Has anyone tested or compared a Hsu and an SVS sub ? (1 Viewer)

[Samson]

Has anyone tested or compared the Hsu TN series and the SVS CS subs ?

 

[MatthewJ S]

SVS is what helps supports this sight, I think SVS owners would outnumber HSU owners (on this sight ) by an incredible margin!

 

[Daryl Furkalo]

Well, as I am probably one of the few dual HSU TN1220 owners here I have to say that they are incredibly good subs. But I bought them used at an incredibly good price with the HSU amp, so I couldn't really turn it down! Never had a chance to compare them unfortunately.
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[Rick Radford]

Here ya go:
http://www.hometheaterforum.com/uub/...ML/039198.html
>>SVS Dual 20-39cs+600w amp 115.5 /20hz~97 / 25hz ~111.8 / 31hz ~120.9(124dB peaks)
.
STRYKE HE15 proto-type 115.3 / 16hz~99 / 25hz~106
VELODYNE F1800 - 111.9
20-39cs - 109.5 / 20hz~91dB / 25hz~105.8dB
VELODYNE FSR15 - 109.1 / 16hz~90.1 / 25hz~103.1
MISSION 700as - 108.1 / 25hz~102
Paradigm PW2200 - 108 / 20hz~84 / 25hz ~104dB (112.8dB peak)
VELODYNE HGS15 - 107.7 / 16hz~89.1 25hz~102.1dB
Paradigm Servo15 - 107.3 / 27hz
VELODYNE SPL12 - 107.1 / 20hz ~90 /25hz ~ 99
HSU RESEARCH TN25(w/250w) - 107.1 / 30hz
HSU RESEARCH VTF-2 - 107.1 / 20hz~9325hz~99dB ...

 

[Charles J P]

Actually, I beleive TomV one of the founders of SVS has done some testing with the HSU subs, and I would count on him as much or more than anyone else to give you his honest take on the subs.
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[ling_w]

That's comparing apple and oranges. The TN25 model tested by TN was a pre-prod model that was out of alignment, so max dB was not encountered.
Given your spec, and the lack of newer ones, a dual TN25 on the 500wpc amp would give a 8-9dB headroom, giving it a reading of 115-116dB. A production TN1220 or TN1225 would even go higher.
The main difference between the 2 is that Hsu uses a different alignment which gives a higher efficeincy but has a natural rolloff. They compensate by using their own custom amp, which adjusts for the rolloff, giving it a net equal in headroom at 20hz, but higher at midbass. SVS uses a different alignment which gives flat freq response, but at a lower efficiency for a given cylinder volume, With the flat resp, you option for amplification are open to any crap Hong Kong brand pro-amp, junk receiver, the amp section of your mini/clock radio system to power the sub, or anything you could get your hands on.
The Hsu's amp, even though it cost more than the Sansui receiver in your attic, has a steep rolloff below 15hz so the TPM will not blow your sub, has soft clipping so overdriving does not blow your sub again, and has a dedicated 4th order independtly adjustable high pass/low pass crossover of high quality -- no VCA in its path or seriously compromised design. It is mainly made to be integrated with main speakers. But if you want use that old Fender amp from your school dropout days, and plug it into the LFE out of your proc/receiver, you could by inserting the Hsu Bass optimizer in the path.
With the Hsu, whose port and driver are on different ends, there are more placement options, especially when it is sitting sideways. The SVS will give you all the advantages mentioned in their website.

 

[Jack Gilvey]

