Scrapped my Velodyne VRP-1000 for a HSU...

[Lord Nikon]

I didn't even really have the Velodyne for a week before I decided that I was not happy with the results. Sure it was a big step over the non-subwoofer system I was running but the impact was not what I expected. It was a major disappointment so I made the decision today and returned it to the store where I got it. Then I went off and ordered me a nice VTF-2 MK2. :) I sure hope this one doesn't disappoint me.

[Woochifer]

The question is what are you expecting?

With the bass, you're basically a slave to the room acoustics and the setup. With a small room, you'll get plenty of impact but also major inconsistencies from one location to another, and usually extreme boominess that begs for some kind of correction. In a large room, you have more consistency in the bass and less potential for major problems with boominess, but you also lose the impact and in a lot of cases will probably require more than one sub.

Also, how did you place the sub and how did you set it up? Crossover bypassed with the receiver handling the bass management, or high passed using the speaker outputs? Corner placement or midwall placement? All of those factors play a huge role in what the bass sounds like.

[Lord Nikon]

I was placed between the Left Main and the TV stand. The port was facing the corner that the TV stand is in. We'll see if the Hsu is any better, if not then chalk it up to my craziness. I've seen people compare the VTF-2 MK2 to the Velodyne SPL 12" series and claiming how it out does that. The sub I purchased was probably their bottom of the line 10" woofer. I feel that the downfiring of the HSU will make a huge difference in this sort of room. I'll let you guys know the out come next weekend when it arrives.

[Woochifer]

I was placed between the Left Main and the TV stand. The port was facing the corner that the TV stand is in. We'll see if the Hsu is any better, if not then chalk it up to my craziness. I've seen people compare the VTF-2 MK2 to the Velodyne SPL 12" series and claiming how it out does that. The sub I purchased was probably their bottom of the line 10" woofer. I feel that the downfiring of the HSU will make a huge difference in this sort of room. I'll let you guys know the out come next weekend when it arrives.

Maybe you should experiment with a corner placement. That gives you the maximum bass reinforcement, but that placement is the least predictable and can make the bass very inconsistent.

I wouldn't give too much credence to people's claims as to how one subwoofer outdoes another. Most of those claims are based on store demos and comparisons done in different rooms using different settings. More so than with main speakers, the subwoofer performance varies a LOT based on the settings and room acoustics; so, unless the settings are verified with a SPL meter and done in the same room in an identical position, subwoofer comparisons are useless.

The thing to focus on is whether that Hsu sub meets your needs. Also, focus on the placement and setup, which IMO are every bit as the quality of the sub itself. Don't bother with any of the other stuff like where the port is pointed or the direction that the driver fires. If anything, it will just create biases that keep you from making an objective evaluation.

The other thing to keep in mind is that your room acoustics might create boominess or frequency cancellations, which will drastically affect what you hear and affect the sound quality no matter what subwoofer you use. Only a combination of proper placement, room treatments, and/or equalization can correct for those problems.