VTF 2.3 or LFM-1 Plus

fatchowmein

Apologies if this was asked previously but I didn't find it in the search feature.

I'm looking to purchase either the HSU VTF-2 Mark 3 or the Outlaw Audio LFM-1 Plus. Both are $499. The LFM-1 Plus is currently on sale and will probably go to $679 next month. Both are overkill for my apartment but I'm looking longterm (saving for a house). I'm 75% music and will probably turn the sub off when viewing movies (I live on the 2nd floor and I try to be neighborly). This purchase will be used to augment my LSi15's on the low end (I can hear all the, "What??? 15's don't need a sub!"). Music: classical, jazz, alternative, rock, new wave.

I'm leaning towards the Outlaws. I do not wish to order both and send one back. I have searched the AVS, HSU, and Outlaw forums but wanted an opinion from here.

Thx!

fatchowmein

Hmmm. Must have asked a silly or hard question.

Outlaw ordered. I'll give feedback when ready.

lanion

You made the right call! though the LFM-1 plus is only going back up to $550 as the new LFM-1 EX is their new flagship at $650.

Ron Temple

The LFM 1 + is a clone of the discontinued Hsu VTF 3.2, so you did good, a bit more extention and punch than the 2.3.

fatchowmein

lanion wrote: »

You made the right call! though the LFM-1 plus is only going back up to $550 as the new LFM-1 EX is their new flagship at $650.

Yeah, I was wondering about that. The product page shows the LFM-1+ at $679 but the EX was listed as "$649 Available in July".

fatchowmein

Ron Temple wrote: »

The LFM 1 + is a clone of the discontinued Hsu VTF 3.2, so you did good, a bit more extention and punch than the 2.3.

I thought long and hard on this since the 2.3 was a new replacement but in the end I went for the lower extension and extra power, not that I thought I needed it.

dorokusai

I don't think you could have gone wrong with either choice.

jwhitakr

While I can't offer any opinions or advice on the two sub choices you listed, I'll be really interested to hear how you like the Outlaw LFM-1 Plus. I am considering that one along with a few other SVS and HSU choices for my new sub.

Congrats on the purchase and hope it is all that you hoped for!

fatchowmein

Initial Impressions

1. Good packaging. Lucky me. Fedex van must've been flooded because the bottom of the box is drenched in water.

2. Heavy. 77lbs shipped. Sub is 55lbs.

3. Installation a snap. Be careful with the protective tape covering the glass top. This took the longest to remove. Glass top is embedded at the top and not removable. This was a safety concern of mine.

4. Power cord too short.

5. I don't have an idea position for the LFM-1+. It's currently being used as an end table between a sofa and a recliner.

6. At a volume of 4 while playing the beginning of The Revenge of the Sith, the floor vibrates. Currently, no neighbors below me.

7. Played Beethoven's 9th Symphony (Ode to Joy). Nice. Blends in with the LSi15. A bit boomy if I turn the volume up.

I only had a couple of hours to play with this sub. Further tweaking of the crossover settings and volume required. Placement is going to be a problem. I haven't hit the sweet spot yet. Will report back later.

Early B.

OK, but how does it sound?

engtaz

Keep us posted on your thoughts. Congrats

fatchowmein

Early B. wrote: »

OK, but how does it sound?

So far okay but I'm positive it's user error. I'm not home at the moment and won't get a chance to work on it until this weekend. The sub blends and dispappears in the room until you start to feel it vibrate the floor which makes the bass very directional.

Right now, it's a brute of a box. "Down, boy, down! Bad sub!" pretty much sums it up for now. I am very impressed with how quiet it is. No rattling. Can't really tell that's it's working until I stick my hand under it or the floor's flexing.

kolyan2k

i am pretty sure that it sounds good. in my case i was afraid of too much floor vibration, thats why i was recommended ML Dynamo. and its 2 times smaller

fatchowmein

Finally!

Yammy had 80htz and below sent to both the 15's and the LFM-1+ which overloaded the bass frequency in the room. Yuck. Fixed. Adjusted the volume. Sub set to Max (25hz) instead of bass extension (20hz).

Diana Krall, "When I Look In Your Eyes" CD. Track 5: "I've Got You Under My Skin". Music is richer, fuller. Bass guitar resonates beautifully and lingers just a tad instead of dropping off quickly. Also, gotta love the tweeter on the LSi15's. I never really noticed the finger scratching on the nylon strings that the R50's and RTi6's never revealed. At moderate listening levels, I feel like I'm at a coffee shop (wife is coffee addict) during live performance night. Tried it again with sub off and speaker set back to large. Just not the same. Love it, love it, love it.

U2, "The Joshua Tree" CD. Track 3: "With or Without You". Cranked. Music just envelopes and smacks you hard. Awesome. Bass is tight, loud, controlled. No Rice Rocket with big muffler and boomy bass sound here. Loved it. Definitely foot tapping good times.

"Casino Royale" DVD. Everything is richer, fuller: gunshots ringing, deep explosions, car door closing with a solid THUD, etc. All this with the volume at 3.5. At higher volume levels like 5, the theme music reverberates a tad too much.

Conclusion
Love this sub. Wonderful for music because it disappears and just adds the right touch without being overwhelming unless you wish it to (adjust the volume knob). For movies, it'll rattle the room and especially the floor which means once we get neighbors downstairs I'm going to have to turn it down alot or off. I have not tried the 20hz extension. Some tweaking necessary.

I believe this sub at $549 will work well for rooms up to large but not huge but will excel in medium size rooms. I'd recommend the LFM-2 for small rooms or apartments as the LFM-1+ is a bit overkill but take that with a grain of salt since I've never heard the LFM-2 and our listening preference are probably different.