Auralex SubDude HD Video Review

[admin]

The SubDude HD is a platform for your subwoofer. Why would you want it? Well, a subwoofer, as you may know, generates a lot of vibration due to the fact that it puts out low frequencies and has a larger driver than most speakers. Well, these vibrations move into your floor and reduce the actual efficiency of the sub. After all, if it's expending energy into moving your furniture around the room, its not putting all of its energy potential into making sound waves. Plus it can just be a nuisance - as anyone who has experienced dishes rattling in their cupboards during a bass-heavy scene can testify.

Discuss "Auralex SubDude HD Video Review" here. Read the article.

 

[dapack69]

Cool video. First time seeing one on this site.

 

[cwall99]

True, it is a cool video. I just wish he would have explained what the tiny graph means and how it relates to the Sub-Dude's performance.

I mean, as I look at the graph (as tiny as it is), it appears to me that the vertical axis (okay, the Y axis) shows a loss in the sound measured in dB, and the X axis (horizontal) has key points along the frequency spectrum.

Now, I'm sure my interpretation of this chart will be wrong, but I see one of two things possibly represented on this chart:

• As you go up in frequency, the Impact STL increases, meaning that you lose dB as you go up in frequency
• OR... you see a huge drop off in dB as you move down the spectrum.

Like I said, the chart's not that clear.

 

[Shock]

I don't think the graph in this article is small enough.....

 

[krzywica]

I don't think the graph in this article is small enough.....

You can only see it if you are detail oriented. Everyone knows detail oriented people can see very small print. This article is clearly not for you.

 

[schaume]

Video is basically a rehash of the article(or the other-way around?). I have to agree with the previous posts, graph is way too small (even with reading glasses) and not well described (picture or graph in this case speaks a thousand words...).
Just wondering if the "value" of the stand justifies $60; looks like a pretty easy DIY (certainly compared to DIY speakers, cross-overs, amp...)

 

[jeffca]

I have two...

Actually, I don't have the SubDudes, but Auralex GRAMMA's under each of my Paradugm Servo 15 subs. They make a huge difference in my living room with its old wood floors.

Could you DIY these? Yeah... maybe. Honestly, though, when you can get a 4 pack of GRAMMA's (which are just about exactly the same as the SubDudes) for $143 from AValive.com, why bother making them?

Just so you know, generic foam is not acoustic foam. For the purposes of isolating a sub or instrument amp from the floor, it's pretty doubtful you're going to find foam that will work anywhere nearly as well as Auralex's.

You really can't go wrong with these things.

jeff

 

[jeffca]

The video has it wrong

The explanation of how the SubDudes work in the video is incorrect. Using that explanation, you might get the impression that the SubDudes will increase your sub's efficiency.

The SubDudes do indeed decouple your sub from the floor underneath them and they do it by absorbing energy that would be transmitted into the floor by the subs feet and whatever is radiating through the bottom of the cabinet. While spikes could possibly achieve this, the SubDudes/GRAMMAs will most definitely do as good or better a job and won't press holes into your floor.

jeff

 

[lsiberian]

The explanation of how the SubDudes work in the video is incorrect. Using that explanation, you might get the impression that the SubDudes will increase your sub's efficiency.

The SubDudes do indeed decouple your sub from the floor underneath them and they do it by absorbing energy that would be transmitted into the floor by the subs feet and whatever is radiating through the bottom of the cabinet. While spikes could possibly achieve this, the SubDudes/GRAMMAs will most definitely do as good or better a job and won't press holes into your floor.

jeff

The guy in the video did an excellent job explaining how it works for people the audience it was aimed at. Whether they do a better job then spikes is debatable since there isn't a scientific study on this published anywhere that I'm aware off. I can say that from my own hearing I definitely noticed an increased in subwoofer tightness(kind of like a lowering in tuning) and less sound transmission to other rooms. Of course if I crank it it doesn't matter what is underneath the sub it will transmit. It's also much easier to move my sub and saves me from having to drill into my sub for spikes.

