SVS SB13 Ultra Review

As an audiophile, I've come to relate the size, weight, and cost of a subwoofer as quick'n'dirty marks of its quality. The subwoofers that have worked best in my enormous listening room—the Velodyne ULD-18 and DD-18+, Muse Model 18, REL Studio III, JL Audio Fathom f113, and Revel Sub30—each gauge in excess of 130 lbs and cost more than $2500. With a portion of my reference accounts, every one of them have accomplished what Robert Harley portrayed in the April 1991 issue of Stereophile as the objectives of a quality subwoofer: "consistent joining, speed, no bulge, and mind blowing bass augmentation." Yet are back-busting weight, unmanageable size, and nosebleed cost fundamental to accomplishing those objectives?

SV Sound doesn't think so. Their fixed, self-fueled SVS SB13 Ultra subwoofer weighs under 100 lbs, yet flaunts a 3600W pinnacle enhancer. SVS sells this model straightforwardly through their site and offers purchasers a 45-day, in-home time for testing, with cash returned in full assuming that the sub doesn't work out. SVS's site has visit includes, and gives Merlin, a subwoofer-arrangement wizard. Type for the sake of your fundamental speakers, and Merlin suggests the "SVS subwoofer that gives the best match, including the specific settings expected to streamline the sub's sound."

Fascinated by SVS's methodology, I seized a proposal by Nicholas Brown, SVS's PR delegate, to survey the SVS SB13 Ultra.

The SVS SB13 Ultra Review

. . . is an astonishingly reduced, fixed box subwoofer. A 17.4" block, it's 3.6" more limited, 3.1" smaller, 10.4" shallower, 63 lbs lighter, and $400 more affordable than the ported rendition, the PB13-Ultra, which I investigated in the August 2008 issue.

Estimations show the ported PB13-Ultra has the more extented profound bass reaction, yet SVS's Mark Mason noticed that the fixed SVS SB13 Ultra can exploit room support of the exceptionally low frequencies; the ported form should utilize a precarious subsonic channel to try not to overdrive its woofer underneath the port tuning recurrence.

The SVS SB13 Ultra has a solitary, front-terminating 13.5" drive-unit. An exclusively tooled, pass on cast aluminum bin that holds the light, inflexible Rohacell-composite cone with double straight roll insects and a sewed, allegorical encompass with enormous outing. The engine, advanced with limited component examination (FEA), comprises of a bifilar-injury, level wire, eight-layer aluminum voice curl 3" in width, and a polyimide-impregnated fiberglass previous with a custom hole expansion plate to expand its straight stroke, for lower mutilation. The attractive field is made by double Genox 8H/Y-35 ferrite magnets, and the post vent is curiously large, for more prominent cooling. These parts are arranged in an "overhung" plan that broadens the voice-curl past the hole on one or the other side of the shaft piece, to improve its proficiency in a moderate size fixed arrangement. When played without limiters, channels, or adjustment, the driver's low inductance stretches out its recurrence reaction to 300Hz. Its manual expresses that it utilizes a "profoundly progressed and modern Digital Signal Processor (DSP) . . . to accomplish the objective recurrence reaction," and "highlights a recurrence subordinate limiter/blower calculation with movable assault/delivery and pressure boundaries."

The SVS SVS SB13 Ultra is fueled by an implicit Sledge STA-1000D class-D intensifier with a result of 1000W RMS (3600W pinnacle dynamic). Including MOSFET yield gadgets and a switch-mode power supply, the Sledge is more modest, all the more remarkable, and more proficient than the 750W Switched Hybrid (class-A/B, class-D) amp utilized in the PB13-Ultra. Autostart and Green backup modes switch the amp on rapidly when a sign shows up at the info terminals.

Mark Mason let me know that, utilizing the CEA 2010 standard 31Hz sign in a 2pi climate with an amplifier set at 2m, at sound-pressure levels (SPLs) with under 10% complete consonant mutilation (THD), the SB13-Ultra's most extreme pinnacle acoustic result was 111.4dB, as contrasted and the 118.9dB guaranteed for the PB13-Ultra.

Worked on Controls

While the SVS SB13 Ultra doesn't accompany a controller, the UI comprises of a little, back board LCD screen and a solitary control handle, which SVS calls the Integrated Function Controller (IFC). Turning the handle looks through eight arrangement and control works, one by one showed on the LCD. Push the IFC once to choose a capacity, then, at that point, go it to look through the submenus. Immediately push it twice (double tapped) to get back to the high level menu. The submenus include: various high-and low-pass hybrid corner-recurrence settings somewhere in the range of 31 and 125Hz, in addition to two distinctive channel slants (12 or 24dB/octave); stage movable from 0° to 180° in augmentations of 15°; high-pass defer persistently factor from 1 to 10 milliseconds, to adjust in time the results of the satellite speakers and sub; three room-remuneration channels (40Hz for rooms of under 1400 cubic feet, 31Hz for rooms of 1400–2400ft3, and 25Hz for rooms more prominent than 2400ft3 (6 or 12dB/octave); two parametric equalizer (PEQ) groups offering 13 diverse focus frequencies somewhere in the range of 31 and 125Hz; and nine unique Q esteems, from 2.0 to 14.4, for decreasing the biggest and broadest room-mode tops.

The IFC cleans up the SB13-Ultra's back board, leaving as it were: the unequal (RCA) and adjusted (XLR) information sources and results for the right and left channels; a switch for choosing line or high voltage level; a power switch; and an IEC jack for the separable power rope.

Room, Setup, Measurement

I've utilized a similar listening space for more than 20 years. Estimating 25' long by 13' wide by 12' high, it encases a volume of 3900 cubic feet. The left divider takes care of an enormous straight window by Hunter Douglas texture conceals. Under the strong oak floor is an incomplete storm cellar. Two region mats cover the vast majority of the floor, including the space between the listening seat and my Quad ESL-989 speakers. Albeit enormous, the room's inadequate goods permit these electrostatic boards to create pinnacles of 90dB SPL at my listening seat. Through a 8' by 4' entryway, the back of the room opens into a 25' by 15' kitchen.

The absolute first subwoofer I audited utilizing this room was Velodyne's ULD-18, for the October 1989 issue. Going with a couple of Quad ESL-63 electrostatics, the ULD-18 did best when set in a corner, and I utilized similar situations for this survey. My Quad ESL-989s stood 6' 8" separated at their inward edges, the left speaker 18" from the left divider, the right speaker 18" from the underlying divider unit on the right, and the two of them 5' 5" from the front divider. The SVS SB13 Ultra was in a front corner, 3' behind the right-channel Quad. My listening seat was 7' 8" from the Quads' front bewilders, and 10' 8" from the front of the SVS SB13 Ultra.

Setting up, adjusting, and incorporating a SVS SB13 Ultra into a sound framework is all around portrayed in the plainly composed, 34-page manual, which suggests that the sub's room reaction be upgraded either a RadioShack Sound Level Meter and Microsoft Excel, or the Avia II: Guide to Home Theater test DVD (Ovation B19485, $44).

