My Experience: VTF-2 & PB2-ISD

DanielCSCS

Gentlemen, my subwoofer quest has just recently been concluded with the arrival of my HSU VTF. Thus far I am quite pleased with its potency. Let me elaborate further. Some of you will recall an earlier post that I authored that detailed my experience with my friends newly purchased PB2. We spent the better part of 16-20 cumulative hours repositioning and recalibrating that monster. We ultimately found the "sweetest" spot to place it, but it came with great pain. Trying to coordinate something as particular as a subwoofer amidst an existing living room decor is quite difficult. Factor in the PB2's austentacious demensions and a WAF factor and your choices dispite what you might think is really limited.

Now, remember that ultimately my buddy returned his pb2 and is currently running his Axioms without a sub. There were a number of reason that factored into the PB2'S return, quailty however was not one of them. No one can deny the outstanding manufacturing that SVS delivers. Our primary reason, now in hindsight, was the room itself. The bass was always explosive always caused us listeners fatigue and on more than one occassion a headache, but the room itself was poorly receptive to the base reproduction of the PB2.

There were just to many annoying responances occuring within the wall structure of the room. Either the fireplace glass doors would rattle or the walls would or the entertainment center would. That was a consistant and displeasing phenomenon, additionally we concluded that it sincerely was too much subwoofer. We could not fathom how anyone would literally lust over multiple pb2's when one alone would overwhelm us.

We certainly did our best, I studied numerous posts from the Expert himself "Dr. Spec" and others, so we prepared and calibrated this hoss the best we could. Needless to say whats done is done.


Now, here I am axiously determining for myself what would be the proper subwoofer for my condominium living conditions. After much toil and impatience and a general distaste for backorder issues I canceled an order for an SVS pc- 25-31. I canceled an order for an STF-2. Now, I am the owner of a VTF-2.


Here are my impressions thus far as I compare them to my pb2 experience.

The placement of my vtf-2 was a total success. It is directly behind my listening position, behind my side surrounds right smack dab in the middle of the back wall of my living room. I had nightmares about this, because I was certain that my placement issues had to be every bit as difficult as my buddies PB2 issues. Im just not lucky enough to have it any different. Thank you lord, the subs performance is outstanding even in this akward position.

So here's the skinny, the slam of this little 150 watt sub is impressive and quite suprising. I can liken its output at 25hz maximum extension as being similar to the pb2's when playing select tracts from Blade 2. Obviously, the PB2 was capable of amazing spl and did so with ease, but that was at -10 on a pioneer 43tx in a vaulted living room. My vtf-2 is recreating similar cuncussive base at -30 on my HK 7200, and doing so without any annoying ressonances. My own living room is relatively rectangular with 10 foot ceilings, my buddie as I mention had a terriblly awkward living room with vaulted ceilings above a crawl space with less that taught wood floors.

My ultimate realization now just 32 hours into my onwership fo a vtf-2 is how amazingly important the room really is in perceived sound. The pb2 without question could shake our guts, but it really did that to well, and at the expense of shaking everything else.

My little vtf, slams me sufficiently in the chest, but thus far hasn't rearranged anything within my living room. The base notes fire flat and true and in my situation meld so wonderfully with my existing equipment that i can not localize the sub during operation.

Really, these debates about which company is better, HSU vs SVS seem nonsensical. Their both outstanding companies, but it just goes to show how environment really rules the day with low freqnency effect. My vtf in my environment is more pleasing than my buddies SVS in his. Not because of performance, but I guess environment.

Godbless.

Daniel Schrall

Early B.

Welcome to the VTF-2 Club. Glad to hear you're enjoying your Hsu. It's an awesome sub. In fact, it's almost too good. The bass is very, very tight. No boominess at all. Mine sits on a concrete slab with a Monster sub cable and a DIY power cord. IMO, all three of these "tweaks" improved the performance of the sub.

Have fun.

agw

Daniel,

Great post! I can relate to what you went through. I had a similar experience with evaluating different subs in my listening enviornment. I spoke to Dr. Hsu a few times about placement and acoustics and ended up with the VTF-2 and have never been disappointed. It is tight, flat and can get down to 20Hz at 93db! It is one impressive sub for the money.

dave shepard

The post you wrote was very will written with the end being it is entirely up to your ears as to what makes your set-up great. The guys on this forum seem to always bend over backwards to help in set-up and getting info on specs. Not getting an SVS or anyother perticular piece surely dosen't mean you have an inferiour set-up by any means if you are happy that is all that counts and they will still be here to help. That's what makes this a great forum.

Congrats and glad everything works for you

Dave

Dr. Spec

Agreed. People seem to sometimes apologize for not getting Brand X like everyone else did. It's whatever works best for you.

There was probably some bizarre room modes going on at your friend's place which made it tough to get the right mix.

Without some frequency sweep capability , you'll never really know what was going on at each location.

Regardless, I'm glad the VTF is working out well for you at your place.

Doc

PS, I've spent more time taming rattles and buzzes than you want to know. The latest is a sack of rice inside a pantyhose hanging against the back of my HDTV plastic rear housing. :rolleyes:

PolkThug

Originally posted by Dr. Spec
The latest is a sack of rice inside a pantyhose hanging against the back of my HDTV plastic rear housing. :rolleyes:

You sick ****!