Poseidon
January 13th, 2004, 9:59 AM
INTRO
I vividly remember my very first pair of stereo speaker’s. The Polk Audio RT2000p powered towers. Two huge 90 lb monster’s that sported a total of four 8’’ powered woofer’s for all my bass needs. This high-school graduation present served me faithfully for nearly two years until that dreaded day arrived when I found a variety of audio resources on the internet. It is at that point, when the trip down audiophile road was beginning to pave itself. I was helpless to defend against it, and followed the path wherever it led me.
One of the more difficult challenges of today’s audio enthusiast is finding a powered woofer that can deliver accurate bass without costing your first born child. There are countless boom machines for those who want to rock the house with a few notes. There are also quite a few boutique subs available for those who have deep pockets, summer homes in St. Lucia and a separate car collection (MTV cribs anyone?). There are very few true sub’s that sit comfortably in the middle that is within reach for those who wish to take their bass to the next level without the boom and rattle, and huge financial expense.
Fortunately many businesses, mostly online vendors, have formed within recent years to offer equipment to fill this void. All of these online only vendors depend on word of mouth from their customer’s in order to survive. There are many people who want to get their hands on a product before laying down any cash, fortunately most places offer 30 day trial period’s with a money-back garauntee. This takes a good portion of the guess work out for most curious consumers. In this highly competitive world, there are a few names which are hailed as gospel throughout the various circles of the audiophile community. Among them is a company that has been around since the 80’s, known as HSU. This company is well known for producing great subs at a low price. You will find quite a large following that are more than willing to chime in support of their products.
THE REVIEW
A few months back, I set out to create a system for the computer with one set goal in mind; to create a system which would boast incredible detail and accuracy throughout the spectrum. With the speakers, receiver, soundcard, and cables already purchased, all that was left was a sub. I needed something that would be incredibly durable, capable of deep extension with admirable output while maintaining accuracy. For weeks I debated between SVS and HSU. Just as I was about to make a decision, fate intervened and made the decision for me. HSU released the new STF series for a very attractive price. I saw their STF-2 for $399 shipped, and immediately pounced on the deal. A 52 lb, 10’’ driver sporting an 800w dynamic BASH amp with extension down to 25 hz, it was really a no-brainer. Did I also mention the 7 year warranty on the woofer, and the two years on parts and labor? There was no way I could decline such an offer.
Three weeks later, UPS dropped off the print laden box which contained the new sub. I must have looked like a child ripping through their Christmas present as I impatiently ripped (no knives or scissors here) through the box. I was pleasantly surprised to find this sub was more cosmetically appealing than I thought it would be.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
After setting her in the corner on top of a ½ inch thick slab of solid wood, I was ready to begin listening. Quite honestly, I was not so impressed with the sound out of the box. It seemed to lack punch, and its extension seemed only adequate. I found myself turning the volume knob on the sub up to the 12’o clock position just to receive the type of output I was used to. It did not take long for me to realize that what I was hearing was a truly accurate sub that simply did not operate like conventional subs which I have had in the room before. I then found myself setting the volume lower and lower, and finally adjusting the crossover to be dependant on the receiver setting’s.
THE MUSIC
Let me just state the obvious, the STF-2 delivers the goods. From the changes in pitch with bass guitars in jazz to the heavy chords of hard rock, the Hsu performed very well. The sub remained solid against the grueling test of orchestral hits, attacking with quickness and force and disappearing as quick as the notes arrived.
Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” sounded incredibly solid, the bass never once vested more emphasis over the rest of the octaves. You just can’t help but try the moon-dance again. The kick drums and guitars from the Eagles Greatest Hits had a sense of realism and presence that many subs I have heard at a much higher cost simply could not capture. From Dead Can Dance to Outkast, the HSU STF-2 never once showed signs of reaching an excursion or extension limit.
This sub truly is a performer that very well does its maker’s reputation justice. This sub has passed my reference low-bass tests in both percussion and synthesizer reproductions. For $399, this truly is a bargain in bass.
CONCLUSIONS
Chalk up another excellent product from HSU. With HSU entering the mass-market arena with the STF series, this “little” attractive sub sets a whole new standard for price/performance value. This sub may not be the last word in articulate lower octave detail, nor is it capable of reaching sub-sonic at bowel loosening levels. However, for the subtle price of $399, you are purchasing a sub capable of effortlessly blending with nearly any pair of main speakers with musical authority and accuracy along with very admirable SPL levels. To this customer, the HSU STF-2 doesn’t just represent excellent value, it represents what we all should expect from 400 dollars of our hard earned cash.
