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New member Username: CanoncriticPost Number: 1 Registered: Dec-05 | Looking for shortcuts: Without spending the time necessary to check for balance and crossover, what subs would you put with Totem Arros? Thanks for your help. If you wish, please do use my email to chat with me privately. |
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Gold Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 2427 Registered: Feb-05 | Era Sub 10 easily the most musical sub under 2k. Check the Signal Path website. I'm sorry I assumed that you were interested in a sub for music as you bought such fine speakers. If otherwise let us know. |
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New member Username: CanoncriticPost Number: 2 Registered: Dec-05 | Yes, thanks. I intend to use the sub with stereo only. I've heard good things about Hsu subs and also the Rocket sub found at AV123.com. Because I'm still uncertain about the value of a subwoofer I want to spend in the $500 range. |
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Silver Member Username: TwebbzAnn Arbor, Michigan USA Post Number: 315 Registered: Apr-04 | You might check out the Alegria Audio "TOM" subwoofer. www.alegriaaudio.com I too am interested in a sub to use with Energy C-3s and a Rotel RX-1052 receiver. Music only. |
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marogus Unregistered guest | Rob man, look no further than svsubwoofers.com especially their PCI tube subwoofers. absolutely kick butt for music and would really take your Totems to a whole different level. The Era sub is nice too but the SVS really is sublime. |
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Gold Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 2438 Registered: Feb-05 | An SVS sub would not have the speed to keep up with the Totems. They are good subs for home theater but not for music. In the $500 range is the Tannoy TS10 sub which is very musical and very small. |
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marogus Unregistered guest | not true Art the SVS tubes are great for music much better than the square SVS subs. Tannoy subs are not bad but not for a large room with too low output. |
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New member Username: CanoncriticPost Number: 3 Registered: Dec-05 | Thanks, everybody. I've looked at several subs in the $400-$500 range and decided to go with Hsu. Speed was the primary factor for me--the Totem's require it from all reports--but also muscical. I play stereo only. I confess that SVS was very tempting--really a hard call for me. I'll check back when everything is set up. The next thing I need to do is to set the sub filter--when to bring it into the music. Totems have very good range but my ear suggests it checks out around 40-50 HZ. But time and testing will tell the story. Thanks again everybody. |
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Bronze Member Username: HontvnPost Number: 12 Registered: Sep-05 | I also ordered a b-stock HSU STF-2 at 350$ shipped, not yet arrived ... being curious to know how good it is ... |
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New member Username: CanoncriticPost Number: 4 Registered: Dec-05 | I went the VTF route because I do not plan to use it with my home theatre. The VTF seems better suited to me than the STF for stereo--a hunch confirmed by looking at the reviews. But what I have found with my other systems is that in final analysis it's one's own "ear" that counts and not technical distinctions. Too bad that pre-testing is practically impossible with subs. But I will report back to this board after a couple weeks of listening to different kinds of music. |
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Gold Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 2449 Registered: Feb-05 | SVS tubes may be better for music than the square ones, but not a good match for the Totems. Although I believe that they would be a better match than the Hsu box sub. |
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Silver Member Username: TwebbzAnn Arbor, Michigan USA Post Number: 316 Registered: Apr-04 | I crossed HSU & Outlaw off because they said their crossovers would not roll off the bass of the mains if I went from the receiver speaker outs to the high level sub inputs then out from the sub to the mains. |
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Gold Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 2450 Registered: Feb-05 | Rick, you were looking at the "Tom", have you decided? I would be interested to hear your experience with it if you get it. If it performs like the website states (and I have no reason to believe it won't) then it looks like a good match. |
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Silver Member Username: TwebbzAnn Arbor, Michigan USA Post Number: 317 Registered: Apr-04 | Yea Art, I think the TOM sub will be the one I choose. Tim at Alegria assured me that it would work the way I need it to and I like the idea that it is a sealed system. I have to admit that when I listened to some ported subs at the local stereo shop they all sounded the same. Velodyne, NHT and a couple others. A Denon was used to drive them with NHT SB3s as mains. I have to wait a few months though. If another UPS truck pulls up to the door delivering more stereo equipment, the significant other will have me out on the street! |