Since I didn't have A/V collector however which to play Avia II, I utilized my Studio Six iTestMic, an expert grade test and estimation receiver for the iPhone 4 and iPad. The mike plugs straightforwardly into the iPhone's 30-pin connector, and auto-adjusts while drawing almost no power from the telephone. It's undeniably more exact than the iPhone's own mike for precisely testing and setting up subwoofers, just as for estimating commotion levels, and sound levels up to 120dB. Studio Six's AudioTools application runs the iTestMic, stores the information on the iPhone, and breaks down and charts its estimations. For test tones, I played, on my Bryston BCD-1 CD player, an advanced record of uncorrelated pink commotion provided by Kevin Voecks, of Revel speakers.

To start with, I ran the preamplifier yield links straightforwardly to a couple of Theta Digital Prometheus monoblocks, to run the Quads full reach. Utilizing AudioTools' Real Time Analyzer (RTA), their in-room recurrence reaction estimated 25Hz–20kHz (fig.1). This diagram showed room-mode tops at 80 and 40Hz, yet the reaction tumbled off underneath 40Hz by 15dB at 25Hz.

I disengaged the Quads, joined the preamplifier's result links to the SVS's bits of feedbacks, and set the sub's result playing pink clamor by turning the IFC handle until AudioTools' SPL module enlisted 75dB at my listening seat. I then, at that point, ran adjusted interconnects from the sub's high-pass results to the Theta speakers, and set the high-and low-pass channel corner frequencies to the suggested 63Hz with 24dB/octave slants. I betrayed and changed the sub's result to match the Quads' acoustic result until the iTestMic RTA histogram bars were level at 100 and 40Hz. That finished the underlying alignment and change of the framework.

The absolute first subwoofer I investigated utilizing this room was Velodyne's ULD-18, for the October 1989 issue. Going with a couple of Quad ESL-63 electrostatics, the ULD-18 did best when put in a corner, and I utilized similar situations for this audit. My Quad ESL-989s stood 6' 8" separated at their internal edges, the left speaker 18" from the left divider, the right speaker 18" from the inherent divider unit on the right, and the two of them 5' 5" from the front divider. The SVS SB13 Ultra was in a front corner, 3' behind the right-channel Quad. My listening seat was 7' 8" from the Quads' front confuses, and 10' 8" from the front of the SVS SB13 Ultra.

Setting up, adjusting, and incorporating a SVS SB13 Ultra into a sound framework is all around portrayed in the plainly composed, 34-page manual, which suggests that the sub's room reaction be enhanced either a RadioShack Sound Level Meter and Microsoft Excel, or the Avia II: Guide to Home Theater test DVD (Ovation B19485, $44).

Since I didn't have A/V recipient however which to play Avia II, I utilized my Studio Six iTestMic, an expert grade test and estimation receiver for the iPhone 4 and iPad. The mike plugs straightforwardly into the iPhone's 30-pin connector, and auto-adjusts while drawing almost no power from the telephone. It's undeniably more exact than the iPhone's own mike for precisely testing and setting up subwoofers, just as for estimating commotion levels, and sound levels up to 120dB. Studio Six's AudioTools application runs the iTestMic, stores the information on the iPhone, and examines and diagrams its estimations. For test tones, I played, on my Bryston BCD-1 CD player, a computerized record of uncorrelated pink commotion provided by Kevin Voecks, of Revel speakers.

In the first place, I ran the preamplifier yield links straightforwardly to a couple of Theta Digital Prometheus monoblocks, to run the Quads full reach. Utilizing AudioTools' Real Time Analyzer (RTA), their in-room recurrence reaction estimated 25Hz–20kHz (fig.1). This chart showed room-mode tops at 80 and 40Hz, however the reaction tumbled off beneath 40Hz by 15dB at 25Hz.

I disengaged the Quads, connected the preamplifier's result links to the SVS's bits of feedbacks, and set the sub's result playing pink commotion by turning the IFC handle until AudioTools' SPL module enrolled 75dB at my listening seat. I then, at that point, ran adjusted interconnects from the sub's high-pass results to the Theta speakers, and set the high-and low-pass channel corner frequencies to the suggested 63Hz with 24dB/octave inclines. I betrayed and changed the sub's result to match the Quads' acoustic result until the iTestMic RTA histogram bars were level at 100 and 40Hz. That finished the underlying alignment and change of the framework

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Revel Ultima Rhythm2 powered subwoofer

 

Revel Ultima Rhythm2 powered subwoofer

Strong, huge, and costly, Revel's Ultima Rhythm2 subwoofer ($10,000) deeply inspired me when I originally saw it in Harman International's suite at the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show. Its specs read like no other sub's: 196 lbs; 18" cast-outline woofer; double 4" voice-loops; 4kW pinnacle power from twin interior speakers that produce 1kW RMS; 115dB pinnacle acoustic result; a completely configurable, high-goal, 10-band parametric equalizer (PEQ); an inner hybrid with high-and low-pass results; and PC-based arrangement through USB. The Rhythm2's patent-forthcoming plan is said to allow barely sufficient air to move all through the bureau to forestall any mutilation actuating tension because of warming of the voice-curls. What's more its facade, shape, inclined top edges, and base plinth radiate the quality viewed as in Revel's first in class floorstanding speaker, the Ultima Salon2, with which I was natural. The Rhythm2's back board was without the Sub30's bunch switches and minuscule, difficult to-understand names. What remain are: a power switch simply over the delta for the AC rope; a three-position turn-on switch (Auto/On/Trigger); an increase dial; both ways channel inputs; high-pass yields (XLR, RCA); a solitary result for driving different subwoofers; in and out jacks for a 12V trigger; and a USB port. As an other to that large number of handles and switches, the Rhythm2 is constrained by Revel's Low Frequency Optimization (LFO) programming, installable in the purchaser's PC. With the PC associated with the Rhythm2 by means of USB, LFO autonomously changes the sub's low-and high-pass hybrid channel settings from 50 to 100Hz, in 1Hz augmentations; chooses among six channel slants (first-, second-, fourth-, or eighth-request, Butterworth or Linkwitz-Reilly); and postpones the subwoofer's result (up to 631ms) to time-adjust it to the fundamental speakers. LFO likewise deals with the Rhythm2's PEQ to exactly change the principle speakers' recurrence reaction up to 300Hz, and "makes up for room-related normalities by applying a comparing revision bend." Arrangement Revel delivered me one Ultima Rhythm2 and two Ultima Salon2s. A truck with a lift door showed up with two beds: 417 lbs of Salon2 on one, 243 lbs of Rhythm2 on the other. The overseers carried the supported containers into my home, up the short stairwell to my listening room, unloaded every one of the three speakers, and set them in the room. They likewise left a little heap of materials close to my listening seat: the Rhythm2's removable grille, separable power rope, and 10-page speedy beginning aide. Yet, where were the subwoofer advancement manual, the LFO programming, and the CD-ROM loaded with test signals? Incidentally, all manuals, test signals, target bends, and arrangement programming can be downloaded from Revel's site, where they can be refreshed as frequently on a case by case basis. I busied myself with putting and interfacing the three Revels. Following the speedy beginning aide, I slid the sub into the room's right front corner, and the Salon2s into the spots typically involved by my Quad ESL-989s. This put the Salon2s' inward edges 7' 6" separated, their external edges 2' 10" from the sidewalls, and their front astounds 7' 2" from my ears when I plunked down. The Rhythm2's front bewilder was 4' behind the right-channel Salon2, and 9' 2" from my ears when situated. I paid attention to the Rhythm2 without its grille. I ran a couple of adjusted interconnects from the results of my Bryston BP26 preamplifier to the Rhythm2's bits of feedbacks, and one more pair from the Rhythm2's high-pass results to the contributions of a couple of Theta Digital Prometheus monoblocks (audit to be distributed one month from now). Unadulterated Silver Cable R50 twofold lace speaker links associated the intensifiers' speaker terminals to the Salon2s. I downloaded and introduced Revel's pink-commotion test tones, target reaction bends, and LFO programming on my Lenovo X220 PC, which runs Windows 7, and utilized a 6' USB link from my printer to associate the PC to the Rhythm2. I began the LFO programming, turned on the Rhythm2, and tapped the Connect button on the LFO principle screen. The product's association status pointer became green and recognized the sub as "Rhythm2," letting me know that LFO currently controlled the sub. I then, at that point, set the sub's result level to – 19dB, as recommended by the LFO manual. The Master's Calibration A few days after the fact, Kevin Voecks, Revel's New Product Development Manager, shown up to enhance its arrangement for my room. This included matching the sub's recurrence reaction to a progression of restrictive objective room-reaction bends that had been created utilizing JBL's Adaptive Room Correction and Optimization System (ARCOS). Voecks expressed that these bends give the "way to great room coordination" for the Rhythm2, and permit LFO to "act like 'ARCOS light' in certain regards." To take his estimations for advancement, Voecks utilized my Studio Six iTestMic, a savvy, proficient grade test and estimation amplifier that plugs straightforwardly into my iPhone 4's 30-pin connector, and which John Atkinson additionally suggests. The combo has demonstrated exact enough to precisely quantify, enhance, and match subwoofers to principle speakers. Studio Six's Audio Tools application, accessible from iTunes, gives the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) programming expected to register and chart the mike's result.

