down to 3 choices

[shadyJ]

Idk. That vtf curve looks a lot nicer to me.

That is the curve the manufacturer put out. Here is what I measured:

I think both are nice subs. I would say if you prefer front-firing, get the Hsu, but if you like down-firing, get the Outlaw. Both are fine companies. They will be so close in performance that this is one of those cases where you should purchase based on looks!

 

[shadyJ]

well i think that settles it. i had my eyes on the mk5 the whole time, but its never on sale so i thought similar subs on sale would be a better buy. but im tired of waiting. been breaking in my klipsch rp280s and rp450c a couple days now at moderate volume.

would i need to break in the mk5 for a few days? if so i wont run audyssey until then. but i want my system up and running friday when i get the mk5. if it does need breakin, i can wait a few days for a sale.

The mk5 does go on sale occasionally, but its is never a big discount, like $30 off the regular price. No break-in needed for any of these subs. Over time the suspension may lose a bit of tension, which will lower the resonant frequency, but that won't have a huge effect on performance.

Regarding Audyssey, run the sub in 1 port open mode with Q at 0.7. After Audyssey is done, then switch the sub to whatever mode you prefer.

 

[bradymartin]

The mk5 does go on sale occasionally, but its is never a big discount, like $30 off the regular price. No break-in needed for any of these subs. Over time the suspension may lose a bit of tension, which will lower the resonant frequency, but that won't have a huge effect on performance.

Regarding Audyssey, run the sub in 1 port open mode with Q at 0.7. After Audyssey is done, then switch the sub to whatever mode you prefer.

for music, the klipsch 280 towers have enough bass for me. i cant imagine wanting more bass. i will be using in stereo mode, no sub.

for lowest extension for movies, explosions etc. is 1 port open and q at 0.7 the best way to go?

 

[Pogre]

for music, the klipsch 280 towers have enough bass for me. i cant imagine wanting more bass. i will be using in stereo mode, no sub.

for lowest extension for movies, explosions etc. is 1 port open and q at 0.7 the best way to go?

You get a little more deep bass extension, but I gotta say I like them in 2 open mode. That little extra headroom is nice. That's in my room. You'll have to experiment. I played with mine for a couple of weeks.

 

[Audiosaur]

would i need to break in the mk5 for a few days? if so i wont run audyssey until then. but i want my system up and running friday when i get the mk5. if it does need breakin, i can wait a few days for a sale.[/QUOTE]

Break in, schmake in. Buy it, plug it in, and enjoy!

BTW, you'll occasionally see a B stock if you're willing to wait.

 

[Pogre]

well i think that settles it. i had my eyes on the mk5 the whole time, but its never on sale so i thought similar subs on sale would be a better buy. but im tired of waiting. been breaking in my klipsch rp280s and rp450c a couple days now at moderate volume.

would i need to break in the mk5 for a few days? if so i wont run audyssey until then. but i want my system up and running friday when i get the mk5. if it does need breakin, i can wait a few days for a sale.

There is no break in time. The only thing that happens during that time is your ears getting used to the new sound.

 

[ematthews]

hsu vtf2 mk5
outlaw ultra x12
klipsch 115ssw

hsu is approx $600 shipped
outlaw an extra $100
klipsch 115 ive heard goes on sale for $400

for a smallish 11x11 room does it matter which one i choose?

i can wait for sales

I was in the same boat, but Outlaw just had their big sale this past weekend. So I got the Outlaw at a super price.

 

[bradymartin]

I was in the same boat, but Outlaw just had their big sale this past weekend. So I got the Outlaw at a super price.

not sure how i missed outlaw sale i checked every day.

got my appointment at hsu tomorrow at noon to listen to two subs. will be coming home with either the mk3 or mk5. mk3 is on sale but have a feeling ill be a mk5 owner

 

[ematthews]

not sure how i missed outlaw sale i checked every day.

got my appointment at hsu tomorrow at noon to listen to two subs. will be coming home with either the mk3 or mk5. mk3 is on sale but have a feeling ill be a mk5 owner

SECRET SALE IF YOU SUBSCRIBE TO to the email updates I think. I got an email a week early and had to wait for a special log on. I will have it Tuesday. Not sure how well I will like it for a music only system. If it doesn't work I will get the HSU ULS 15.

 

[bradymartin]

got the mk5 hooked up and its definitely better than the bic f12 it replaced.

curious if i set it up correctly. i want the deepest it can go for movies

1 port open
sub in, i connected the subwoofer cable to the white left
Phase 0
Eq1
Q control 0.7
crossover frequency at 90hz
crossover out

 

[lovinthehd]

got the mk5 hooked up and its definitely better than the bic f12 it replaced.

curious if i set it up correctly. i want the deepest it can go for movies

1 port open
sub in, i connected the subwoofer cable to the white left
Phase 0
Eq1
Q control 0.7
crossover frequency at 90hz
crossover out

You have crossover set in avr at 90 or are you also adding the sub's low pass filter?

 

[shadyJ]

got the mk5 hooked up and its definitely better than the bic f12 it replaced.

curious if i set it up correctly. i want the deepest it can go for movies

1 port open
sub in, i connected the subwoofer cable to the white left
Phase 0
Eq1
Q control 0.7
crossover frequency at 90hz
crossover out

Those settings will give you the most deep bass. Make sure the crossover on the subwoofer is set to bypass or out.

