Picked up my HSU STF-2 today, first impressions… (1 Viewer)

[Allen Longcor]

I have seen Avia at Best Buy before, but there's not guarantee it will be in stock. I doubt they stock many to begin with. Worth a shot though.

 

[Matt_Smi]

Yeah, they display it on there website along with the Sound and Vision "home theater tuneup" disc. I have a feeling that the Sound & Vision one is very basic as its only $15. I would like to order VE offline, but I need the disc soon so I can calibrate the system before I take the sub back. I will check my two local best buys for the Avia disc tonight. Maybe I will also try to rent it.

 

[Matt_Smi]

Neither of my local Best Buys had the Avia disc, But maybe it’s for the better. I think I am going to order Digital Video Essentials online from the link below. It’s half the price of Avia and seems like a better/more current calibration disc. I just wonder how long it will take to get here…


http://store.yahoo.com/dvdinternational/dvdi-0712.html

EDIT: I just found DVE for $17 shippped! I wonder if the site is reputable though?

http://www.deepdiscountdvd.com/dvd.cfm?itemid=VMG010712

 

[Steve Schaffer]

Digital Video Essentials has a defect in the sub setup tones, do a search on it to find the thread, I don't know how to make a link. You can use it, but need to compensate for the low level of the sub test tones on it.

 

[Matt_Smi]

Yeah I have heard about the defect, apparently the sub test tone is 2db louder than it should be, so to compensate you simply calibrate your SPL meter 2 db higher. BTW I put the link to the original thread below; I got the info about it from the primer/FAQ.


http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htfo...hreadid=157858

 

[MuneebM]

Matt, the sub test tone is actually 12 dB louder than it should be, so you have to have your sub achieve 87 dB on the SPL meter rather than 75 dB as with the other test tones. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but this is how I've calibrated my sub(s) and when I compared to the receiver test tones and the test tones on Avia, everything was fine.

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[Edward J M]

Yes - 100% good advice.

The key is to check your copy of DVE running at 12-13 dB hot on the sub calibration tone against the AVR sub test tone and the Avia sub test tone(s).

This will confirm whether or not your particular copy of DVE still has the defect. I imagine eventually JKP will fix this flaw, so it is always best to check against other references.

Regards,

Ed

 

[Matt_Smi]

I went to a several stores today looking for a calibration disc, but could not find one. So unfortunately I am going to have to take back the sub without listening to it calibrated first. But the good news is that I am almost positive that I will be getting another HSU STF-2. I spent a lot of time today comparing the HSU with the Sony, and my Uncle (the one who gave me the Advents) was also here. I would not necessarily call him an audiophile, but he enjoys good sound and has a good ear, so he really helped me in comparing the subs. We watched scenes from terminator 3 with the level of the HSU on 11 o clock and the level on the Sony between 12 and 1 o clock. We watched the crane chase and the bathroom fight mostly. He said that the HSU was much tighter, deeper, cleaner, and mostly more defined that the Sony. He said the HSU bass could be felt much more than the Sony and that while the Sony put out decent bass you heard more of a “whoomp” whoomp” (if that makes any sense) from it, rather than feeling a nice tight impact (like you did with the HSU). He said the Sony was muddy most of the time and put out more of an undefined rumble rather than a clean impact. He also said that the Sony sounded obtrusive and called attention to itself, while the HSU was much more omni-directional than the Sony, and if one did not know better, could mistake it to be coming from the front speakers. He said the HSU also sounded much more natural and blended in with my system better than the Sony. He also said the Sony always sounded (and looked) like it was being pushed too hard even though it was not necessarily being pushed that hard. Also he stated that the HSU was much quicker and more accurate than the Sony and during explosions you could hear it producing separate hits, where the Sony could not keep up and just blended together with one big muddy sound. We also watched Matrix revolutions and there was no real comparison here, he was very impressed with how the HSU handled the source speaking and the water explosion, and said that the bass could be felt plenty, while the Sony again just made more of a “whoomp” whoomp” sound and a vibration could that could be felt, but not nearly as much true bass as the HSU. So to summarize, the HSU…

