Hsu Research ULS-15 mk2 Subwoofer Review

Epsonfan

Epsonfan

Full Audioholic
It's snowing pretty hard and I see loser America hater snowflakes that still live in their mommy's basement.
 
ryanosaur

ryanosaur

Audioholic Overlord
Will people never learn to not feed the trolls? The post history shows nothing of usefulness in Epsonfan's 11 posts to date. I fully expect that trend to continue based on their 2 posts in this thread...
Ya... but what Buck said!
Hey Pog's, mind sharing that 'corn?!
 
Bucknekked

Bucknekked

Audioholic Samurai
You could get a haircut, but I don't know that a DIY cut would be a good idea unless you're going for that "clean slate" look.
Speaking of personal grooming, on the male side it aint bad. Most of us don't care enough much less too much.
But for the ladies, this little virus quarantine problem could be quite serious. Just think of what a couple of weeks of isolation could bring.
quarantine_after.jpg
 
Bucknekked

Bucknekked

Audioholic Samurai
It's snowing pretty hard and I see loser America hater snowflakes that still live in their mommy's basement.
well, that's a start. But, I feel like you're holding back. You're not letting your true feelings shine through.
Can you elaborate just a bit?
 
Pogre

Pogre

Audioholic Slumlord
It's snowing pretty hard and I see loser America hater snowflakes that still live in their mommy's basement.
What a boring reply. I was hoping you had an explanation for why you are such a big fan of a product that's made in China. Go back and see Buck's post!
 
NINaudio

NINaudio

Audioholic Samurai
Ah come on man! There is nothin' going on today. Can't go to a game. Can't go the mall. Can't even go get a haircut. Feeding and pokin' a troll is about all that there is left. I mean "millions of sick and dying" just can't go without a comment or two.
pornhub?
 
Matthew J Poes

Matthew J Poes

Audioholic Chief
Staff member
I know this is just feeding trolls here, but most don't understand, there is no such thing as made domestically. Nothing in our CE world can be made 100% domestically.

Only a very tiny fraction of amplifiers are made in America using american made modules. The amplifier circuits inside are still usually built in China and shipped as assembled modules. Those that aren't use "beans" made in China. It's impossible to do anything else. Those that are made mostly domestically (where only the beans are sourced from China) cost 1000's of dollars. Nothing most can afford.

I can't name names, I will probably get myself in trouble, but MANY companies that claim american made are not. I don't consider having all the guys fully assembled in China and shipped to the USA so they can be stuck inside a Chinese made box american made.

Those who think this kind of manufacturing is coming back to the US are nuts. It was never in the US. We've never been able to make those kinds of electronics in the US, by the time we shipped all that kind of production to China (70's) we gave up the ability, failed to progress, and left all the manufacturing development and infrastructure to China. We don't have the ability to create those kinds of facilities here and lack the workforce to man them. When I've asked about it (cost not withstanding) I've been told it would take a generation to even build a modicum of what China has. If a Foxconn built a facility to manufacture receivers, tablets, laptops, etc. in the USA and was totally vertically integrated, they would have to man it about 80% with Chinese workers. They would then need to work with the US education system to fundamentally change tech education to prepare folks to be able to work on the assembly lines, operate the machines, etc. It isn't that Americans are uneducated or stupid, quite the opposite. It's better described as wrongly educated. What we prepare people for isn't that kind of work. It's all relatively low paying, and would be here too. Whose going to get a tech degree to make $15 an hour.

That isn't america hating, that is just a fact of life. Reagan opened the door to trade with China and in that deal we shifted the manufacturing of consumer electronics from the USA to China. They ran with it and today have built the entire giant country into a huge powerhouse of CE production and logistics.
 
panteragstk

panteragstk

Audioholic Warlord
I know this is just feeding trolls here, but most don't understand, there is no such thing as made domestically. Nothing in our CE world can be made 100% domestically.

Only a very tiny fraction of amplifiers are made in America using american made modules. The amplifier circuits inside are still usually built in China and shipped as assembled modules. Those that aren't use "beans" made in China. It's impossible to do anything else. Those that are made mostly domestically (where only the beans are sourced from China) cost 1000's of dollars. Nothing most can afford.

I can't name names, I will probably get myself in trouble, but MANY companies that claim american made are not. I don't consider having all the guys fully assembled in China and shipped to the USA so they can be stuck inside a Chinese made box american made.

Those who think this kind of manufacturing is coming back to the US are nuts. It was never in the US. We've never been able to make those kinds of electronics in the US, by the time we shipped all that kind of production to China (70's) we gave up the ability, failed to progress, and left all the manufacturing development and infrastructure to China. We don't have the ability to create those kinds of facilities here and lack the workforce to man them. When I've asked about it (cost not withstanding) I've been told it would take a generation to even build a modicum of what China has. If a Foxconn built a facility to manufacture receivers, tablets, laptops, etc. in the USA and was totally vertically integrated, they would have to man it about 80% with Chinese workers. They would then need to work with the US education system to fundamentally change tech education to prepare folks to be able to work on the assembly lines, operate the machines, etc. It isn't that Americans are uneducated or stupid, quite the opposite. It's better described as wrongly educated. What we prepare people for isn't that kind of work. It's all relatively low paying, and would be here too. Whose going to get a tech degree to make $15 an hour.

That isn't america hating, that is just a fact of life. Reagan opened the door to trade with China and in that deal we shifted the manufacturing of consumer electronics from the USA to China. They ran with it and today have built the entire giant country into a huge powerhouse of CE production and logistics.
Exactly. Every electronic device has at least one part made in china. It's not a bad thing, it just is what it is. We partner with multiple countries for manufacture of just about everything.

