Hsu VTF-2 Pdf User Manuals. View online or download Hsu VTF-2 Manual. HSU VTF-2 mk5 Driver. Examining the driver, the first thing that jumps out about it is the beefy magnet in the motor; a stack of two ¾” iron pieces with a 6.25” diameter which form the bulk of the 16 lbs. Weight of the driver. The basket is made from stamped steel of a decent thickness with a rib on the spokes for additional rigidity.
written by Mike Shea on 20 June 2003
Next to a large screen, one of the biggest changes you can make in a home theater is a powerful subwoofer. Subwoofer price range can go from $200 to $10,000 in price, but with a subwoofer you get what you pay for. A powerful subwoofer with a large dynamic range and a full 20hz to 100hz frequency range will improve any home theater system.
The Hsu VTF-2 subwoofer is a $500 subwoofer that is known in both professional and consumer reviewing circles as a best buy in home theater equipment. After my purchase and review, I agree. It works perfectly in any system above $3000. It is a liquidtheater.com recommended component. The VTF-2 is only available from the Hsu Research website.
Living in an apartment is hell for a home theater buff. Probably the largest reason I've come up with for buying a house is to have a dedicated theater with full range sound without having to worry about being arrested. Unfortunately, at this point in my life, I can't justify the move for this alone. The VTF-2 works perfectly in this environment. In my current situation, I am not sure I could be happier.
Ergonomics
The VTF-2 is a typical box subwoofer. It is about 18' on each side with two ports on the sides and a 10' downward firing main driver. It has stands that hold it about four inches off of the ground. The manual mentions that it can be used as an end-table but I wouldn't recommend it. Physically my installation was very straight forward. I just pulled out the Energy XL-8 and put in the Hsu. No other work really needed to be done.
The sound output of a subwoofer is supposed to omnidirectional. This allows a subwoofer to be placed in a variety of spots, with the location of the sound being undetectable to the user. Normally a subwoofer is placed somewhere up front of the theater, usually in a corner for a bit more power. This is where mine ended up, in the front right corner of my screening room.
Hookup
There are a few ways to hook up a subwoofer, but the most common is with a subwoofer signal output from your amplifier through an RCA connector, and into the 'mono' RCA input on the sub. There is no need to buy a splitter, any long shielded RCA connector will work. I personally use an Audio Quest subwoofer cable that ran about $25 to $30, but there is no need for anything costing more than $50. With this configuration, all of your main channels should be set to 'small' and your Low Frequency Effects (LFE) channel should be set to 'subwoofer'. This will redirect every frequency sent from your source below 80 to 100hz to your subwoofer where it belongs. Almost every article I have read recommends this setup and it has worked very well for me. Even THX specifications recommend crossing over your main speakers at 80hz and redirecting everything else to the systems sub.
The Hsu VTF-2 has speaker level inputs to run it in series with your front main left and right speakers. This lets you run the crossover in the sub to tune it with your particular brand of speakers. With this configuration, your front left and right speakers should be set to 'large' and your Low Frequency Effects channel should be redirected to your main speakers. Check your receiver instructions for specifics. This configuration also requires a lot of extra wiring and offers little advantage. Unless you are running an ancient system, you're best bet is to hook it up with the single subwoofer RCA signal output mentioned above.
Hookup and setup with my Yamaha DSP-A1 Receiver and B&W 600 series speakers was painless. All of my main speakers were set to 'small' and all LFE effects were set to output to the subwoofer. The sub was hooked up with a single 12' RCA connector to the DSP-A1 subwoofer line-out.
Tuning
The Hsu VTF-2 has one unique characteristic that not only helps reduce it's cost but also optimizes it for an apartment. The VTF-2 has two frequency tuning points, a high one that offers more power at the 50hz range but cuts off around 35hz, or a low one that reduces overall power but can reach as low as 25hz. I chose the latter, figuring that I would not be able to play it that loud anyway. To set it to 'low' you flip the switch on the back of the sub to '25hz' and insert the included foam plug into one of the two ports on the sub. To run it loud, you remove the plug and set the switch to '35hz'. The manual states that running it in any other configuration other than those two could damage the sub. I didn't call their bluff.
A lot of documentation on proper subwoofer location recommends a simple test to find the best spot. Take your seat out of the primary viewing position (wherever your best seat in the house is) and put the subwoofer there. Hook it up and run a subwoofer test tone, either from a THX Optimizer sound test or from the amplifier internal test signal. Walk around your room and find the spot with the best response, hopefully in a good location for sub placement. Now stick the sub there. Luckily for me, this location was the exact spot I had originally set it, so I had to change very little. The sub is light enough to move around without too much trouble.
