Michael Langdon
Stunt Coordinator
- Joined
- Aug 29, 1998
- Messages
- 110
The new entry level Velodyne VX-10 subwoofer is now listed under the products at the Velodyne website. Even though the Parts Express DLS 10 has received such rave reviews here on the forum, I just had to give the Velodyne a try. I purchased from 6th Avenue Electronics for $169.97 not including shipping. Amazingly, Velodyne has a suggested retail price of $299 on their website. The sub has a 10" front firing driver, 100 watt RMS amplifier (150 watts dynamic power), phase switch, variable low pass, magnetic shielding and a removable front grill.
I am very thoroughly pleased with the performance of the VX-10 so far. The sound is not boomy (my biggest fear) with getting a new sub. I have the sub located in the front left corner next to my left main speaker (a Boston Acoustics VR30 tower configured as small in my processor). Any sub I have owned always sounds best in this corner. I do not have test tones in 1 Hz increments, so I was only able to test at 120, 100, 80, 63, 50, 40, 31.5, 25 and finally 20 Hz. In my room, frequency response was flat from 120 Hz to 31.5 Hz with only a 2 dB dip at 80 Hz (probably due to the crossover of 80 Hz). At 25 Hz, response was down around 6dB according to my Radio Shack SPL meter. I will do some further testing with more tones in 1 Hz increments so I can pinpoint exactly how much lower than 31.5 the sub can go before response drops off sharply like it does at 25 Hz. The crossover setting on my processor is global and can be set in 5 Hz increments up to 120 Hz. The setting at 80 Hz gives me the flattest response in my room.
I have a subwoofer level setting range of -10 to +10 on my processor. I have it set to 0. I am only using about 15% gain on the back of the sub. I was surprised by this setting. I was expecting to use at least a 25-30% volume setting on the back of the sub. I am calibrated at 78 dB (uncorrected) on the Radio Shack SPL meter. Auto signal sensing is fine at this level.
The biggest surprise when using this sub is how well the bass blends in with all sound (movies and music). The bass definitely cannot be localized. In fact, it seems as if my mains and center channel are delivering the bass. I have not had the bass from a sub blend in as well in my listening environment as I have with this Velodyne VX-10.
However, the last test that I usually perform that helps me decide whether a particular sub is good for me is with music. Besides testing with music CDs, I always like to put in Fleetwood Mac: The Dance DVD. Tracks from this particular DVD reveal whether a sub is going to be boomy and capable of delivering distinct bass notes ( no one note bass). I was not disappointed. Bass notes were distinct on the more difficult passages. I can mute my sub rather easily and was able to switch between listening with and without the sub rather quickly. The best way to describe my listening experience with the sub and how well the bass blended is to describe it as if suddenly I had large full range speakers on the front 3 channels configured accordingly but with no sub (if that makes any sense).
I am surprised that I am getting this excited over a entry level sub. I now understand the excitement others are feeling over the DLS sub and the performance from a mere 10" subwoofer. I have had other subs including a large 15" sub from Definitive Technology (PF1500TL) with a 375 watt amplifier. I have played all the demo material with great bass that I can think of including The Haunting, intro to Toy Story 2, Blade (club scene), Titan A.E., Daylight (tunnel explosion), Jurassic Park, etc. on the Velodyne as I have with my other subs. I am more impressed with the Velodyne because it sounds as good with these passages but blends better and sounds better with music and has only a 10" driver with 100 watt RMS amplifier!
If you haven't guessed, this sub is definitely a keeper for me. I do not think you have to spend big bucks for great performance. Of course I know room size is a factor and a large room is going to require a larger, more powerful sub. However, for my 14x18 room, the Velodyne VX-10 is enough for me.
I am very thoroughly pleased with the performance of the VX-10 so far. The sound is not boomy (my biggest fear) with getting a new sub. I have the sub located in the front left corner next to my left main speaker (a Boston Acoustics VR30 tower configured as small in my processor). Any sub I have owned always sounds best in this corner. I do not have test tones in 1 Hz increments, so I was only able to test at 120, 100, 80, 63, 50, 40, 31.5, 25 and finally 20 Hz. In my room, frequency response was flat from 120 Hz to 31.5 Hz with only a 2 dB dip at 80 Hz (probably due to the crossover of 80 Hz). At 25 Hz, response was down around 6dB according to my Radio Shack SPL meter. I will do some further testing with more tones in 1 Hz increments so I can pinpoint exactly how much lower than 31.5 the sub can go before response drops off sharply like it does at 25 Hz. The crossover setting on my processor is global and can be set in 5 Hz increments up to 120 Hz. The setting at 80 Hz gives me the flattest response in my room.
I have a subwoofer level setting range of -10 to +10 on my processor. I have it set to 0. I am only using about 15% gain on the back of the sub. I was surprised by this setting. I was expecting to use at least a 25-30% volume setting on the back of the sub. I am calibrated at 78 dB (uncorrected) on the Radio Shack SPL meter. Auto signal sensing is fine at this level.
The biggest surprise when using this sub is how well the bass blends in with all sound (movies and music). The bass definitely cannot be localized. In fact, it seems as if my mains and center channel are delivering the bass. I have not had the bass from a sub blend in as well in my listening environment as I have with this Velodyne VX-10.
However, the last test that I usually perform that helps me decide whether a particular sub is good for me is with music. Besides testing with music CDs, I always like to put in Fleetwood Mac: The Dance DVD. Tracks from this particular DVD reveal whether a sub is going to be boomy and capable of delivering distinct bass notes ( no one note bass). I was not disappointed. Bass notes were distinct on the more difficult passages. I can mute my sub rather easily and was able to switch between listening with and without the sub rather quickly. The best way to describe my listening experience with the sub and how well the bass blended is to describe it as if suddenly I had large full range speakers on the front 3 channels configured accordingly but with no sub (if that makes any sense).
I am surprised that I am getting this excited over a entry level sub. I now understand the excitement others are feeling over the DLS sub and the performance from a mere 10" subwoofer. I have had other subs including a large 15" sub from Definitive Technology (PF1500TL) with a 375 watt amplifier. I have played all the demo material with great bass that I can think of including The Haunting, intro to Toy Story 2, Blade (club scene), Titan A.E., Daylight (tunnel explosion), Jurassic Park, etc. on the Velodyne as I have with my other subs. I am more impressed with the Velodyne because it sounds as good with these passages but blends better and sounds better with music and has only a 10" driver with 100 watt RMS amplifier!
If you haven't guessed, this sub is definitely a keeper for me. I do not think you have to spend big bucks for great performance. Of course I know room size is a factor and a large room is going to require a larger, more powerful sub. However, for my 14x18 room, the Velodyne VX-10 is enough for me.