Prior to taking any estimations, Voecks utilized the LFO programming to set the Rhythm2's inner hybrid channels to 80Hz for both the high-and low-pass channels, and their inclines to 24dB/octave, in view of his past experience planning and advancing the sub's presentation with the Salon2s. He likewise set the sub's infrasonic high-pass channel to Normal

Prior to taking any estimations, Voecks utilized the LFO programming to set the Rhythm2's interior hybrid channels to 80Hz for both the high-and low-pass channels, and their slants to 24dB/octave, in light of his past experience planning and streamlining the sub's presentation with the Salon2s. He additionally set the sub's infrasonic high-pass channel to Normal, which rolls off the Rhythm2's result underneath 20Hz. Since the sub's inherent leveling supports its intensifier's drive as the sound sign's recurrence plummets, huge yet indiscernible woofer journeys beneath 20Hz can drive the sub's twin speakers into cutting.

Voecks crushed the Rhythm2's result level change for the more exact and more dependable settings accessible through LFO. He later found that the back board's manual result control shut off the sub when contacted. He let me know that, to fix this issue, the seller would essentially supplant the back board and its gadgets with another get together without transportation the sub back to the plant. Whenever he'd made the entirety of the set-and-fail to remember changes, Voecks played an advanced record of uncorrelated pink commotion (accessible from Revel's site) that he'd copied to a CD-R, and matched the result levels of the satellite speakers to the Rhythm2 utilizing Audio Tools' SPL meter. Then, at that point, he utilized the application's FFT module to quantify every speaker's acoustic result briefly at every one of five unique areas assembled around the highest point of my listening seat. These were then arrived at the midpoint of, put away on my iPhone, and remotely imported to the LFO programming. full reach, no subwoofer or evening out, 1?3-octave reaction in LG's listening room Voecks then, at that point, shown the arrived at the midpoint of FFT room-reaction information on my PC in LFO, which showed the outcomes from 10Hz to 4kHz. Utilizing LFO's 10-band PEQ, he found the middle frequencies of the room's hubs, diminished the levels at those frequencies, then, at that point, tweaked the quality variables (Qs) of those decreases. Utilizing the PEQ, he matched the subsequent bends to foreordained objective bends (fig.1), then, at that point, changed the subwoofer's room reaction to all the more likely fit the particular objective bend (fig.2). At the point when Voecks had gone, I checked the Salon2s' full-range room reaction with Audio Tools' Real Time Analysis (RTA) module by bypassing the subwoofer and its inner hybrid. The RTA module is enhanced for the reach covered by subwoofers, as is generally precise in the scope of 20Hz–1kHz, above which the mike's reaction tumbles off. The Salon2s' low-recurrence room reaction, when the floorstanders were run full reach, showed a little top at 250Hz, a plunge at 125Hz, one more top at 63Hz, and a delicate ascent beneath 40Hz (fig.3). I reinserted in the sign way the Rhythm2 and its advanced hybrid and PEQ settings, then, at that point, rehashed the room-reaction RTA estimations. The subsequent chart was a lot compliment from 25Hz to 1kHz (fig.4). Tuning in Throughout the following two months, I paid attention to numerous accounts of artists, pipe organs, and film soundtracks. I started by decreasing the Ultima Rhythm2's result by 2dB, to – 21dB in light of the fact that I would have rather not lose the inborn bass power and augmentation of the Ultima Salon2s. These full-range speakers have delivered the absolute best profound bass expansion and haul I've heard in my room, and it was hazy to me what more the Rhythm2 could add

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JL Audio Fathom f113v2 Hochglanz schwarz

 

