***Official HSU owners/support thread!*** - Page 102

Glad you are happy... though it was to be expected. After owning mine for several months, I still smile when I watch a movie with great sound. You may find yourself lurking in THIS thread if you become addicted like me.

To get you started, check out these titles (not for the movie quality, but the bass quality):

- Cloverfield
- War of the Worlds
- Percy Jackson: The Lightning Thief
- Flight of the Phoenix
- Hot Fuzz

Round it out with some quality pipe organ recordings to really make the walls shake! My favorite ...

Bach "Toccata and Fugue in d minor"

Hey y'all. I got a VTF3.3 and I've basically picked up a Radio Shack SPL. They didn't have the analog one in stock where I went so I picked up the digital one. It seemed to work pretty well.

Before tuning, I found that I had no real mid punch and that I could localize the subwoofer. There was a lot of low bass, but it just overpowered everything else. This is what I would experience when using the Pioneer VSX-90 TXV's build in MCACC auto tuning.

So, using the SPL and the AVIA guide, I found that it required me to really keep the sub very low in gain and on the receiver to match the 85 DB at about 0 volume level on my receiver. I ended up with about -7.5 DB on the receiver (min = -10). Now, when playing it, I have some bass, but I prefer it running a little hot and have set it at -5 DB on the receiver because I like the extra bass. The result is nice and balanced with a little extra kick. So far, most of my test music plays without the levels being too high or too low.

I don't have the port and it's being sent to me via mail at the moment. Therefore, I'm doing all this with Max Output. When I do Max Extension, would I have to calibrate all this over again? Otherwise, does all this sound legit? Even though I've got the sub at a very low volume, it's banging! It's next to the couch in an endtable setup.


Now, I've got to figure out how to use the Room Eq Wizard with my macbook pro 13" to see if I can get a room sweep.

I'm not sure if you really will need to recalibrate everything. All that will happen when going into max extension mode is some overall output will be toned down to gain some extension. To make up for the lost output, just turn the gain up a little bit more until you have it where you like it. If you want to be exact you can redo everything, but I think at this point you should just adjust it by ear until you are happy with how it sounds.

... and several episodes of HBO's "The Pacific" might just have you diving for the foxholes in your HT room.

I just ordered my second vtf-1 sub from HSU in a walnut finish.Hoping it will come close to matching my Monitor Audio RS6,s in walnut.I moved my first VTF-1 to my bedroom setup where I watch about 80% of my movies anyway.The new sub will be used about 80% music 20% H.T. in the living room. I was torn between the HSU and one of the new emotivia subs but the HSU seem to be built a little more heavy,and like I said I have been more than happy with my first vtf-1. So for a little more money its hard to jump ship.

I have a question about both of these subs. It seems that on both music and movies I have to raise the volume pretty high to get really good bass. When I turn it up its great. Is there anyway to get more bass at lower volume by either a adjustment on the subs or on my Onkyo 805 ?

Thanks for suggestions.

Give Audyssey Dynamic EQ a try at lower listening levels.

Thanks for your reply but my 805 does not have Dynamic Eq.

Dang.

You could try using a Y splitter into both inputs on the VTF-1.

Banks1, what happens when you just bring up the levels on the sub or the AV receiver?

I dont get really good bass on either music or movies untill I turn up the system to -20.This is after running Audyssey I have all speakers set to small and crossover@ 80.It could be the source because on blue ray with dts and D. true it sounds a lot fuller and better at lower voulmes.Like I stated if I turn up the level to around -20 or higher the bass really kicks in. At -35 or -30 the deep full sound just is not there. I dont get bass that hits you in your chest on movies untill -15 t o-10 on the volume on the 805.By then my wife wants to know if I am deaf.

Dont get me wrong I have plenty of good bass at high levels just not at lower volume.

I assume Radio shack would have this ? Does this let you go from one cable to two so that you can plug it into both inputs on the sub?

Thanks for your replys.

Banks1, It does seem like the problem you are having is exactly what Dynamic EQ was designed to fix. Does your AVR have a "Loudness" button?

Dynamic EQ changes the equalizer as the volume is changed to keep the lows and highs near flat (the natural tendency is for these frequencies to taper faster than the mids when you lower the volume).

The old "Loudness" button basically does the same thing, but of course it's not calibrated, and not based on a volume curve, it's just on or off. But it's designed to give you a fuller sound at low volume.

You could also try Dynamic volume, or "midnight" mode, but this will decrease your dynamic range, and may not be a desired effect... but might sound a little fuller at low volume.

Thanks guys.

My yamaha in the bedroom has a Enhancer mode that seems to help some .Its kind of weird because Audyssey sets my fronts to large and double bass on my 805. I go back and set the mains to small and 80 xover. so that the sub handles anything below that.When it comes to subs I am lost as far as setup ect.I know my spouse would die if I mention a new A.V.R. I really like my 805 due to the power and I have never had any issues.

