Hydrosonic subwoofer II review (1 Viewer)

[Brian Bunge]

Bass that you feel in your gut is in the 40-80Hz range and is very easy to accomplish with a sealed sub with a Qtc~.8 or so. A low tuned, ported sub will not have the same gut wrenching bass, but will be more accurate and play a lot deeper.

Based on the frequency response chart on the company's website, the IBS appears to be pretty close to the sealed sub I discribed above. There's practically no output below 40Hz.

 

[Andrew Pierce]

There's practically no output below 40Hz.

My Sony $170 SAWM40 goes down to 30 Hz pretty comfortably... but then it's not also driving a water bladder, so I guess it's not a fair comparison.

 

[Dan Hine]

Here is the frequency response chart that Brian mentioned. It shows the IBS10 (admittedly, not the sub John got) vs an unnamed "servo driven sub." Solid line = IBS, Dotted line = Servo.




As you can see, HUGE amounts of output from 40hz (actually, I'd say 50hz) to 80hz. And almost 15db down at 35hz. I'm glad you like the sound, John, but these days with movie soundtracks playing down into the teens I'll have to pass.
And is it just me or does the servo sub look like the more desirable curve? The dip in response shows one of two things...either the servo was not placed in the same place in the room and/or the phase needs to be adjusted. After that I bet it would be a much flatter curve that extends lower.

- Dan Hine

 

[Geoff L]

For those interested:

Pantented Hydro-Acoustic-Technology
US Patent# (5,281,777)


Pantent info and #, taken from their site...

 

[Andrew Pierce]

OK, here's several related patents, and a site where you can get more info. Maybe someone can make heads or tails of these:

http://www.uspto.gov/patft/

1 6,119,806 Multiple phase acoustic systems
2 6,014,448 Fluid coupled subwoofer acoustic enclosure system
3 5,936,209 Fluid coupled subwoofer acoustic enclosure system with vent chamber
4 5,895,896 Fluid coupled subwoofer acoustic enclosure system with port chamber
5 5,695,455 Hydro-acoustic massage system and method
6 5,281,777 Fluid damped acoustic enclosure system

 

[JohnRuggiero]

You may want to call them (800)718-5716 and ask if their are any theaters in your area that have their subwoofers in them so you can experiance it first hand. If any lives in the Atlanta Ga area you can come over to my house for a demo. God bless you all John

 

[BrianAe]

All right, this sounded like big BS to me, but John's thrown down. Now, who lives in Atlanta?

 

[JohnRuggiero]

I found this on the web at New Cinema Technologies BOXOFFICE Special Report.htm

Five New and Coming Technologies for the Cinema
5. DOLPHIN DIVE INSPIRES NEW SPEAKER DESIGN
T he dolphin in Sound Related Technologies' logo isn't a random graphic design choice. Rather, it's symbolic of SRT chairman and CEO John Alton's first inspiration for the Sierra Dimensional Sound System, already installed in some Regal Cinemas.

"My wife, being a marine biologist, studied dolphins," he says. "I had a chance to work with them, I had a chance to swim with them -- learned a lot."

Alton also has developed a Hydrosonic Relaxation Table "that you ought to come try one day." What began as a subwoofer rigged to his waterbed to ease his back pain has led to not only a line of similar beds for commercial use but a series of cinema speakers.

"It inspired me because I knew that water had the very low resonant frequency and you could control the weight and the amount of vibrations that you wanted to get from it," he says. "And I went, 'Wow, if we could just couple these two things together,' and that's what [SRT's patented technology] Hydro-Acoustic Coupling is."

Using this information, Alton created a subwoofer -- later applying the technology to the whole range of speakers found in a cinema -- with a fluid-filled bladder to transmit sound vibrations rather than air. "Once you impact water, it's just like hitting a drum," Alton describes. "The water is in a space that is slightly under pressure in the enclosure, which then acts like a drum. We tune it for the frequency that we're after, and then it does the rest.

"If you look at the sub, there's no openings except for a small vent in the back of the speaker. You can't see it, feel it, touch it or get to it. It's under the water. What happens is that we're feeling a vibration that's actually caused by something hitting the drum of water, so it's real."

The result is a sound system that allows the audience to "Feel the Sound," as the company's tagline says, by reproducing controlled frequencies between 10 and 80 Hz, which resonate with listeners because their bodies are composed mostly of water. "[My system] allows you to turn the sound down," Alton says. "There's a big problem with the amount of volume that's in theatres. A lot of people get upset because it blasts you in the face. With my system, it gives you complete detail of everything -- the ambiance, the dynamics -- in a lower volume setting, so that you feel and you hear every detail just like you were standing beside the person instead of blasting you out.

"The subwoofer works on a low volume with vibrations. It actually could be considered to be a sonic generator because at low volume, it will shake the clothes on your body. And it's so smooth, and even the people above 65 to 70 years, they don't want to go out to a theatre and get blasted. They [don't] feel like they [are] getting intruded upon."

Write 2680 Production Rd., Suite 101, Virginia Beach, VA 23454; call (757) 463-4300; e-mail [email protected] If anyone lives in my area just email me and I will give you my phone number and directions to my house. I have more free time on the weekends then during the week.