In my last segment, in the November 2015 issue, I discussed Marantz's AV8802A preamplifier-processor and two frill: UpTone Audio's USB Regen, and a DIY battery supply for my DAC. The current month's section is about frill, and for me that is surprising. A few things, as interconnects and speaker links, are normally viewed as frill since they're not major parts (eg, source, intensifier, speaker), despite the fact that they're fundamental for getting any solid whatsoever. All things considered, an extra is something without which your framework would in any case turn out great. By definition, embellishments are particular, not fundamental: You get them with the expectation that they'll work on your framework, or make it simpler or more helpful to utilize. Back in simple days, I could choose whether an alternate tonearm stabilizer was smart on the grounds that my undergrad investigation of material science took care of the mechanics of mass, consistence, and recurrence. I could likewise grapple with the electromagnetics of transformers and engines. At that point, computerized signal cycles were still generally hypothetical. Today, I'm losing ground. While I handle in excess of a touch of how music is carefully encoded and decoded, I think that it is hard to see how various information transmission strategies (USB, HDMI, Ethernet, FireWire, and so on) influence the nature of the simple result signal and, at last, listening pleasure. Consider such items as the AudioQuest JitterBug and UpTone's USB Regen. Many individuals, regardless of whether gifted or naãve, one-sided or fair, have endeavored to test such contraptions, however I'm not mindful of any individual who has exhibited a connection between factors in information transmission—past fundamental equipment specs—and what we can really hear. Of the relationships we truly do see between equipment/programming factors and the state of an item's result signal—estimations that can uncover either enhancements or disintegrations in signal quality—most changes are so slight as to be considered underneath the degree of discernibility, producing no change by any means. (Obviously, in every single such case, one can address whether important boundaries were being tried.) Then again, a few makers offer items joined by a specialized depiction and an assertion of objectives for that item—however without test-seat specs. "Attempt it!" they say, and deal bring advantages back. Trust and assumption assume enormous parts in choosing whether to add a sound extra, picking the specific one(s), and deciding if they're worth the expense and trouble. Assumption predisposition is a companion to such sellers, whether or not the item has a fundamental effect or is a fake treatment. Is there trust? I suspect as much. Initial, a few sites are facilitating continuous, clearly real, and regularly disagreeable public conversations of the testing and estimating of information transmission frill. When everything settles down, this compromise can have driven uniquely to better comprehension of these innovations. Restricted by my specialized skill, I am a secret eavesdropper, yet it's enjoyable to watch the flashes fly. Concerning the "Attempt it!" approach, that works, as well. A large portion of us have a wardrobe loaded down with old frill that didn't endure for the long haul. I've purchased numerous contraptions, trusting they would work on my framework by somewhere around one perceptible augmentation, yet most I've thrown to the side. Some had no effect consistently. Others offered an underlying flush of energy, however the impact blurred throughout the resulting months. Scarcely any adornments have kept going long in my framework: As sound innovation progresses, the beneficial enhancements affected by the present embellishments are in some cases joined into the upcoming new essential parts. Nowadays, I may attempt a frill due to verbal, insofar as it doesn't cost the sky. Regardless of my overall doubt of changes and frill, I'm as much dependent upon assumption predisposition as anyone else. I'll simply stop for a minute I hear; concerning the rest, I'll trust that the residue will settle. AudioQuest JitterBug USB channel

John Atkinson and the team at AudioStream.com (reference 1) have as of now investigated this little device ($49), and everybody appears to like it. How should I not check it out? I was especially keen on utilizing it in my end of the week framework in Connecticut, in which dwells my previously overachieving miniDSP U-DAC8 multichannel USB DAC: Getting eight channels of USB D/A for $299 is stunning—and spending plan evaluated items consistently appear to be ready for tweaking. Furthermore, as I revealed last time, UpTone's USB Regen—a USB signal regenerator planned to seclude sound peripherals from PC framework commotion—had made a tremendously fulfilling improvement in that framework's sound: Surely, the miniDSP would be a reasonable mate for the bruited 'Bug. At the point when I asked AudioQuest for one, they sent two: AQ suggests utilizing two—and no more—JitterBugs on each USB transport. I looked through the JitterBug's crate, and AQ's definite directions regarding how to utilize JitterBugs with different USB-associated gadgets, for any data about definitively what it does, and how. I tracked down just two significant articulations "JitterBug is intended to eliminate undesirable clamor flows and parasitic resonances from both the information (correspondence) and Vbus (electrical cables) of USB ports. . . . "JitterBug's double hardware quantifiably diminishes undesirable commotion flows and parasitic resonances. It additionally diminishes jitter and parcel mistakes (at times, bundle blunders are totally disposed of)." Indeed, that is splendid—however how? JA couldn't find, in his estimations, any distinction in DAC yield coming about because of the addition of a JitterBug. Others have revealed something very similar—yet some have seen an adjustment of the computerized sign's "eye design," as seen on an advanced oscilloscope. An eye design is a method of addressing the accuracy of the advanced heartbeats, which preferably ought to be square, in this manner showing that the on-off change is impeccably characterized on schedule. Clearly, the JitterBug applies some sort of channel so that the squarewaves' risetime is somewhat expanded—something contrary to what we need to diminish jitter.

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Tannoy TS2.12 powered subwoofer

 

Tannoy TS2.12 powered subwoofer

Ten years sooner, our family was joined by my child in-law, who was brought up in Dublin, and spent his school seemingly forever in London. I was changing this audit during one more involvement in our young woman and grandkids, and Justin became energized by how I was reviewing a subwoofer made by Tannoy. He incited me that, in the UK and Ireland, Tannoy had for a significant length of time been a nonexclusive term for public-address structures, similarly as Hoover had come to depict any vacuum cleaner, paying little mind to producer. Despite the way that Justin gave up that this use was the smartest choice "old school," he prodded me that I was assessing a PA speaker for an audiophile magazine! My child supposedly with Tannoy's status in the British Isles included for me the affiliation's long history in the speaker business: their setting up in 1926, and the essential work they played during the 1940s, giving the British military. Thusly reminded, my encounters with the Tannoy TS2.12 subwoofer took on altogether more splendor! Moderate and Light At 17.2" high by 16.75" wide by 14.75" huge and weighing just 40 lbs, the TS2.12 ($921) is about a similar size as my past humble subwoofer champ, SV Sound's SB13-Ultra, yet a tremendous piece of the weight—and somewhat more than a colossal piece of the expense. Like the Bowers and Wilkins DB-1 subwoofer, the TS2.12 has two conflicting with, 12" drive-units, their combined surface region equalling that of a solitary 18" cone. In any case in the TS2.12, just one of these is driven by the enhancer; the other drive-unit, which Tannoy calls an Auxiliary Bass Radiator (ABR), is removed, and is depended upon to change not actually settled forever cone to confine authority vibrations; both drive-units are made with multi-fiber cones and butyl adaptable incorporates. Within, 500W intensifier is a related class-D plan, constrained by what Tannoy calls their Tri-State Pulse Width Modulated advanced sign processor (DSP). The last decision grants change, in the general locale, of combination rehash, stage, and gain. Perceived evening out licenses the construction to reach under 30Hz. The TS2.12's bureau is made of two layers of 25mm MDF, to diminish colors and add settling mass. As Tannoys says on their site, "The strain made by twin drivers referenced that the TS2 subwoofers be created essentially heavier and surprisingly more liberally [than] fighting subwoofers as conventional 18mm MDF authority improvement would give [an] inadmissible degree of colouration." The TS2.12's blend of dynamic and inactive drivers and its fastidiously fixed nook have been expected to kill the chuffing rackets related for explicit ported subwoofers. On the back board are all of the TS2.12's affiliations and set-and-disregard to recall client changes, including line-level RCA information and result jacks for the right and left stations, a power switch, an IEC jack for the discernable electrical link, Volume and relentlessly factor Phase handles (0–180°), and a combination dial with settings of 50, 100, 150Hz, and Bypass. Right when the TS2.12 is set up, its Auto On/Off fuse takes out the need to get to the sub's controls. Standard climax for the Tannoy TS2.12 is Dark Gray vinyl; add $103 for Black Gloss, which is apparently hand-cleaned to a mirror finish. Room, Setup, Measurement