Yes

It is a "one female to two male" RCA splitter like this

It might help a little but the VTF-1 is not that powerful of a sub for the size room you have it in. So I would not expect much difference. The only way you will get better bass at lower volume would be to either use both the VTF-1s you own and put them into the family room or buy a higher price subwoofer such as the VTF3. The other method for getting a "kick in the chest" feeling at lower volume is to add transducers (buttkickers) to your seating.

If your receiver has a subwoofer output, I do not think a splitter will make any difference at all. You are basically taking the same exact signal and putting it into both inputs of the sub which doesn’t change anything (they will be combined before amplified).

The reason your sub has two inputs is in case your receiver does not have a dedicated sub output, then you need to take the left and right channels and put both into the sub so you don’t lose anything that might be in one and not the other.

Do you think or have you guys ever heard of any improvments in S.Q. by not useing Audyssey ? I thought of messing with the freq. adjustments manually to see how that effects it. If I could get it better by boosting low freq. output then I could change
Between Audyssey or manual .Also need to do the crawl test and move the sub around to see if that helps.

Also I will try both subs in the same room when the new one arrives.

Thanks again.

"Using a y-splitter is just boosting the gain on the unit..."

This has been discussed before, but if the sub pre-amp is summing the signals it does have an effect.


It's boosting the input level, and although the result may be the same it's a little different from just turning up the gain. Small differences which might not matter to most folks, and results will depend on the over-all relative gain for the entire chain. For example, if you're using just one of 2 inputs and having trouble with the "auto-on" function not responding, a Y-cable might fix that. Of course, adding or removing a Y will require re-calibrating the sub's level.

I am debating the PL-200, perhaps as a pair, compared to a VTF-2 MK 3. The pair would actually be cheaper shipped than the HSU (walnut, on sale) and have double the drivers and wattage. I'm not a make-you-ears bleed guy, and my living room is not large-- under 2000ft^3. But I love when I "feel" bass. And I'm coming from a Cerwin Vega 12" 150W that by its specs only extended to 32hz, so I know I'm missing notes on certain songs & movies.

Which setup is likely to serve me better for tv, netflix, and music, and which would go lower? Would even one PL-200 be a big upgrade from my CV?

(Other equip- Onkyo 707 ordered, JBL S38x4 + center)

I'd go for the VTF2. Two PL200's might have a bit more output, but it will probably not match the VTF2 for tightness and articulation. I would guess that they wouldn't have the deep tuning that the VTF can have as well. They are certainly two different classes of subwoofer.

I've owned such a PA-120 which I assume is similar to the PL-200. The one thing I remember is that it was quite muddy and I boomy. It did alright for the time that I had it; especially when money was tight. I was seriously considering getting another PA-120 but realized that all I would have is that same muddy bass note but louder. I ended up saving a bit more and getting the VTF-3 MK3 that I got used. Since then, I've been very happy. I had no idea what I was missing. I didn't know what they meant by clean, tight, and accurate bass. So, I would suggest you do either the VTF-2 or VTF-3.

Edit: I'll say, however, that the output and the quality of the PA-120 for the price point was really awesome. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the hell out of it. A great start to a home theater on a budget, but I think it should be limited to someone who wants to spend a very little amount to get started. But when you're talking about getting two of them, then the price point justification goes out the window.

+1

I bought my 707 3 days ago, and just ordered my STF-1. My first real HT setup. I am excited, I wonder how much of a upgrade the sub is compared to my HTiB Yamaha 40w muddy sub. How long does HSU take to deliver thru FedEx? 1 week?

so I just got my STF-1, and it is awesome. I am worried about the on/off/auto switch though, it looks fragile. It's a little tiny piece of metal. I am worried that it may break off if i keep switching it. could someone reassure me that it's perfectly sturdy and it won't break off?

I would personally leave it in the "on" position.

You can safely leave it on the "on" or "auto" position, because when the amp is not being used (ie no signal is being played back), it is the nearly same as if it were on the "off" position.

Just wanted to give a thumbs up to Hsu on having great customer support. I had an issue with my new vtf-1 and they walked me through takeing the amp and driver out and reinstalling it .It works great now.

Thanks, I'll probably leave it on on/auto. I have it connected to a surge protector outlet, so would it be bad if I leave the sub switch on, but turn off the outlet? I am thinking it might be bad for the amp if I leave it on and turn off the surge protector outlet.

I am very happy with my STF-1. I have a small 11x12 room and it is more than enough. I was playing Battlefield Bad Company 2 with max volume on the sub, and every bullet I shot, I could feel the bass hitting my chest. It almost felt like I was firing a real weapon. Especially shooting that grenade launcher. It thumped my whole room and my hit my body, but it was a very very clean and tight thump, not boomy at all.

Sorry, I just upgraded from a Yamaha HTiB Sub and was previously using a Logitech Z-2300 and this is my real first subwoofer so I am excited and wanted to share my experience. I made the right decision to go for HSU. It was either HSU or eD and I do not regret my decision at all, granted I didn't hear the eD, but I am extremely satisfied.