Rythmik FV15HP Subwoofer Review

[admin]

The Rythmik Audio FV15H subwoofer sports a 15" high excursion servo controlled driver mounted in a large vented box with a powerful 600 watt (continuous output) rated amplifier. Powerful, rich, deep and solid with true 20Hz extension is how I would describe the bass output of this sub. Rythmik Audio has a very talented engineering staff that produced a truly great high caliber subwoofer product at a very affordable asking price. I would recommend a pair of these subs for any upscale home theater environment where seat to seat bass consistency and ultimate output are paramount concerns. It's loud, clean, and fast... and for most - that's going to make this an extremely hard sub to beat.

Discuss "Rythmik FV15HP Subwoofer Review" here. Read the article.

 

[sholling]

Darn good read!

 

[GranteedEV]

wow a 5 for dynamic range! That was unexpected!

 

[FirstReflection]

Indeed. It would appear as though Rythmik pretty much nailed this ported design. The servo feedback distortion and compressed dynamic range of their more well-known sealed subs don't seem to be problems with this ported 15 incher according to this review and measurements!

Good on Rythmik, I say! I love the tightness and control that their servo design can offer so long as it isn't hitting its output limits. Pretty much no problems with massive output on this one!

Always great to have another good, reasonably affordable subwoofer option out there!

Can't wait for the HSU review to hit now. I wonder if these are coming out in decending order of performance

 

[MarkMM]

Was about to order the HSU, but now not sure what to do.
Not sure I can wait another two weeks for the HSU review.

 

[SopRage]

Was about to order the HSU, but now not sure what to do.
Not sure I can wait another two weeks for the HSU review.

... or three.

 

[kevon27]

How does this Rhthmik FV15hp compare with the Elemental Designs A5 - 350 Subwoofer..

Driver Size 15"
Driver Quantity 1
Driver Excursion 23mm
Total Driver Linear Displacement 3331.04cm³
Room Tuning 20Hz
Frequency Response (+/-3dB) 18-100Hz
Amplifier RMS Power 500W
Cabinet Type Vented
Shipping Weight 108 lbs
Internal Size 4.70ft³
External Size 6.37ft³
Width 19.00"
Height 25.00"
Depth 24.75"
Vent Size 2 x 4"
Amplifier Voltage 115
Included Crossover Yes
Crossover Frequencies 35-180Hz
Phase Switch Yes
Line Level Input Yes
RCA Level Input Yes
Level Control Yes

 

[ntrain42]

Indeed. It would appear as though Rythmik pretty much nailed this ported design. The servo feedback distortion and compressed dynamic range of their more well-known sealed subs don't seem to be problems with this ported 15 incher according to this review and measurements!

Good on Rythmik, I say! I love the tightness and control that their servo design can offer so long as it isn't hitting its output limits. Pretty much no problems with massive output on this one!

Always great to have another good, reasonably affordable subwoofer option out there!

Can't wait for the HSU review to hit now. I wonder if these are coming out in decending order of performance

Feedback distortion and "compressed" dynamic range from Rythmik sealed subs? I think you have the wrong company.

 

[ntrain42]

Indeed. It would appear as though Rythmik pretty much nailed this ported design. The servo feedback distortion and compressed dynamic range of their more well-known sealed subs don't seem to be problems with this ported 15 incher according to this review and measurements!

Good on Rythmik, I say! I love the tightness and control that their servo design can offer so long as it isn't hitting its output limits. Pretty much no problems with massive output on this one!

Always great to have another good, reasonably affordable subwoofer option out there!

Can't wait for the HSU review to hit now. I wonder if these are coming out in decending order of performance

I would actually say in terms of performance the Rythmik bested the SVS sub.

The Rythmik sub was unfortunetly tested using an older generation H600 plate amp and tested with the limiter on which hurts performance. Also the extension/damping controls were set to 28hz/hi which cuts off low frequency extension prematurely. Would have been nice to see this subs response and compression point without the limiter and with the damping/ext control set to 14hz/hi instead of a full octave higher.

 

[Rythmik]

The servo feedback distortion and compressed dynamic range of their more well-known sealed subs don't seem to be problems with this ported 15 incher according to this review and measurements!

I know where you got that impression. Ever since Ilkka published his measurement on our 12" kit, I have been fighting an uphill baffle. I even emailed Illkka and say he should have also showed the results with extension switch set to 28hz because 28hz is already better than 90% of DIY he has tested and putting us at 14hz extension placed tremendous stress on our sub if he cannot do the same to other subs. His reply is "you have the 14hz switch, then we should test at 14hz position". You can understand my frustration. This is really the second time we sent subs to test and the test condition is fair and apple-to-apple.

