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Sub from SVS or HSU Research?

4089 Views 47 Replies 23 Participants Last post by Nicholas Mosher, Oct 20, 2006

WebEffect

Discussion Starter · Oct 3, 2006

Both the SVS SB12-Plus and the HSU VTF-3 cost $699 factory-direct, which means I have no idea which one to go with. My room is 3584 cubic feet and I'm interested in deep bass for movies more so than really loud bass. I obviously still would like musical accuracy and little distortion...

Which is the better choice?

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1 - 20 of 48 Posts

spyboy

· #2 · Oct 3, 2006

The VTF-3 has an advantage in that it can be set-up either for maximum output (with a 25 Hz tune), or Maximum Extension with an 18Hz tune. In Max Extension, the '3 measured down 3 db at a very deep 16Hz, and this was done outdoors. In max extension mode, the '3 will have nearly a 10 db advantage in the deepest bass. Not even close.

This is not to slight the SB-12, it is simply not possible to achieve the same deep bass response from a tiny sealed box as you can get from a box 3X the size and ported, rather than sealed.

hammondc

· #3 · Oct 3, 2006

I just ordered a PB10 from SVS to compare with the ULW10 I have from AV123. I avoided the "SVS vs HSU" question, because from what I read, the debate can get really heated and you'll end up even more confused. Check audioholics dot com for some fairly unbiased reviews.

ransac

· #4 · Oct 3, 2006

A better comparo would be the SVS PB12-NSD at $599 to the STF-3. The PB12 is rated to 18Hz in a quasi-anechoic test (outdoors). Or compare the other SVS big ported subs to HSU big ported subs.

The SB12 is sealed and isn't rated to go into the sub 20Hz range. This sub is what you want to look at when size is an issue. It won't go as deep as some of the higher powered sealed subs or the big ported subs, but from the people who have heard it, it does go into the low 20s and with decent authority. It just can't hang with the big ported boxes or the 1000+ watt sealed units.

Davidt1

· #5 · Oct 3, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by hammondc
I just ordered a PB10 from SVS to compare with the ULW10 I have from AV123. I avoided the "SVS vs HSU" question, because from what I read, the debate can get really heated and you'll end up even mopre confused. Check audioholics dot com for some fairly unbiased reviews.

I can't wait to read your report.

bfdtv

· #6 · Oct 3, 2006

Hsu and SVS both produce excellent subwoofers, you can't really go wrong with either.

If space isn't a concern, the Hsu VTF-3 HO would probably be a better choice than the MkII. The HO is a significant upgrade over the MkII for just $100 more. There HO is shipping in volume now, but there is a two month waiting list.

SVS does offer many of its subwoofers in nicer finishes, if that is a concern. With Hsu, you're generally stuck with either matte black or piano black.

Fnord

· #7 · Oct 3, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by ransac
A better comparo would be the SVS PB12-NSD at $599 to the STF-3. The PB12 is rated to 18Hz in a quasi-anechoic test (outdoors). Or compare the other SVS big ported subs to HSU big ported subs.

The SB12 is sealed and isn't rated to go into the sub 20Hz range.

That's exactly what I was thinking.

...and conversely the SB12 would be a better comparison with the ULW.

Davidt1

· #8 · Oct 3, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fnord
That's exactly what I was thinking.

...and conversely the SB12 would be a better comparison with the ULW.

Since few budget subs can be equally good at both home theater and music roles, buyers of these subs often have to choose one or the other. The PB10 and ULW10 are perfect examples of these compromises: a big, ported sub for home theater or a small, sealed sub for music. One can not expect the PB10 to outperform the ULW10 with music. Conversely, the ULW10 is not expected to outperform the PB10 in the home theater role. The question then becomes "which sub performs reasonably well at the secondary role?" Does the ULW play deep and loud enough for the home theater role? Or does it flat out suck at movies? Is the PB10 good enough for music? Or is it a home theater sub only? A comparision will hopefully reveal that one sub is better at its secondary role than the other sub.

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Fnord

· #9 · Oct 4, 2006

Excellent post BTW David.

WebEffect

Discussion Starter · #10 · Oct 4, 2006

Thanks for the help guys. Just to be sure, what I gather is that I won't really lose out on anything by not getting the small SVS sub, and I'll have deeper bass? (Sigh, it's just that SVS's website does so much bragging about advantages that their subs have, whereas HSU seems to be just mainly the depth...?)

And does anyone think that the HSU is too big and will deliver too much of a sonic punch for a 3584 cubic ft space?