 

[JohnRuggiero]

more information found at /www.virginiabusiness.com/magazine/yr1998/june98/mybgoodv.html

MINDING YOUR
BUSINESS

GOOD VIBRATIONS

By Scarlett Bowes


If you thought "Titanic" made a big splash, wait until you go to a cinema and hear the movie via Sound Related Technologies' subwoofer bass speakers.
You'll "feel the sound" in thumping bass waves that'll make your clothes vibrate. But your ears won't be ringing because this system uses vibration, not volume, to achieve its powerful effect.

Thanks to the patented technology developed by engineer John Alton, the speakers use water to conduct the bass frequencies. Using water pouches housed in a speaker stand, the bass frequencies rumble through the water, emitting a deeper, richer vibration than air speakers.



artwork by Michael Goodman "Bass frequencies are not intended to be heard by the ears but felt by the body," Alton says. In fact, that's how he stumbled on the idea: Eight years ago, he was building a bass speaker. "I had an injured back that was supposed to have surgery. I found that when I leaned on the bass speaker, the vibration made my back feel better."
Thinking it would be nice to lie down and feel the vibrations, Alton rigged the speakers to his water bed. He then developed CDs that radiated the sound frequencies of the bass wave and -- to his delight -- the vibrations soothed his back and he didn't need surgery.

Realizing that the bass frequencies also relieve stress and other aches and pains, Alton decided to market his product. Called the hydrosonic infrasound relation system, it looks like a twin water bed.
Alton started the Virginia Beach company in 1993, and in 1997, Donald R. Fisher Jr., a former bank executive, joined the company as president. He and Alton are a good team, Fisher says, because "Alton wants to invent things, and he wants me to run things." So far, Alton has invented more than 25 different models and other products, including the vibrating bed.

Business is booming thanks to an independent distributor that has started marketing the speakers nationwide to Regal cinemas. "We grossed nearly half a million in sales last year, and we anticipate approximately $2 million in 1998," predicts Fisher.

 

[Brian Bunge]

John,

What part of Atlanta?

 

[Craig_Kg]

It seems to me the bladders are acting like a bandpass filter to hump the response in the region where the human chest cavity resonates. The resonance tuning of the bladders would allow it to absorb lower frequency energy and return it in the resonant range so efficency is boosted in this region. This would make it a real chest thumper so it would be great in a commercial cinema where a large volume needs to be fulfulled without breaking the structure (building). It wouldn't be accurate below the tuning frequency though.

 

[JohnRuggiero]

I live in Lawrenceville right at the border of Lilburn and Lawrenceville by the Gwinnett place Mall area code 30044

 

[Brian Bunge]

John,

I'm extremely familiar with the area. I might come by one weekend if your offer still stands. I could bring another sub for comparison.

 

[steve nn]

Would that be your Tumult for a comparison Brian? I might have a few subs laying around here I could bring on over to! Interesting Thread.

 

[Dustin_Taylor]

hmm..............Color me a skeptic.

That frequency reponse curve, well, doesn't look too good to me.

I have not heard this sub, so I'm in no real position to say if its all its hyped to be or not.

This whole thing just sounds like a bad Ron Popeil infomercial. I would be interested in reading what others here at the forum think about it. If its as good as John claims, I'm sure there are others here who could post their thoughts without sounding like, well, Ron Popeil. No offense intended, John.

DT

 

[Brian Bunge]

Steve,

The chance of my bringing the Tumult along are slim and none. At over 120 lbs. for the sub plus a 38 lb. amp this combo ain't gonna be making many road trips.

 

[steve nn]

Brian,
Well if 158lbs is to much for you to handle? I'm not going to make the 3,000 mile road trip with my cargo then.

 

[JohnRuggiero]

You are welcome anytime Brian feel free to bring any music with you that you want. I have a 7.1 set up Axiom M-80ti's in the front and rear, VP-150 for my center and Axiom QS8's for the side surrounds and a B&K AVR-507 as my receiver. Just email me at [email protected] and I will give you directions and my phone number.
God bless you John R

 

[Jaime B]

John:

Aside from the water-woofer issue, nice HT set-up! I'm particularly interested in the Axiom QS8 surround speakers, any opinion on their performance (since they are factory direct, only way to know is word of mouth or the 30 day trial).

Did send you an apology some posts back.

Hope you and Brian enjoy a woofer shoot-out and friendly and productive HT related opinion exchange!

Very best,
JaimeB

 

[Brian Bunge]

Steve,

It's a bit heavy for a single person to be picking up and placing into the back of a Jeep Cherokee on a regular basis! Instead, I'll probably bring along a Dayton DVC 12" sub in a 2ft^3 enclosure with a 200W amp. It should be a more fair comparison than the Tumult would be. Also, I'm not as much interested in an SPL comparison as I am a frequency response comparison. Also, looking at the frequency response of the 10" sub from the website, it almost looks like a bandpass enclosure. But I'll have to look at the sub to really tell that.

John,

I got your email, thanks. I'll be in touch when I think I can make it over. I'm currently working about six days a week with Sunday being the only day I have to spend with my wife. So it may be several weeks or even a month before I can make it over. I hope that's OK.