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New member Username: CanoncriticPost Number: 5 Registered: Dec-05 | Well, I set up the Hsu with my Totems and, frankly, don't like the results. When I play jazz with a bass the woofer rattles--not good and may be defective. The Arros start fading at about 60 and even when I set the Hsu low pass filter at 50, I didn't get a very smooth crossover. And the integration is not very good, even when the sub is set at low volume. I'll probably send these back, and start over. I may just get a Totem sub, assuming that its relationship with the Arros will be good. Just disappointing. I want a musical sub that integrates well with the Totems. Might have to go higher. Does anyone know about the AV123.com "Rocket"? I"ve heard good things... |
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Rumadian Unregistered guest | Rob Wall, My first thought is to tell you to buy a REL sub and be done with it. The difference between a good sub and a great sub is its ability to positively affect the upper registers, all the way up to the mid-range. REL does this like virtually no other on the market (sans for some similar designs from ACI, MJ Acoustics, to name a few). Now - I am a very proud Totem owner. I have gone through quite a few of their products, but for my room / tastes / and budget, have come to enjoy the "Sttaf". I tried the HSU-STF-2 and the results were quite poor. While the HSU is a reasonably accurate sub with clean out-put - I felt it lagged behind and capture virtually no tone of any bass notes. It just felt like there was a sub in the system. To this point, dollar for dollar, the Rocket UFW-10 is the most suitable sub I've heard for the money - that can match a Totem speaker. Its small, sealed, powerful, with an excellent EQ. The bass is very quick and tuneful. I call it a poor man's REL. Totem has a new sub out called the "STORM" that looks pretty interesting. Word has it that Vince is quite proud of this sub ... time will tell what this can bring to the table. |
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Gold Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 2456 Registered: Feb-05 | Rob, Rumadian speaks the truth here. Great subs for music are few and far between and Totems are particularly difficult to match. REL, Vandersteen, Era, all make subs that should be able to do the job. I suggested the Tannoy as a low cost alternative that works well in many applications where a fast sub is required. Perhaps the Alegria Audio Tom would work for you. I'm fairly sure you are not going to find a ported sub that will meet your requirements. I have not heard the Rocket but may also be worth a go. Just stay away from ported enclosures. |
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Rumadian Unregistered guest | I should add that the HSU-VTF-3 was very good - if money was tight I would pick it over the Rocket. |
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Rumadian Unregistered guest | Hmm. Been here a few days and I already have a clone . Woot! The STF-3 is a great sub, I would say quite a few levels above the 2. I'd even say this sub is a great choice over the UFW-10 for theater.. but for pure stereo? Nah. |
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Rumadian Unregistered guest | I had the STF-2, STF-3, VTF-3, and UFW-10 in my system at the same time. The VTF-3 is the all-around best of those 4. The UFW-10 is good for music. |
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New member Username: CanoncriticPost Number: 6 Registered: Dec-05 | The VTF-2 Mk2 does not cut it for music--at least for my Totems. Too slow. But I might loop it into my home theatre and replace my JBL. I'll try the UFW-10 next--Walter Underwood swears by their musicality and that's where I am with my stereo system. If this fails, I will try a Totem sub--the Dreamcatcher sub was built specifically for the Arro and Dreamcatcher speakers. Although I think they are a bit too timid, that's my third option mostly because they are able to keep up with Totem's bass response. Thanks again, everybody--esp. the twin Rumadians. |
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New member Username: CanoncriticPost Number: 8 Registered: Dec-05 | I've now hooked up a Onix UFW-10 to my Totems. Yes! This sub is able to keep up with the Totems. Warning: this sub takes a long time to set up and requires a SPL meter to do so properly. But very musical--unlike my Hsu sub--and integrates well with these speakers because they can keep up with the Totem's quick bass response. Really good in a stereo setting placed in a medium sized room such as mine. At the same time, my sense is that this sub will not work as well in a home theatre setting, but I could be wrong about this. Great in a stereo, music-only setting however. |
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Rumadian Unregistered guest | Rob Wall, Excellent choice. The sub is great for moderate listening levels in a mid sized to smaller room. Its sublime considering what it is, and how much it retails for. I am also inclined to agree - its not a home theater sub. There is no replacement for displacement, and unless you can run IB - a well designed ported sub is the way to go for your buck. This is when I can satisfy my clone in saying the VTF or even STF-3 would be an excellent choice. |