VTF-3 best sub for the price?

Robie O · 03-31-2003, 10:09 PM

HSU is currently offering the VTF-3 on sale for $764. Can anyone suggest a better sub for the money. It will be used for about 50% music 50% HT. I have a good sized room at 12' X 30' X 10' high. I almost bought a Paradigm Servo 15 locally for about the same price but it sold before I had the chance. I could spend up to perhaps $900.

Any suggestions appreciated.

Bolivar G · 03-31-2003, 11:26 PM

I own a VTF-3 sub and love it.
But you will proably get a million suggestions for SVS here pretty soon

Mike Sloan · 04-01-2003, 01:03 AM

I own 2 VTF-3's and they have exceeded my expectations on a daily basis! That being said, I also am very familiar with the SVS 20-39PC-Plus and I think that it has a very slight edge over the VTF-3 when you start playing near reference level.

Can't go wrong with either.

Mike Kao · 04-01-2003, 02:48 AM

Based on what I've heard, the SVS Plus series surpasses the VTF-3 in terms of the output department, but the VTF-3 is more accurate/musical

MarkWC · 04-01-2003, 07:13 AM

Since the thread is best sub for the price, I would like to refer back to the epinions face off of SvS 25-31PCI, VTF-3, and Axiom EP350. The SvS scored the same or higher in almost every category as the HSU and it etails for $550 which is $300 less than the normal priced $850 HSU. It seems almost everyone would has purchased either is very satisfied with their output so I don't think you will be let down by either one.

But if price is your only motivation, than I would say...."possibly not"

However $764 is the lowest I have seen yet for the VTF-3.

**HTF Ads**

Luke_R · 04-01-2003, 07:42 AM

But there is one thing that article didn't measure, the most important thing. WAF!!

VTF-3 kills the svs here.

Phil Iturralde · 04-01-2003, 09:34 AM

Quote:

... one thing that article didn't measure, the most important thing. WAF!! VTF-3 kills the svs here.

True, so SVS released the $599.00 + S/H PB1-ISD ...

... performance that equals the SVS 25-31PCi** that eCoustics 'face off' (vs. Hsu VTF-3 & Axiom Audio EP350) declared

Quote:

..."the SVS emerges as the winner of this face-off."

** The SVS PB1-ISD performance is closer to the 25-31PCi - 22 Hz tuned.

Both Hsu & SVS will provide the 'LFE WOW' factor, but only the SVS for less $$$!!!

If $764 is your target budget, then any SVS under $764 will move your air, walls, couch, pant legs, etc., some with more chest thumping SPL's!

I personally love my SVS 25-31PCi and agree with Dr. John Johnson, Editor in Chief at Home Theater and Hi-Fi "Secrets" when he wrote in his SVS 25-31PCi review ...

Quote:

I can summarize here by saying that I have never seen a sub less than $1,000 - from any company other than SVS - that performs like this.

But, the really important thing is how much distortion the subwoofer produces, and the 25-31 has less distortion than some subs costing several times its price. Frankly, it is almost beyond belief what this thing does for $549.

Have fun deciding, ...
Phil

Darrin_R · 04-01-2003, 10:40 AM

The most important thing is not 'WAF'. I think when your buying audio the sound is more important.

chung_sotheby · 04-01-2003, 11:03 AM

Quote:

The most important thing is not 'WAF'. I think when your buying audio the sound is more important.

True, but you have to remember that the "sound" will undoubtedly be effected by the sound of the little miss screaming in your ear that the SVS looks like an elephant's dong

That being said, I own an SVS 20-39 CS-ISD with a 500 watt sub amp powering it(about the equivalent to the 20-39 PCi), and it comes very close to the musicality to the VTF3(bass was not as quick as VTF3, took a hair of a second longer to recover and play the next note). In terms of output, it is equal to the VTF3. From all accounts, the PC-Plus series is s significant improvement over the PCi series in every aspect, and the price is comparable to the VTF3. So I would say that if you don't want to spend more than $764, go for the VTF3. If you want 99.5% of the performance of the VTF3 for $200-300 less, then look at the SVS PCi or PB1. If you want 125% of the performance of the VTF3 for $50-100 more, than look for the PC Plus series.

Frank Carter · 04-01-2003, 11:31 AM

You can get the the SVS Plus series around the same price as the VTF3. You get the passive version and get something like the 380 watt Rythmik Audio amp. It also includes variable subsonic filter and continously variable phase. It is a little less power, but it relates to only 1.5dB less output. The 20-39CS Plus and Rythmik amp comes to $725.

If you're having trouble dealing with a tube, SVS has the above mentioned box sub and they're soon to release another with dual Plus woofers.