I'm planning on getting a subwoofer for our family room audio setup. I listened to the Martin Logan Dynamo at the local Tweeter. I found a really good deal online for the Infinity CSW10, but haven't been able to find a local store where I could listen to it. I know that listening to both would be the best way to do this, but want to know if these two are comparable before I go ahead and order the CSW10 online, and then have to go through the hassle of returning it if I don't like it.
Hsu used to be carried by compusa but is now internet-direct only, like SVS. Which means you get a 30 day trial period, though return shipping for a sub can get pretty painful.
You can sometimes get great deals on both at audiogon.com though.
Thanks again, back to the "drawing board" for me...
TDWJr
Unregistered guest
Posted on
I just picked up a ML Dynamo from Tweeter yesterday as a late Christmas gift. It's absolutely awesome!!!
My wife wanted less box in "her" family room, so I replaced my 5 year old Accoustic Research HO12 - which had been written up by Home Theater Magazine and Sound and Vision and others as a great $250 bargain 5 years ago - it's a 250 watt thumper with extension down to about 25Hz and very good SPL.
The Dynamo abslolutely, positively blows it away - I exepcted a Martin Logan product to be much better in terms of clarity but didn't know if a 200 watt, sealed 10 inch would match a 250 watt, slotted down-firing 12 inch. So, I was thinking that I might need the ML Grotto - similar dimensions, but better/bigger 250 (350 peak) amp and standing-wave management. Silly me. I popped in my reference DVD, U-571, and felt every spine-snaping depth charge in chapters 15 through 17 in my chest; I then popped in Batman Returns and I Robot for fun and was not disappointed.
The Dynamo was turned up less than 50% power and was fed through the LFE input, but it made my floor and chair rumble (who needs transducers?) and it was clear, crisp and accurate. No muddiness, not overpowering, and no effect on the dialogue coming from the center channel and it's not even broken in yet. I run a 7.1 setup - Niles L/C/R HT in-walls up front and Niles HD 625 in-walls high on the sides and in the rear - driven by a Sony DA7ES receiver (at about 120 watts x 7); I let the Sony bass management drop everything below 120 into the Dynamo.
My room is 10x22 - with seats about 11 feet from plasma/front speakers and sub, and a 6x6 opening along one side wall; so, I was not sure the Dynamo would give me good, deep bass without the bass leaking into the ajoining kitchen. I was surprised. My wife - who normally disregards fly over effects from the rear and surrounds and often complains about "too much bass" was shocked that such a small box was thumping so deeply without being loud and actually allowing her to hear the surround effects. She made me promise not to get anything "more powerful" - so, maybe during Tweeter's next sale, I'll just pick up another Dynamo and run dual subs!
The HSU and the SVS models will extend a bit lower, and thump just a bit more - which is good given these are all at just about the same price point. But, they won't disappear into a room and I, for one, must pay strict attention to the wife factor - and the Dynamo which is like a 12 inch cube does the trick.
Anonymous
Posted on
I bought a pair of Ascents and a HSU VTF 3 MK2 including the ventriloquist. They will be delivered in about a week. Perhaps I should have ordered the Dynamo.
TDW Jr
Unregistered guest
Posted on
Probably not - I was comparing to the STFs not the VTFs - if you do alot of music AND movies, don't have the wife-factor, and have a larger or more complicated room, I'm sure the VTFs will be a great match. But I was really surprised with the performance of the Dynamo given its size. Incidentally, popped in Polar Express for my kids last night and the rumble of that ole steam engine pulling into town had my thre year old looking out the window to see what was going on.
Anonymous
Posted on
Yes, I have 20 ft ceilings in a 20X30 ft living area. I do 50 / 50 Music/Movies. Wife factor is only that she thinks I am spening way too much on the system.
Just that Ascent-i and Dynamo are both ML and may have been a better match?
TDWJr
Unregistered guest
Posted on
Since a sub only provides bass (both audible and tactile), you never have to worry about voice-matching; so, you can almost always go with a different brand subwoofer. Good thing about the HSU is that, from their website, you can send an e-mail to Dr. Hsu with your room dimensions as well as location and size of openings and adjacent rooms, and he'll get back to you with recommendations. With such an expansive space, you might even be well served by using a dual subwoofer set-up.
Thanks to TDWJr. I also have a space limitation, and an opening to another room. I need to place a subwoofer under a bench, and was considering the Martin Logan Dynamo, or possibly the Grotto. Good to hear that the Dynamo is up to the job for my moderate size room, open to the kitchen on one side. Any further opinions out there?