Sean N. Fowler
Gear Associated:
Receiver: Sony AVD S50ES Digital Drive
Speakers: Ascend Acoustics CBM-170 Bookshelf
Soundcard: Turtle Beach Santa Cruz
Cables: Ixos and Monster
Software: Foobar2k
I vividly remember my very first pair of stereo speaker’s. The Polk Audio RT2000p powered towers. Two huge 90 lb monster’s that sported a total of four 8’’ powered woofer’s for all my bass needs. This high-school graduation present served me faithfully for nearly two years until that dreaded day arrived when I found a variety of audio resources on the internet. It is at that point, when the trip down audiophile road was beginning to pave itself. I was helpless to defend against it, and followed the path wherever it led me.
One of the more difficult challenges of today’s audio enthusiast is finding a powered woofer that can deliver accurate bass without costing your first born child. There are countless boom machines for those who want to rock the house with a few notes. There are also quite a few boutique subs available for those who have deep pockets, summer homes in St. Lucia and a separate car collection (MTV cribs anyone?). There are very few true sub’s that sit comfortably in the middle that is within reach for those who wish to take their bass to the next level without the boom and rattle, and huge financial expense.
Fortunately many businesses, mostly online vendors, have formed within recent years to offer equipment to fill this void. All of these online only vendors depend on word of mouth from their customer’s in order to survive. There are many people who want to get their hands on a product before laying down any cash, fortunately most places offer 30 day trial period’s with a money-back garauntee. This takes a good portion of the guess work out for most curious consumers. In this highly competitive world, there are a few names which are hailed as gospel throughout the various circles of the audiophile community. Among them is a company that has been around since the 80’s, known as HSU. This company is well known for producing great subs at a low price. You will find quite a large following that are more than willing to chime in support of their products.
THE REVIEW
A few months back, I set out to create a system for the computer with one set goal in mind; to create a system which would boast incredible detail and accuracy throughout the spectrum. With the speakers, receiver, soundcard, and cables already purchased, all that was left was a sub. I needed something that would be incredibly durable, capable of deep extension with admirable output while maintaining accuracy. For weeks I debated between SVS and HSU. Just as I was about to make a decision, fate intervened and made the decision for me. HSU released the new STF series for a very attractive price. I saw their STF-2 for $399 shipped, and immediately pounced on the deal. A 52 lb, 10’’ driver sporting an 800w dynamic BASH amp with extension down to 25 hz, it was really a no-brainer. Did I also mention the 7 year warranty on the woofer, and the two years on parts and labor? There was no way I could decline such an offer.
Three weeks later, UPS dropped off the print laden box which contained the new sub. I must have looked like a child ripping through their Christmas present as I impatiently ripped (no knives or scissors here) through the box. I was pleasantly surprised to find this sub was more cosmetically appealing than I thought it would be.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
After setting her in the corner on top of a ½ inch thick slab of solid wood, I was ready to begin listening. Quite honestly, I was not so impressed with the sound out of the box. It seemed to lack punch, and its extension seemed only adequate. I found myself turning the volume knob on the sub up to the 12’o clock position just to receive the type of output I was used to. It did not take long for me to realize that what I was hearing was a truly accurate sub that simply did not operate like conventional subs which I have had in the room before. I then found myself setting the volume lower and lower, and finally adjusting the crossover to be dependant on the receiver setting’s.
THE MUSIC
Let me just state the obvious, the STF-2 delivers the goods. From the changes in pitch with bass guitars in jazz to the heavy chords of hard rock, the Hsu performed very well. The sub remained solid against the grueling test of orchestral hits, attacking with quickness and force and disappearing as quick as the notes arrived.
Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” sounded incredibly solid, the bass never once vested more emphasis over the rest of the octaves. You just can’t help but try the moon-dance again. The kick drums and guitars from the Eagles Greatest Hits had a sense of realism and presence that many subs I have heard at a much higher cost simply could not capture. From Dead Can Dance to Outkast, the HSU STF-2 never once showed signs of reaching an excursion or extension limit.
This sub truly is a performer that very well does its maker’s reputation justice. This sub has passed my reference low-bass tests in both percussion and synthesizer reproductions. For $399, this truly is a bargain in bass.
CONCLUSIONS
Chalk up another excellent product from HSU. With HSU entering the mass-market arena with the STF series, this “little” attractive sub sets a whole new standard for price/performance value. This sub may not be the last word in articulate lower octave detail, nor is it capable of reaching sub-sonic at bowel loosening levels. However, for the subtle price of $399, you are purchasing a sub capable of effortlessly blending with nearly any pair of main speakers with musical authority and accuracy along with very admirable SPL levels. To this customer, the HSU STF-2 doesn’t just represent excellent value, it represents what we all should expect from 400 dollars of our hard earned cash.
Sean N. Fowler
Gear Associated:
Receiver: Sony AVD S50ES Digital Drive
Speakers: Ascend Acoustics CBM-170 Bookshelf
Soundcard: Turtle Beach Santa Cruz
Cables: Ixos and Monster
Software: Foobar2k