Having owned one, I can vouch for the excellence of the Hsu 1220HO, and the 500w amp/crossover is a superior piece of equipment, worth every penny if you need what it offers.
quote: The main difference between the 2 is that Hsu uses a different alignment which gives a higher efficeincy but has a natural rolloff. [/quote]
I suppose the overdamped alignment can result in increased midbass efficiency, but the 1220 was actually tested as being 83db efficient in the Audio review over its rated bandwidth, it's 6db down @ 20Hz unassisted.
quote: They compensate by using their own custom amp, which adjusts for the rolloff, giving it a net equal in headroom at 20hz, but higher at midbass.[/quote]
Net equal to which one? I guess the appropriate comparison for the 1220HO/500w amp would be the SVS 16-46, since the Hsu was tested as being -3db @ 15Hz. (!) That 6db of boost needed @ 17Hz is going to eat up a good deal of headroom.
quote: SVS uses a different alignment which gives flat freq response, but at a lower efficiency for a given cylinder volume, [/quote]
?
The increased Vb of the SVS would result in greater efficiency as we approach Fb, no? I'm not sure I understand the reference to a (theoretical)"given cylinder volume", we can look at the actual volumes in this case.
quote: With the flat resp, you option for amplification are open to any crap Hong Kong brand pro-amp, junk receiver, the amp section of your mini/clock radio system to power the sub, or anything you could get your hands on.[/quote]
It seems you consider this a bad thing.
quote: The Hsu's amp, even though it cost more than the Sansui receiver in your attic, has a steep rolloff below 15hz so the TPM will not blow your sub, has soft clipping so overdriving does not blow your sub again, and has a dedicated 4th order independtly adjustable high pass/low pass crossover of high quality -- no VCA in its path or seriously compromised design. It is mainly made to be integrated with main speakers. [/quote]
Agree on the amp and its intended use, excellent piece. I had the combo for about 6 months, and I have no idea what it sounds like when bottoming. Really well done.
quote: With the Hsu, whose port and driver are on different ends, there are more placement options, especially when it is sitting sideways. [/quote]
Aren't the port and driver on different ends with SVS? Can't it as easily go sideways?
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[Edited last by Jack Gilvey on October 24, 2001 at 09:20 AM]

 

[SVS-Ron]

The Hsu's are excellent subs. No question. We've long since tested them, used them, abused them, looked at every aspect of their build quality and yet, we started SVS anyway. Wonder why?
Spend the same amount of money on a Hsu and SVS setup and put them side by side in your HT. Kick the tires and look at the level of materials and performance, and overall "look" of the sub too, and I think you'll understand why SVS entered the business.
While our cylinders are 16" instead of 12", as Jack noted, there is no reason you can't lay them on their sides. The fact both the port and the driver are protected (neither are with the Hsu) means you are actually better off in that regard with an SVS too. The fact you can equal the performance of the nice, but pricey Hsu amp with much less exotic power is a plus we hope (don't try a clock radio though).
Again, I doubt anyone would be sorry they bought a Hsu cylinder subwoofer. (Unless their nextdoor neighbor got an SVS rig that is. ;^) Still, $ for $ we feel any comparison is one-sided. On the plus side in terms of Hsu, we offer no small, inexpensive powered sub like the VTF-2!
We try to be objective about this, but clearly we are biased, for good reason IMO. Here's a bit more on the subject:
http://www.svsubwoofers.com/faqs.htm#othercylinders
Those are the "advantages on the website" ling-w was refering to.
Ron
[Edited last by SVS-Ron on October 24, 2001 at 10:35 AM]

 

[Tom Vodhanel]

>>>That's comparing apple and oranges. The TN25 model tested by TN was a pre-prod model that was out of alignment, so max dB was not encountered.
Given your spec, and the lack of newer ones, a dual TN25 on the 500wpc amp would give a 8-9dB headroom, giving it a reading of 115-116dB. A production TN1220 or TN1225 would even go higher.>>The Hsu's amp, even though it cost more than the Sansui receiver in your attic,>> But if you want use that old Fender amp from your school dropout days, and plug it into the LFE out of your proc/receiver, you could by inserting the Hsu Bass optimizer in the path.

 

[Randy G]

Although this forum is a bit biased in favor of SVS, the discussion here has been excellent....great points brought forth by both proponents, and facts have been pretty much laid bare.
As has been stated by many bass authorities, you've got to pay a price for smaller size, and the Hsu-SVS discussion demonstrates that...and THAT begs an assumption of equal performance, which in THIS case, may not be.
Thanks to all for the enlightenment. Now as for that Powered 25-31 Ultra.....
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[Jack Gilvey]

They even answer my incoherent e-mails, and I'm not even a customer.
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[Tom Vodhanel]

>>>They even answer my incoherent e-mails, and I'm not even a customer.