 

[gajenn]

How about celebrating this great review with a great special sale on this model??

 

[rnatalli]

Very strong showing for the Rythmik. I've never heard one of their vented designs and didn't know they had one down near the $500 mark. I might have to have a look at that one myself

 

[ntrain42]

I know where you got that impression. Ever since Ilkka published his measurement on our 12" kit, I have been fighting an uphill baffle. I even emailed Illkka and say he should have also showed the results with extension switch set to 28hz because 28hz is already better than 90% of DIY he has tested and putting us at 14hz extension placed tremendous stress on our sub if he cannot do the same to other subs. His reply is "you have the 14hz switch, then we should test at 14hz position". You can understand my frustration. This is really the second time we sent subs to test and the test condition is fair and apple-to-apple.

WHat would be nice is to see distortion tests done at half power. Distortion tests done at the point of driver compression/max spl tend to skew true real world numbers of how a sub will perform.

Its like with regular speakers. I dont think "professional reviewers" test the quality and sound of a given speaker at its max rms power input handling at bleeding loud levels, so then why do that with subs? I have no issue with knowing the max spl and distortion characteristics of a given sub, but Id like to know how the sub operates in terms of distortion,group delay etc at or under half power as well under NORMAL OPERATING CONDITIONS where it will be running 99% of the time.

 

[scott911]

Article mentions a couple times - leave the switches alone and use bass management functions of your processor. I do this in my system.

Why then are there so many switches and controls? I'm sure it adds some flexibility, but in reality, the type of buyer who seeks our a special, non-best-buy-amp, like this Rythmik, is almost certainly going to have a decent receiver or processor that includes bass management.

Rythmik (and others) could cut a lot of complexity, and cut a lot of cost.

 

[clouso]

Article mentions a couple times - leave the switches alone and use bass management functions of your processor. I do this in my system.

Why then are there so many switches and controls? I'm sure it adds some flexibility, but in reality, the type of buyer who seeks our a special, non-best-buy-amp, like this Rythmik, is almost certainly going to have a decent receiver or processor that includes bass management.

Rythmik (and others) could cut a lot of complexity, and cut a lot of cost.

I so agree with you...for instance paradigms subs only have ...volume....phase alignment and cross over...thats it....why be so complicated??...i agree with you..

 

[billy p]

Article mentions a couple times - leave the switches alone and use bass management functions of your processor. I do this in my system.

Why then are there so many switches and controls? I'm sure it adds some flexibility, but in reality, the type of buyer who seeks our a special, non-best-buy-amp, like this Rythmik, is almost certainly going to have a decent receiver or processor that includes bass management.

Rythmik (and others) could cut a lot of complexity, and cut a lot of cost.

That was why I like my pb10 so much....plain and simple. Just give me some inputs, gain and phase control and I'm good... .

 

[Sputter]

I so agree with you...for instance paradigms subs only have ...volume....phase alignment and cross over...thats it....why be so complicated??...i agree with you..

It allows people with no outside EQ abilities to make some fine tuning. Otherwise you're stuck with whatever basic sub gives you.

 

[GranteedEV]

That was why I like my pb10 so much....plain and simple. Just give me some inputs, gain and phase control and I'm good... .

Rythmik is a brand that not only targets itself to the the HT crowd but also takes full advantage of the 2-channel music listener with the analog pre-amp etc. I fully support the complex plate amp, they probably just have some tweaking to do is all.

 

[templemaners]

I too like the idea of a complex plate amp that has lots of adjustments available IF there are clear and well written instructions that can walk an average user through both a basic and more advanced setup.

 

[shadyJ]

I agree with templemaners, lots of options are a good thing, so perhaps all Rythmik needs to do is document them better. Anyway this looks like a absolutely solid subwoofer, output measurements put it right up there with the previous review of the PB12-Plus and Hsu's measurements of the VTF-15H. The review is terrific also, there is a lot of valuable information in there, and depth. Honestly I don't need a subjective experience record to tell me how it sounds with War of the Worlds with every single sub, I can understand what it would do just fine with the measurements recorded. There is lots of valuable data in the article and by the time this series of reviews is done with, I think these will be the new reference point for new sub buyers. Ilkas tests were the gold standard certainly, but they are getting a bit old, what with all the new models and new versions of the same subs he tested.