- Is not boomy (obvious)
- Is much more accurate tighter, quicker, deeper, and more defined
- Blends better with my system, sound more natural and does not call attention to itself
- Puts out higher quality bass that you can feel, more than hear

I really like the fact that it seems to sound more blended and natural in my setup and it makes it sound more like a true HT, and also the fact that you can feel the impacts rather than hear/feel a boomy, undefined rumble. I would really like an SVS PB1-ISD, but for almost twice the price of the HSU I don’t know if it would be worth it and I can’t really see spending that much on a sub alone. So I will be retuning the HSU in the next few days, but will hopefully be able to get a rain check so I can buy another one at $350 once they are back in stock, because I am not going to pay $400 for one. I will then sell the Sony to someone I know who wants to buy it for $100, so I will technically be getting the HSU for $250. The Sony served me well for 3 years, so I got my moneys worth out of it and it was a decent budget sub. BTW I also am starting to be less and less fond of my car stereo, so maybe I am getting used to non-boomy bass. My car stereo just does not sound as clean anymore. Sorry for yet again another long post but I wanted to let everyone know how I feel about the HSU now. And don’t worry I am still going to calibrate it when I get my new one. I will be ordering a calibration disc in the next few days; I am still trying to decide between Avia and DVE.

 

[Dom P]

I was concidering that sub also. Probably with RS550s. I have hardwood floors. What's a throw rug? Why does it make a difference?

 

[Steve Schaffer]

Matt,

Your uncle perfectly described my own experience with the Hsu. After using 5 other subs, some of which were hundreds more, the Hsu was a revelation.

Dom,

Throw rug=small rug maybe a bit larger than a typical welcome mat, usually used in entryways or hallways. You can get 'em cheap at Home Depot, Sears, or similar stores.
A bathmat would also work, and they usually have rubber backing.

 

[Dom P]

Why would the throw rug make a difference? Thanks.

 

[CurtisSC]

it protects the hardwood floor from the spikes.

 

[MuneebM]

This is not the reason HSU recommends you put a throw rug under your sub. Their reasoning is that the throw rug will help absorb some of the resonant vibrations that will echo and flange through your wood floor, which is something you don't want. The best bass is that heard on a carpeted cement floor, no echo or flange.

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[MuneebM]

Matt, I am so glad that your uncle helped you see the light! All this time I was worried that you got a seriously defective sub, and trust you me, once you start appreciating the tight, clean bass of the HSU more and more, you're most likely gonna throw that car subwoofer out

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[Matt_Smi]

Well I just got back from CompUSA, I explained the whole situation to the head of the electronics department, he kept going back and forth between me and talking to the manager, I guess the manger did not want to deal with me in person. At first they wanted me to go to a store that has 3 in stock but is around 30 miles away and do a swap there. I said no and asked about a rain check, they said “it’s against their policy”. Anyway after some perseverance they said that they will have a new HSU direct from the factory there on Wednesday for me. So Wednesday I bring back my old HSU and they will just swap it out for the new one, problem solved, so I am happy. On another note I watched some Terminator 2 today, the scene when it shows Sara in the dream and the A-bomb hits, Instead of hearing “boom” “boom” I felt the bomb

 

[Lisa Menin]

I just read through this old thread about the STF-2. I just bought one and am in the process of calibrating and placing it. One question: what should the volume knob on the back of the sub be set at during the initial calibration process? My receiver is an older Denon 3200. I have been using the test tones with a Radio Shack meter. I started with the knob set at 9 o'clock but I am not sure if this is correct.

I also found that the sub was boomy in my initial placement and have just moved it into a corner (with a throw rug underneath). I also changed the crossover to IN and 80. This seemed to help with the boominess a bit. I am now going to re-calibrate in the new corner position but I was curious as to the correct knob position for calibration.

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[CurtisSC]

Lisa,

The position for the volume knob, IMO, is a combination of 0 or slightly higher gain on the receiver and volume knob position that gives you the proper calibration.

Did that make sense?