Vintage Subs: Hsu Research

[sholling]

Just browsing eBay today I ran across a bit of a curiosity - a pair of Dr Hsu's original HRSW12 subwoofers from roughly 1992. I have no interest in adding a pair of expensive curiosities to my living room but I had to share. I called Hsu Research today and they confirmed that yes that's the original design and the rep said they even had pictures in the office.

http://www.hsuresearch.com/faq.html

"HSU Research, Inc. began as a specialized deep bass research company in 1991. Dr. Hsu started the business shortly after receiving a PhD in engineering from MIT. He moved to Orange County, California with the dream of making the world’s best subwoofers.

Dr. Hsu started with a subwoofer made of recycled cardboard tube called a sono-tube. It was seven feet tall. The experiment was powerful, and played pristine bass notes deeper than humans can hear, down to 16 Hz. Dr. Hsu called the design a "true subwoofer."

Although air shook all around the room, no harm was done. The volume could be turned down, and the deep notes were strangely captivating. Bass notes were known to exist throughout the ages in church organs and large drums, and they possessed a strong emotional impact on whoever heard them, regardless of personal background, culture, and age. Dr. Hsu's neighbors began visiting to hear the sound."​

Photo courtesy eBay seller vdub49​

 

[Paul_Apollonio]

Dr Poh Hsu

I like Dr Hsu. I used to make speakers for him about 10 years ago when I was the Chief Engineer for American Speaker/Ground Zero. What I remember about Dr Hsu was one answer to my questionnaire, a 16 question form I would give customers so I could calculate driver parameters without them having to understand Thiele-Small theory. (Or Physics) One of my questions was always "what is your price target". Usually I got a number. When Dr Hsu made a sample request, his answer was always the same to that question. "ZERO". Did I mention I like Dr Hsu?

Sincerely,
Paul Apollonio

 

[sholling]

I guess they're kicking around the idea of an open house sometime in the future. If they do it I'll have to go. 130 mile round trip or not I could not miss that.

 

[shadyJ]

Neat sub! I would love to hear that old beast. The open house would be neat too, I'm a Hsu fan myself, but I am a bit too far to visit. Incidentally, Hsu is planning on reintroducing the TN1220HO later in the year, that will be interesting. I asked them if anything is going to change from the old version, they said that outside of an improved driver, it will mostly be the same. I'd love to get a couple of those and compare them to my VTF3's or ULS's!

 

[skizzerflake]

Just browsing eBay today I ran across a bit of a curiosity - a pair of Dr Hsu's original HRSW12 subwoofers from roughly 1992. I have no interest in adding a pair of expensive curiosities to my living room but I had to share. I called Hsu Research today and they confirmed that yes that's the original design and the rep said they even had pictures in the office.

http://www.hsuresearch.com/faq.html....

I'd love to get a couple of those in my basement. Any idea whether they were efficient? One of my favorite memories was of a guy who had a pair of old Klipschorns that could shake the earth with a 20 WPC receiver and something as big as those Hsu subs seems like it might be like that.

 

[sholling]

I'd love to get a couple of those in my basement. Any idea whether they were efficient? One of my favorite memories was of a guy who had a pair of old Klipschorns that could shake the earth with a 20 WPC receiver and something as big as those Hsu subs seems like it might be like that.

I don't like to link to somebody I don't know's ad but they are still on ebay and the ad has a lot of details. Search on Hsu Research.

 

[BGLeduc]

Neat sub! I would love to hear that old beast. The open house would be neat too, I'm a Hsu fan myself, but I am a bit too far to visit. Incidentally, Hsu is planning on reintroducing the TN1220HO later in the year, that will be interesting. I asked them if anything is going to change from the old version, they said that outside of an improved driver, it will mostly be the same. I'd love to get a couple of those and compare them to my VTF3's or ULS's!

That is great news. I have a 1225 now, laying sideways behind my couch, and is is very impressive when the right scene of a given film comes up, and the couch lifts off the ground.

I may have to get a 1220 just for the extra 5 hertz.

Brian