Lots of American cars are made in Canada and Mexico. Lots of European and Japanese cars are made in America. Nothing wrong with any of that, but this "I only buy things made in my country" mentality doesn't make sense any longer. It simply can't be done.
 
Matthew J Poes

Matthew J Poes

Audioholic Chief
Staff member
Oh I should have noted, same for subwoofers. Cost to produce a driver in America is many times higher than China. Even making a driver in America isn't really made in america. While they can be assembled here, not at any large scale. And...the parts are still sourced from China for the most part. Very few american companies are able to supply surrounds, cones, spiders, etc. totally made in America for high excursion drivers. Not impossible, but not common. Those that can are not doing so at the scale needed for even modest volume subwoofers.

I guarantee that if SVS, HSU, ML, etc. made their subwoofers in America and from domestically sourced parts (if that were even possible) the cost would increase three fold. JTR is one of the few companies making subwoofers domestically and using mostly domestic made parts (amps and drivers). Of course both still use Chinese sourced parts, nothing can be done. He doesn't make 15" or smaller subs for a reason, his cost along would equal or exceed the competitions sale price. As is, his margins are low, not the kind of Margins a larger company could work with. Jeff is just a special guy in that regard.
 
panteragstk

panteragstk

Audioholic Warlord
Oh I should have noted, same for subwoofers. Cost to produce a driver in America is many times higher than China. Even making a driver in America isn't really made in america. While they can be assembled here, not at any large scale. And...the parts are still sourced from China for the most part. Very few american companies are able to supply surrounds, cones, spiders, etc. totally made in America for high excursion drivers. Not impossible, but not common. Those that can are not doing so at the scale needed for even modest volume subwoofers.

I guarantee that if SVS, HSU, ML, etc. made their subwoofers in America and from domestically sourced parts (if that were even possible) the cost would increase three fold. JTR is one of the few companies making subwoofers domestically and using mostly domestic made parts (amps and drivers). Of course both still use Chinese sourced parts, nothing can be done. He doesn't make 15" or smaller subs for a reason, his cost along would equal or exceed the competitions sale price. As is, his margins are low, not the kind of Margins a larger company could work with. Jeff is just a special guy in that regard.
Isn't China one of the only countries that has the rare earth magnets (or whatever they're called) in order to build drivers?
 
Matthew J Poes

Matthew J Poes

Audioholic Chief
Staff member
Exactly. Every electronic device has at least one part made in china. It's not a bad thing, it just is what it is. We partner with multiple countries for manufacture of just about everything.

Lots of American cars are made in Canada and Mexico. Lots of European and Japanese cars are made in America. Nothing wrong with any of that, but this "I only buy things made in my country" mentality doesn't make sense any longer. It simply can't be done.
And in many cases, attempts to buy american may actually cause you to be buying inferior products actually made largely in the countries you have a problem with. GM cars contain tons of chinese made parts and are among the least american made cars there are.

In the CE world, I recommended an excellent Chinese made/branded DAC from S.M.S.L. For well under $300 it gives you SOTA. Not a single american company offers an american made alternative that is even in the ballpark. There are american made DAC's costing 5-6 figures that can't even equal it's performance.
 
Matthew J Poes

Matthew J Poes

Audioholic Chief
Staff member
Isn't China one of the only countries that has the rare earth magnets (or whatever they're called) in order to build drivers?
Yeah they have the largest reserves of metals used to make neodymium magnets used in speakers. They started buying it up in mass a few decades ago and nobody really realized what was going on until it was too late. It was very smart on their part. And again, if we accept a global economy where everyone works together in fair ways, its fine. China hasn't always worked with America in a fair way, I think some of what we are doing right now was needed, but making magnets for speakers was not a big problem. Stealing American patents was.
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
Where is Epson made?
I know this is just feeding trolls here, but most don't understand, there is no such thing as made domestically. Nothing in our CE world can be made 100% domestically.

Only a very tiny fraction of amplifiers are made in America using american made modules. The amplifier circuits inside are still usually built in China and shipped as assembled modules. Those that aren't use "beans" made in China. It's impossible to do anything else. Those that are made mostly domestically (where only the beans are sourced from China) cost 1000's of dollars. Nothing most can afford.

I can't name names, I will probably get myself in trouble, but MANY companies that claim american made are not. I don't consider having all the guys fully assembled in China and shipped to the USA so they can be stuck inside a Chinese made box american made.

Those who think this kind of manufacturing is coming back to the US are nuts. It was never in the US. We've never been able to make those kinds of electronics in the US, by the time we shipped all that kind of production to China (70's) we gave up the ability, failed to progress, and left all the manufacturing development and infrastructure to China. We don't have the ability to create those kinds of facilities here and lack the workforce to man them. When I've asked about it (cost not withstanding) I've been told it would take a generation to even build a modicum of what China has. If a Foxconn built a facility to manufacture receivers, tablets, laptops, etc. in the USA and was totally vertically integrated, they would have to man it about 80% with Chinese workers. They would then need to work with the US education system to fundamentally change tech education to prepare folks to be able to work on the assembly lines, operate the machines, etc. It isn't that Americans are uneducated or stupid, quite the opposite. It's better described as wrongly educated. What we prepare people for isn't that kind of work. It's all relatively low paying, and would be here too. Whose going to get a tech degree to make $15 an hour.

That isn't america hating, that is just a fact of life. Reagan opened the door to trade with China and in that deal we shifted the manufacturing of consumer electronics from the USA to China. They ran with it and today have built the entire giant country into a huge powerhouse of CE production and logistics.
Small nit, Nixon actually opened relations with China. MFN status was granted I believe under Bush....

ps I was thinking of permanent MFN status under Bush, it was under Reagan it was conditionally granted....
 
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