NO NO NO RythmiK 12, what a nightmare..

[ImcLoud]

OK, so my mother wanted a new surround sound, so I gave her a pair Wharfedale Bookshelfs evo two-tens and a evo2 center I had, and bought her a set of Fluance surrounds {bi pole models}, bought her a 1713 denon {which I am having problems with, going to try and figure it out tomorrow, after I ran audy, it sounds terrible}, and I was going to buy her a hsu vtf2 {my favorite HT sub} but the sale is over and now the price is a little higher, and I didn't want to spend more than the sub was last week, so AGAINST my better judgement, and due to me being cheap, I figured I would try the new RythmiK lv12 a lot of people have been talking about.... I have played with a few rythmik subs in the last but never really paid much attention to them, they all sounded good, but never really pushed on them...

So Let me start by saying, I read a few people comparing this to the vtf2, that should never be done, these two arent even in the same league, sure the cost is similar but thats it!!! My mother said it sounds fine and is really loud, but I wanted to return it, she just wants her HT done, lol.... I actually recommended this to a couple people which now I regret, get the hsu vtf2, I don't care if it was twice the price, lol...

Now I know just saying the sub isnt great is not responsible or enough info, so here goes a little review...

I unboxed the sub and the fit and finish are acceptable, I never know what to say about a black speakers finsih especially a sub, its a black box, lol, although this is a black oak {so instead of smooth black it has woodgrain texture}. The controls and amp connections are pretty standard, rear ported, with a front firing 12 and a cloth grille, The grill fit is a little loose for my liking, you rub across it and it will fall off...

I connected it quickly and fired it up, I set the denon to Movie and threw in Jurrasic park {my mother has the trilogy, lol I think they are the only action-ish movies she owns}. And rite away I was like "where is the output", so I went to the settings. Since I really didn't set the system up yet everything was at zero, so I boosted the sub +12 while listening to it, still just not enough, I kept rewinding one scene, and it has some rumble but nothing that sounds like a $600 sub to me, so I went to the back of the sub and played with the gain, turned it up and made sure my direction was correct.. Still just not there... So I started moving it around, crawling for a minute or two found a new spot so I wheeled it over and started again... STILL not what I wanted, but maybe thats it, its no anorexic by any means, but in my mind I am comparing it to my sub, which is way too much at 1/2 power....

So now moving on I accept the sub sounds how it sounds... I go to some music, Im not too slick when it comes to the 1713 since I haven't spent a ton of time with it, but I can't get the sub on in a music mode so I go back to movies, it works... I push some good volume music through with good bass, and I am just getting pissed off, the sub sounds like its bottoming out, Im like "this must be hitting the grille, so I pull it, and the sub is WORKING, but I am just not happy with the output...

I am trying to convince her that I want to return it and get her a new one, but she says its fine, and please just leave it {Shes not paying for it, but I want the system to be all there...}... Im still unsure of what I am going to do about it... Does anyone know the return policy, I haven't looked it up yet...

Now as far as everything else goes, the denon is being a little troublesome, I am going to start over, need to look up how to reset it tonight, the TV she picked out, looks like all the movies we put on are fake, like layered screens with a fake background, the stand my sister bought her sucks, it hangs from the wall and took us forever to get rite, the tv wall mount was a good deal and worked out well, the speakers are great, fluance makes a great inexpensive surround and the WD's are of course awesome, and I am having trouble with the return audio...


So anyway, if anyone has some ideas for my problems please let me know, Im ussually a genious with this sh!t but I am getting over loaded with this one...

First how do you get audio back to the receiver from the smart tv, the tv is a M series 240hz vizio 55"? AVR is a denon 1713, I plugged it into the audio return hdmi and NOTHING...

How do you reset a 1713? Why would it sound terrible after running audy...

Would you return the sub, I hate it she likes it, ,honestly she will probably end up turning it off most of the time...

Why does this tv's picture look like crap, like I am on the set of the movie, green screenish...

Not everything went wrong, I ran all the wires up behind the tv in a power and bulk cable box, all the wires went though with little effort, I found studs fast and that made me happy, the tv mount {full motion chetah} went to gether easy and feels strong, and my mom made me sandwiches for lunch...

