Just recieved my HSU VTF3-MK3! ! ! ! ! (1 Viewer)

[jwill242004]

As some of you know I purchased the VTF3MK3, and was anxiously awaiting delivery. Well the waiting is over and I have it set up and playing LOUD!!!

I havent had time to calibrate yet and it's not even broke in yet. I had about 1 hr to play with it before I had to leave for work.

This thing is HUGE and is beautiful. The ports are VERY large and the BASH amp is large as well. This is a side firing sub with rear ports. I have the sub placed directly behind my couch and listening position as Dr. HSU recommended with the woofer firing directly into the back of the couch, about 3 inches away. The ports are facing towards my left rear surround.

I have played with the Variable tuning feature back and forth as well as the crossover adjustment, which I finally decided to let my recievers crossover take over duties. I have found it sounds best at 80hz (so far) and low frequency extension seems to be just as good in Max Output mode as with one port plug in and set to Max Extension mode. This will take some tinkering to figure out what I like for sure.

This woofer TRAVELS bigtime and the amp gain is only turned half way up. I have my subwoofer level at +6 on a -12 to +12 scale. As I said I have not used a SPL meter yet nor have I made many adjustements to the gain on the amp. I am afraid to turn the gain all the way up because of the amount of excursion that this woofer is going through at this setting, although Im sure if I did it would be fine.

I have played some Bass heavy music as well as Star Wars Attack of the Clones so far. The beginning scene of this movie when the space ship lands and blows up sounded unfreakin believeable, with no bottoming of the sub at all and it just pumps out these low frequencys with no problems. This thing is causing some serious shaking of my couch as if I had shakers installed, and the LFE is very cool, playing frequency's the I cant hear or locate but can feel with authority. One thing I noticed is that when the crossover is set to 100hz I could locate the position of the sub audibly easily and this seemed to be taken care of when I lowered it to 80hz.

With music the bass seems to be nice and tight with techno music, but it shined when I put some Rap on. The low end is unreal and as I traveled further and further away from the sub ( into my master bedroom for instance) the LFE seemed to get deeper and deeper.

This sub will easily fill up my room with extremely low and hard hitting bass, and my room is very large with an open kitchen and dinette, as well as an open foyer, office, and formal dining room. I cant imagine what this thing is capable of in a small closed off HT room. I used to install multi sub setups in vehicles and I know what LFE is supposed to feel like, and this sub is suprisingly handling the lowest bass frequency's of my music and from what I can feel some good numbers for SPL.

Ill keep you guys posted as I can play with it more.

 

[John Garcia]

Nice write up man. Congrats.

 

[Jeff Adams]

Very nice write up. Post some more when you get a chance. Did you get the turbo?

 

[mackie]

Congrats! I'm jealous

 

[jwill242004]

no I didnt get the turbo, however after a few days of slamming on this thing, i think that I will go ahead and get the turbo. Dont get me wrong, the LFE is awesome with this sub just as it is, but the Pipe Organ Music on the provided test disc is pretty impressive, something that I could definately get into. The turbo will help alot with this sort of playback.

I still have not calibrated this sub with the rest of my system yet, partly because I have never done it before, and to be honest I think that I would benefit much from it. Im pretty sure that even if I were to calibrate to say 75db, I would still prefer to run the sub hot just because i like my bass really loud.

I have found that my preference for listening is more like 70% music 30% movies. I originally thought it would be more like half and half, but I find now that whenever I am home I want to listen to music much more because the bass really is jawdropping. I never thought I would be able to achieve that in such a large room.

 

[Jeff Adams]

Thats sweet Jason. I think I am almost convinced to return my SVS PB12-NSD and get the HSU. I am really trying to decide if I want to get the turbo. It's only $100 extra but I plan on adding a second HSU down the road and that would prevent me from stacking them on top of each other. I just don't know what I want to do. So do you think that the HSU puts out enough output and power without the turbo on normal material? The pipe organ music and really low stuff like that really doesn't concern me too much. I mean I want to play low but I would assume that it already plays low enough without the turbo. I also heard that by adding the turbo, you loose a little bit of upper bass output.

 

[jwill242004]

IMO for your needs I dont think you need the turbo. Without it, it still produces plenty of very low bass and is seriously shaking my house. I am constantly having to straighten the decorative crap that I have placed on my walls in the bedrooms and bathrooms in my house. The bass will not let anything that is not securly fastened stay in its spot for long. I have a 7 x 6 painting on one wall in my living room that was way out of place the morning after I recieved this sub.

