Velodyne Digital Drive DD-15+ Subwoofer Review

[Matt34]

I wonder how this would stack up against a B&W DB1?

It's briefly compared to the DD18 in this article. Slick looking piece of gear.

Bowers & Wilkins DB1 subwoofer | Stereophile.com

 

[screen_x]

It's briefly compared to the DD18 in this article. Slick looking piece of gear.

Had the opportunity to listen to the B&W DB1 and the Velodyne DD12+ side by side. The B&W didn't sound that great until it was turned up really loud (too loud for a domestic setup). If I turn it up that high my wife will kill me and if the wife wont kill me I can see the roof collapsing on me.

Both subs shook the entire demo room (felt like we were being attacked by two dozen angry baboons). The DD12+ was nice and smooth what ever the volume. Demo was provided by a leading av/hifi dealer here in Melbourne, Australia. Even they agreed that the B&W wasn't that impressive until the volume was cranked up. How about that??

 

[Matt34]

Had the opportunity to listen to the B&W DB1 and the Velodyne DD12+ side by side. The B&W didn't sound that great until it was turned up really loud (too loud for a domestic setup). If I turn it up that high my wife will kill me and if the wife wont kill me I can see the roof collapsing on me.

Both subs shook the entire demo room (felt like we were being attacked by two dozen angry baboons). The DD12+ was nice and smooth what ever the volume. Demo was provided by a leading av/hifi dealer here in Melbourne, Australia. Even they agreed that the B&W wasn't that impressive until the volume was cranked up. How about that??

Do you know if they actually EQ'd the setup?

I controlled the DB1 with B&W's SubApp program, which is compatible with Windows XP as well as Vista and Windows 7 (both 32 and 64-bit versions). Not shipped with the subwoofer, it must be downloaded from B&W Group North America Service & Support Homepage. SubApp provides graphical user interface controls for the DB1's gain, phase, polarity, and equalization, and enables two additional functions not available on the control panel: naming the presets, and launching the DB1's Room Acoustics Compensation routine. The tools needed to run that last item—a calibration microphone, four connector cables, and a USB-connected soundcard that generates the necessary test signals—are included with the subwoofer. With SubApp, the DB1 can take measurements of the room, then adjust its internal equalizer to compensate for up to four room-mode peaks within its operating range

 

[screen_x]

Initially, they were not EQ'd. The DB1 sounded below average then but the Velo sounded great in the "out of the box" state. They did EQ them both afterwards. The DB1's sound did improve. But still wasn't enough to sound great at normal listening level as the Velo...

 

[screen_x]

It is interesting that the DB1 was briefly compared to the DD18, but not the 18+.

As this article states "In fact, the DD15+ has about a 3dB output advantage at 20Hz to the original DD-18 we reviewed a few years back"

Is it fair/safe to assume the DD15+ is there abouts with the DB1 in a proper test environment? I'm clearly confused...

 

[endless ent]

Company gone bust

Wow.. impressive sub. But for $5000, that's a bit much. If someone has the space, the Elemental Designs subs should be able to best the DD+ easily, but they are not pretty and weigh in at 200+ lbs (A7-350 to the monster A7-900).

Elemental Designs Turns out to be a brand of ill repute. Research the warning signs.

See Forum link
[Help Needed] What happened to Elemental Designs?

 

[j_garcia]

Elemental Designs Turns out to be a brand of ill repute. Research the warning signs.

You just responded to a response that is a year old.

eD no longer exists as well.

 

[harq-al-ada]

I have had a setup with 2 x DD18 in a large room with a lot of openings. I currently run a pair of DD12+ in a much smaller room with few openings.

Let me say this: There is no substitute for surface area on the cone when desiring performance.

Even a single DD18 in the large room ate the performance of the pair of DD12+ in a small room for breakfast. Hardly surprising when the piston surface area is greater than both DD12+ combined. With two DD18 in a large room it makes the two DD12+ in a small room seem puny. The DD12+ is a great sub, no doubt. However, if you want serious bass, better to go large and run low than go small and run high.

 

[everettT]

I have had a setup with 2 x DD18 in a large room with a lot of openings. I currently run a pair of DD12+ in a much smaller room with few openings.

Let me say this: There is no substitute for surface area on the cone when desiring performance.

Even a single DD18 in the large room ate the performance of the pair of DD12+ in a small room for breakfast. Hardly surprising when the piston surface area is greater than both DD12+ combined. With two DD18 in a large room it makes the two DD12+ in a small room seem puny. The DD12+ is a great sub, no doubt. However, if you want serious bass, better to go large and run low than go small and run high.

Are they still selling Subs? Owned several over the years, but if they were still selling (and their are good reasons they are not) there are a plether of Subs at 1/2 the cost of the 18" that have excellent design and engineering . The high end sub market at retail prices is shrinking or has shrunk.

 

[harq-al-ada]

Of course they are still selling subs. There are plenty of lower cost subs out there but in the size factor, none have better performance. Even Danley can't match Velodyne in that regard and Danley make sensational subs, just not small ones...

 

[Irvrobinson]

Of course they are still selling subs. There are plenty of lower cost subs out there but in the size factor, none have better performance. Even Danley can't match Velodyne in that regard and Danley make sensational subs, just not small ones...