se Adding the Tannoy TS2.12 to my framework was clear. I moved the sub into the front right corner of the room and ran RCA-completed interconnects from it to the line level outcomes of either my Bryston BP-26 preamplifier or a Mark Levinson No.585 worked with intensifier. The inner edges of my Quad ESL-989 electrostatic speakers were 6' 8" segregated; the left speaker was 18" from its sidewall, the right speaker 18" from a natural divider unit; both were 5' 5" from the front divider.\ I involved various plans of rule speakers and intensifier for this survey. Following attempting several higher settings, I left the TS2.12's low-pass channel at 50Hz. At first I drove the Quads full-range with a Mark Levinson No.334 twofold mono speaker. A brief time frame later, I utilized the ML No.585 created, with its 80Hz, second-request, high-pass standard out channel set to 80Hz and the TS2.12's hybrid set to Bypass. This worked with the Quads from attempting to emulate the most inconceivable bass, permitting them to play more grounded without winding. I also separated the Quad-Tannoy structure with a few Revel Ultima Salon2s: dynamic, full-range, floorstanding speakers that produce exceptional bass, similar to that of a few little subwoofers I've disapproved. Before I turned on the TS2.12 or connected with the No.585's high-pass channel, I evaluated the Quad ESL-989s' full-range room reaction, utilizing Studio Six Digital's iTestMic and the RTA (constant analyzer) module of their AudioTools application to gauge the transfer speed of 25Hz–200kHz. For test tones, I played a general record, given by Revel's Kevin Voecks, of uncorrelated pink disturbance. The in-room rehash reaction evaluated 25Hz–20kHz, with room-mode tops at 80 and 40Hz. From 40 down to 25Hz, the Quads' reaction fell by 15dB (fig.1; the blue line is Audio Tools' discernible quality marker). I then, at that point, exchanged the TS2.12. At first I set the design volume so the Quads alone played the pink racket at a level that, at my listening seat, enlisted as 75dB on the SPL Meter module of the AudioTools application. Following to setting the TS2.12's low-pass channel to 50Hz, I changed its level control until the sub's result matched the Quads': 75dB at 100 and 40Hz, as shown by the AudioTools RTA module. I adjusted the sub's volume involving Stevie Nicks' voice in "Heavy slide," from Fleetwood Mac's Fleetwood Mac (CD, Reprise 46702-2), and tracked down that setting this handle to 7:45 o'clock killed any chesty colors from Nicks' voice, while holding the punch, drive, and clearness of John McVie's bass line.

With the TS2.12 now integrated into my system, I repeated the room-response RTA measurements. Fig.2 shows a flatter response between 40 and 60Hz and slightly higher output at 31.5Hz, just over the blue "Audibility Limit" line superimposed by Audio Tools on the RTA graph.

With both the Tannoy and Quads dynamic, I played the least recurrence tones of the Chromatic Scale track on Editor's Choice (CD, Stereophile STPH016-2). I heard every one of the tones obviously, as I did the 40 and 32Hz tones from the Bass Decade Warble Tones track on that plate. Likewise from the last option track, the 31.5Hz tone played delicately without multiplying; the 25Hz tone was imperceptible. Tuning in Everything that done, I plunked down to pay attention to the Tannoy and Quads. Right away, the profound bass reaction, drive, and elements of the Revel Ultima Salon2 amplifiers extraordinarily surpassed what the Quad-Tannoy combo could deliver. So I went ahead despite any potential risks and corrected the TS2.12's result by ear, utilizing a wide scope of accounts, vocal and in any case. I utilized John Atkinson's computerized recording (24-digit/88.2kHz AIFF) of the Toccata of Widor's Organ Symphony 5, performed by Jonas Nordwall at Portland's First United Methodist Church, to change the Tannoy's result to deliver room lock—ie, when the subwoofer and room cooperate to make a feeling of non-directional strain when notes in the most reduced octaves are played. I managed the volume back a touch so the sound of Michael Arnopol's twofold bass, which opens "Too expensive for me," from Patricia Barber's Café Blue (CD, Premonition 90760-1), was thick and strong, not overfull or swelled. This required resetting the Tannoy's result control, hustling back to my seat to tune in, and afterward rehashing the strategy. Later a few rounds, I'd expanded the TS2.12's volume control from 7:45 to 9 o'clock

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MartinLogan BalancedForce 212 Subwoofer

 

MartinLogan BalancedForce 212 subwoofer

I like huge bass, however I can't lie Tubby thumpers need not have any significant bearing Also when a speaker drops in with itty-bitty bass It puts a disapprove of my face I get mooched . . . —Sir BassaLot, first audiophile rapper, 1992 A few people put a couple of shelf speakers on remains in their room and are cheerful as mollusks. I envision that they envision the missing bass and never think about it. Not me, and maybe not you. A few of us need to hear it and feel it, similarly as we would genuine instruments. We need sex in the room. My mission for reasonable bass started a fourth of a century prior—I purchased my first subwoofer, a Velodyne ULD-15, in 1989. The ULD-15 highlighted a detachable speaker and hybrid, and servo-control plan to fix everything up. What fun it was. With the right music—for instance, the Doors' "Hanging tight for the Sun" or Genesis' "Squonk"— the Velodyne added an actual aspect that just went MIA from most full-reach or shelf speakers. It wrenched up my listening adrenaline. At the point when, a couple of years after the fact, I exchanged up my smallish speakers for a couple of MartinLogan Quests, I let the Velodyne go, imagining that the 'Logans' 12" woofers would be fine (likewise, I wanted the money). However, no—however the bass was sufficient, the actual effect was generally gone, and alongside it, a portion of that fervor. The Quests were in the long run supplanted with my present speakers, a couple of MartinLogan Prodigys, however this time I intended to several subs when spending plan allowed. A couple of years after the fact, the cash saved, I purchased a couple of MartinLogan Descent I controlled subs. I was back in the bass business. Then, in January of this current year, I perceived ML's two new BalancedForce plans at the yearly Consumer Electronics Show. Subsequently, John Atkinson informed to ask with regards to whether I'd be enthusiastic about examining one of them. For sure, why might it matter? Should be straightforward, no? Maybe ML had improved the Descents. MartinLogan had at first expected to submit for review the more humble of its two new BalancedForce models, the 210 ($2995 each), with twofold 10" drive-units. However, resulting to explaining that I recently had two Descent I's in the system and a truly enormous room (23' significant by 32' wide by 11' high), they agreed that two of the greater BalancedForce 212s ($3995 each), each with two or three 12" cones, would be all together.

