Let's be honest: No one really cares about treble response. What's that all about anyway? "Air" or something? Give me a break. Frankly, if you are a real music lover or movie buff, you've been listening at loud levels for plenty long enough to fry your ears' high-frequency response anyway. Good riddance. And what's the deal with midrange? "Presence" and "speech intelligibility?" Who cares? If you wanted to understand what people were saying, you'd start paying attention.
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Hsu VTF-3 MK 3 Turbo |
Honestly, the only thing we care about is bass. And we really care about bass. We love bass. We can't get enough bass. Moreover, we need bass. If your heart stops from eating too many cheeseburgers, you'd need that sub for life-saving chest massage. Let's see a tweeter do that. Whether it is music or movies, we want the room to shake. We want our pants legs to flap. We want our next door neighbor's ceiling to start oscillating at 12 Hz and then collapse. Law suits. Bring 'em on. We want a guy three miles away to suddenly pause, look at the sky, and say to himself, "Funny, it doesn't look like rain."
In our quest for more bass, we rounded up five dynamite subwoofers priced between about $650 and $800. We picked some small ones, some Goldilocks ones, and some monster ones. We measured them to get the laboratory facts (see Test Bench), and we listened to them to evaluate their real-world performance. We wanted to know how low they would go, how loud they would play, and how good they sounded on music and movies. Sure, some were better than others. But when the test was over, I decided to keep them all and hook them all up. The more bass the better. And when the manufacturers come to get them, let's see if they can break through that invisible sonic wall of 12-Hz sound waves ringing my house.
Test Setup
Evaluating low-frequency sound quality is particularly tricky because of the interactions between speaker performance and room acoustics. If you try hard enough, in a given room, you can get a good speaker to sound bad and a bad speaker to sound decent. My listening room encompasses about 3,300 cubic feet, perhaps a tad bigger than many living rooms. I have identified a spot along my front wall, near the front left satellite, that can deliver smooth response below 200 Hz. I placed each subwoofer under test in that position. (Hint: To find the magic spot in your room, put the sub in your listening chair, then crawl around the floor until you find a spot with good bass response. Then trade positions with the sub.) I evaluated the subs both in crossover-bypass mode (using an 80-Hz crossover in my receiver) and using their own crossovers. I also used an SPL (sound-pressure level) meter to adjust and compare levels. I listened to material that I was very familiar with; I knew what those sub tracks should sound like. These are all things that you should do to set up and evaluate a sub in your listening room. Disclaimer: Subwoofer performance will vary somewhat from room to room. Although my evaluations were consistent in my room, any sub may perform differently in yours. One final tip: Do not evaluate subwoofers after 11:00 pm (local nuisance ordinances may apply).
Test Tracks
CDs
• Saint-Saens, Organ Symphony (second movement) This is a deceptively simple piece of music, with pianissimo strings playing a simple melody and the organ exhaling a few sustained pedal tones. The problem is that those pedal notes are in the bottom octave, reaching all the way down to 16 Hz. Most subwoofers simply can't grasp that, so they fake it with upper harmonics. Only a few can tackle the lowest octave and play it loud enough so you can feel the air in your listening room (like the air in the organ loft) flutter.
• Linkin Park, Reanimation This is a great album, both musically and technically. I particularly like the surround mix of "FRGT/10." The synth bass plays a sequence of notes, each with its own sonic character. The lower notes are warm and smooth, while the higher ones really snap and bounce. The sub must have tremendous low-end grunt together with great punch -- an ability to dig deep and also dance with a lively dynamic response.
DVDs
• Superman Returns The Man of Steel is back, and eager to kick ass -- in a shy and modest way, of course. As with any action movie, this one relies on heart-pounding effects. When a space shuttles tears through the atmosphere or an airliner plunges toward the ground, you need to feel those events, preferably with your shirt flapping against your chest. Those long sound-pressure waves are essential to getting your blood pumping and emotions stirring; without them, the movie won't work.
• Godzilla You just can't evaluate subwoofers without at least one movie featuring a gigantic mutant sea creature. In movie-theater lingo, subs are LFE (low-frequency effects) speakers. That is certainly the case here, where Godzilla's every footstep is accompanied by a dull but loud thud. Add in all the explosions, crashes, collapses, and general mayhem, and you've got a soundtrack that demands a great sub that can move lots of clean air. In fact, for this movie, the sub is so important you don't really need satellites. (Kidding, kidding.)
Hsu VTF-3 MK 3 Turbo ($799; without Turbocharger, $699; Turbocharger purchased separately, $199)
What's in the Box?
