New- VMPS larger sub

Construct · « **on:** 29 Jun 2010, 03:52 am »

Greetings all.
I have been into hi-fi since the 80's. I appreciate all kinds of systems, and they need not be spendy, only musical. I prefer to mod, DIY and upgrade. I kinda of tune out when cost-is-no-object stuff gets discussed, so forgive me if I don't care for wire that costs as much as a car, it's not my bag. My eyes glaze over when I hear about $7K center channels or 13K mini monitors.
I recently went shopping (again) for subs. I auditioned a few, read about a lot as well. I appreciate various designs, but decided for my purposes I prefer a sealed (or at least not ported by holes) type sub. Also, I prefer box subs to tube subs. I feel that a sub is not a real sub unless it cleanly reproduces the 1st octave. I am sick of listening to HT subs that glob the energy between 40-80hz. I really like various designs, but wasn't really impressed until I started listening to a 15 or 18" high end velodyne. It's something I can't afford, and can't justify as an expense in this economy. I had to be realistic. I considered going nuts with a Tom Nousaine DIY, but don't have a lot of spare time to do it right.
I decided to go with a New larger VMPS sub. I have placed one on order and hope to have it in place in a couple weeks. I will post my findings after it's dialed in.

Construct · « **Reply #1 on:** 1 Jul 2010, 02:36 am »

Just a note: I watched ebay and audiogon for months before buying this sub new. I have seen a grand total one *ONE* VMPS larger sub (older upright style, over 15 years old) for sale. Yet, I have seen many velodyne and other "popular" subs frequently. I don't know how many larger subs have been sold, but it appears , the majority of people that buy them--keep them. There has to be a good reason for that.

jqp · « **Reply #2 on:** 1 Jul 2010, 03:14 am »

After almost 10 years of "someday", I have just bought a pair of new VMPS subs myself. I was going for the New Originals with the Megawoofer, but there were no cabinets for 2-3 weeks out. So what we came up with is the 'New Original Larger' subs - the 12" Megawoofer without the 15" woofer in the New Larger cabinets. Both Original and Larger cabinets have the 15" PR. So these will have more volume. I will drive them with a Crown K2. It will be some time before everything gets here also, so we will have to compare notes!

Construct · « **Reply #3 on:** 1 Jul 2010, 03:20 am »

Quote from: jqp on 1 Jul 2010, 03:14 am

After almost 10 years of "someday", I have just bought a pair of new VMPS subs myself. I was going for the New Originals with the Megawoofer, but there were no cabinets for 2-3 weeks out. So what we came up with is the 'New Original Larger' subs - the 12" Megawoofer without the 15" woofer in the New Larger cabinets. Both Original and Larger cabinets have the 15" PR. So these will have more volume. I will drive them with a Crown K2. It will be some time before everything gets here also, so we will have to compare notes!

That's cool!...I wasn't aware that there was a hybrid option. I ordered VMPS's class a/b sub amp. It's rated at 1000w into 4 ohms. I plan on doing a review of all the parts. It will be nice getting back into a large, top performing sub again.

jqp · « **Reply #4 on:** 1 Jul 2010, 03:48 am »

Its an option because Brian Cheney said it was! Maybe it will become a new option.

I am looking forward to hearing everything I know I am missing. My Marble 9.0s go pretty low - enough for lots of music, but I want to hear all the harmonics, and some organ music, plus all the bass that I know is there, even if "injected" into the mix.

Also everyone says you will free the mid woofers to do the mids so much better. I want to hear that!

Construct · « **Reply #5 on:** 1 Jul 2010, 03:58 am »

Quote from: jqp on 1 Jul 2010, 03:48 am

Its an option because Brian Cheney said it was! Maybe it will become a new option.

I am looking forward to hearing everything I know I am missing. My Marble 9.0s go pretty low - enough for lots of music, but I want to hear all the harmonics, and some organ music, plus all the bass that I know is there, even if "injected" into the mix.

Also everyone says you will free the mid woofers to do the mids so much better. I want to hear that!

Definitely! I have a 15" and 12" kit sub. The 12" is a 500 watt dayton titanic III. It's good for smaller rooms and it's flat to 28hz. The 15" goes much lower, I think 20hz was listed but it's 7 years old now so I can't remember. The problem is, even though it's better than most of the HT dreck out there, but it's not going to be in the league of a 15" velodyne or the VMPS. A paradigm servo 15 is more refined than the dayton. The good part is the dayton kit was $599 with 1000w plate amp when I bought it. I can tell you that some music you never might have considered has considerable energy at least in the mid 20's. Enya, Andreas Vollenwieder and of course a lot of classical. Bass does not cut off and end at 40hz like some people claim. There was a "bass list" floating around (HSU IIRC) that listed songs with energy at 21hz and lower. Some of that was from cannon fire. You'd never know it was there without 1st octave capability.
Those Norh look cool, and I know you will dig them even more with a sub.

Construct · « **Reply #6 on:** 3 Jul 2010, 04:03 am »

Update: I checked to make sure Big B had a larger sub cabinet to build one...just in case. I didn't want one of those "In about 3-4 weeks" notices. Looks like that is GTG. The amp OTOH will have to get drop shipped from OEM since Big B is out of stock.

jqp · « **Reply #7 on:** 3 Jul 2010, 04:52 am »

Thats great! I checked today also and they are working on my order - they should ship out Tuesday 7/6 since shipping is not working on Monday. I am going to listen like mad to my new setup which includes a special DCX2496! I have the mids and tweets setup, waiting for the subs!