Peter Marcks

· #11 · Oct 4, 2006

Dear WebEffect,

May I ask, what are the approximate dimensions of your room (including distance from primary listening position to the front wall), and would it be possible to have nearfield placement of your subwoofer right next to your couch?

VTF-3 Mk2 in extended bass mode is pretty flat down to 16Hz when measured outside. I typically recommend this subwoofer for rooms up to around 4500 ft^3, it should not be overpowering in your room by any means.

Sincerely,

WebEffect

Discussion Starter · #12 · Oct 4, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter Marcks
Dear WebEffect,

May I ask, what are the approximate dimensions of your room (including distance from primary listening position to the front wall), and would it be possible to have nearfield placement of your subwoofer right next to your couch?

VTF-3 Mk2 in extended bass mode is pretty flat down to 16Hz when measured outside. I typically recommend this subwoofer for rooms up to around 4500 ft^3, it should not be overpowering in your room by any means.

Sincerely,

The room is a rectangular basement with 7' ceilings, 32' by 16'. The home theater is on the far half of it, so there's no wall to the immediate left. Distance from the TV-wall to listening position is 10 feet. There's also a fair amount of furniture around this space. For aesthetic purposes I would really rather have the sub up front but I could go otherwise provided there's a good reason...

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Peter Marcks

· #13 · Oct 4, 2006

Up front in a corner should work fine!

spyboy

· #14 · Oct 4, 2006

You won't regret getting the VTF-3MKII. I own both an SVS and a pair of VTF-3HO's, which for the current $100 premium over the MKII is an excellent buy. SVS has a very well done web site, and promotes their products very well. I hope that when Hsu redesigns its web site, they give themselves more well deserved credit, and look carefully at the web sites of other internet sellers including AV123 for some ideas of the kinds of promotional techniques being used by their competitors. The revision has been a long time coming and it makes sense to take enough time to incorporate the best techniques out there.

Jack Gilvey

· #15 · Oct 4, 2006

Quote:

Just to be sure, what I gather is that I won't really lose out on anything by not getting the small SVS sub, and I'll have deeper bass? (Sigh, it's just that SVS's website does so much bragging about advantages that their subs have, whereas HSU seems to be just mainly the depth...?)

The little sealed one is designed foremost to be small, it's not an assault on performance (although I imagine it'll be impressive in its class, as usual). They make larger subs for that...as you see verified in the professional performance reviews on their site (skip the "bragging".

).

Quote:

I just ordered a PB10 from SVS to compare with the ULW10 I have from AV123.

That should be...interesting.

hammondc

· #16 · Oct 4, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jack Gilvey
That should be...interesting.

Yes it should be. My listening is 90% HT and 10% music. I am not a seasoned audiophile by any stretch of the imagination so I won't throw around an bunch of lingo like I am. I have the ULW10 set up with (4)XLS and (1) XCS form AV123. The music performance is outstanding. However, it is a sub geared more for music and I knew that going in from the literature on the website, from talking with the great folks at av123 and from user reviews. I was attracted to the tiny size of it and the maple finishing so I thought I'd give it a shot. However, I quickly discovered it is not what I need for HT use. I was gambling on the compromise that David was talking about and he is very right. I think the PB10 will accel in HT by a large margin and from I read, the music performance is very good (for a ported enclosure). I can't wait to plug up and calibrate the PB10 and then see how it handles the ring drop at the beginning of LOTR 1.

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anonymouse99

· #17 · Oct 4, 2006

hammondc, we eagerly await your findings. It would be nice to know once you play some of your favorite music and compare the 2 units. I am also curious to know from others about the differences between UFW10 and ULW10. Did you consider a UFW10 at any point during your research?

hammondc

· #18 · Oct 4, 2006

Never really considered at UFW10. You don't really get that much for the price difference (IMHO). I think it is a slightly bigger amp and a little more calibration. The big jump would be to the UFW12, but then your are way above my budget.

kyp275

· #19 · Oct 5, 2006

I have the same dilemma here, can't decide if I want to get the ULW10 or the PB10 :/

although the thought of getting two ULW10 has certainly crossed my mind

Davidt1

· #20 · Oct 5, 2006

I saw a b-stock ULW yesterday for great price of $319. That's a $500 sub. Why SVS never has this kind of discount? I almost bought it because I have often thought about getting a PB10 for movies and a ULW for music. I would turn the PB10 off and the ULW on when I listen to music and the the other way around when I watch movies. Now I am hoping the PB10 performs decently with music so I will have to buy just one sub.

1 - 20 of 48 Posts

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