hsu uls-15 mark ii vs Velodyne Optimum 10

The Hsu is fantastic, and many are tunable with variable Q and porting.  Beautiful finish as well.

Power isn't going to be your determining factor really. Subwoofers are evil dominatrix's that look like the sweet girl next door (or boy next door to be gender neutral).  They are not plug and play and require careful attention and integration.

If the Velodyne comes with built in room correction it's your clear choice.

Also, in a room that large, you may want to eventually get 2.

I highly recommend miniDSP for DIY room correction and subwoofer integration along with Room EQ Wizard (free) or OmniMic (Not free, damn nice).

Also, if you dont' already, check out GIK Acoustics for bass and sofit traps.

Best,


Erik

Oops, just read your models. From a sound quality get the Hsu. When it comes to high output and low distortion there is no substitute for inches. Yes, I am a Hsu fanboy.

Having said that, the original point about integration is still true. Smaller subs, smaller speakers, are less likely to get into trouble, so for a lot of listeners the smaller diameter woofer is going to be a lot easier to get along with.

The point about power not mattering still stands. Having a bigger diameter woofer, the Hsu will probably be more efficient and able to produce higher SPL’s at lower frequencies, by a fair amount. However you’ll have to do the room integration yourself. This is the way I go, but then I build speakers, so the measuring, and tuning is second nature to me.

You may find that the V 10 has ample output and the push button EQ a joy to live with.

Lastly, pay attention to the floor space, some of the Hsu's are monsters. :)

Best,


Erik

The old M&K subs kind of totally sucked, IMHO, and the one I took apart was clearly overrated in power, based on the size of the internal caps.

Otherwise, I agree completely with @bob_reynolds

I’d rather have a Hsu 15’s properly integrated than ANY other sub not integrated well.  And if I could get 2, bonus! :)

Best,

Erik

@bob_reynolds Yeah, after the one's I had. :)

I owned the S-1B satellites and matching subwoofer bought them based on reputation and I always found them to have been overrated. However that was long before they introduced the series you are referring to.

I never really had a chance to listen to M&K again.  AFAIK they over-diversified into too many different models of speakers with mostly cheap components and then got undercut by their manufacturer.

Sadly, if there was a truly golden age, or golden line of speakers from them I never encountered them except in reviews.


Best,


Erik

Bot,
I have a pair of HSU ULS-15 (1st generation). I can tell you they do not lack for power in my 14'x 36' living/dining room which is also open to the rest of the house (kitchen/loft/hallway, cathedral ceiling, etc).

I moved up to this pair from a pair of SVS SB12+. The SVS subs integrated better with my mains, but did not have the output required for my space. The ULS-15s go low with authority. I had some peak issues at certain frequencies with the ULS's and now have excellent integration using an SVS AS-EQ1. Probably one of the best (least expensive) pieces I've added to my system. Easy to set up and with great results. If you have room in your budget and can find one, I highly recommend the AS-EQ1 (you will need an old Windows laptop to set it up, I picked one up for $50 on my local CL.)

The ULS-15 should have plenty of output in your current space. Looks like the Velodyne has auto EQ however, which is something to consider if you're not a tinkerer.

The service at Velodyne for me has always been 5 star. Have had my HGS 18 in twice over its long life and have been very happy with the service.
enjoy Pete