• Driver: 12-inch
• Rated amplifier power: 350 watts continuous
• Cabinet design: side-firing, dual rear ports
• Finish: black or maple
• Controls: level, continuously variable low-pass crossover (24 dB/octave, 30 to 90 Hz), crossover bypass, phase switch (0, 180 degrees), bass extension (1 port open or with Turbo 18Hz, 2 ports open with no Turbo 25 Hz), auto-on/on switch
• Ins & outs: dual line-level inputs, dual speaker-level inputs and outputs
• Warranty: 7 years (2 years on amplifier)
How Big Is It?
• Dimensions (WxHxD): subwoofer, 17 x 22 x 25 inches; Turbocharger, 17 x 10.5 x 11.5 inches
• Cabinet volume: 5.5 cubic feet
• Footprint: 3 square feet
• Weight: subwoofer, 90 pounds; Turbocharger, 25.5 pounds
Setup
When subwoofers start nudging the 100-pound mark, you certainly don't lift with your back -- and you don't lift with your legs, either. You have someone else lift it. Better yet, don't lift it at all; slide it across the carpet. The VTF-3 MK3 is imposing, all the more so with the Turbocharger that either inspired The Blue Man Group or was inspired by it. The Turbo is a passive device with tubes that connect to the VTF-3's ports, lengthening them and effectively doubling port volume to extend low-frequency output. Controls are straightforward, with no line-level output and a simple two-position phase switch. The low-pass crossover reaches up to about 90 Hz, which is high enough to blend with most satellites. This is a side-firing design, so take care to avoid jamming the driver right up against a wall. (Interestingly Hsu suggests placing the sub so the driver faces into the back of your sofa, with 1 or 2 inches of spacing, to provide good upper bass that is hard to localize.) Similarly, keep in mind that the Turbocharger ports face perpendicularly to the driver, another thing to think about before you start dragging the subwoofer around the carpet.
How Low Does It Go?
• Bass limit (with Turbocharger): 16 Hz at 83 dB SPL (maximum 10% distortion)
How Big the Bang?
• Average maximum output, 25 to 62 Hz (with Turbocharger): 105 dB SPL
• Maximum output (with Turbocharger): 109 dB SPL at 50 Hz
• Dollars per dB: $7.61
How Did It Sound?
Saint-Saens The VTF-3 MK 3 Turbo was made for Saint-Saens' Organ Symphony or, for that matter, any organ recording. It can dig down to an honest 16 Hz and play it both loudly and musically. The sound of the pipes was very realistic, with the entire harmonic structure, from fundamental on up, well balanced to produce a huge, natural sound. If you don't listen to organ music, or in general to material with content below 25 Hz, you probably don't need the Turbo; it's job is to augment the very bottom end, which it does superbly.
Linkin Park I have listened to this track on hundreds of subs, and rarely have I heard it reproduced so well. The lowest notes of the bass line were smooth at low and medium volume; even at very high volume, the sub was pretty tight and free of resonance. The upper notes had a good snap to them, with not a hint of sloppiness or blooming. This recording has a good low end but not huge amounts of rock-bottom energy; so the Turbo helped, but the VTF-3 MK3 also sounded pretty darn good without it.
Superman Returns Space Shuttle + Airplane + Lois Lane = Trouble. It also equals some very impressive LFE. An earthquake in a toy model is a warm-up to a terrific action sequence, and the VTF-3 MK3 Turbo was eager to tackle it. The ambient rumble was loud, the explosions were clean, and rocket engines blasted. Even when I pushed playback levels to "11" the sub complied with minimal protest. Turbo-assisted, it was extremely capable in the lowest octave.
Godzilla If you want to know what a gigantic sea monster sounds like when it destroys a city, you can either be there or listen to it through a VTF-3 MK3 Turbo. This sub was wildly impressive on this movie, delivering beaucoup bass, low and loud. It seemed to have an endless supply of ambient rumble and didn't flinch when hit with explosions. When I cranked it up, it just got louder. Sure, it has its limits, but your neighbors will probably reach theirs first. Part of the fun of this kind of movie is feeling the room shake, and the Turbocharger really helps make it happen.
What's the Bottom Line?
The VTF-3 MK3 Turbo is the total subwoofer package, packing solid bass extension, strong, clean output, snappy dynamics, and smooth tonal response. It sounds equally good on music, where its refined performance shines, and on movies, where it kicks butt like Chuck Norris. It has its limits, but it was the most convincing high-output deep-bass performer in this group, thanks in part to the Turbocharger extension ports, which are the real deal. Plus, the Turbo just looks so cool. If you want the police knocking on your door, this is the sub for you.
