[petiteface]

Folks:


So far I have not had much success with getting a good sound from my VTF2. I have tried various crossover settings, one port open - both ports open, output volume levels and am still not able to get the room-shaking effect that my friend's 10" Aperion sub can produde at just 1/3 output level.


The low-end is not tight or punchy, but appears to be more boomy! Should I be returning this for a beefier sub like the VTF-3 or one of th SVS beasts!


Thanks for any suggestion.


Note that the Aperion is not an option since its too good looking to match my existing speakers!!

 

[petiteface]

PS:


I am using Toy Story2 as my basis for comparison.

 

[ryn0128]

hi,


whats the size of your room? where did you placed your vtf-2?

have you calibrated it to 85db or 75db?


i have mine placed just behind my chair at the corner to get the near filed effect. if watching movies with LFE not lower tha 32hz, try playing it at the 2 open ports mode, switch must be made to 32hz. also look if the phasing is at best with mains to provide greater impact.


try watching monsters, inc or LOTR. these movies are knwon to have exagerrated LFE.


placing your woofer in the corner and away from open walls and openings are discouraged for this may bring null sound effects. i would recommend yout putting this at your back or at the front corner.

 

[petiteface]

Right now I have it next to my left main speaker in the front corner of my room and I am sitting about 10 feet away form it.



Hmm... I am little confused by the following two sentences.


a. placing your woofer in the corner and away from open walls and openings are discouraged


b. i would recommend yout putting this at your back or at the front corner


So is placing near the corner good or bad?

 

[ryn0128]

placing it at corner is good. you should also try to experiment with its position. tyr to place it at your back. just be sure you calibrated it. then try to play LOTR or Monsters inc.

 

[petiteface]

I will re-calibrate it and report out tonight. Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[bob23_60201]

Have you faxed your system information to Hsu? Fill out the form on their website. Also email or call Dr. Hsu (or post on their forum) and you can get more advice

 

[sushi]

Also, have you tried the so-called "sub crawling"?


In case you do not know about this method, you start by temporarily placing the sub at your normal listening position, on the couch or whatever so that it is placed not much lower than the ear level. Then, while playing some bass-heavy soundtrack or music, you crawl around the room, keeping your ears at about 1 feet from the floor. You will find that the level and character of the bass changes pretty drastically from location to location. You then pick several locations where you hear the most balanced and tuneful bass. Those are the best locations in your room to place the sub.

 

[Fourseasons]

I had the same problem with my Yamaha sub when I first purchased it.


Although my wiring is a little different (my old 2 channel amp doesn't have an LFE pre-out). I connect the speaker out from the amp to the sub speaker in, then from the sub speaker out to the speakers.


Anyway, for this type of wiring, I think the amp actually augments the power of the sub. At low amp volume levels, no matter how much I crank up the sub, the bass is mediocre. As I crank up the amp volume, I get more and more bass at lower and lower sub volumes.


Is this normal? Does the same thing happen with a sub connected to the LEF pre-out?

 

[sushi]

Quote:

At low amp volume levels, no matter how much I crank up the sub, the bass is mediocre. As I crank up the amp volume, I get more and more bass at lower and lower sub volumes.

That is exactly how your ears and brain are meant to behave. It is called Fletcher-Munson effect. As you see in the graph below, the lower the volume, the less bass you will hear relative to other frequencies...

http://www.allchurchsound.com/ACS/ed...aphics/fmc.jpg

 

[petiteface]

I just faxed the info to hsuresearch.


Sushi:


The sub crawling appears to be quite involved. I will give it a shot. Thanks.

 

[Fourseasons]

Thanks Sushi for the info.


Petiteface, hopefully you'll find your answers from hsuresearch. Let us know how things turn out. I am really interested in the VTF-2 sub as well, heard amazing things aobut it.

 

[petiteface]

So far my out-of-box experience has been disappointing. I am going to try all the suggestions given here and also take in suggestions from Hsuresearch. If nothing works, its going back.


I hate that they dont refund shipping though (since their charges are pretty steep), but thats probably better than living with a product that doesnt fit my needs.


Fourseasons:


I will let you know my progress.

 

[cschang]

petiteface,


Ask to borrow your buddy's Aperion sub and try it at your place. I think that would be a good test.

 

[Fourseasons]

Petiteface, why don't you call up Hsuresearch, and ask for another VTF-2? Maybe yours is defective (just guessing).

 

[Fourseasons]

And I just want to say thanks to Sushi once again for his explanation of the Fletcher-Munson effect.


An hour ago I cranked up my amp to eardrum popping levels, and my Yamaha sub is only cranked up to the 11 o'clock position, and guess what, my next door neight came banging on my door threatening me with calling up the police


Although I am still baffled on one thing though, if the loudness of the bass is only a perceived effect of overal volume, why can I only get that room shaking effect at high amp volumes, and not at low amp volumes, when the sub volume is at exactly the same position?


Petiteface, do you get that room shaking bass when you crank up the amp volume?

 

[petiteface]

cschang:


Thats precisely what I am going to do. Take my VTF-2 to his place and do an A/B with his Aperion and eliminate the room as one of the variables.

 

[petiteface]

Fourseasons:


I havent cranked up the volume beyond -24 on my 45TX since that would be too loud and not indicative of my normal listening mode. I have however adjusted the subwoofer dB level to +5dB with my Pioneer to see if I would get a different response and I could not get any significant difference.

 

[cschang]

Maybe something wrong with the Pioneer? If you adjust the level by 5db and can not get a significant difference, I'd say something could possibly be wrong with the receiver or receiver set-up. 5db on my set-up is significant.

 

[petiteface]

I do get higher output, but still no ground shaking from the VTF-2. The "nothing significant" comment referred to the VTF-2 still lagging behind the Aperion and not getting close to it yet.