In a two-channel framework, a couple of subs enjoys three upper hands over a singleton: they smooth out standing waves extensively, assist with keeping flawless directional signals and the soundstage, and make conceivable more powerful headroom with less twisting, as each sub should deal with just one channel. Following quite a while of experimentation, I've chosen what's known as a flanking subwoofer setup: each sub is situated to the outside and marginally behind a Prodigy. Some case that the scope of frequencies a subwoofer is approached to imitate is too low to even think about influencing soundstaging. However, I've observed that, in any event, when the sub's low-pass channel is set to 60–80Hz, the sound is as yet directional enough that, when I shut my eyes, my ears can distinguish the actual area of each container (if not the genuine soundwaves they produce, which are connecting with the room). In one visually impaired test, I have somebody arbitrarily turn on just one of the two subs and play some music, and I attempt to figure which sub is on. Music with enthusiastic bass makes this simple—my head and body, if not my ears, can see which sub is dynamic each and every time. Assuming that you have a multichannel home-theater framework, different subs daisy-anchored together (this game plan is here and there called double mono) can appear to be legit—film soundtracks are blended in with mono bass for the " The subs' hybrids hence need to restrict the subs' upper-recurrence reaction so the subs' results mix appropriately with that of the primary speakers, which I like to run full reach with no additional hybrids in the sign way. More with regards to MartinLogan's novel method of dealing with this in a little.

Showing up and Unpacking

MartinLogan messaged to say they expected to send the BalancedForce 212s by semi truck. This sounded somewhat alarming—and invigorating. I carry on a few miles up a winding street so steep that few vehicles' brakes have flopped on the way down. A couple of years prior we lost a waste vehicle and, tragically, its driver. Furthermore toward the finish of our impasse road there's little space to pivot. So I requested a short semi, if conceivable, to make it more straightforward on the driver. ML additionally let me know that "conveyance" doesn't generally incorporate schlepping subs into the house (however that can be set up). All things being equal, they place the powerful bundle at the carport. Fortunately for me, it came down on conveyance day. The driver charitably took out his rock solid hand truck, and we painstakingly wheeled the in excess of 320 lbs of boxes, on two wooden beds, into the carport, where they sat until I could get some assistance. This isn't a task for one individual. I thought about which individuals from our neighborhood sound club look as though they lift loads in their extra time. A couple messages and a couple of days after the fact, Dan, an ex-prison guard and jock, and Craig, in his brand name butch hair style and battle boots, appeared. In the wake of mistreating the containers into the listening room, we opened them and began to unload the BF212s.

Cabinet Fever

Seen from the top, the BalancedForce 212 is somewhat trapezoidal: it tightens toward the front, while its two 12" woofers are mounted on inverse sides of the fixed bureau, inset at points with the goal that they are entirely corresponding to one another. The BF212 weighs 140 lbs and is generally 22+" square (estimated at the focal point of each side), while the BF210 weighs 96 lbs and is about 19" square.

Regarding those woofers: MartinLogan says that they fire one after the other—in what ML refers to a BalancedForce setup, working in accurate resistance as "to invalidate contortion causing bureau vibrations and convey unadulterated bass energy." And, indeed, the cupboards kept very still as the cones frantically moved huge measures of air. The BalancedForce idea originally showed up in 2007, and was additionally utilized in the Descent models. I've forever loved this plan, contrasted with subs that stone back each time their single woofer hits hard.

The front of the BF212 has a serious shine dark completion; the top comes in dark, white, Walnut, or Dark Cherry (custom completions are additionally accessible). The woofers on each side are covered with dark material on an edge that adjusts attractively properly and never shaken being used. The base is made of cast-aluminum, and is ribbed for strength, and a solid hold when the sub is moved around. Inset in the base are screw openings for four feet, of sharp metal or adjusted elastic.

We hadn't utilized ML's Perfect Bass Kit adjustment rig yet—like children with recently opened birthday presents, we needed to start playing with them immediately.

Yet, prior to moving the Descents, we'd paid attention to a progression of tracks so everybody could get a feeling of the framework's sound with them set up. Presently, with the BalancedForce 212s ready for action, Craig requested to hear his beloved bass test, Dead Can Dance's "Tune of the Stars," which we'd paid attention to an hour sooner. We as a whole grinned, taking note of a quick improvement. Dan said there was less sprout however extra actual sensation, and Craig believed that the new subs "secured" with the Prodigys—despite the fact that we hadn't yet introduced the Custom EQ Filter settings through USB (more with regards to those later)

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PSB Subwoofer Subseries 1

In March 2008, when I purchased my PSB Alpha B1 amplifiers, I concluded that I ought to likewise purchase PSB's matching SubSeries 1 subwoofer (reference 1). It appears to be odd to me since I would have considered the $449 subwoofer an essential supplement to speakers that sold for $279/pair. What was I thinking? Is it true that i was moving in cash? Positively not. Is it safe to say that i was only youthful and extravagant free? Indeed and negative. Is it safe to say that i was sex-starved? Conceivably. (See the current month's "Tuning in.") For any situation, I more likely than not suspected the subwoofer vital.

It's peculiar, however, on the grounds that I can't remember when I really utilized it. The main thing I in all actuality do recollect is that the sub occupied significant room and gathered an insane measure of residue, driven into a side of my room between the VPI HW-16.5 record-cleaning machine and a drafty window.

Well . . . Have I meandered into an allegory? Possibly assuming I'd introduced the sub in the listening room, I'd have had more karma in the room. Who can say for sure?

PSB SubSeries 1 subwoofer

Talking about sex, PSB's SubSeries 1 is a front-ported, bass-reflex plan with a 8" polypropylene-cone driver and a 110W, class-A/B BASH power enhancer. It has an asserted recurrence scope of 36–150Hz, gauges roughly 13.25" high by 9.625" wide by 14.5" profound, gauges 23 lbs, and has a dark vinyl finish. It's not hot. Most subwoofers aren't. At the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show, held this previous January in Las Vegas, PSB reported a substitution for the SubSeries 1: The SubSeries 125 offers its archetype's basic look, yet is marginally bigger (14.125" high by 9.625" wide by 15.625" profound) and has an all the more remarkable (125W) enhancer. The value remains $449.

Why'd I stand by so well before bringing a subwoofer into my life?

The truth of the matter is, in my old listening room I never required a sub. Regardless of whether I was driving the PSB Alpha B1s with my 40Wpc NAD C316 BEE coordinated amp or partaking in the somewhat bigger DeVore Fidelity Gibbon 3 speakers with my 75Wpc Exposure 2010S incorporated, the sound in that little (10' by 13' by 8') room was constantly incredible, with all the spotless, clear low-end effect and expansion I might actually care about. Also in case it isn't obvious, Art Dudley, I didn't just have a great deal of bass, I had great bass—sweet, modern, fulfilling bass, with chocolates and champagne and candles. My somewhat unobtrusive greetings fi worked splendidly in that little room—a reality that I didn't, and proved unable, completely appreciate at the time since that framework and that room were all I had at any point known.