Construct · « **Reply #8 on:** 3 Jul 2010, 01:57 pm »

Quote from: jqp on 3 Jul 2010, 04:52 am

I am going to listen like mad to my new setup which includes a special DCX2496! I have the mids and tweets setup, waiting for the subs!

Sounds cool! I like to read about projects/diy/mods more than some cost-is-no-object setup. There is a spot on my listening room floor reserved to the new larger sub. I also have the Minwax red chestnut stain waiting for the sub. It will be converted from light oak to a mahogany red/brown finish & a clearcoat.

jqp · « **Reply #9 on:** 3 Jul 2010, 06:33 pm »

Quote from: Construct on 3 Jul 2010, 01:57 pm

Sounds cool! I like to read about projects/diy/mods more than some cost-is-no-object setup. There is a spot on my listening room floor reserved to the new larger sub. I also have the Minwax red chestnut stain waiting for the sub. It will be converted from light oak to a mahogany red/brown finish & a clearcoat.

Will you have to sand first before applying the minwax? I would think that the Light Oak had a clearcoat or at least a sealing finish.

Construct · « **Reply #10 on:** 4 Jul 2010, 12:52 am »

Quote from: jqp on 3 Jul 2010, 06:33 pm

Will you have to sand first before applying the minwax? I would think that the Light Oak had a clearcoat or at least a sealing finish.

I am anticipating that it has some kind of clearcoat finish. I am prepared to strip any finish (I have stripper from home depot), and prep sand, apply some pre-stain treatment, stain, clearcoat and sand between coats. I did that for 6 sets of speakers so far, the results are better-than-new finishes. Before and after pics will be posted. I will actually have that done before I have a complete opinion of the subs musical performance.

Construct · « **Reply #11 on:** 5 Jul 2010, 04:40 pm »

Ok it's now a race to see which arrives first: My VMPS larger sub, or my iphone 4.

jqp · « **Reply #12 on:** 6 Jul 2010, 03:20 am »

Quote from: Construct on 4 Jul 2010, 12:52 am

I am anticipating that it has some kind of clearcoat finish. I am prepared to strip any finish (I have stripper from home depot), and prep sand, apply some pre-stain treatment, stain, clearcoat and sand between coats. I did that for 6 sets of speakers so far, the results are better-than-new finishes. Before and after pics will be posted. I will actually have that done before I have a complete opinion of the subs musical performance.

I would definitely like to see what you do and how much work it is.

Construct · « **Reply #13 on:** 6 Jul 2010, 04:42 am »

Quote from: jqp on 6 Jul 2010, 03:20 am

I would definitely like to see what you do and how much work it is.

Well here are a couple pairs speakers I redid...Here are some klipsch. They were badly faded and scratched from years of wear.
And after: same procedure I explained. The photo doesn't show the depth of the reflection that they really have: (disregard the sawdust in the grill)

Walnut

Red Chestnut

Construct · « **Reply #14 on:** 7 Jul 2010, 02:48 pm »

Update: Sub/amp may not ship until Monday the 12th of July. That will give me more time to develop a solid disgust for my kit subs. I have been rotating my subs out and finding the limits musically. I can tell that a couple of them will get sold as HT subs. This process has forced me to be more subjective and critical of them as music subs, not in the former role as HT.

jqp · « **Reply #15 on:** 7 Jul 2010, 03:28 pm »

Quote from: Construct on 6 Jul 2010, 04:42 am

Well here are a couple pairs speakers I redid...Here are some klipsch. They were badly faded and scratched from years of wear.
And after: same procedure I explained.

They look like new!

Construct · « **Reply #16 on:** 7 Jul 2010, 07:04 pm »

Quote from: jqp on 7 Jul 2010, 03:28 pm

They look like new!

Thanks, I highly recommend this route. When it comes to decent or high end speakers I prefer to have someone else take the hit and I buy stuff 60%-70% less than new. I started this not just to save money, but I dig modding, upgrading and making the speaker /sub look like my own personalized system. Those speakers 1) Were never produced with a cleearcoat 2) Never came in a rich walnut or red chestnut color. I did that to avoid whitish-looking oak or flat black. I like a light to medium color so that the woodgrain shines through better than just plain oil, and the speaker's appearance "pops" not just hidden by a dark color.

Construct · « **Reply #17 on:** 8 Jul 2010, 03:47 pm »

My goal is to provide as objective a review of this product as possible. I have noted that other decent subs have been overhyped in the media and have shortcomings that don't appeal to me. Certain well-regarded subs do not have the massive air-moving oomph I want-but they sound good for what they do. I have begun writing the framework for this review. Basically, it will focus on the sub and the music, not my system. I do that because I feel that peoples systems and acoustic environments vary wildly. No one has the same setup as I do, so I need to avoid the trap of "everything works fine" and someone blames me because their kenwood receiver or set amp won't drive the sub correctly. "But it's 92db efficient!" That, and the fact I do not have a $100K stack of reference components like the magazines do. So I am just going to state how the sub works for ME. That's my disclaimer, and I am sticking to it. The whole time I am writing this, I remind myself I have home renovations to pay for and I am resisting the urge to look into a pair of RM2's with the free swinging tweeter. I am going to take a cold shower until the feeling subsides.

Construct · « **Reply #18 on:** 10 Jul 2010, 02:29 pm »

Ok, my iphone 4 won the race, but they cheated and shipped it fedex overnight. Now I only have to wait for my sub...

Construct · « **Reply #19 on:** 11 Jul 2010, 02:01 am »

I can only hope that the oem outboard amp and sub ship Monday.