 

[theJman]

Well, I suppose if you look hard enough you'll eventually find someone who doesn't like the LV12R. Perhaps you're among that 1%.

If you really feel the HSU is better than it's probably in your best interest to return the Rythmik. That way you won't second guess your decision.

 

[j_garcia]

Doesn't matter if you are happy with it since it is Mom's sub If she's happy with it, then that's what matters, and as you said, it is already likely more than she needs.

It is possible you've got an issue with the receiver, setup or something, but those I would guess would maybe be slim chances given your gear knowledge. Possible there's something wrong with the sub? Call Brian over there (? I think that's his name), he'll give you a hand with it I am sure.

 

[3db]

Read my review of the LV-R12. I had a similar experience but I figured it out. Here's the secret. Don't use the LFE input. Use the main left/right input via a Y adaptor. I also ended up doing a bass crawl and finding a new location for it in my HT room. This thing has output..believe me!!!!!!
It cannot be bettered by any new sub in its price class.

 

[afterlife2]

Huh can't be.

 

[Ponzio]

Read my review of the LV-R12. I had a similar experience but I figured it out. Here's the secret. Don't use the LFE input. Use the main left/right input via a Y adaptor. I also ended up doing a bass crawl and finding a new location for it in my HT room. This thing has output..believe me!!!!!!
It cannot be bettered by any new sub in its price class.

I'm a bit cornfused as to why you can't use the LFE input (you mean the labeled "SUB WOOFER" output, right?)? Plus it looks like it has only 1 set of "FRONT" output's.

I'm no Denon expert by any stretch, outside of owning an old AVR-75. I'm just going by the Denon web site rear view photo.

 

[ImcLoud]

This bothered me all night, I am taking one of my vtf2's over today and I am going to side by side them. I think I am going to return it, because the vtf2 is only a little more money. I know as John said its not my sub, even though I paid for it.. I guess I was just thinking it was going to be better than the vtf2 or at least on the same level? Has anyone a b compared this to the vtf2 before? I read some "which sub to buy" and " this vs that" threads before buying it and I did notice there wasn't anyone who heard the rythmic that recomended the hsu and vice versa.

I'm not saying its a terrible sub, but Its not what I expected and I'm not happy with it, probably only because I own the vtf2's and know what I'm missing...

3db I tried it both ways {of course I read your review before buying } it does sound better with the l and r but still get a bottoming out sound and still nothing like the vtf2.. I am going back over there today to finish up, I still have to run the cables to the surrounds {I have them ran down to the basement, now i have to get them up into the rear walls} and I have to do the same with the sub cable, its running on the floor rite now...

Im on the fence about letting her keep this thing, as of rite now my plan is to swap it with my spare vtf2 return the lv12 and buy another vtf2. I know she will probably leave this thing off, lol and its a moot point, she could have a PE 8" sub and be happy, thats the only reason why its not back in the box already...

I figured out how to reset the avr, I also dug up a toslink cable for the audio return since I cant figure out how to get the tv audio return out to the receiver {Im sure its a tv setting, but I can't figure it out, that tv has no buttons and the remote sucks, DONT buy that tv, its junk... she bought it on sale for $900 and I wouldn't pay $500}... I also researched the picture issue, and its called "soap opera effect" which I have to figure out how to change, some say set it to 720, some say to turn off other settings and dim back light, what a pita... As far as the setting issue on the denon, I think I got a bad microphone....

I also have to go finish setting up my office managers 2.2 system today, she has everything the csb1's the svs sb12's, and the pre and amps... That should be fun and much easier to accomplish...

 

[afterlife2]

How far is the sub from sitting position? Did you give RythmiK a call? That Denon could be at fault maybe try the sub at your crib?

