[nguyenphananh]

After read through hundreds of messages, comments, reviews on the web, I visited the HSU showroom in Anaheim yesterday. Unfortunately, Dr Hsu wasnt there. The other young poor man tried to help me. Even thought he did everthing to help me, but when I threw bunch of questions at him, he didnt seem to know much regarding the subject !! Back to the equipments, the show room was modest at best...didnt even setup properly. I was planning to buy the stf-2 as raved by every body here....so I had him A\\B audition test between the stf2 and vtf2. The guy just janked the cable from one sub to another...didnt really do any adjustment....The vtf2 sound awesome to me, just like how I expected it to be. However, I was shocked at the stf2 performance: it was no where tight, powerful, or musical like the vtf2 and all the raved on the net!! Even after I play around with the adjustments, the sound is still weak, boomy...quite disappointed. My Sony sub (5.1 set, first generation, made in japan) sound much tighter, more musical. I refuse to believe myself..and convince that it wasnt setup properly. Im still in the process of looking to buy this sub. Some body please give me a reason why hthis sub will be better my sony, and why I should buy this sub? is it actually significantly better? would the differencec be noticable?

 

[DMF]

Were they located in significantly different places in the room?

 

[cschang]

Something is not right...I have heard both STF-2 and VTF-2 in the same room, same equipment, and same location....both were great.

 

[tqlla]

I have been waiting for an STF-2 vs VTF-2 comparison for a while now

 

[Matt_Smi]

No doubt something is wrong there, either with the sub itself or the setup. I upgraded from a Sony SA-WM40 to an STF-2 and the HSU is so much better. It is the least boomy and tightest sub I have ever heard, where as the Sony was very boomy and “loose†sounding. I really won’t go into comparing the two because it is unfair for the Sony, but the last thing an STF-2 should be described as is boomy, something was defiantly wrong.

 

[Gretsch]

my first sub was a paradigm pdr-12. my first enjoyable sub was a hsu stf-2.


you said yourself that it wasn't setup properly.


wish you had a better experience. call them up and let them know about it. ask if you can come in again. maybe 'the doctor' (dr. J reference) will be available? hehe


still, nothing beats an in-home audition.


report back...

 

[nguyenphananh]

to the above post...yes, the stf2 and vtf2 at the show room was pretty much setup at the same location, next to each other, with the stf2 closer to the wall. But anyway, this morning I went ahead and bought the stf2, took it home...and to my dismay, the stf2 still doesnt sound as good as my Sony YET....I will have to spend more time to play around with it to make sure it get best setting. The sony sub still sounds much tighter on music (drum beat) ( the sony sub I have believe was a model 335...similar to bose sub, with the driver enclosed inside, with the front opening ported), however, on movie (testing with Pearl Harbor), the HSU does seems to go lower. But to make the HSu sound as strong as the Sony, I increased the volum to 12-1 o'clock...and the sound become boomy. Can anyone give me a opinion of the set up? right now I have the stf2 hooked up to denon 3805 with crossover on reciever set at 100hz (cuz the bass on my axiom M22 fronts almost dont exist), cross over on HSU turned all the way to the right( 90hz), volum at 12, phase 0 (not sure what to do with this and crossover switchs), crossover switch at IN....Sub right in the corner about 2 feet from the wall, between the 2 sofars...

 

[nguyenphananh]

to the above post...yes, the stf2 and vtf2 at the show room was pretty much setup at the same location, next to each other, with the stf2 closer to the wall. But anyway, this morning I went ahead and bought the stf2, took it home...and to my dismay, the stf2 still doesnt sound as good as my Sony YET....I will have to spend more time to play around with it to make sure it get best setting. The sony sub still sounds much tighter on music (drum beat) ( the sony sub I have believe was a model 335...similar to bose sub, with the driver enclosed inside, with the front opening ported), however, on movie (testing with Pearl Harbor), the HSU does seems to go lower. But to make the HSu sound as strong as the Sony, I increased the volum to 12-1 o'clock...and the sound become boomy. Can anyone give me a opinion of the set up? right now I have the stf2 hooked up to denon 3805 with crossover on reciever set at 100hz (cuz the bass on my axiom M22 fronts almost dont exist), cross over on HSU turned all the way to the right( 90hz), volum at 12, phase 0 (not sure what to do with this and crossover switchs), crossover switch at IN....Sub right in the corner about 2 feet from the wall, between the 2 sofars...

 

[Gretsch]

IMHO - 100Hz is too high.


the axiom m22 is fully capable of playing strong to 60Hz. set the sub x/o on the denon 3805 to 80Hz and see how you like it.


verify that the x/o switch on your stf-2 is set to OUT.

 

[cschang]

Do you have an SPL meter and test tones so you can properly calibrate a sub and speakers?

 

[nguyenphananh]

to the post #8

even thought the M22 supposed to play down to 60, when I set the x/o to 80, the bass didnt exit at all, and the sound was flat....Infact, at low volume, the sub didnt even being activate.....i set the bass output on the 3805 at +5. Try the x/o on sub at OUT (x/o control by reciever) this morning, and the sound seem to be very boomy, switched back to IN, and the bass was tighten.... I didnt hear any different with the phase switch setting either way....I have to play around with it more to know....and I dont have a sound meter...if I have that device, then it will be a done deal . I enjoy audio...but not to the level that will buy the device just to use one.

 

[DMF]

Get the sound meter. $35 whole dollars is not too much to enable you to properly use $2000 in gear.

 

[Gretsch]

hmm.

i still submit that the m22s can deliver acceptable amounts of mid-bass. this should integrate nicely with your axiom speakers. there are many many happy axiom owners who integrate HSU subs. are your m22s on stands or in a bookshelf?


reset all of your settings on the 3805 to 0. bass, treble, gains, everything.


set your speakers to small.


set subwoofer to Yes.


set sub x/o to 80Hz.


set hsu sub x/o switch to OUT.


turn gain on hsu to ~ 35%.


try a cd @ -26.0db.


i'd like to make another recommendation since you do not want to try an SPL meter. start with a low volume level then progress to higher volume levels when you feel that the lower volume level is correct. i find that less frustrating at least. you'll have more control of your desired results instead of looking for the immediate pot of gold.


some users even set their subs to -1 or -2 for movies.


i also recommend placing an stf-2 near a corner of the room. if you prefer it between the sofas, that's cool. move it approximately 1 foot from the wall and turn the phase up ~4 notches. (i liked that setup when i had the stf-2) are you trying the hsu in the same location as the sony?


last recommendation before i can't make it upstairs to fall asleep ... stop switching the subs back and forth. leave the hsu hooked up for now so you can become accustomed to its sound and response.

 

[nguyenphananh]

thanks Metalaaron

I will try your methic....Actually, you are kinda right, Im leaving the Hsu hooked for now, and try to get use to the new sound. For my setup, I had it pretty much exactly how you prefered, and right next to the sony. One thing Im not sure could be the cause for the boominess....The Sony has the front port that directs the sound wave\\pressure straight out into the room, while the HSu has the rear port that directs the sound\\pressure into the corner, that might reflex from the hard wall and cause the boominess. Im no enginneering and just guessing here, so people please dont laugh

I will place around to fine tune this sub....hopefully it is good


Regarding the Axiom speakers, my friend has a pair of M3 + HSU in a small dorm room..and it sounds better than my M22s...we both dumb found not sure how to explain this, except the M22 was placed in a larger room with tall ceiling.

Metalaaron:

even in my friend small dorm room with the hsu hook to the Onkyo rec, the volume was set to 9 o'clock for music and 12 o'clock for movie to produce a proper bass