Velodyne SPL1200 does worse in new S&V review? (1 Viewer)

[Bryan Acevedo]

I just got my most recent version of Sound & Vision. In this issue they have a review of the Velodyne home theater speakers, including the SPL800 and SPL1200 subs. They had pictures of these subs with the grills off, and they definitely have a different driver than my current SPL1200. The dust cap basically covers the whole area that would normally be the cone. It looks pretty cool.

Tom Nousaine measured the subs, and the SPL1200 did quite different than the previous one he did a few months ago in a sub showdown.

The old SPL1200 did:

90 db at 20Hz, 99 db at 25 Hz

The new one did:

75 db at 20 Hz (it didn't list a 25 Hz number)

Also, the new one had a lower average response over the 25 - 62 Hz range.

So - did Velodyne make the newer version a bad performer compared to the old one? Could the results of the new test be off (or maybe the old tests are optimistic)?

Just curious why there is such a large difference in performance between the two.

By the way, the reviewer really liked the SPL800 - he said it was one of the best, true small subs he has heard. He said he wouldn't bother getting the SPL1200 over this, unless the room was large. Well, with test results like that, it's no suprise. The old SPL1200 easily out performed the new one, but the new one didn't really outperform the 800 by that much.

Bryan

 

[Ned]

Were both subs tested in the same room?

How could anyone be happy with *just* the spl800. I'm sure it's a nice sub but come on. Not a true bass fiend.

 

[Bryan Acevedo]

Ned - yes - they should be tested in the same room, the exact same way, or TV's list is meaningless. As far as I know, TN tests subs the exact same way every time, in the exact same room.

Well, those little Velodynes are pretty good. I don't think I would be happy with only the 800 (I love my 1200), but I bet it puts out tight clean bass, that goes reasonably low. Compared to other small subs, it probably is better, unless you are going for really low bass.

Bryan

 

[CraigR]

Bryan,

I have the older version of this sub and noticed the same thing as you regarding the driver on the spl1200. It is different. I can't imagine Velodyne making this sub perform worse than the older version of this model. I suspect S&V will come out with revised numbers next month for this sub indicating that they had inadvertenly posted wrong numbers.

 

[Roger Kint]

I talked to Velodyne and they told me that even though there was a driver mod, there was no decrease in the performance at all, much less one that makes a 15 db difference. When I mentioned the difference in findings, and they stated:

1) Trust the previous review since the current review was based on the satellites, not on subs.

2) It is *possible* that there might have been some kind of room setup difference.

Somebody is lying here. Is it Tom N., the author, or Velodyne? Well, Tom N. didn't originate the article. Some other guy did I think he was pushing the small sats and also a *small* sub. Personally, I don't trust S&V magazine, they are known to be biased, always saying good stuff about everything, unlike Stereophile guide to HT.

 

[Bryan Acevedo]

Thanks Roger - interesting response. I, too, am wondering what is going on. They say trust the previous review, but the same guy (Tom Nousaine) did both test with the same testing methods. At least as far as I know. The review may have been more towards the speakers, but TN wouldn't comprimise his testing procedures because of it. The first review was definitely only about subs, so I would think the testing there is accurate and correct. I am just glad that I have an older version, and there is no question what my performance numbers are.

It could be a misprint. Maybe the writer thought both did 75 db at their lowest frequency, instead of paying attention to the actual numbers. I guess we will have to wait and see. But I do want to note that TN did test it, as it is his initals in the "in the lab" section.

Bryan