A few old buddies and believed partners have since clarified that moving into another listening climate, regardless of whether it be a devoted room or a common living space, is a major piece of the hello fi experience. Another room presents new difficulties, and with those difficulties come new freedoms, revelations, and prizes.

As I referenced last month, the hey fi lost a portion of its sorcery later I moved into Ms. Little's loft. No illustrations planned. Requested to serve a fundamentally bigger (18' by 20' by 8'), all the more live, more compromised listening climate, the framework appeared to run running on empty. Music sounded fine by and large, yet all at once "fine in general" isn't adequate for me. I needed more effect, more presence, more show, and, generally significant, more bass. Try not to misunderstand me: I'm not a total bass oddity—awful bass, or an excessive amount of bass, drives me into a heaving, puffing rage—yet I in all actuality do have to hear, to feel, some feeling of body and weight.

Fortunately, I hadn't ousted the PSB SubSeries 1 to our common extra room, where Ms. Little keeps her Schwinn Cruiser and I keep my Peavey Classic 50 guitar amp, Polycrystal hardware rack, boxes of baseball cards, back issues of Listener, back supply of my band's last collection, and the other grouped stuff of my terrible bachelorhood. Maybe buying the SubSeries 1 had been less a demonstration of guiltlessness than a demonstration of foreknowledge.

Whatever. I'd prefer be youthful and horny than have no bass. I chose to place the sub in assistance.

However, how? The most straightforward arrangement is run a couple of interconnects from the amp's sub result to the sub's low level info. Annoyingly, my NAD 316 BEE incorporated amp doesn't have a sub result. Taking into account that a cheap, moderately low-controlled incorporated amp would probably be utilized to drive a couple of little shelf speakers, and that those speakers might just require a sub to accomplish fulfilling bass, wouldn't it be consistent to incorporate a subwoofer yield? For what reason does PSB's most reasonable subwoofer give the fundamental information, while NAD's most reasonable amp comes up short on the essential result? One may accept that Lenbrook, PSB and NAD's corporate parent, has thought about this. Is the exclusion because of a question of estimating? A question of execution?

413entry.subbac.jpg

The following least difficult arrangement is run one sets of speaker links from my intensifier to the sub's undeniable level information, and a second pair of speaker links from the sub's significant level result to the limiting posts of the PSB Alpha B1s, hence making a perfect, direct sign way. However, I was again jumbled, this time by the subwoofer: The SubSeries 1 doesn't have an undeniable level result.

I was starting to surrender. Would I at any point have bass once more? Would it be a good idea for me to decry bass completely and give myself to an existence of midrange virtue? All things being equal, I did the unbelievable: I counseled the subwoofer's client manual, where I tracked down a graph for associating an amp to a sub utilizing just the amp's speaker yields and the sub's undeniable level sources of info. I figured this would be the best approach, however it actually had neither rhyme nor reason: Clearly, unreasonably many links and very couple of information sources were involved. My psyche dashed back to 1984 and a specific developmental scene in the blockbuster film Ghostbusters. Imagine a scenario where I coincidentally crossed the streams. Would I hazard . . .

Absolute protonic inversion?

Needing moral help, I reached out to Greg Stidsen, head of innovation for Lenbrook. He immediately guaranteed me that I was on the correct way. "Adding a sub is actually what is required for this situation. It will permit you to move the full reach speakers from the enthusiastic room surfaces to get a more extended rot on the early reflections. This will assist with picture concentrate, yet will, as a result, lessen apparent bass reaction since you will have killed the room gain. Adding a sub checks out."

With respect to upgrading the sub's situation, Stidsen alluded to a technique utilized by PSB's Paul Barton: "Spot the subwoofer in the essential listening position, then, at that point, creep around the space to the different places where your better half will permit you to put the sub, and see which one sounds best."

This was an intriguing thought, yet I wasn't completely certain with regards to slithering around the room. At whatever point I settle the score near the floor, I'm attacked by felines. Stringer attempts to squeeze his wet nose into my face, while Avon implodes onto her side, extends the extent that she can, and peeps for a paunch rub. They either worship me or believe I'm prey.

Apparently mindful of my anxiety, Stidsen added a temptation: "Slithering additionally positively affects most connections, so you may luck out subsequent to introducing the sub." Hmm . . . maybe it would merit a shot.

However, I definitely realized where I'd place the sub: in the conspicuous feline and sweetheart amicable area, a foot or so behind the right-station speaker, in the impeccably subwoofer-sized space between our new cabinet and our new amusement community.

The next simplest solution would be to run one pair of speaker cables from my amplifier to the sub's high-level input, and a second pair of speaker cables from the sub's high-level output to the binding posts of the PSB Alpha B1s, thus creating a neat, straightforward signal path. But I was again confounded, this time by the subwoofer: The SubSeries 1 doesn't have a high-level output.

I was beginning to despair. Would I ever have bass again? Should I denounce bass entirely and devote myself to a life of midrange purity? Instead, I did the unthinkable: I consulted the subwoofer's user manual, where I found a diagram for connecting an amp to a sub using only the amp's speaker outputs and the sub's high-level inputs. I figured this would be the way to go, but it still made little sense: Clearly, far too many cables and far too few inputs were involved. My mind raced back to 1984 and a certain formative scene in the blockbuster film Ghostbusters. What if I accidentally crossed the streams? Would I be risking . . .

Total protonic reversal?
In need of moral support, I got in touch with Greg Stidsen, director of technology for Lenbrook. He quickly assured me that I was on the right path. "Adding a sub is exactly what is needed for this scenario. It will allow you to move the full-range speakers away from the lively room surfaces to get a longer decay on the early reflections. This will help with image focus, but will, as a consequence, reduce perceived bass response because you will have killed the room gain. Adding a sub makes sense."

As for optimizing the sub's placement, Stidsen referred to a method used by PSB's Paul Barton: "Place the subwoofer in the primary listening position, then crawl around the room to the various locations where your girlfriend will allow you to place the sub, and see which one sounds best."

This was an interesting idea, but I wasn't so sure about crawling around the room. Whenever I get even close to the floor, I'm assaulted by cats. Stringer tries to press his wet nose into my face, while Avon collapses onto her side, stretches as far as she can, and chirps for a belly rub. They either adore me or think I'm prey.

Seemingly aware of my concern, Stidsen added an enticement: "Crawling also has a positive effect on most relationships, so you might get lucky after installing the sub." Hmm . . . perhaps it would be worth a shot.

But, really, I already knew where I'd place the sub: in the obvious cat- and girlfriend-friendly location, a foot or so behind the right-channel speaker, in the perfectly subwoofer-sized space between our new bookcase and our new entertainment center.

