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Luckymckay21

Audiophyte
Hey guys, first post here so thanks for the help in advance. I currently have a home theater room in my basement. Carpet over concrete floor. Total cubic feet is around 2700. Room will be sealed off with two sliding barn doors in about a week. Currently it's open to another room in the basement that's also around 3000 cubic feet.

I have one HSU vtf3 mk5 sub on the front wall. Output is pretty good for just one sub, but I think I'm addicted to that chest thump and am looking for more. I've also noticed that the ultra deep bass around the 20 hz region is a little lacking as far as tactile response in my main listening position. Also, the sound signature of the hsu seems to be a little more "shallow" then my svs pb1000 I have in my living room. For example, when playing pink noise through both subs, the pb1000 just sounds deeper if you know what I mean. I know the Hsu plays deeper, but the svs just sounds deeper. Of course for mid bass the hsu crushes the pb1000. However, I'm missing some of that deep depth of sound I get with the svs. And lastly, I know it's not a worthy comparison, but the pb1000 plays the edge of tomorrow intro cleanly, while the HSU chuffs like crazy ( I know that scene is not representative of subs overall performance.) I'm considering a few options:
1. Adding another hsu vtf3 mk5 for duals. The OCD in me likes this option the best.
2. Keeping the vtf3 mk5, and adding it's slightly larger bigger brother- HSU15h mk2 which plays slightly deeper and louder/cleaner in that 16-25 hz region. My OCD will be in overdrive though I'm sure lol
3. Selling my hsu vtf3 mk5 and buying the monolith 15. I hear the monolith has a real deep depth of sound similar to svs subs.
4. Keeping the hsu, and adding a monolith 15. Worried how well the two would blend together though being different subs. I'm new to this home theater stuff and not sure how to go about blending two subs from different brands together. I do plan on buying a mini dsp 2x4hd.
5. Keeping the hsu and adding an svs pb3000. I like that svs has the free returns and if not up to par with the my hsu vtf3 mk5, I could send it back. I know I love the sound signature of the pb1000 I have, so guessing I would also love the pb3000 sound.

Sorry for the extra long post! Thanks again for any advice!
 

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snakeeyes

Audioholic Ninja
Hey guys, first post here so thanks for the help in advance. I currently have a home theater room in my basement. Carpet over concrete floor. Total cubic feet is around 2700. Room will be sealed off with two sliding barn doors in about a week. Currently it's open to another room in the basement that's also around 3000 cubic feet.

I have one HSU vtf3 mk5 sub on the front wall. Output is pretty good for just one sub, but I think I'm addicted to that chest thump and am looking for more. I've also noticed that the ultra deep bass around the 20 hz region is a little lacking as far as tactile response in my main listening position. Also, the sound signature of the hsu seems to be a little more "shallow" then my svs pb1000 I have in my living room. For example, when playing pink noise through both subs, the pb1000 just sounds deeper if you know what I mean. I know the Hsu plays deeper, but the svs just sounds deeper. Of course for mid bass the hsu crushes the pb1000. However, I'm missing some of that deep depth of sound I get with the svs. And lastly, I know it's not a worthy comparison, but the pb1000 plays the edge of tomorrow intro cleanly, while the HSU chuffs like crazy ( I know that scene is not representative of subs overall performance.) I'm considering a few options:
1. Adding another hsu vtf3 mk5 for duals. The OCD in me likes this option the best.
2. Keeping the vtf3 mk5, and adding it's slightly larger bigger brother- HSU15h mk2 which plays slightly deeper and louder/cleaner in that 16-25 hz region. My OCD will be in overdrive though I'm sure lol
3. Selling my hsu vtf3 mk5 and buying the monolith 15. I hear the monolith has a real deep depth of sound similar to svs subs.
4. Keeping the hsu, and adding a monolith 15. Worried how well the two would blend together though being different subs. I'm new to this home theater stuff and not sure how to go about blending two subs from different brands together. I do plan on buying a mini dsp 2x4hd.
5. Keeping the hsu and adding an svs pb3000. I like that svs has the free returns and if not up to par with the my hsu vtf3 mk5, I could send it back. I know I love the sound signature of the pb1000 I have, so guessing I would also love the pb3000 sound.

Sorry for the extra long post! Thanks again for any advice!
See how it sounds after you seal off the space. You might be surprised. :)
 
Pogre

Pogre

Audioholic Slumlord
I have a pair of VTF 3 MK5s and the opening of EOT makes them both chuff. That's a ridiculously low frequency (like 6 or 8 hz?) tho and has been known to destroy a sub or 2. I'm guessing your PB1000 rolls off before it hits that low frequency so it's not playing as deep as your Hsu. How are you running it right now? Do you have both ports open? If so make sure you're on EQ 2. You can damage something on EQ 1 with both open.

In either case, you need to get that door in place before you make any judgement calls. Sealing off that huge space is gonna make a huge difference.

*Edit: 9 hz at the beginning of EOT. Very few subs can play that frequency without trouble. I think the Hsus can get close in sealed mode tho. I'm flat to 16 hz in my room.
 
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shadyJ

Speaker of the House
Staff member
There are a few variables here that you need to pin down. First, what is the response at your listening position? Simply moving the sub will change the character of the sound due to room modes. Second, what is the operating mode configuration of the VTF-3? Getting an optimal placement and establishing the response is the first thing to do though.
 
