Subs - are two smaller ones best

Hi Joel!

There's ''subs'' and ''subs'' !

Revel are owned by Harman, and all the reviews I've read have said they used Harman's resources from pro JBL subs in the designing of the Revel range of subs.

With EQ and software provided to integrate into a room, an inbuilt 1000w amp (!), and a cabinet/driver built by experts to sound good together I'm convinced I've made the right decision.

I've no doubt I could have done it for a lot less with a home-brew version, but just like home-brew beer the results depend on the expertise of the brewer.. !

Time will tell...

 

Are you saying a velodyne will have half the distortion / sound twice as tight as a top notch diy JBL sub?

 

For a given size, and at low enough frequencies/high enough levels, yes.

The Velodyne DD series is concussive. The Revel is also excellent.

I'd still prefer the DIY route for music though -just personal taste I guess.

 

Do you find velodyne to be too accurate?

I have heard some bass which sounded very tight, but at the same time too dry and lightweight. Examples were: infinity 10", pg cyclone fan invention, plus some audiophile speakers.

I want depth and real power to go with accuracy. The best I've heard so far is PMC transmission, as it's tight yet fun. I presume JBL may be in this vein?

 

The PMC transmission lines I've heard (only 3 sets, admittedly) have been flabby and ponderous.

I haven't heard JBL's (yet!).. but I'd bet my boots thats not what you would get. It doesnt reflect the reports I've heard anyway.

The Velodyne I heard was tight, clean, powerful.. and with the room EQ seemed to seemlessly integrate, which is v important IMO.

 

Interesting. The room placement is of course critical. I heard the PMC in a large room sounding amazingly tighter than anything else in stock - B&W, ATC, etc.

Not heard velo as yet. Sounds like it should be better - in theory anyway

 

The Velodyne is suberb, very tight and capable of seamless integration. Highly recomended.

But even more highly recommended is a pair of JBL studio monitors with 15" drivers. It's a different kind of bass to the Velodyne, the JBLs cant manage the depth and control in the very lowest octaves, but what they do in the midbass/upperbass between 80-300hz is phenomenal. I listened to deep purple Made in Japan at the weekend on a pair of JBLs and I have never, ever heard such realism from a domestic system. The kick drums were incredible with amazing definition, impact and speed. Just awesome.

They totally and utterly destroy the PMC TL speakers IMO.

 

I have found that generally any competent speaker (digs deep at reasonable level with low enough distortion) can sound very tight, as long as the room is good. It seems to be the dominant factor in tightness. Still, I guess you shouldn't trust my word on that, but I wont stop saying and believing it lol!

 

You cant alter the physics of it. Size does matter, the room that is......

 

I've heard the same speakers sound amazing and poor in the very same room, just with different placements.

 

To a certain degree I agree Tenson, but you need to qualify the word competent.

Take a look here at the distortion figures at high levels below 60hz. These are not bad - just typical of most domestic loudspeakers. Dedicated subwoofers from the likes of Velodyne, Martin Logan and Revel, will give massive improvements in the bottom octave and a half. Subs from the likes of Rel tend to measure as bad as, if not worse than the PMC's.

But yes, even a good low distortion servo controlled subwoofer will struggle with room modes unless you take action to prevent it.