It has amazed me, but my requirements for a sub seem a little different from yours. I think the turbo is a necessity for me, but maybe not for you. I wouldnt worry about reduction of mid and high bass with the turbo, because there seems to be plenty of it available. I have found that with the gain turned up about half way and the sub level set @ 0 on a +-12 setting on the reciever it is perfect. There is plenty of headroom available. I run it in max output mode unless I am playing the organ music. Even on the test CD's warble tones, with the sub set in max output mode it still slams the 20hz tracks with no problems. I will break out the SPL meter tonight and check to see In room SPL levels at 20hz with this mode set and also the 16hz tone in Max extension mode. I am sure I will get well over 100db readings at 20hz, even in my huge room.

There is a track on the enclosed Test Cd that has some very cool percussion. During playback of this track it feels like the guy slamming the bass drum is standing right next to you.....its the "realest" (if thats a word) sounding bass note I have ever heard reproduced, and I have had a few friends over to listen to this thing and this is the first thing I have them listen to, they all say the same thing. It completely overwhelms you and oh my god is it addicting.

I have never heard an SVS and if you'll remember I was having a VERY hard time deciding between the two companies, I am so glad I made the decision that I did.

 

[Brian_cyberbri]

Same here. I am much more into listening to music now with my new Ascends and VTF-3 Mk2 (purchased about June). Adding bass traps took the bass to the next level, and then adding a BFD eq took it even further.

I run it even to 1dB hot for music, and about 3~4dB hot for movies. I watch movies at about -10, and back down if that's too loud for dialog or higher freq sounds.

The new HSUs are the best values right now. Man would I love to have a HO + Turbo, although I have more than enough bass for music and movies already sound great.

 

[MikeLi]

Jeff, I would not dump your SVS for the other. Been there done that several times.... The key is getting the right SVS.... I have nothing against HSU as they are a great sub too...I just don't feel they are as good as the SVS. My opinion.
Mike

 

[mrdap]

Hello,

I too am still a bit stuck on deciding between the Hsu VTF3-HO with Turbo (or VTF3-MK3 for that matter) and the SVS PB12-Ultra (or PB12–Plus/2). I understand that SVS is releaseing a new Ultra, so I have no problem waiting for that.

Mike, could you please elaborate on your opinion, quoted below:

"I have nothing against HSU as they are a great sub too...I just don't feel they are as good as the SVS."

Thanks.

DAP

 

[Brian_cyberbri]

Have you calibrated to see how hot you're running it? Unless you're room is massively huge, I have a feeling you're about 15-20dB hot over your speakers.

 

[Brian_cyberbri]

Which HSU have you seen and heard? And what is your criteria for judging them compared to the SVS?

 

[aht3]

I just ordered the VTF3-MK3 today and I am excited. I hope I don't go deaf in my 12X12X10 office. I also ordered my rear today. Yes, I will have a frankenstein system. Here it goes. My black level 3s (towers and center) will be here tomorrow. I will use Premier Acoustic surrounds (laugh if you want, they sound good), JBL L 820s for rears and the monster woofer. I powering this with my Pio 84. Thanks for all the help guys. Will...I am gong to pass on the turbo.


Thanks,

Andrew

 

[jwill242004]

Andrew that sub is going to freakin rock that room of yours. The Level 3 HTD setup looks sweet, IM sure thats gonna rock as well. I have been debating setting up my system in one of my smaller rooms to see how the HSU performs in a room that size. Once you get the sub home and playing im sure you will have that small thought creeping into your brain on what the turbo would actually sound like, and probably eventually order it anyway. Either way lemme know how you like it

J

 

[aht3]

it's already creeping but the wife creeps bigger. Anyway, I can't wait to get all 7 channels going especially with the JBL four ways for rears. Actually all of this is for video games, movies and some mellow jazz. My very own little boy's room. To top it off, my wife also got me a 46"XBR3 for Chritmas and it sits about 7 feet away..Life is good

 

[SPARTACUS_33]

After several weeks of research......... I just ordered my HSU VTF-3 MK3!!! So feakin' excited!

 

[Mike Gov]

Yes, Jason please turn that down!! If you are running the gain on the sub amp halfway and in the plus side on your receiver trim levels, you are way way to hot!!!!!
Congrats on your purchase. I have a 3.3 and really like it too