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Luckymckay21

Audiophyte
I have a pair of VTF 3 MK5s and the opening of EOT makes them both chuff. That's a ridiculously low frequency (like 6 or 8 hz?) tho and has been known to destroy a sub or 2. I'm guessing your PB1000 rolls off before it hits that low frequency so it's not playing as deep as your Hsu. How are you running it right now? Do you have both ports open? If so make sure you're on EQ 2. You can damage something on EQ 1 with both open.

In either case, you need to get that door in place before you make any judgement calls. Sealing off that huge space is gonna make a huge difference.

*Edit: 9 hz at the beginning of EOT. Very few subs can play that frequency without trouble. I think the Hsus can get close in sealed mode tho. I'm flat to 16 hz in my room.
I figured the EofT intro was pretty unfair to judge a sub on. I just watched a video of a pb16 ultra chuffing on that scene. I'm guessing the built in dsp on the svs pb1000 has a hard roll of past the 19hz it's rated to go down to like you said.

I'll wait to get the doors in place before making any decisions as mentioned. Right now I'm running the sub in 1 port open, q .5, and eq1. Mind if I ask how you have your subs set up? 16hz flat is damn good.

I'm leaning towards adding another vtf3 mk5 and placing one near field. If the monolith 15 is head and shoulders better then the hsu however, then that would be a different story. I've never heard the monolith, but reviews have been really positive on them.
 
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Luckymckay21

Audiophyte
There are a few variables here that you need to pin down. First, what is the response at your listening position? Simply moving the sub will change the character of the sound due to room modes. Second, what is the operating mode configuration of the VTF-3? Getting an optimal placement and establishing the response is the first thing to do though.
Hi Shady, I currently have it set up as 1 port open, q .5, eq1. I liked .5 the best as I thought .7 was a little on the boomy side, while .5 tightened it up but still provided that deeper rumble. My location for the sub was measured with REW and while definitely not ideal, gave me the flattest response I could muster with one sub. I had to compromise with either a dip in the 60-80hz range or a dip in the 20-50 hz range. So I went with the higher output in the lower frequency range.
 

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William Lemmerhirt

William Lemmerhirt

Audioholic Overlord
Just FYI you can use the camera icon on rew pages to save the image. Then you don’t have to take a picture. It’s a lot easier to evaluate. Like this..
 
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shadyJ

Speaker of the House
Staff member
I'm leaning towards adding another vtf3 mk5 and placing one near field. If the monolith 15 is head and shoulders better then the hsu however, then that would be a different story. I've never heard the monolith, but reviews have been really positive on them.
Try your current VTF-3 in a near-field placement to see how you like it first. The Monolith 15 is a terrific sub too. But it is much heavier and larger than the VTF-3. One thing I like about the VTF-3 is that it is so much easier to move around than the other monster 15"s.

You are right about the opening tone to 'Edge of Tomorrow', it really isn't a good scene to judge a sub's performance by.
Hi Shady, I currently have it set up as 1 port open, q .5, eq1. I liked .5 the best as I thought .7 was a little on the boomy side, while .5 tightened it up but still provided that deeper rumble. My location for the sub was measured with REW and while definitely not ideal, gave me the flattest response I could muster with one sub. I had to compromise with either a dip in the 60-80hz range or a dip in the 20-50 hz range. So I went with the higher output in the lower frequency range.
Even though you are after more deep bass, if it were me, I would get a second sub to shore up the mid-bass region around 80 Hz. There is a lot more content in that range than below 20 Hz, so it's more important. But any of the subs that you mentioned, the VTF15h MK2, PB-3000, or Monolith 15" THX Ultra are tuned a bit more deeply than the VTF-3, so they could probably offer just a bit better deep bass performance in that region.
 
Pogre

Pogre

Audioholic Slumlord
I figured the EofT intro was pretty unfair to judge a sub on. I just watched a video of a pb16 ultra chuffing on that scene. I'm guessing the built in dsp on the svs pb1000 has a hard roll of past the 19hz it's rated to go down to like you said.

I'll wait to get the doors in place before making any decisions as mentioned. Right now I'm running the sub in 1 port open, q .5, and eq1. Mind if I ask how you have your subs set up? 16hz flat is damn good.

I'm leaning towards adding another vtf3 mk5 and placing one near field. If the monolith 15 is head and shoulders better then the hsu however, then that would be a different story. I've never heard the monolith, but reviews have been really positive on them.
I have some DSP helping me out, but I get this measurement in sealed mode, eq 1 and q around 6.

10-07 spl no smooth.jpg


My preferred setting (with house curve) for most everything is both ports open, eq 2 and q 6. I like the extra headroom.

Pogre Style 9-4.jpg
 
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Luckymckay21

Audiophyte
Quick update. I went ahead and placed an order for the monolith 15 based on all the great reviews. My mind wouldn't be able to rest until I heard it in person wondering what if! If I'm not totally blown away with it, I will send it back and get a second Hsu vtf3.5.

I just watched Alita Battle Angel and the HSU had me smiling! Really cool movie as well. For the price, the HSU really is tough to beat and sounds awesome. My hope is to place the mono 15 on my front wall where the Hsu is currently and move the hsu to behind my main listening position facing the back of the couch. Hopefully integrating the two non matching subs goes well. In my mind I'm hoping to get the low end output of the mono combined with the mid and upper end slam and tactile response of the hsu. Now I just have to google minidsp for dummies and hope I dont screw anything up! Lol
 
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