Manufacturer
Hsu Research
www.hsuresearch.com
714-666-9260
Klipsch RW-12d ($699)
What's in the Box?
• Driver: 12 inches
• Rated amplifier power: 350 watts continuous
• Cabinet design: front firing, ported
• Finish: black ash
• Controls: level, EQ mode (Punch and Depth emphasis settings at 60 and 30 Hz, respectively, and Flat), variable low-pass crossover (40 to 120 Hz in 5-Hz increments), crossover bypass, variable phase (10-degree increments), power, auto-on/on.
• Ins & outs: dual line-level inputs, dual speaker-level inputs
• Warranty: 2 years
How Big Is It?
• Dimensions (WxHxD): 14.5 x 19.3 x 21 inches
• Cabinet volume: 3.4 cubic feet
• Footprint: 2.1 square feet
• Weight: 49 pounds
Setup
At first glance, this sub looked like somebody had ripped off all its controls. The only one one the back is a power switch. Closer examination revealed a small cursor keypad and display on the top front of the cabinet. Unfortunately, it covers only the basic control set, and I found it a pain to use. On the upside, you can store three different global settings. This is convenient because, for example, you might want less bass for music and more for movies. There are no line- or speaker-level outputs, and I thought the sub's plastic grille cover looked kind of flimsy for a macho subwoofer. The low-pass crossover reaches up to about 95 Hz, so blending with satellites should not be a problem.
How Low Does It Go?
• Bass limit (Flat setting): 20 Hz at 86 dB SPL (maximum 10% distortion)
How Big the Bang?
• Average maximum output, 25 to 62 Hz (Flat setting): 108 dB SPL
• Maximum output (Flat setting): 115 dB SPL at 50 Hz
• Dollars per dB: $6.47
How Did It Sound?
Saint-Saens The RW-12d did a reasonable job with the lower half octave and nearly handled the 16-Hz tones. The upper half octave had a reasonably balanced response, without any undue peaks. The sub's tonal quality was a little boomy, however, and it sometimes blossomed into resonance when hitting certain notes. It delivered lots of good bass but occasionally some not so good bass.
Linkin Park The RW-12d sure didn't shy away from this tough track, jumping in with loads of low bass and doing a great job at soft levels. It tackled the lowest notes and played them, not with the best fidelity, but with lots of energy. Mid and upper frequencies were more controlled, but the tonal quality was sometimes muddy. The snap in the bass line was obscured by some port noise, so the power of the note was there, but not always the enunciation. When really cranked, distortion was evident.
Superman Returns This sub is a real barn-burner. It cranked out loads of low bass and easily made the bric-a-brac rattle, handling the various rocket engines, airplane dives, and explosions with plenty of sonic power. On the other hand, that output was clean only at lower levels. At high levels, the breakup was easy to hear when I soloed the sub. With the satellites playing as well, however, much of this clutter was masked. So in real-life application (who besides a reviewer listens to a subwoofer by itself?), the faults are less apparent.
Godzilla The bass track on Godzilla is not a finesse track -- it is an all-out let's-move-air track. The RW-12d was not put off by the challenge. When the Big Guy stomps, this sub shakes. It rumbled my rafters in the underwater sequence as the submarines closed in. When pushed, it hit the wall with some serious "blatting," but up to that limit, this sub was impressive with big-time LFE material.
What's the Bottom Line?
The RW-12d does a good job at moderate levels, with a healthy amount of low bass and good upper-range tonal balance. When cranked up on music, however, it overreaches and can't hold it together, yielding powerful but often muddy bass. This is passable for movies, but not for music. Thus, I liked this sub a lot for movies, where it really shook the room, but somewhat less so for music. I found the keypad and display to be a pain to use; I consistently punched the wrong buttons and longed for a couple of simple knobs.
Manufacturer
Klipsch
www.klipsch.com
800-554-7724
Outlaw Audio LFM-1EX ($649)
What's in the Box?
• Driver: 12 inches
• Rated amplifier power: 350 watts continuous
• Cabinet design: down-firing, dual ports
• Finish: matte black with smoked plexiglass insert
• Controls: level, continuously variable low-pass crossover (24 dB/octave, 40 to 180 Hz), crossover bypass, phase switch (0, 180 degrees), port mode (25-Hz maximum output, 20-Hz bass extension), power, auto-on/on
• Ins & outs: single line-level input, dual speaker-level inputs and outputs
• Warranty: 3 years
How Big Is It?
