2. speakers
  3. 135891-111507

Vandersteen Sub woofers v Rythmik Subs

I really love the idea of the Vandersteen Subs where they are connected with the mains via extra speaker cable off right and left channels off the main amplifier, which is supposed to provide better bass transition from the mains while keeping the signature from the main amplifier. My question is with Vandersteen coming out with the SUB THREE and the price going significantly higher, I was wondering if there are other subs for less that you could integrate in the same way. (Most subs seem to rely on the line level input which is just a sub-woofer RCA going from the pre-amp to the amp on the sub). Can this same Vandersteen set-up be achieved with other subs?
I picked Rythmik since they are known (in the home theater community anyway) for being one of the best bang for the buck subs and the most "musical" of the bunch. (between Hsu, SVS, PSA).
And could I possibly achieve even greater sub-woofer nirvana since I could get an 18" for around $1500? Vandies only have 3 eight inchers.

I am a Vandersteen fanboy and I would like to support RV whenever I can, but don’t know much about my other sub-woofer options so looking for some feedback. Doesn’t even have to be related to Rythmik necessarily. If you know of other subs that can integrate the same way I want to know about it!

Thanks
bstatmeister

Showing 13 responses by mr_m

mr_m
1,900 posts
 
Vandersteen has a five year warranty on their speakers and subs as long as you send in the special warranty card within the allotted time after purchase.
mr_m
1,900 posts
 
I also placed my 2Wq in the corner. No boominess to the sound. I actually tried to set the sub a bit more up front near the main speakers. Surprisingly the bass got more boomy and ill defined. Back to the corner it went.
mr_m
1,900 posts
 
Richard Vandersteen recommends corner placement for 2Wq sub.
mr_m
1,900 posts
 
Seems like the biggest differences in the M5-HP are the dip switches and pigtails. My pair have the Audioquest Fire pigtails.
mr_m
1,900 posts
 
The HP-5's are really the way to go. If you buy them new, make sure you give them ample break-in time. When I first got mine, new out of the box, they sounded only marginally better than the X-2's. But after 4 to 6 weeks, WOW, did the sound ever open up! It caught me by surprise when I started to notice it. At first I wasn't sure what I had done to improve the system so greatly. But then I remembered. I tried the X-2's again and the sound just closed in. The bloom was gone, air around the instruments and vocals almost totally dis-appeared. I was in a financially constrained condition also, but eventually was able to spring for the new HP-5's. If you ever find a used pair with good batteries, go for it! And good luck!
mr_m
1,900 posts
 
The WX-2 seems to be designed for single ended (RCA) only. In that configuration, you can select the 10k input impedance to start with and listen. It does have one lower position below 10k and that is 5k which is pretty much the limits for the WX-2. Make sure of your amps input impedance, because if you go accidentally to low, you can over tax the amp modules in the 2Wq sub. I had this conversation with Richard Vandersteen and got  quite the scolding for suggesting going to low on the impedance selection. He said his warranty would not cover this type of damage to the amp modules, so use caution and a low volume level to start with.
mr_m
1,900 posts
 
It's really interesting with the first sub I ever owned being the Vandersteen 2Wq. I am using it with a pair of Treo Ct's. Bought the HP-5 crossovers, new. I put the lone sub in the right corner, adjusted the crossover frequency, and output of the sub. That was all there was to it! Sounded great from the get go. I used a recording of a jazz standup bass and adjusted output so upper bass frequencies were same volume as lower bass frequencies, as RV suggested. Tried bringing out the sub from the corner, but corner placement in my room sounded best. Near perfect balance of frequencies across the board. Even when a stand up bass is located left in the soundstage, the speakers make the sound come from that position perfectly even though the sub is in the right corner. The front main speakers maintain a stable image from left to right. What more could I ask for???
mr_m
1,900 posts
 
"Subs that connect to speaker terminals do not 'take on' the main amp character. They add their character to the main amp."

ieales,
Talk to Richard Vandersteen about that topic and he will 'educate' you.
mr_m
1,900 posts
 
I believe that speakers like the 1ci's, 2ce sig. II's are what really keep Vandersteen in business. But like all designers (and RV is no exception) like to see what they can accomplish with no price constraints. That dream, that pursuit, of what can be possible within the scope of their expertise. And yes, they can justify this thinking with the "trickle down effect" to their more affordable products. This has been evident thru the years with the steady improvement of his core products like the models 1, 2, and 3's. Making great highend speakers like the Treo Ct and the Quattro Wood Ct have brought a lot of what goes into the Ultra high end speakers he makes to a more affordable whelm of gear.
mr_m
1,900 posts
 
ieales,

Since you have now claimed to have blown holes in all of Vandersteen's theories in subwoofer design, what would you suggest to be correct????
mr_m
1,900 posts
 
Tomic601.
Jim,
A sub for you?????? NNNnnnoooooooo!
mr_m
1,900 posts
 
I was at a Vandy dealer in San Diego last week that had the sub 3.
mr_m
1,900 posts
 
Sometimes it takes Vandersteen awhile to update their web site.
More to discover