Nice setup!

Six subs?! Wow...
Thanks!

If you don't mind my asking:
- How do you like the Rythmiks (FV15s or 15HPs?)?
- How would you compare them to the Chase subs, in terms of output, extension, "tightness", etc.?

Thanks!

In terms of output and extension there is no comparison. The Rythmik FV15HPs best the CHTs. My CHTs were in the same spot with the same equipment and they rolled off around 20. It's a very big difference in movies. I get a heck of a lot more feeling in my room. I had regretted selling my MFW 15s as I felt I enjoyed the feel you get from ported subs, aka the air moving, etc.... I would have to do some more critical listening to judge the tightness. My friend who took the CHTs was amazed at the difference these subs made in my room.

Oh and he only has 4 subs. I see how you got 6 from my post, but I meant 4 total. :-)

^^
Glad to hear. I was thinking about the Chase pair like Eljay but due to space limit, I ended up with a single FV15hp running with 1 port open for max extension. What mode are you running your pair?

Cool, thanks for the reply. It's a shame the CHT's rolled off so quickly in your room. Mine play down to ~17Hz @ -3dB in my ~3,375 cu.ft. room, but my buddy's dual CS-18.1s play down to ~10Hz @ -3dB in his much smaller (~2,025 cu.ft.) room. Glad to hear, though, that the FV15HPs give you what you're looking for. If I had the need - and the cash - I'd very seriously consider upgrading to a couple of them myself.
Oh, well, only four subs!
Edited by eljaycanuck - 12/4/12 at 5:11am

Same as you, 1 port open for max extension.

Which Rythmik sub for 50/50 music and movies in a large, open floor plan? I'm about to pull the trigger on a pair of Ascend CMT-340s, matching center, and CBM-170s for surrounds. I want it all -- tight, rich mid-bass for music and intense low, lows for movies. Is it possible to have both? Is there any truth to the "sealed sub for music but not HT and ported sub for HT but not music" idea. I don't listen at reference levels. Two subs is not really an option. What would you guys recommend?

^^
FV15HP

I have dual fv15hp and they are doing a very good job on both music and HT. Rythmik ported sub is nearly as good as any sealed sub out there in term of tightness and midbass punch.

Thanks guys! I think you're probably right -- especially for my big room. Not counting the open kitchen and nook, I'm already at 4,000 cubic feet thanks to my vaulted ceilings.

How does the F15 sealed do for movies? I'm sure it's outstanding for music.

I know specs don't tell the whole story, but I'm having trouble understanding how the F15 and FV15 compare.

Handwaving subjectivitis post:

The FV15 is ported so offers a little higher output but less extended LF below the port frequency. The F15 is sealed so does not roll off as fast, offering a bit deeper bass. Both use the patented Rythmik servo (feedback control) loop so performance is pretty comparable and much better than many other subs. Sealed designs generally offer a little better sound as the cone movement is better controlled; Brian says he can tell a slight difference comparing ported to sealed using his servo design. I rather doubt I could. There is the potential for port noise (a sort of "chuffing" sound) with any ported design but for a good design used within its limits that is unlikely. The HP version of either provides a more powerful amplifier and longer-throw speaker (driver, cone) that adds perhaps 2 - 3 dB, a difference you are unlikely to hear and only a small increase in headroom.

Search this thread and the Rythmik web site; Brian (the owner and designer of Rythmik) has posted both response graphs and tabulated the output of various subs in the line.

I would guess the F15 would do movies just fine. The trend I have observed is for folk to buy the biggest, most powerful model with the idea of "future-proofing" and not wondering later if they might have benefitted from more power etc. I suspect the vast majority are succumbing to testosterone rather than knowledge or listening, but so it goes... Perhaps that is just my own ego speaking, since all I own is a pair of puny little F12’s… They do shake the walls in my modest room.

FWIWFM - Don

p.s. I would advocate a pair of subs for a large space, or evena small space, to help smooth out the response.

FWIW, Brian from Rythmik posted the folllowing in a subwoofer shootout thread hereabouts a year or so ago:

At 20 Hz, our subs vary in their maximum output capability. The output at 20 Hz is shown relative to F12.

F12: 0db (baseline)
F15: +2db D15: +2db
FV12: +3db
E15HP: + 3.5db
F15HP: +4db
FV15: +7db
FV15HP: +9db


So the FV15 will be about 5 dB louder at 20 Hz. The advantage goes away as you increase in frequency. It's stuck in my head that Brian has suggested max output is similar once you get to around 50 or 60 Hz, but I could be remembering wrong.