 

[ImcLoud]

So I finished up my mothers house today, except for 1 wall shelf that I ripped out after I mounted it with my arm while I was bending over, so I am going to have my carpenter go and fix that Monday and he is also going to mount 1 surround speaker since a piece of wood needs to be cut into the corner, but everything is done...As far as the sub goes, I hooked the vtf2 in and it sounds fantastic no matter where I put it....... But my mother said she likes the wood grain on the rhythmic and she really doesn't want me going through the trouble of returning it, sooooooo... What ever,Its just not what I thought it would be, no big deal... I also got the denon reset and dialed in, and fixed the picture on the tv {had to play with the motion setting and filter settings}... The system as a whole sounds awesome, the sub does an ok job in the medium room {24x12}, half the room is a bar area and the other half has couches so the full motion tv mount will be handy when sitting at the bar, that room goes off onto a 50x20 2 story deck with a set of French doors, so its the most used room of the house, which is around 5K sq feet.... Ill post some pics tomorrow when I have more time to load them....

 

[3db]

Maybe you have a defective unit. Contact the folks at Rythmic to see if they can help you. They are very helpful and prompt.

 

[cpp]

Happy with my sub.... no issues and Rythmik is really helpful for questions on setup. Give them a call and stop killing yourself.

 

[3db]

Another example of exemplary service from Rythmic.


Official Rythmik Audio Subwoofer thread - Page 362

 

[ImcLoud]

I don't want anyone to think there is anything wrong with the sub, sure the lfe would be nice if it worked, lol, but besides that the sub is working how it is supposed to, I was just expecting it to surpass the output and sq of my vtf2... My mother is happy with it, thats all that matters, and I don't have to box it back up... The sub is worth its price, especially now that the vtf2 is not on sale anymore, but I personally prefer the vtf2.. I should have done more research comparing the two so its my fault, but the rythmic is also cheaper than the vtf2, so its a trade off.. It seems like the sub bottoms out when played hard {level turned to 3/4 gain and deep fast music played} but my mother is never going to need that much output so....

 

[slipperybidness]

I don't want anyone to think there is anything wrong with the sub, sure the lfe would be nice if it worked, lol, but besides that the sub is working how it is supposed to, I was just expecting it to surpass the output and sq of my vtf2... My mother is happy with it, thats all that matters, and I don't have to box it back up... The sub is worth its price, especially now that the vtf2 is not on sale anymore, but I personally prefer the vtf2.. I should have done more research comparing the two so its my fault, but the rythmic is also cheaper than the vtf2, so its a trade off.. It seems like the sub bottoms out when played hard {level turned to 3/4 gain and deep fast music played} but my mother is never going to need that much output so....

Like others have mentioned, give Brian a call at Rythmik. He can confirm whether it is operating correctly and give suggestions on settings, etc.

I'm not sure which amp is in that sub? Many of his amps have plenty of setup options and knobs etc, so it might be good to talk to him directly about the ideal config for this setup.

 

[ImcLoud]

I have definitely set up enough subs to get it to its best {or pretty close}, and its "fine" but like I said I am just not impressed, I don't need to bother him with what I already know.. Its a good sub for the money, but side by side with the vtf2 I thought it was going to be cleaner {hence the servo design}, with more output and it wasn't the case...

anyway... here are some pics...

 

[ImcLoud]

So, not all the pics came through I am a terrible photographer...

The front left and right are going on stands, my carpenter is going to repair the left shelf and hang the right surround over the sub in that corner, the other surround is on the fireplace next to the rear sofa. Considering I had to hang the tv, run all the wires {including the cable, since we swapped a/v walls and rearranged the parlor}. that side of the room is "living room" and the other side is a bar room, its a pretty big room, and the system sounds really good all together and tuned...The denon works great {refurb from a4l}...

Again, I wan't to stress that there is nothing wrong with the rythmic sub, its not broken or a defect {it would have already been boxed up and returned if that was the case} I just expected more... My mother is never going to use it to 1/4 of its ability so its no big deal, she will probably just unplug it from the wall unless they are watching a movie... I just wanted to get her something nice, and I think I accomplished it, it should be 100% by the end of today, I am bringing over a pair of bookshelf stands for her fronts and I made some speaker wires for them... Plus my wife picked her up some flowers I have to deliver, she will no doubt like the flowers more than the speaker stands, if you could ever figure that one out...

