Help me pick a sub.

[zvardanian]

Hello,

I've narrowed my choices, by price, to the following:

hsu vtf-2 mk3 and the PB12-NSD.

I was looking for a little guidance, and while it might seem silly to discuss purchasing an SVS sub in the HSU board, I feel I'll get some good answers from you folks about these two fine products. Everyone's a fanboy on some level. :)

My room is is medium sized, not acoustically treated (though my gramma is on its way). Raised foundation with wood floors so we all know the joys of my musical experience.

With regards to aesthetics, both units are ugly (so says the GF), so it's doesn't matter in that regard. Sizes are about the same and since I'll need to pull the HSU sub away from the wall, both will stick out the same.

What is my problem? The PB12 with shipping is 614 (with 5% return customer discount). The HSU unit is 656 with tax and shipping. I've read the PB12 is more comparable to the vtf3-mk3. I've read the HSU sub is more musical, though I'm inclined to believe that is more relative to placement of the unit. and the room acoustics. I do use my setup for 80% HT/Games, but I'm more inclined to enjoy punchy, "musical" bass than extension.

I suspect at this price point, it's moot, but I wanted to pick your brains and hear your thoughts.

Oh, and I can't pick it up...I live in Northern California...for you out of towners, I'm about a 6 hour drive from HSU. :p

[skool]

I would say that the VTF-2 Mk. 3 should be your priority. While it's true that everyone's a fanboy at some level, many can offer true comments with less bias than others. If you asked those who heard both subs, I would say that they will agree that the Hsu sub will give you a better musical experience. However, the PB12 will have a upper hand in bass output. In maximum extension mode, the VTF-2 Mk3 will have comparable bass extension with the PB12. One thing to notice though, based on the "newly" PB12's frequency response chart on their website, it seems that they retuned both the PB10 and PB12-NSD for more output with less extension than before. If this is true, the VTF-2 Mk3 in Maximum Extension will have more deeper bass extension than the PB12. The Variable Tuning Frequency may be beneficial to you if you don't like deep bass or just plainly prefer maximum dynamic impacts in movies. It's very handy switch for some rooms.

Based on your room size, either sub should be good for your application. Aethesically speaking, the Hsu with the satin black looks better than the matte finish PB12.

Though you can't really go wrong choosing either sub, the Hsu, in my opinion, is the best compromise between look, output, and bass quality.

[mystik610]

Can't speak for the PB-12, but I did have a PB-10 for a couple of weeks, and compared to the STF-2 that I still have for a couple of days, I preferred the HSU to the SVS.

The HSU wins in terms of overall sound quality. The HSU is indeed more musical, but for movies its more clean and natural sounding and integrates better with the rest of my system. HSU subs introduce a level of detail and subtlety that you didn't know existed in an LFE track. I often use Iron Man to test my system as there are scenes in the movie that put the sub through a good work-out. With the SVS, Iron Man's jet propulsions rumble like an explosion... With the HSU, the propulsions sound more like a a controlled mass of air being moved (as they should).

The PB12 will likely outperform the VTF-2 in the lower frequencies, but most LFE tracks will stay above that range 98% of the time. Based on that, IMO, a HSU will outperform an equally spec'd SVS 98% of the time.

This is all a matter of preference of course, as some people prefer 'boomier' bass (speaking in relative terms comparing the SVS and the HSU of course).