Review / Conclusion - killer subwoofer

[Ddavidson]

Conclusion

The Hsu Research VTF-3 is a killer subwoofer -- there are plenty of subs out there that cost a whole lot more and perform worse. I’ve heard many subs that have clearly been designed strictly for boom and wow effects for movies. Unfortunately, such subs sound horrible with music and shouldn’t be considered for mixed-use systems. In a movie-only system, the VTF-3 will provide more accurate reproduction of effects than those subs ever will.

Few subwoofers on the market today offer the combination of output, extension, and versatility of the Hsu Research VTF-3. The VTF-3 isn’t that much more expensive than many so-called budget subs, and it sounds far better than many far more expensive ones.

...Jeff Van Dyne


http://www.goodsound.com/equipment.shtml

Ddavidson

[Lwang]

Music is always the final factor as to the quality of a sub. I've also noticed on their review of the Paradigm PDR-12 sub, whose little brother has been said to not sound good musically by non-HT rags:

http://www.goodsound.com/equipment/paradigm_pdr12.htm

They say the Paradigm could keep up with the VTF-3 in LFE rumbles, but falls short in the musicality department.

so SPL and boom might be everything to a HT enthusiast, but it wouldn't be the main deciding factor for anyone who listens to anything besides earthquakes and atomic bomb blasts in movies.

[Ddavidson]

Music is always the final factor as to the quality of a sub.
This is why I keep trying to tell people.......all the spec sheet numbers in the world mean "absolutely nothing" if the sub can not be accurate to a music source. If it's accurate on music...... then it can re-create explosions with accuracy as well. But if its inaccurate on music reproduction....... then it stands to reason that it is also not going to be accurate on explosions. The reason of course is that people know music and by choosing music as a testing source you can easier pick up the vast differences in subwoofer performances (by ear). If I play music on my Hsu's next to other subs (and swap back and forth) the difference can easily be detected by my careful listening..... mainly because I know the way it should sound from years of listening to the track. Playing explosions and gunfire between subs is very subjective and not a good test.

Most people I know who have other subwoofer brands never use their subwoofer for music because it becomes tiresome and bloated. My VTF's never get that way because I have them balanced well. Mind you they made my job easy because out of the box they are so well balanced across their FR. I just put them in the right room position and they just automatically added so much to my music and movies that I do not want to turn them off because I feel cheated without them.

The influx of heavy marketing hype by several internet brands plays up only about having......big Spl output, big amp power rating, driver size/quantity and port size/number. Anyone certainly can build a big box and put drivers and a big amp into it, but give it detailed music that you know well and those designs fall apart. Playing music is what separates the men from the boys in subwoofer design. The big numbered spec sheet or Spl numbers means zip if it sounds like cr_p.

Music reproduction is where Hsu has always excelled while others have fallen into the boom box trap of HT. While no self professed audiophile thinks a ported subwoofer can stay in control of detailed music Dr Hsu has taken pride in showing them it can be done......and done without it costing the earth (just pure good design). It's also funny also how people perceive a sub as playing louder the more distortion it puts out and/or the more the FR is like a the Rocky Mountain ranges. The fact is manufacturers are building subs that are driven by explosions and gunfire that HT thrives on, and J6P thinks that is just how a sub should sound, while Mr Audiophile thinks that using a subwoofer stinks. The good thing is that Hsu knows that through good design you can have both. That is why Hsu has had such a strong following from both types of listeners.

Ddavidson

[Michael Bain]

A pretty decent review. A tad late though. We will probably be seeing VTF-3 MKII reviews soon.