• Dimensions (WxHxD): 17 x 21.5 x 24 inches
• Cabinet volume: 5.1 cubic feet
• Footprint: 2.9 square feet
• Weight: 80 pounds
Setup
Despite being the lowest-priced subwoofer in this review, the LFM-1EX is a pretty good bruiser -- lift with your legs, never with your back. I was surprised to see a single mono line-level input. That works, but I always feel better with dual inputs. Also, there are no line-level outputs. Phase control is limited to a 0/180-degree polarity switch. This is usually sufficient, but, again, I would feel better with a continuously variable control. A Port Mode switch lets you choose 25-Hz extension with maximum output or 20-Hz bass extension. The LFM-1EX is a downward-firing sub (with bottom-mounted ports as well) and comes with substantial metal feet to raise the cabinet off the floor. The floor covering (carpet versus wood, for example) can sometimes affect the output from down-firing models. In my case, I placed the sub over clay tiles, which did not seem to have any particular effect. The low-pass crossover extended up to about 100 Hz, making blending with satellites fairly easy.
How Low Does It Go?
• Bass limit (Bass Extension mode): 20 Hz at 96 dB SPL (maximum 10% distortion)
How Big the Bang?
• Average maximum output, 25 to 62 Hz (Bass Extension mode): 106 dB SPL
• Maximum output (Bass Extension mode): 109 dB SPL at 32 Hz
• Dollars per dB: $6.12
How Did It Sound?
Saint-Saens The LFM-1EX was fearless on the low notes. It banged out 20 Hz and made a stab at the 16-Hz stuff, pausing only to trigger its protection circuits. The upper half-octave had a great organ sound; I could hear characteristic pipe detail lacking with other subs, including a kind of warmth that shows good tonal reproduction.
Linkin Park This is a tough track, and the LFM-1EX played it with a distinctive sound quality. The very lowest notes did not punch as hard as they should; the sub couldn't really dig all the way down to the very bottom. But, it reproduced the middle and upper notes superbly. As with the Saint-Saens, the inner detail was astounding. I heard tonal qualities in the bass line that I've never heard before. The sub could play very loud, but at the highest levels, the breakup raspberries really started to kick in.
Superman Returns The LFE track here has extreme low-frequency content, which the LFM-1EX reproduced quite well at modest levels. Ambient rumble was clear and uncluttered, free of any defects. At loud levels, the bottom half octave of rumble caused the sub to rattle more than I wanted. On the other hand, the higher-pitched explosions sounded quite good, with good attack.
Godzilla This soundtrack's LFE rumble was nicely reproduced at low and medium levels, with convincing power and uncluttered sound quality. Impact noise had a good punch to it, as long as peaks did not demand too much. When cranked to higher levels, the sub started to lose integrity as driver and cabinet resonances took over. This occurred only at loud levels, however, and when I turned on the satellites, some of this distress was covered by the upper-frequency content.
What's the Bottom Line?
The LFM-1EX is a true rock 'n' roll subwoofer. It plays loud and it goes fairly deep. At moderate frequencies and levels, its tonal quality is very good. But when pushed, it starts to reveal the stress. The tonal balance is somewhat unusual -- although the lower bass is there, the sound seems much sweeter in the upper bass. At the highest levels, cabinet resonances can be pronounced. The Outlaw handled LFE movie tracks nicely, with enough power to rattle the room and enough detail to articulate bass impact, as long as it wasn't pushed into overload. It also bears noting that the LFM-1EX was our dollars-per-dB champ.
Manufacturer
Outlaw Audio
www.outlawaudio.com
866-688-5297
SVS SB12-Plus ($699 to $799, depending on finish)
What's in the Box?
• Driver: 12 inches
• Rated amplifier power: 425 watts continuous
• Cabinet design: front-firing, sealed
• Finish: charcoal black ($699), golden oak ($749), rosenut ($749), natural maple ($749), piano gloss ($799)
• Controls: level, continuously variable low-pass crossover (12 dB/octave, 40 to 120 Hz), crossover bypass, continuously variable phase, parametric EQ with level, Q, frequency (20 to 80 Hz) settings, room-size compensation (small, medium, large), power, auto-on/on
• Ins & outs: dual line-level inputs and outputs, dual speaker-level inputs and outputs, dual balanced inputs and outputs
• Warranty: 3 years
How Big Is It?
