VFT-2

[aztriker]

I have had the VFT-2 for a little over a week. I really wanted this to be my subwoofer but ran into a very disturbing situation yesterday. I had not played the demo CD that came with the unit but I did play my DVD of "Sound of Music" yesterday. My test for a subwoofer is the organ intro where Julie Andrews is preparing to get married. I was so disappointed in the VTF-2. It lost all low bass notes as the organ played. They would come back in when the notes came back to the VTF-2's range and would then fade away again as the notes went lower. I connected my old Infinity BU-120 again and all notes through the entire range were heard very well. I have had problems with the amps in the Infinity so was looking for a replacement but apparently this in not the one. Do you have any suggestions?

I have the VTF-2 in the "extended mode" which I understand to be the mode for the deepest bass.

Thank you..........

[Sasha_G]

Have you tried turning the crossover to the "out" position? If you are using a surround receiver, some customers don't realize that the crossover should be turned to the "out" position and they cut out most of their bass.

[aztriker]

Sasha_G,

Thank you for responding to this thread. Yes, I have the crossover set to "Out". I do have a JVC DD/DTS 5.1 receiver so have it's crossover set to 100. I have a choice of 80, 100 or 120 on it. Any other suggestions or ideas?

Thank you...........

[Lwang]

Is this unit calibrated properly?

If you play a low freq sweep tone with and without the VTF-2 powered on, does it sound exactly the same? If it does, then the VTF-2 is not producing any sound.

[aztriker]

Lwang,

Is what unit calibrated correctly? And I'm sorry but I don't understand all the techy words that are sometimes used so what do you mean by a low frequency sweep tone?

I do know there is sound coming from the VTF-2 due to the location and proximity to where I sit from it. In fact I have it located behind my Lazy Boy, only position I have for it, and it vibrates the chair on low tones. It seems to work really well on HT sound from movies and other music with low frequency tones. But when this organ plays, that I speak of above, it loses the low tones when the organ goes really deep. The Infinity BU120 carries the really low tones right on through.

I appreciate all your help in this. Where would you suggest I set the crossover on the receiver?

[Lwang]

In order to match the sound level of the speaker with the subwoofer, each speaker has to play at the same relative loudness compared to the other. That is where the calibration with a sound meter comes in. You either play the internal tone from your receiver and make sure they are all the same level (read instruction as to what it should be) or use a DVD with a reference sound level playing to each channel seperately.

The VTF-2 cannot go really really deep, you would need the VTF-3 or the TN1220HO for the 16hz organ pipes to be heard and felt. But I doubt that $200 Infinity subwoofer is even close to the VTF-2.

[aztriker]

I will do some calibrating this weekend. I didn't say the Infinity was close to the VTF but I do know what I hear and don't hear and even though the Infinity is not as clear in many areas as the VTF, it does play the lower tones. That's all I'm saying.

[Sasha_G]

The Test CD- 1 which comes with the manual has two tracks you should play. Play track 22 and 23. Please describe what you hear.

These tracks play a number of different notes. Pay attention to differences in volume.

[aztriker]

Sasha_G,

Before doing what you suggested in the previous note, I started experimenting with location of the VTF-2. Won't go into all the gory details but that was the problem, location and other variables(I am very limited as to where I can place the sub). I am quite pleased with the sub now. I will say that low music tones are excellent. I play a lot of gospel, some classical and anything else that has good bass. The low notes are better than I've ever heard before. I knew they were there but just couldn't hear them as plain and clear as they are now.

I know it will do fine for HT sound as so much of that is just noise, explosions, gun shots, etc. But a good low music tone is really what I look for. The organ in "Sound of Music" is now quite good. It could still be a little clearer and would probably take the VTF-3(with the 12" driver) to do that, but for the listening area I have and no more often than I watch that movie, I believe the VTF-2 will do just fine. I am very pleased at this point.

Thank you for trying to assist me.

One question, please. If I decide to change the mode on the sub from "maximum extension" to "maximum output" and back, do I need to turn the sub off each time, to toggle the 25Hz/32Hz switch back and forth?

Thank you.....

[Sasha_G]

Aztriker,

I'm glad it sounds better with some exprimentation. Room acoustics are very important, especially with bass. Placement changes how the room acts. One position might sound more neutral or have a sonic signature you prefer.

Also, I find that when subwoofer owners replace an existing subwoofer, it often sounds at first like some bass is missing like you described. Then, after a few days they start to notice that their new Hsu sub is actually not adding its own notes, but playing flatter and more accurately. When they turn up the volume, they find that the bass can get louder than before, and they can hear the different bass notes and the texture in the bass. Our distortion levels and flatness have been tested by reviewers to be more accurate and neutral than subs costing double and triple the cost.

I still recommend using the last two tracks on both subwoofers, which are very telling about what notes are being empashized. These notes don't include anything but bass, so you can focus just on the bass and the differences in volume.

Regarding the max extension/output switch on the back: you don't need to turn off the subwoofer. You can switch it anytime, HOWEVER, don't forget to remove the foam port plug from when using the VTF-2 in max output mode, and reinserting it when in max extension mode. The ports change how deep the VTF-2 will get by changing the overall enclosure and port "tuning".

[aztriker]

Sasha,

I agree with you comment above about the sub playing flatter and more accurately. I am very pleased with the music sound of the sub. To the point that I ordered a second unit(I was still getting a directional sound that I didn't like, due to the odd layout of my room) and it came yesterday. WOW!!!!!!!!!!! I have bass all over the house now. My wife came in from outside and asked if I had enough "noise" now. Said it was booming through all the walls to the outside. I could feel the vibrations in my chair. Told her I was just testing it and getting the two in balance(HA). I can turn them down and still get excellent and distinct bass sound. I really enjoy the low music sounds these things provide. Didn't know all those deep notes were there.

Thanks for such a good product. I realize that for what I spent on 2 VTF-2's, I could have purchased a VTF-3R but would still only have one sub in one location so believe I would still have the directional problem. Ya have to do what ya have to do and I am very excited and pleased with my system now.

Thanks, again.....

[ckcforeman]

Hi everyone!

I just got my VTF-2 this weekend and boy am I happy! It is still hard to believe how much better it is than my old subwoofer. Instead of boomy, fuzzy bass I get real bass. I can finally hear distinct notes when playing jazz with acoustic, upright bass. And to think that the VTF-2 is $100 cheaper than the old one. Amazing!

Thanks to Dr. Hsu for demoing it for me at the HE 2003 in San Francisco last week. And thanks for a terrific product!

Craig

[Sasha_G]

aztriker & ckcforeman, thanks for the kind words.

For the interest of those on the forum, the picture below is a calculated, theoretical acoustic map of the same room at two different frequencies. Keep in mind this is a chart of a ROOM, and it doesn't matter what speaker is used. It is calculated by the German software program called CARA. The grids in the background are 20 dB increments.

The picture shows that at different locations in the room, the bass changes a lot. Plus, it also varies depending on frequency.

I haven't shown it, but higher frequencies still exhibit swings, but the swings are closer to eachother so that there is little you can do about it. At higher frequencies, you can move your head a few inches and the sound may change 10 dB.

This illustrates that it is very hard to take the listening room out of a recording! For subwoofers, however, changing the position can even out the frequency response dramatically in your listening position(s).