Hsu Alert! Hsu Alert!

[RoyY51]

I ran into Dr. Hsu (the subwoofer guru) at my local Home Depot today. Very nice man, very polite, but younger than I would have thought, given his exalted, Yoda-like status in the audio community. During the course of our brief conversation, he mentioned that he was about to come out with a 15" sealed port sub that would do 10 kh. 10kh? Sealed port? I was so flummoxed by this revelation that I neglected to ask him the dozen or so questions that came to mind the second he left. So, I'll throw the questions out to you guys: how does one get 10 kh out of a sealed port design? What kind of monster amp would it take to accomplish this? Would the enclosure be bigger or smaller than a Yugo?

Any and all theories would be welcome.

[kexodusc]

I'm assuming you mean 10 Hz and not 10 kHz?
I don't know what you mean by sealed port - the enclosure system is either sealed or it isn't unless he's using some dual chamber designs? Or there's some sort of internal resonator? Sealed port...hmmm.

A 15" woofer with the proper volume and a low enough Fs could do it. I would expect some EQing or a very large cabinet, or a very expensive woofer. Something's gotta give?

But the good Dr. Hsu knows what he's doing so let's sit back and see.

Wow...I haven't met any audio industry folk in person that I actually respected, that must have been a treat.

[RoyY51]

Yes, I did mean 10 hz instead of kz, and he said "sealed enclosure" instead of "sealed port" And you're right...it was kind of a thrill. I saw his t-shirt with his company name on it and I asked him if he worked for Hsu. He said "I am Hsu" Kinda took me by surprise.

[Worf101]

Do you know how "cool" that is? It's not like I'm gonna meet Mr. Samsung or Joe Sony. Wow, I'm envious as two of his subs grace my house at this very moment.

Da Worfster

[GMichael]

That's great. Did you remember to thank him for his contributions in the HT industry? Even if you don't own an Hsu sub, his work has helped to push others to extend their quality to keep up.

[frenchmon]

How are the Hsu subs compared to the SVS subs?

frenchmon

[RoyY51]

That's great. Did you remember to thank him for his contributions in the HT industry? Even if you don't own an Hsu sub, his work has helped to push others to extend their quality to keep up.

I told him that I was an avid fan of his and bought my Outlaw LFM-1 partly due to the fact that he designed it. He seemed pleased, though probably not as pleased as if I'd bought one of his.

[nightflier]

How are the Hsu subs compared to the SVS subs?

frenchmon

Wow, meeting The Mr. Hsu is pretty cool. I live right down the freeway from them and never even got a glimpse inside.

Regarding the Hsu-vs-SVS debate, the fact is that SVS seems to be a bit larger of an operation with more models and options (they now sell speakers too). Whereas they could have been considered competitors at one time, I'm going to say that is no longer the case. Hsu is more mom-n-pop in that respect. I've also noticed that used Hsu subs retain less of their value that comparable SVS subs. In my opinion, though, that makes them incredible values.

Performance-wise I think they are probably equal. Hsu gets less press coverage and so it's harder to compare. I also think that design-wise, SVS is a little more trendy and up-to-date (even their website looks more hip). Hsu's turbo chargers, while effective, are a bit unsightly, too - kind of like a large hood-scoop on a Ford Exploder, I mean Explorer. This was also the case when Hsu was competeing with SVS on cylinder subs. Those from Hsu were typically less "pretty" and more intricate with setup (feet were not ideal).

But looks aside, I think they are comparable. Hsu's VTF-3 HO is one heck of a sub and with the turbocharger, it's a tweakable beast. In short, it can shake a drink off of the coffee table. I've been in the SVS camp for years, but one of my good friends has been evangelizing Hsu for just as long. And although the debates and demos are usually dampened by a healthy doze of alcohol, they are never dull.

[kexodusc]

I'm a few years removed from owning a Hsu and constantly getting involved in that debate, but I always felt that the any advantages one had in performance were fairly offset by price differences, or simply a question of best application. I liked both, went with Hsu because in my room it sounded a bit better despite not quite reaching as low a frequency. And I was fortunate to demo both models I was considering - actually, friends' purchases were how I was introduced to those names. A rare privilege for internet sub shopppers. I always felt that in smaller room I might have gone with SVS though, and I bet $50 or so would have changed my opinion. That close.
In short, I doubt there's a clear winner at all price points, or even in all setups/rooms. Can't go wrong with either, IMO.

.

[GMichael]

How are the Hsu subs compared to the SVS subs?

frenchmon

I don't own either, so take this with that in mind. Most of what I've read have these two very close, with both of them offering great quality for the money. It seems like although both do a good job with HT and music, overall the HSU's seem to do a slightly better job with music while SVS does a slightly better job with HT. I wouldn't mind owning either.

[bfalls]

Do you know how "cool" that is? It's not like I'm gonna meet Mr. Samsung or Joe Sony. Wow, I'm envious as two of his subs grace my house at this very moment.

Da Worfster

I work for Sony, but haven't met Joe. I almost met Mr. Samsung. He (CEO of Samsung)was staying at the same hotel in Manaus, Brazil where I stayed while installing equipment for Sony and Sonopress. We were told to stay out of the lobby during his arrival. His entourage included several limosines and a generous number of police and military escorts and vehicles. Several hotel and military security guards protected the lobby daily. I doubt he would have stopped to discussed the latest Blu-ray or LCD displays with the common folk. I did meet Paul Barton of PSB once. Very nice guy.

[frenchmon]

Thanks quys, In the near future I will be needing a new sub and have always wondered about the Hsu subs. It seems that the Hsu is a tad cheaper price wise...

AT