• Dimensions (WxHxD): 13.5 x 13.5 x 13.5 inches (without grille)
• Cabinet volume: 1.4 cubic feet
• Footprint: 1.3 square feet
• Weight: 40 pounds
Setup
This sub is easily the smallest of the group, but at 40 pounds, it packs a lot of audio into a compact cabinet. Its control set is excellent, providing all the usual stuff plus two important extras. A room-size compensation switch, in conjunction with a little math, let me dial in a little more low-bass extension. And there's a full, built-in parametric equalizer -- a superb tweaking tool that's useful in any room and crucial in a "problem" room. With just a little knob jockeying (careful, because there's considerable interaction between controls), I was able to flatten a troublesome 60-Hz peak in my listening room. Using these controls, I was able to really optimize this sub for my particular room. I also appreciated the full I/O set, including dual balanced inputs and outputs -- how often do you see those? I was impressed by the build quality of the driver, with its anodized aluminum cone and cast basket, and the supremely solid grille. The SB12-Plus is a small but very well engineered subwoofer. Its low-pass crossover extends up to about 110 Hz, so it's easy to blend this sub with satellites.
How Low Does It Go?
• Bass limit: 32 Hz at 102 dB SPL (maximum 10% distortion)
How Big the Bang?
• Average maximum output, 25 to 62 Hz: 104 dB SPL
• Maximum output: 110 dB SPL at 62 Hz
• Dollars per dB: $6.72
How Did It Sound?
Saint-Saens This little cube couldn't reach down as far as the longest organ pipes can, but it did make a valiant effort. It played the octave at 32 Hz cleanly and at relatively loud levels. When the organ hit the bottom half-octave at high playback levels, the cone started fluttering and the sub's limiter wisely kicked in to protect against self-destruction. I thought the SB12-Plus's tone was quite musical, and in its power band, it did a good job.
Linkin Park This is a very difficult track for a small sub, but the SB12-Plus delivered nicely. At moderate levels, it followed the bass line quite well, with good musical tone across the middle and upper frequency range. It even managed to play the lowest notes fairly cleanly, albeit at an attenuated level. As level increased, it started to show the stress -- the lowest notes buzzed, and the upper notes were strained and lacked the recorded warmth. Within limits, the subwoofer was very competent.
Superman Returns The bottom half octave in this movie is a real test for giant subwoofers, never mind small subs such as this one. Nonetheless, the SB12-Plus delivered soft and medium levels of ambient rumble cleanly. Louder levels provoked "blatting" and other cabinet resonances, but compared to some speakers, their content was more constrained to lower frequencies. Thus, even though distortion was much higher, it tended to blend in better with the low-frequency content itself. Though not a substitute for clean bass, this sort of low-frequency distortion isn't all that bad.
Godzilla When Godzilla runs, your room should shake. The SB12-Plus was able to produce this effect, even in my modestly large room. The thud of individual footsteps was nicely articulated, followed by a nice rumble. But this is a small subwoofer, which limits its sonic output. At loud playback levels, the ambient rumble was good, but the peaks of the footsteps and explosions began to max out the cone excursion (and amplifier power), generating distortion. At low and medium levels, though, the SVS was very impressive.
What's the Bottom Line?
The SB12-Plus was the smallest sub in the group and had somewhat less bass output. But I greatly appreciated that it didn't try to overreach and instead did a good job within its constraints, playing cleanly and relatively loudly. Its mechanical solidity contained much of its distortion at high playback levels to low frequencies, making it somewhat less obvious and thus relatively more acceptable. I also appreciated the full complement of controls, including the parametric EQ and room-size compensation. This array will help you dial in the best possible sound and get the most from this tiny titan.
Manufacturer
SVS
www.svsound.com
703-845-1472
Velodyne DLS-5000R ($799)
What's in the Box?
• Driver: 15 inches
• Rated amplifier power: 600 watts continuous
• Cabinet design: front-firing, ported
• Finish: gloss-black front with black-ash body
• Controls: level, continuously variable low-pass crossover (12-dB/octave initial, 24-dB/octave ultimate, 40 to 120 Hz), crossover bypass, selectable phase (0, 90, 180, 270 degrees), power, auto-on/on, remote control, four presets
• Ins & outs: dual line-level inputs and outputs, dual speaker-level inputs
• Warranty: 2 years
How Big Is It?
