Emotiva X-Ref 12 or Epik Legend? HSU VTF-2MK3 it is!

[reynolr]

Just got shipping confirmation for my HSU. It isn't coming until Monday, so that means I won't get to play with it for 2 extra weeks since I leave that same morning for job training... it is going to be tough lol I am praying Fedex can knock a day or two off and get it here this weekend... fingers crossed. After I finally get it I'll let ya know what i think, and if I am able (with the help of the HSU staff) to get it o blend with my Sub-12.

[reynolr]

Decided to drive home tonight to play with my new toy. First impression is it is large, but looks nice. It came with a cd, however my ps3 is at my dads lake house and my bluray player is back at Panasonic getting fixed, so the only thing I have to play it on is my xbox, and honestly it has no bass at all... Not sure what is wrong? Is it just because I am trying to play it with the xbox? I won't have my bluray player back til next week probably, so given that is there anything I can do to test out the new sub? I do have the Pandora on my reciever, and it was pretty impressive compares to my sub 12. I won't be able to run a new line to play both the sub 12 and new Hsu at the same time til this weekend. My dad is bringing my ps3 home this weekend as well so ill be able to give a better idea of the sub later. However I am still wondering why this cd, that state don't turn up the sub all the way or u may damage it so to the bass on these tracks, doesn't produce any bass when I play it? Any ideas? Thanks.

[StephenM]

the only thing I have to play it on is my xbox, and honestly it has no bass at all... Not sure what is wrong? Is it just because I am trying to play it with the xbox? ... I do have the Pandora on my reciever, and it was pretty impressive compares to my sub 12.

Not exactly sure what the trouble could be, although the first steps to verify: how do you have the Hsu set up currently (placement wise)? Have you done any experimentation with placement? Did you re-run Audyssey setup (set phase to 0 and gain to 12 o'clock first)?

[StephenM]

FYI, did a google search, and found some recommendations of using the analog outputs to get improved performance with CDs.

http://forum.teamxbox.com/archive/index.php/t-447514.html

From my tests, I see that nothing played thru the Media Player of my
XBox 306 sounds nearly as well as a game of the Dashboard sounds. Not
original CDs, not MP3 CDs physically in the XB360. I was wired using the
HDTV cord with the nice little digital optical connection. Works great
with Dolby Digital certified games, but sucks *** when it comes to
"regular" music playback. I then hooked a second wiring with the old RCA
connection. Now, on the same sound system, the music sounded much
better.



My conclusion is that if you want to have acceptable quality for music
playback and all the goodness of the Dolby Digital optical connection,
you'll need to set yourself up with a dual wiring (RCA + Optical).

May be worth trying.

[reynolr]

To be honest I didn't get to play with it all that much (got a almost 2 year old I had to get into bed) but I didn't rerun the audyssey. I have it in the front left corner (same as sub 12 was). I have the phase to 0 and the gain is at almost full (should it be at half?). The Hz is at 80 and it is plugged in with just the LFE as was the sub 12. Also I have it with one port plugged (which is how it say it can go the lowest to 18Hz). I did only get one port plug, I thought I was going to get 2? I also just changed my mains to be crossed over at 80Hz, they were at 40 Hz (which I know is way to low for rf-52's). Normally I bring out a few blurays to test out a sub, but I do not have that option. After further playing the cd it has test tones for the L/R mains and different sub frequencies, those were felt lol. But I still am not getting anything from the music tracks? I do not think running the audyssey will do much because alls it does is set my subs to -15 everytime. I raised it up to +12 and still barely felt anything during the music tracks.

[StephenM]

To be honest I didn't get to play with it all that much (got a almost 2 year old I had to get into bed) but I didn't rerun the audyssey.

I wouldn't worry a whole lot about tonight's results then. Gotta get stuff dialed in before you can make too many judgements.

I have the phase to 0 and the gain is at almost full (should it be at half?)

Half is a good starting point; Audyssey will take care of the rest, and adjust the sub level to where it should be, as well as apply specific EQ filters for your new sub.

The Hz is at 80

The crossover on the Hsu should be disabled. The Onkyo will handle the bass management.

I did only get one port plug, I thought I was going to get 2?

One plug is correct; the VTF 2.3 has two modes: two port open or one port open. Try both modes as time allows of course.

I do not think running the audyssey will do much because alls it does is set my subs to -15 everytime. I raised it up to +12 and still barely felt anything during the music tracks.

As noted in my prior post, try analog outputs with the Xbox. Do NOT have the gain turned up all the way on the sub and in the receiver when you do this though. Set the gain to half, re-run Audyssey, and then try the Xbox with the analog outs.

[reynolr]

After a week of delay I finally got to watch a movie using my new sub. Picked up my ps3 and grabbed the new transformers on the way home. I still havnt had time to properly calibrate thurs sub, or try and hook up my sub 12 (which will involve running a new line). However I am very impressed with the quality of bass coming from the Hsu. I am not sure what to call it, so for a lack of knowledge I will just say that the bass on the Hsu is much more rich compared to the sub 12. After hearing both you can pick out which one cost more lol. It seems to fill the room much more effortlessly than the sub 12 could. It is also louder with a deeper bass to it. With music (Pandora from my onkyo) it can keep up with the fast passed bass lines much better. On particular songs I could hear my sub 12 struggling before where now the Hsu beasts rite thru with ease. Over all I am very pleased with it, it is the improvement I was looking for. StephenM I appriciate all your help, I am happy with the outcome. One thing that still got me was that cd the came with the sub. Even in my ps3 it did not produce much if any big bass lines like stated. I know it can pack a punch after watching transformers, but the cd doesn't show case it.

[StephenM]

I'm glad that you're enjoying your new sub, and I'm happy that I could provide help.

Don't really know about the CD; I'd recommend shooting an e-mail over to Hsu, just to make sure there are no configuration issues, although it sounds like the sub is fully operational.

[reynolr]

I tried that cd in both my xbox and ps3 and both gave poor results. I Jus got my blue ray playwright back from Panasonic a few minutes ago. Plugged it in. Popped in the cd. And wow, the bass is incredible from it. I'um not aure what format or whatever my blue ray player has that my xbox and ps3 doesn't. But its night and day difference. Just thought id let anyone that's interested know.

[reynolr]

Hello all. I just wanted to comment on having two subs vs one. I finally got around to hooking up my sub 12 in the back next to my couch. And it makes a gift difference imo. I am not sure if they r calibrated perfectly. I only used the Mic that came with my receiver. But it brings s whole new deminision to the lows while watching movies. So much so that my girlfriend (whom I may add could care less about this sort of thing) said how big of a difference it made in my system. More than the height speakers or new Hsu sub or new receiver ever did. She could actual tell that something was different this time lol. Anyways if you are I'm the market to make a large improvement in Ur low end. I would suggest not just a newer sub, but a second one.