Velodyne HGS-15 Rocks My WorldMar 04 '00 (Updated Mar 05 '00) Write an essay on this topic.After spending several thousand dollars on a fairly decent living room A/V system, I had everything I really needed except some serious bottom end. I had always wanted a Velodyne subwoofer, having been floored by a demo of some of their early products several years ago. So I researched the subject in the magazines and learned of the new HGS series. Then I started making the rounds to some of the dealers and listened to a variety of subs. All big subs push a lot of air, but to me the HGS Velodynes clearly stood out for clarity, perhaps due to their extremely low distortion ratings. Anyway, I was sold, and I started saving up for the HGS-15. At $1999 street price, it became the single most expensive part of my system, except for my 36" Sony Wega XBR TV/Monitor. The HGS series consists of 4 models, with driver diameters of 10", 12", 15" and 18". The two smaller models share the same electronics, as do the two larger ones. I chose the 15" because I didn't nearly have enough space for the 18-incher. The 15" size is unusual, but it's sensible because it fits inside a standard equipment rack. I installed it in the lower half of one of my racks, on the left side of my monitor. In addition to being a good sonic location, the aesthetics are nice also. HGS stands for "High Gain Servo". Like other servo-controlled subwoofers, a powerful amplifier has complete control of the position of the speaker cone. This can be demonstrated by a simple experiment: tap the speaker cone with the power turned off. Then turn on the power and try it again. With the power on, the cone is much more rigid, because it's position is being tightly controlled by the servo. In operation, a tiny accelerometer attached to the speaker cone measures the movement of the cone more than 3000 times per second. This position information is compared to the input signal to allow any distortion to be detected and corrected. The result is extremely low distortion which results in a super-clean sounding subwooofer. The HGS series is fitted with a flexible array of controls and connectors on the back panel, allowing it to be connected either to speaker-level or line-level outputs. There are also controls for phase-reversal, variable crossover frequency, volume level, and auto-on/off. The HGS-15 and HGS-18 come equipped with an infrared remote control, which is also available as an option for the two smaller units. Cabinet quality is excellent, the unit is finished in a durable black gloss lacquer. I love this product, it has transformed my home system into a much more impressive and satisfying total experience. The purity of sound does justice to the bass notes of any type of music, while the sheer awesome power makes movie special effects really come alive. I'd recommend a Velodyne HGS subwoofer to anyone who has a serious audio or video system and wants to get great performance down to the near-bottom of the audio spectrum.  |
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