I own a DD18 Plus, and while it is a good sub, I think it has been eclipsed even at its build quality level by the Funk Audio 18.0 at a much lower price. Admittedly, Funk is an internet-direct seller, and you'd have to be a fool (or have no other choice) to buy direct from Velodyne at full retail, but even at a typical 15-20% brick & mortar store discount for the Velodyne, the Funk 18.0 still looks like the winner in price and performance. At somewhat lower build quality levels, SVS, Hsu, and Rythmik (to name a few) seem to build subs that perform about as well for less than half the price. I think if Velodyne tried they could probably still have a competitive advantage, but founder David Hall is off becoming a billionaire on LIDAR sensors.

The subwoofer market is evolving too quickly to compete using 2010 technology.

 

[shadyJ]

I own a DD18 Plus, and while it is a good sub, I think it has been eclipsed even at its build quality level by the Funk Audio 18.0 at a much lower price. Admittedly, Funk is an internet-direct seller, and you'd have to be a fool (or have no other choice) to buy direct from Velodyne at full retail, but even at a typical 15-20% brick & mortar store discount for the Velodyne, the Funk 18.0 still looks like the winner in price and performance. At somewhat lower build quality levels, SVS, Hsu, and Rythmik (to name a few) seem to build subs that perform about as well for less than half the price. I think if Velodyne tried they could probably still have a competitive advantage, but founder David Hall is off becoming a billionaire on LIDAR sensors.

The subwoofer market is evolving too quickly to compete using 2010 technology.

I would be surprised if Velodyne were still making subwoofers in 5 years.

 

[Irvrobinson]

I would be surprised if Velodyne were still making subwoofers in 5 years.

Or perhaps Velodyne is sold off. To a lot of people the brand is still valuable.

 

[harq-al-ada]

I own a DD18 Plus, and while it is a good sub, I think it has been eclipsed even at its build quality level by the Funk Audio 18.0 at a much lower price.

Think? You don't actually know? Guessing? Really?

the Funk 18.0 still looks like the winner in price and performance.

Looks? Really? You don't actually know? Guessing? Really?

At somewhat lower build quality levels, SVS, Hsu, and Rythmik (to name a few) seem to build subs that perform about as well for less than half the price.

Seem? You don't actually know? Guessing? Really?

A lot of guessing and nothing to suggest anything other than stirring the pot for a few page views. Get back to us when you do know what you're talking about...

 

[Irvrobinson]

Think? You don't actually know? Guessing? Really?

Looks? Really? You don't actually know? Guessing? Really?
Seem? You don't actually know? Guessing? Really?

A lot of guessing and nothing to suggest anything other than stirring the pot for a few page views. Get back to us when you do know what you're talking about...

Wow, aren't we ballsy for a newcomer!

I couldn't care less about page views. I own the DD18+ (you don't), and I've read the measured results from Josh at data-bass. The 18.0 out-performs the DD18+ at a lower price, and the construction of the 18.0 cabinet, the driver, and the electronics looks equal to or better than the Velodyne's.

If my choice of grammar annoys you, I'm sorry about that. But it would appear that I know what I'm talking about, and you... start with an insulting demeanor? Congratulations! You're the second low-value poster to make my ignore list this week. But you did it in one post. A new record.

 

[KEW]

Think? You don't actually know? Guessing? Really?

Looks? Really? You don't actually know? Guessing? Really?
Seem? You don't actually know? Guessing? Really?

A lot of guessing and nothing to suggest anything other than stirring the pot for a few page views. Get back to us when you do know what you're talking about...

You are new here, but if you have ever participated for long on any forum, you will come to realize that there are some people who have a pretty deep experience behind their statements. IrvRobinson is one of them.

Furthermore, you have assigned the term guessing to him and his statements were think, look, and seem.
Those are not synonymous with guessing.
If you know a speaker measures better than another, are you absolutely certain it sounds better? Someone open minded would say something like it appears/seems/looks to be a better sub

 

[Irvrobinson]

If you know a speaker measures better than another, are you absolutely certain it sounds better? Someone open minded would say something like it appears/seems/looks to be a better sub

Thanks, Kurt. One other thing in my defense, subwoofer measurements are more indicative of perceived performance than those for full-range speakers, because deep bass is omni-directional. If a sub plays loud, with relatively flat frequency response, and low distortion (and I suppose reasonably low group delay), it is likely to be a good subwoofer, performance-wise. Also, since deep bass is as much or more felt as heard, a 3db increase in low-distortion loudness can be more decisively perceived, because our sense of touch responds about linearly, while hearing is logarithmic.

 

[Mikado463]

I've got a DD-15 in my kit, it has performed flawlessly for the past 7 years. As for msrp.......anybody that pays 'msrp' for anything should be institutionalized.

 

[shadyJ]

I've got a DD-15 in my kit, it has performed flawlessly for the past 7 years. As for msrp.......anybody that pays 'msrp' for anything should be institutionalized.

Hey that is not a cool thing to say, man. I pay MSRP for everything because I do not want to cheat anyone! Even when the dealer is really trying to give me a discount I still insist on paying full MSRP! No one will be able to accuse me of not carrying my weight!

 

[Irvrobinson]

Hey that is not a cool thing to say, man. I pay MSRP for everything because I do not want to cheat anyone! Even when the dealer is really trying to give me a discount I still insist on paying full MSRP! No one will be able to accuse me of not carrying my weight!

Sometimes, James, your sense of humor goes over my head.

If one buys internet direct there's no negotiating. The price is the price.