 

[bradymartin]

for music im using direct mode, bass comes from only the 280s. enough bass for sure.
but i want to try adding the sub for music. i know i set the avr to lfe plus main.
if i do that, will the sub play when i use direct? as i understand it direct uses only the front two

 

[lovinthehd]

I'd set the speakers to small to enable bass management rather than using lfe plus main/double bass type settings. Stereo mode may simply incorporate the sub (with minimal processing), avr specific.

 

[bradymartin]

ok after a few days im noticing differences between my now sold bic f12 and new mk5

bic f12 was right corner of the room, and approx 6 inches from back wall and 3 or so inches from right wall
mk5 is in left corner of the room, but further away. approx one foot from back of wall and 4 inches from the left wall

what im noticing is the bic f12 explosions were stronger, more boom. i could feel it
the mk5 less strong and less boom, more mellow, but sounds good i guess

for reference i watched transformers the final battle scene where the robot jumps over the big boob girl in the dress and screaming, and saving private ryan

i actually think the bic f12 rumbled at bit more and i felt it, whereas the mk5 didnt rumble and nothing shaked, i dont feel it.

spr explosions felt stronger with the f12

starting to think either placement or i dont have settings correct with the mk5.
using denon x3300 and it eqd the mk5 to 75db, i did up the channel level some

i expected to be way more impressed by the mk5 since supposedly it goes down to 18

the f12 goes down to 25 i think

 

[Pogre]

Why did you put it in a different spot? Placement is huge when it comes to subwoofers. It would completely change the way the bass behaves in your room.

 

[bradymartin]

Why did you put it in a different spot? Placement is huge when it comes to subwoofers. It would completely change the way the bass behaves in your room.

the bic f12 was in my living room. i got rid of the f12, i just watch stuff that i dont need a subwoofer with in my living room now. direct tv history channel, food network, sports etc. in my living room. have emptek towers and center, plenty of bass for that.

for action movies ive dedicated my bedroom for that. the mk5 is in my new bedroom setup. different room i should have mentioned that.

its just strange to me because the living room is almost 1 and 1/2 the size of my bedroom, yet the bic f12 much more explosive. i can feel the bass

the mk5 sounds cleaner though

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

I'm gonna say there is a setup issue. One thing is I wonder if the bic has hump in its response. Maybe around 35 hz? That would give the impression of more explosive bass, but is normally at the expense of true extension. That can take some getting used to when you switch to a big boy sub. The mk5 sounds cleaner because it is, and it's linear with deeper extension. What did you do for setup? Audyssey, ypao, or manually set levels and phase etc. pogre is right. Placement is KING when it comes to setting up a subwoofer. IMO, there's not one place where the bic would be better. However for a budget sub they do seem to be a good value. I suspect you'll need to spend some more time setting it up.

 

[bradymartin]

dont get me wrong the mk5 sounds great but still, 3 times the price of the f12 doesnt sound like it

the f12 was setup with denon 1712 audyssey silver, emptek towers and center crossed over at 60 and 80

the mk5 with denon x3300 gold, which eqs the sub, with klipsch rp280s and rp450c, crossed over at 60 and 80.

i expected a huge difference, avr, speakers and subwoofer all should be at least 1 step above the f12 and 1712 and empteks

the klipsch speakers are a lot more livley they lived up to the hype.

but the mk5 i expected a major upgrade in sound. so far it doesnt sound like it goes any lower than the f12, but it does sound better.

i upped the mk5 5db and still doesnt sound as strong as the f12 did.

for instance, in the final saving private ryan batte, when the tank falls almost on top of tom hanks, near the end of that battle, BOOM! with the f12, sounded awesome. with the mk5 didnt feel it the same way

tomorrow im going to press the mk5 closer to the corner and rerun audyssey.

a few posts above i put how i have the back of the mk5 set up for deepest extension

 

[lovinthehd]

dont get me wrong the mk5 sounds great but still, 3 times the price of the f12 doesnt sound like it

the f12 was setup with denon 1712 audyssey silver, emptek towers and center crossed over at 60 and 80

the mk5 with denon x3300 gold, which eqs the sub, with klipsch rp280s and rp450c, crossed over at 60 and 80.

i expected a huge difference, avr, speakers and subwoofer all should be at least 1 step above the f12 and 1712 and empteks

the klipsch speakers are a lot more livley they lived up to the hype.

but the mk5 i expected a major upgrade in sound. so far it doesnt sound like it goes any lower than the f12, but it does sound better.

i upped the mk5 5db and still doesnt sound as strong as the f12 did.

for instance, in the final saving private ryan batte, when the tank falls almost on top of tom hanks, near the end of that battle, BOOM! with the f12, sounded awesome. with the mk5 didnt feel it the same way

tomorrow im going to press the mk5 closer to the corner and rerun audyssey.

a few posts above i put how i have the back of the mk5 set up for deepest extension

Audyssey XT and XT32 both eq the sub. SubEQ feature in your 3300 is an ability to set level and delay for two different subs (but they are eq'd together by Audyssey).

I'm guessing it's partially placement/setup, but also perhaps just the frequency response hump that was mentioned, and that perhaps a flatter response is something you're not accustomed to. Hard to know from where I sit, tho. Did you do the subwoofer crawl to help determine position in the new room?