 

[lsiberian]

Could you DIY these? Yeah... maybe. Honestly, though, when you can get a 4 pack of GRAMMA's (which are just about exactly the same as the SubDudes) for $143 from AValive.com, why bother making them?

Some people like building things and you can certainly save money by building your own if you know what you are doing.

 

[mike c]

Impact STL (Sound Transmission Loss) is a decibel reduction based on the vibration component of sound transmission. This test was estimated – a partial area of the test chamber’s floor was floated using PlatFoam to mimic real world conditions.

from the Auralex website

 

[Josuah]

I don't agree with the video explanation. Decoupling the speaker from additional materials that can vibrate is a good thing, because the additional sound from the additional locations will muddy things up. (This is the "secondary resonance" Auralex is talking about.)

I don't think the SubDude results in more "energy" being allocated to moving the driver back and forth instead of moving your floor. If you assume the subwoofer box has enough mass and friction to prevent back and forth motion (spikes obviously help because friction is greatly increased) opposite to the driver motion, then that ensures the driver is the only thing moving. (Auralex does not make any such claim like this.)

The cabinet is then vibrating due to the air waves internally/externally and any little kinetic energy transfer passing from the driver through the rubber surround to the cabinet.

Auralex's product description does not make any claim of making more of the amp energy spent on the driver instead of vibration. I believe, and I think this is also Auralex's claim, that the subdude simply absorbs the kinetic energy and converts it to heat, instead of the floor receiving the kinetic energy and converting it to movement. (The amount of heat conversion being represented by their Impact STL graph.)

The claim about cabinets and dishes rattling is also wrong, because obviously your subwoofer should be powerful enough to make that happen just with sound waves!

 

[MatrixDweller]

Nice

Video killed the text-star?

 

[cwall99]

I don't think the SubDude results in more "energy" being allocated to moving the driver back and forth instead of moving your floor. If you assume the subwoofer box has enough mass and friction to prevent back and forth motion (spikes obviously help because friction is greatly increased) opposite to the driver motion, then that ensures the driver is the only thing moving. (Auralex does not make any such claim like this.)

This makes sense. After all, the energy that's going to your sub is, essentially, a fixed quantity (let's just say providing we're listening to a steady test tone). The energy that's going into your floor and furniture are a product of the driver's oscillations, so, isolating the subwoofer from the floor does not magically transfer energy that's already been expended back into the sub's driver.

Still, I think that de-coupling the subwoofer from the room as much as possible to clarify the output makes sense. And, seeing as I have a 90 pound subwoofer, it'd probably not hurt the floor any to have one of these suckers underneath it.

 

[gliz]

I have a VTF-2 MK 3

http://www.hsuresearch.com/products/vtf-2-mk3.html

it fires into carpet I wonder if that might help, what do you say guys?

 

[krzywica]

I have a VTF-2 MK 3

http://www.hsuresearch.com/products/vtf-2-mk3.html

it fires into carpet I wonder if that might help, what do you say guys?

Get the Gramma. The subdude will be too small for your sub. The Gramma fits the exact length and width of the VTF2. I notice a notable improvement when I use my Gramma, and thats on carpet.

 

[lsiberian]

Get the Gramma. The subdude will be too small for your sub. The Gramma fits the exact length and width of the VTF2. I notice a notable improvement when I use my Gramma, and thats on carpet.

Yeah it's definitely worth it.

 

[PBMax]

I have this and it works great. Our house is on a raised foundation with wood floors. Before this application, my sub would create vibration throughout the house, worst of all, the bedroom while the wife was trying to sleep at times. No more issues - I love the product.

 

[ratm]

Maybe I missed it in the video, but would this be beneficial on tile?

 

[dapack69]

Maybe I missed it in the video, but would this be beneficial on tile?

It'll work on any surface.