Once I had found a spot for the sub and tuned it to 25hz with the switch and using the foam plug to plug up one of the ports, it was time to tune it. The most common problem with a normal home theater is a lack of proper tuning. Armed with any THX Optimizer DVD and a $35 Radio Shack SPL meter you can really squeeze every dollar out of your own home theater for very little cost. I stuck in the THX optimizer off of the Star Wars Episode 1 DVD and ran the test signal around, tuning every channel to 75db. I used the volume knob on the sub to keep it around that frequency, but considering my average listening level is around 50 to 55db, I turned it up about 10db higher than the other channels. The 200hz to 20hz sweep tone on the THX Optimizer showed that I have a lot of resonant frequencies in my room that make the sub louder or softer at different frequencies. This makes it very difficult to properly tune, so I ended up playing it a little by ear with the various DVDs and CDs I played. Normally this is blasphemy but given my imperfect world, I had no other choice. Even though you may end up tuning it a little by ear, you should still spend the time to tune your speakers and sub correctly as a baseline.
Movie reviews
With my system set at a reference level of 75db, I stuck in my first test DVD, Star Wars Episode 1. Now this terrible movie is really only good for testing a system as the story quality is inversely proportional to the quality of the soundtrack. Right after the scrolling yellow background story, the Jedi ship approaches the trade federation. During the fly-by, the bass was so loud my cat ran away. It was loud, but not out of control. Still, to keep from being evicted, I dropped the sound down another 20db overall. This was good and loud, but not Mike's-looking-for-a-new-apartment loud. I tested it on that ship scene a few times and then skipped to one of my favorite tests, the Darth Maul / Obi-Wan match at the end of the movie. I remember sitting in my car after seeing Phantom Menace for the first time and thinking how my home theater would never be able to really recreate the movie that way. The scene I had in mind was the one where Darth Maul blows Obi-Wan off the ledge with a force blast after clashing sabers. Well, I was wrong. Even at a moderate volume level, the force blast blasted just as I had remembered it in the theater. Tori kelly handmade songs album zip code. The Hsu VTF-2 had passed the first test.
For the next few weeks I ran a series of DVDs that I knew showcased the LFE channel but weren't horrible movies either. This included some DTS tracks as well as Dolby Digital. These films included Seven, Terminator 2 Collectors Edition, and Face Off. All of them did very well, calling just enough bass to fill out the full frequency range but not enough to make the presence of the sub noticeable. The key was finding that one spot just before all you hear is rumble but after you can really feel the full weight of a sound track. You don't want to be able to notice the sub directly, but you want your overall system to feel powerful. It is a tough spot to find, and it is hard to make a subwoofer transparent after spending $500 on it, but that is what you want to do for the benefit of the movie itself.
I watched a few full-length movies as well as these tests. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets felt strong but my late-night viewing session forced me to worry about volume instead of letting it fire off naturally. Throwing in X-Men, in preparation for the release of X-Men 2, gave me a better feel of that proper transparency. My system sounded strong without sounding rumbly or out of control. The Hsu VTF-2 was the first sub I have owned that got that low without distorting.
The same was true with the Collectors Edition of Fellowship of the Ring. The initial battle in DTS is a strong demo of a system's capabilities. The pressure wave of Sauron's death rolled out without becoming any more overbearing than it was intended to be.
Gladiator one of the best technical DVDs was as strong as I ever heard it. The roar of the catapults, the explosions of burning oil, and the crushing blows of great war hammers filled the room. It was loud, but never harsh or out of control.
Music Reviews
Finding a sub that is good with both music and movies is quite hard. Finding one as powerful as the VTF-2 for $500 is almost impossible. The VTF-2 did just as well at musical accuracy as it did for power in film soundtracks. I threw my standard collection of Enya and Loreena McKennett against it. All of my standard test songs were full and rich without slamming me with too much bass. Only the Sarah Mclachlan song 'I Love You' was too bass heavy, but this has been a fault of the track for as long as I have tested it. I have never heard it without having to turn the bass down on whatever system I am listening to it on. The Hsu VTF-2 proved to be an excellent sub for music on top of all its other benefits.
Conclusion
There are some excellent values in home theater if you know where to look. The Hsu VTF-2 sub is a perfect example. It is a well designed, quality component with excellent ergonomics, easy setup and calibration, and wonderful performance all for half of what a sub like this should cost. It has been known as the best value in subwoofers and after owning it myself, I agree completely.