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Read my review of the LV-R12. I had a similar experience but I figured it out. Here's the secret. Don't use the LFE input. Use the main left/right input via a Y adaptor. I also ended up doing a bass crawl and finding a new location for it in my HT room. This thing has output..believe me!!!!!!
It cannot be bettered by any new sub in its price class.

I thought the bass response is flat from 19-300Hz using the LFE Input?

All I can say is, if the Rythmik doesn't sound great, it must be room modes and you must do some sub EQ.

I know Audyssey Dynamic EQ did wonders for my sub bass.

 

[ImcLoud]

I thought the bass response is flat from 19-300Hz using the LFE Input?

All I can say is, if the Rythmik doesn't sound great, it must be room modes and you must do some sub EQ.

I know Audyssey Dynamic EQ did wonders for my sub bass.

I think I got it as rite as its going to be, I ended up keeping the splitter on the sub, and running the otta-c with the sub turned to half way, then turning the sub down to about 30% {she doesn't like a lot of bass, lol}... And my carpenter finished, mounted the surround, fixed my botched wall anchor, and fixed a window that she could not get to close tight...

 

[3db]

I should have done more research comparing the two so its my fault, but the rythmic is also cheaper than the vtf2, so its a trade off.. It seems like the sub bottoms out when played hard {level turned to 3/4 gain and deep fast music played} but my mother is never going to need that much output so....

I don't know how you are able to bottom out a servo controlled sub. That's what the servo feedback control mechanism prevents. What you are saying just doesn't add up. I never heard it bottom out and I've pushed it hard to write my review. J-Man who also writes professional reviews of subs couldn't get it to bottom out either. Either you have a defective unit or the room acoustics are very poor in that room.

 

[ImcLoud]

I don't know how you are able to bottom out a servo controlled sub. That's what the servo feedback control mechanism prevents. What you are saying just doesn't add up. I never heard it bottom out and I've pushed it hard to write my review. J-Man who also writes professional reviews of subs couldn't get it to bottom out either. Either you have a defective unit or the room acoustics are very poor in that room.

When it is played hard, I get a banging noise or pop , sounds like it is bottoming out? Like the bass is accompanied by a sharp noise, of which I would compare to an over loaded sub.. at first I thought it was hitting the grill, but after removing the grill I could still hear it and louder... The room acoustics are not great in the room, but the vtf2 had no trouble... that was kind of my point.. But all is well now, it is all set up she is happy and thats all that matters... I paid for it for her, so she would be happy with anything, lol, Im just not as impressed as the reviews led me to believe I would be...

I really wanted to like this sub, My brother was going to take both of my vtf2's {for what the lv12's cost} and I was going to buy 2 more rythmics, but now Ill keep my vtf2s....

Maybe the vtf2 just sounds better in that room, but I could hear the vtf was better before I even brought it down there and hooked it up next to it, that was more to test and see if it was an avr or room issue...

I don't want to start a sub debate, no harm done, she is happy, and I will keep my vtf2's, my brother was a bit dissapointed because he wants my vtf2 set, and he was also not happy with the lv12 enough to buy a set after hearing this one...

If there is something wrong with the sub, that sucks because another guy is coming down from Avon Mass, to hear the lv12 next week because he is interested in buying one and a free demo is better than paying return shipping, and I am curious to see what he thinks...
but there is nothing wrong with the sub, unless that bottoming out noise is a specific issue, in which I would like to get it figured out, but its only when its pushed and my mother will never run it that loud...

So to recap, the sub is FINE, it is worth the price, but for a few bucks more I will stick to my vtf2's... We all like what we like, I am curious to see if anyone else has heard both? I think that is the issue, I spoke with 2 others that have heard both {one heard the old sub though} and they both also preferred the hsu...... So out of us 3 that have heard both the vtf is preferred, but it is also a little more money when not on sale, which now I think it is back down to $529 plus shipping...

Both are great subs, and I can not see anyone needing more in a medium sized room, either way you can not go wrong, but I personally prefer the vtf2, if that means there has to be something wrong with the lv12, than so be it, lol.. But until you hear both side by side .. don't judge me ...

No one has commented how straight I managed to get the TV and that god awful wall mounted tv stand to sit, that and snaking wires took me the better part of a day, lol....