• Dimensions: (WxHxD): 18.5 x 21 x 20.8 inches
• Cabinet volume: 4.6 cubic feet
• Footprint: 2.6 square feet
• Weight: 83 pounds
Setup
The DLS-5000R has a medium-size cabinet, which is surprising considering that it packs a 15-inch driver. The electronics are digital and can be controlled using a small remote. Among other things, you can program four presets for customized listening modes. And, in case your phone rings (like that ever happens when you are pounding out bass), there is a mute button. There is no high-level output, which might be an inconvenience in a few installations. The level control uses up/down pushbuttons, which is fine and cheaper to do with a DSP-based system, but I would have much preferred a knob. The low-pass crossover extends only to 80 Hz, so you will need satellites with decent bass to achieve a good blend. Or you could bypass the sub's crossover, which takes its response up to 100 Hz.
How Low Does It Go?
• Bass limit (Classical-Jazz setting): 25 Hz at 91 dB SPL (maximum 10% distortion)
How Big the Bang?
• Average maximum output, 25 to 62 Hz (Classical-Jazz setting): 108 dB SPL
• Maximum output (Classical-Jazz setting): 114 dB SPL at 62 Hz
• Dollars per dB: $7.40
How Did It Sound?
Saint-Saens The DLS-5000R could do no wrong on this torture track. It couldn't play the lowest half-octave tones, but it didn't butcher them, either. In fact, even when it didn't deliver the full bass extension, it sounded quite musical. On the upper half-octave, its tonal balance was very musical, with a realistic organ sound. The DLS-5000R didn't have the moxie to trigger landslides, but it did make me smile.
Linkin Park The DLS-5000R delivered a pretty neat low end. The lowest notes were slightly below its comfort range, but it had surprisingly good deep-bass extension. A few lower notes, however, though not the lowest ones, triggered resonances and were delivered with a good distortion buzz. The middle and upper notes were clean, with a really rich tonal balance throughout that range. At loud levels, the expected "blatting" sounds popped up. At more moderate levels, the Velodyne was nearly flawless.
Superman Returns This soundtrack has scenes with a wicked bottom half-octave, and the DLS-5000R delivered that content convincingly. Ambient rumble was clean and remarkably free of added cabinet resonances; this sub very much gives the impression of mechanical solidity. Explosions were punchy with clean attacks, and the peaks sounded relatively unclipped. Very loud levels pushed the sub to its limits, but few owners will routinely listen at such high playback volumes.
Godzilla As in music playback, the DLS-5000R strove to deliver movie soundtracks with clarity and authenticity, neither adding nor subtracting from the original. Rumbles were convincing and did not contain unwanted added harmonics, and impact sounds were well articulated. The sub could also play very loud, producing enough ambient grunt to match or overpower almost any satellite system you pair with it. The Velodyne was very solid on this track.
What's the Bottom Line?
I liked this sub a lot. It might not be the beefiest on the block (or in this test), but it did sound great. I particularly appreciated the DLS-5000R's musical quality. Even when it couldn't play as low or as loud as I wished, it never sounded stressed -- just rich and full. In that respect, because it avoided some errors that other subs did not, it sounded bigger and more powerful than it really was. It was awesome on movie soundtracks, really cranking out ambient rumble and explosions while largely avoiding audible missteps. Although the up/down level control irked me, I did appreciate the remote.
Manufacturer
Velodyne
www.velodyne.com
408-465-2800
The Lowdown
The SVS SB12-Plus is a small but capable performer. It cannot shake a house loose from its foundations, but it can provide a tight and musical bass line and shake the room during action movie scenes. Plus, its control features could save the day in a room with acoustic problems. The Klipsch RW-12d was good but not great. It had some impressive moments in which it really surprised me with the quantity of its bass output. But it also had some awkward moments in which the tonal quality just wasn't up to par. The Outlaw LFM-1EX can really kick it, with impressive extension and output. Used in moderation, it sounds really good, though, as is true for any subwoofer, really, sound quality can go downhill when it's pushed too hard. The Velodyne DLS-5000R was a musical delight. Its tonal balance was superb, and under normal conditions, it rarely sounded stressed. It moved more than enough air for movie playback and punched up the action sequences nicely. This is an all-around great-sounding subwoofer with the bonus of a remote control to help you dial it in. The Hsu VTF-3 MK3 is a very impressive subwoofer. Its roomy, robust cabinet makes it an ideal bass launching pad. With the added Turbo boost, it can successfully tackle almost any low-frequency challenge you throw at it. Moreover, it sounds musical, with a smooth tonal balance across its operating range. If you have enough room for its sizable cabinet, and you don't mind its look with the Turbocharger installed, this Hsu Research subwoofer will deliver the goods for you.
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