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by— September 28, 2017
- Product Name: VTF-1 mk3 Subwoofer
- Manufacturer: Hsu Research
- Performance Rating:
- Value Rating:
- Review Date:September 28, 2017 00:00
- MSRP:$399.00 (+ $54 Shipping / Handling)
- 10” driver, ported enclosure
- 250w continuous amplifier
- 30 Hz- 90 Hz crossover frequency range, by-passable
- 24dB/octave crossover slope
- 0°/180° phase switch
- L/R Unbalanced inputs
- L/R Speaker-level inputs
- 0.7-0.3 Q control
- 300-watt power outletrequirement
- 42 lbs.
- Enclosure Dimensions:18.5”H x 14.5”W x 17”D
- Dimensions w/ feet,grille, amp: 19.5”H x 14.5”W x 19”D
- 7 years woofer warranty/2 years amplifier warranty
Pros
- Accurate bass reproduction
- Affordable
- Good extension for the price
- Not large and not heavy
- Variable tuning points offers a significant difference
Cons
- Single port mode can chuff obtrusively in very deep bass at high drive levels
- Sealed mode doesn’t really do much
We started our Hsu Research VTF-2 mk5 review off by noting its relatively long history and evolution since its initial appearance. Hsu’s VTF-1 hasn’t been around as long as a model name, but its inception is so closely related to the original VTF-2 that it has to be considered an extension of that product line. The VTF-2 line started with 10” drivers and very similar cabinet dimensions and tuning points as the VTF-1, but the VTF-2 name was promoted to a line of medium sized 12” subwoofers, and the 10” variable tuning subwoofers were given the name ‘VTF-1.’ Essentially, the VTF-1 carries the form that the VTF-2 started with. In evolutionary terms, this would be called common descent: two different organisms that share a common ancestor.
The VTF-1 mk3 makes a more radical change to its form than the mk2, which only added a Q control from the mk1. The mk3 rearranges the cabinet by placing the driver and ports in front. It also gives the amplifier a boost from 200 watts to 250 and makes some alterations to the driver. Rubber feet replace spiked feet, and the satin black finish is now a smooth vinyl finish. Hsu also claims a very significant performance increase moving up to the mk3 along with a substantial price drop. This brief history of the VTF-1 has led us here with the mk3 in our hands, and we will see how these many layers of refinements over the years add up as a subwoofer in our review.
Unpacking and Appearance
The VTF-1 mk3 arrived sandwiched between eight thick foam blocks on every corner that kept the subwoofer away from the box sides and protected it from bumps and shocks. It was bagged in a soft foam wrapping to protect it from scuffs, and a thick plastic bag around the foam bag to protect it from moisture. Since it is not a massive or heavy unit, these efforts should be more than sufficient to keep the it safe during shipping.
Out of packing, its looks like a fairly typical subwoofer. The vinyl finish has a smooth sheen that is nice, although, as with the VTF-2 mk5, it seems to be somewhat of a downgrade from the satin black finish of the previous mk2. The rounded edges do soften its appearance, especially with the grille on. It is not a very large sub, at least in comparison to the subwoofers I normally review. It should be able to disappear in a dimly lit corner without problem if the user does not want it to stick out. Without the grille, it does look functional with the driver, ports, and grille guides on display. I do like the shiny inverted dustcap of the cone. The VTF-1 mk3 looks like a smaller VTF-2 mk5.
As with other variable-tuning subwoofers, new owners are advised to read the manual to operate them properly, even more so than with regular subwoofers. They are not quite as simple as plug-and-play if you want to get the most out of them. Owners would do well to understand how sealing the ports combined with onboard equalization mode will affect the system.
Design Overview
The VTF-1 mk3 looks like a smaller VTF-2 mk5, because, in many ways, it is a smaller VTF-2 mk5. It shares the same amplifier technology, same cabinet construction and design; only the sizes are different. As with the VTF-2 mk5, the cabinet paneling of the VTF-1 mk3 uses 3/4” MDF, except for the front baffle which is 1.5” thick. There is a piece of cross-bracing supporting the two 12.5” long ports. Each port has a 3.5” diameter. The cabinet is lined with polyfill. The rubber feet are the same, as well as the grille construction that uses rounded metal pins for the grille guide sockets.