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Velodyne Digital Subwoofer

 

Velodyne Digital Drive Plus 18 subwoofer

Subwoofer innovation is moving quick, with robotized room adjustment and framework combination now a reality. A rush of new items has showed up in the beyond five years, all utilizing various ways to deal with tackling the issues of advancing subwoofer reaction in listening rooms. Subwoofers—including the Digital Drive 18+'s archetype, the DD-18, and the Revel Ultima SUB-30—first handled the issue of room enhancement by showing the room reaction on a PC and having the client change virtual sliders. All the more as of late, JL Audio's Fathom f113 and Fathom f212, eliminated the client from the arrangement interaction: JLA's naturally self-changing firmware schedules utilized adjustment receivers, inside signal generators, and processors to enhance these subs' recurrence reaction for a solitary room hub, with no realistic showcase or client input. A further advance forward was given by Bowers and Wilkins' DB1 subwoofer, which required the audience to take a progression of eight estimations, later which the sub consequently determined, adjusted, and charted the outcome. Velodyne's DD-18+ now makes the innovation a stride further with the expansion of robotized room pay. While the sub's interior hardware can change naturally, it likewise offers physically changed, menu-driven adjustment that diagrams any room-reaction changes in the DD-18+'s result on a PC screen progressively. Offered the opportunity to audit Velodyne's most current 18" subwoofer with these elements, I seized the opportunity. Depiction While there's a solid family similarity between the DD-18+ ($5799) and its archetype, the DD-18 ($4799), which I surveyed in the June 2004 issue, the DD-18+ outwardly overwhelms when the two are set one next to the other. This is on the grounds that the DD-18+ is 6.5" more profound, 19 lbs heavier, and has 28% more inward volume. It likewise includes unequivocally tightened sides, 1"- thick dividers of MDF, a huge inner window support to which the single drive-unit's engine is fastened with huge screws, and ¾"- thick propping boards to limit vibrations. These enhancements are said to allow the DD-18+ to play 4.5–6dB stronger than the DD-18, with lower bending. The magnet alone of the DD-18+'s 18" drive-unit weighs 39.7 lbs. The driver includes a 3" measurement, six-layer, custom-injury voice-loop and further developed hotness dispersal. The cone is made of a fiberglass-over-Rohacell froth composite that is stiffer, lighter, and more grounded than the substantial paper of the DD-18's cone. The huge encompass helps the cone handle the long journeys expected to imitate strong bass homeless people. The driver is equipped for 1.3" journey—more noteworthy than with past Velodyne subs. The sub's 1250W RMS, class-D enhancer, while appraised at a similar power as the DD-18's speaker, is professed to be more productive inferable from Velodyne's exclusive energy-recuperation framework. Not exclusively does the DD18+'s DSP hardware empower the computerized leveling, it likewise controls drive-unit mutilation, utilizing a servo-circle accelerometer, which requires 3000 estimations each second—undeniably more than the simple gadget in the DD-18, which estimated just 16 times each second. My audit test was done in a shocking facade of Black Gloss Ebony. Every DD-18+ is delivered with four metal spikes/coasts that screw into the bureau base and are gotten with metal locking rings set off by felt washers, so as not to scratch the completion. The equipment and associations are strong, effectively open, and should endure forever. Controls The DD-18+ has an apparently perpetual number of associations and client choices. It tends to be changed with its three front-and three back board controls, with the 34 buttons on its controller, and with an enormous number of virtual controls showed on the two screens of its Windows arrangement program. These incorporate a Frequency Response and Parameter Screen (7 boundary settings, 4 parametric channel settings, 3 EQ Optimization Selection and Initiation choices), and a Preset Screen (10 settings for every one of 5 presets). The Digital Drive Windows Setup Program User Interface is nitty gritty in a different 38-page booklet, the most extensive subwoofer manual I've seen; it gave incredible assistance. The DD-18+'s remote oversees many capacities all alone, as recorded in the vitally proprietor's manual, given on CD-ROM. When the power switch on the DD-18+'s back board has been turned on, the remote's Power button flips the sub among dynamic and reserve modes. Different buttons are relegated to listening capacities (Volume, Night mode, Presets), winding down on and the sub's front-board LCD show (taken cover behind the grille), and improvement controls for Auto EQ and for EQ arrangement utilizing a TV screen. The last incorporate six sound presets, each with a form EQ recurrence lift and default volume level (Theater, Rock, Jazz, Custom, Games, and None, which eliminates all evening out). Presets 1, 2, and 3 are set at the production line and can't be changed, while preset 4 can be changed by the client. The Night mode brings the DD-18+'s volume down to 30% of the default mode. The Light control flips on and off the DD-18+'s LED show, which shows the volume and status of the Auto EQ process

Concealed alongside the presentation under the DD-18+'s grille are some significant controls. From left to right are a USB jack for associating with your PC to run the EQ programming, a smaller than normal XLR jack for the alignment mouthpiece, an IR port for controller signals, handles for volume and hybrid recurrence, and an Auto EQ button. The LCD show is noticeable through the grille. On the back board are the on/off switch, and info connectors for mono RCA and XLR inputs for the low-recurrence impacts (LFE) channel from A/V processor; sound system RCA and XLR inputs from a sound system preamplifier's assistant fundamental results; a smaller than normal jack for a trigger on/off signal; and an IEC gulf for the separable power string. 313velo.bac.jpg Turning on the DD-18+'s fundamental power switch places it in Standby until it recognizes a sound sign. The sub's intensifier is then turned on and its DSP processor booted up. In the 12V trigger mode, the DD-18+ will not react to the remote's power-on button until the 12V trigger is actuated. Also, the DD-18+ will react to run-time orders through its sequential port from control frameworks, for example, those made by Crestron. My survey test had a minor error. Its back board offered six attachment type (input style) XLR case associations both for its two adjusted information sources and its four adjusted results. Dissimilar to RCA single-finished interconnects, adjusted XLR interconnects have various connectors at each end. Since suspension mounted XLR jacks customarily use pin-type jacks for result and attachments for input, adjusted links can be snared just a single way. making it unimaginable for me to utilize the DD18+'s fair information sources. I advised Velodyne of this issue, and they quickly sent me XLR connectors that changed over the four XLR attachments marked Output to the appropriate pin-type XLRs. They guaranteed me that this issue was amended for the DD-18+'s subsequent creation run. Velodyne's Digital Drive Plus Software Program Automates Integration The DD-18+'s Digital Drive Plus adjustment and room-streamlining programming is viable with the Windows XP and 7 working frameworks. It tends to be run in three distinct modes—Self EQ, Auto EQ, or Manual EQ—all chose through Windows Interface Setup Software on the proprietor's PC (see Sidebar "Velodyne's Windows Setup Program for the DD-18+"). One of the room-streamlining schedules is run during establishment. On the other hand, the client can align and tweak the DD-18+'s reaction by interfacing it to a TV screen and utilizing the Velodyne's remote pointed at the subwoofer. The sub's front-board show will give additional data. Arrangement The DD-18+ was delivered in an enormous, twofold container lashed to a bed, weighing 178 lbs taking all things together. I pushed the case up a short stairway, unloaded the DD-18+, then, at that point, slid the sub into my room's right front corner until it was around . This set the sub around 10' from my listening position. My experience of different subwoofers has driven me to presume that this is the best situation in my room.

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