Also, what DonH says above.

I guess the other thing I'd add is that at a sub shootout in Kansas City semirecently, nobody could accurately tell whether a sub was sealed or ported just by listening (when the subs were behind the curtain with the Wizard). So while there apparently are differences that at least trained listeners can hear, my overall (and surprising to me) take is gravitating toward, "if a sub is well designed whether it is ported or sealed will not result in a significant audible difference, if they are operated within their linear ranges." But my bias remains, "I'd do sealed if I can get adequate output at an appropriate cost." But I realize it's really a bias, like my preference for using lossless soundtracks where available although I know, intellectually, that the higher bitrate lossy codecs present on BluRays are likely sonically indistinguishable from the lossless, especially in my imperfect room at my (-10 to 20 dB from reference) listening levels.

Last night I spoke with Brian and he was posting a limited time offer on the web site. For a limited time Rythmik is offering the H550PEQ3 version amplifiers with a $100 discount. They post that the maximum SPL difference between H600PEQ3 and H550PEQ3 is less than 0.5db. I was trying to decide between the HSU VTF15H of the Rythmik FV15 after several days and hours of reading. I made a call to both companies to clarify a few questions and to my amazement spoke directly with Dr. Hsu about the VTF15H and Brian with Rythmik. Both Dr. Hsu and Brian were helpful and patient with my questions. When Brian told me about the offer on the FV15HP with the 550 watt amp at a $100 discount from the 600 watt amp it grabbed my attention. I then realized that the HP version has the upgraded 1510 driver is also included and the cost is only $50 more than the standard FV15. This was the deal maker for me. I immediately made the purchase for the FV15HP with the 550 watt amp and cannot wait for delivery. I made the purchase at 11:35 pm last night and by 1:15 am had a UPS tracking number. That's service and WOW.....WHAT A VALUE !!!

Congrats on the purchase, that was the same deal I got a few weeks ago. It was an option when I went to add them to my cart.

You are going to love it!

Thanks for finding the info, JHAz. I had forgotten there was such a difference in output from the F12 to FV15HP (which was not available when I got my F12's, probably a good thing). Note the loudness curves compress at LF so a difference of 5 dB or so is likely to sound twice as loud, not that it matters all that much unless you really need that extra headroom.

IIRC, for well-designed subs and especially using servos, the only real significant difference between ported and sealed in normal operation is the ported models will roll off faster than the sealed. Since that frequency is so low on these subs I doubt anybody can tell. I think the difference in SQ is very small, again likely indetectable at such low frequencies.

IME, poor ported designs are readily detectable by their higher distortion and/or port noise. Most ported designs do just fine at normal or even unreasonably high listening levels.

FWIWFM - Don

Does this discount apply to the CI version as well? Brian if you could comment, that would be wonderful!

I received my shiny (erm, matte, actually) new F15-DS1505 today Much faster than I expected due to Brian shipping super-fast, and UPS actually delivering a day ahead of schedule (how often does that happen?!).

After wrestling the beast out of the boxes (super-sturdy packaging, BTW), and letting it warm up some, I started on the frequency response measurements. And here's where I hit a head-scratcher pretty much right away:

These are all near-field (125mm), on the LFE input, and PEQ-off, in order to try and get the sub's inherent response as closely as possible. Below about 45Hz the response is exactly what I expected. But higher up there seems to be a wide hump, let's say from around 60Hz-180Hz, with a peak around 120Hz at around +6-8dB.
I haven't found that feature in any other frequency response graphs, including this one from Brian:

I have tried various things like moving the sub and mic to other positions in the room, but that feature is always present.

So far I've had a few ideas as to what might causing that, but with no evidence for any of them:

• room interaction, in-spite of being a near-field measurement
• DS1505 instead of DS1501, and having different inherent frequency response
• response will even out after breaking-in

Has anyone else seen behavior like that before, and/or have any good explanation for it?

Since the hump is largely above the crossover point, and I'm going to use Audyssey MultiEQ XT32, I'm not very worried about it yet. More an issue of curiosity, and wondering if I should wait for it to break in more before doing the tedious EQ work.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts,
-- Dave

LOL how does it sound?

It sounds like a subwoofer playing measurement sweeps and pink noise which match those FR graphs
I haven't had a chance to wrestle it into position, let alone hook it up to the HT yet. I still have to decide what I want to do for feet to allow me to slide it into place... I hate to just stick some felt pads onto the bottom like I do with most furniture (I have hardwood floors), for fear of damaging the finish if I ever decide to remove them. Yes, I'm a picky perfectionist