Inside view of VTF-1 mk3 Subwoofer
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The ‘VTF’ in the VTF-1 stands for Variable Tuned Frequency, which is the system that allows the user to adjust the extension of deep bass. For those who are not familiar with how this system works, we will quote from our VTF-2 mk5 review:
“The function of ports on speakers and subwoofers is to produce sound more efficiently at low frequencies than the drivers are able to. They do this by using the backward motion of the woofer into the cabinet to resonate the air mass within the port. The port’s length and width affect the frequencies at which the port generates sound; the longer a port is with respect to its width, the deeper frequencies it will produce. However, the wider a port is, the more output it will generate at its resonant frequency. Placing multiple ports in a speaker or subwoofer will act like one port that has the width of all the ports combined. In systems such as Hsu’s VTF subwoofers, the user can exchange output headroom at higher frequencies for lower frequency output by plugging one of its ports, thereby increasing the length of the ports with respect to their collective width. This enables the subwoofer to play deeper frequencies far more effectively but at the cost of output potential at some frequencies above that point.”
The driver looks adequate for the task but not heavy-duty. It is largely assisted by the generous cabinet size and port area. It uses a stamped steel basket, a decent sized Nomex spider for a 10”, a 2” voice coil, and a single 5” x ¾ magnetic slug. We can see that the backplate has been bumped out to make room for higher excursions, and there is a hole in the pole piece for ventilation. Hsu informed me that the driver uses a shorting ring. On the whole, the driver looks adequate for the task at hand.
Hsu Vtf 3 Mk5 Review
The VTF-1 mk3 amplifier is similarly a scaled version of the VTF-2 mk5’s amp. For the VTF-1 mk3, Hsu has upgraded the BASH amplifier to a 250-watt unit, up from the 200-watt amp of the mk2. The BASH (Bridged Amplifier Switching Hybrid) amplifier technology combines the sound quality of AB amplifier topologies with the high efficiency of Class D amplifiers. Among the features of the VTF-1’s amplifier, a Q control is used to manipulate the slope of the low-end roll-off. Speaker-level inputs allow the subwoofer to be used with systems that do not have an LFE output or a line-level output. An adjustable low-pass filter ranging from 30 Hz to 90 Hz gives users control over the subwoofer’s bandwidth for setups that lack bass management. A voltage input switch makes the subwoofer usable in countries with different electrical standards.
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Recent Forum Posts:
I may be the odd man out here, but, I use the near field set up today for my little subwoofer and if I replace it with a Hsu I would still do that. Because I'm in a near field listening setup for music, the choice to measure it smack dab behind the listening position makes me smile ! I liked the completeness of the review. Reviews like this give me confidence in making a future selection. Reviews like this and I can call Pogre up and have him come over and make recommendations in person. That does the trick.
William Lemmerhirt, post: 1212839, member: 81215All of my review subs get placed in that near-field position, because it offers the flattest response for a single sub in my room for my listening position, not because it provides an higher tactile sensation. So the VTF-1 is on a fair footing with the other subs in my reviews, at least for the subjective experiences. If I placed it anywhere else, it would not be fair to it with respect to other subs I have reviewed.
Nice review, but I think the near field review should be accompanied by another one with placement more akin to where most people will use it. As you said shady, it wouldn’t be fair to intentionally place the little 10 in a spot to a disadvantage but conversely, a near field review is equally unfair. (Most people won’t be able to see through the disclaimer early in the review about typical placement behavior).
We just have to encourage prospective subwoofer buyers to take the time to place the sub in an optimal position to get good results. Great subwoofers can be made to sound terrible with poor placement, and mediocre subs can be made to sound passable with good placement. It is such a huge factor in how a subwoofer will sound in room that it can not be stressed enough.
William Lemmerhirt posts on September 28, 2017 12:58
Hsu Vtf 2 Mk3 Manual Online
Nice review, but I think the near field review should be accompanied by another one with placement more akin to where most people will use it. As you said shady, it wouldn’t be fair to intentionally place the little 10 in a spot to a disadvantage but conversely, a near field review is equally unfair. (Most people won’t be able to see through the disclaimer early in the review about typical placement behavior).
Hsu Vtf 2 Mk3 Manual Free
another excellent review James
Hsu's latest subwoofer, the VTF-1 mk3, is a little powerhouse on paper with a 10“ driver, 250 watt amplifier, and dual 3.5” diameter ports. We have been interested in seeing what it can do ever since it was announced late last year. Now that we have finally had a chance to give it a few laps around our test track, we are ready to report what is delivered from Hsu's $400 subwoofer (price not including shipping). Read our review of the VTF-1 mk3 to learn about this point of entry to high-fidelity subwoofage.
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