phatlac -- here are some notes I've compiled covering my testing of the LFM-1.
The SVS I had (25-31PCi) is somewhat different from the PC-Ultra -- smaller amp, different driver, slightly shorter cylinder, little less than half the price. For pricing and specs, the 25-31PCi is essentially a dead ringer for the LFM-1 (disregarding the significantly different outward appearance), which made it a pretty interesting opportunity to compare the two.
The first thing I did was scoot the SVS over a couple feet to make room for the LFM-1. I shifted the power and sub cables over, turned the LFM-1 on, and let a couple CD's play while I did some other things around the den. I had never consciously considered the SVS to be boomy, but it was also my first real sub and when I got it almost two years ago I ended up setting a low crossover point for the mains (40Hz). I did that because the SVS tended to get in the way of my Studio 60 mains on music. Moving to a larger room in the new house helped tone this down some, but with the LFM-1 I listened for about two minutes and immediately felt that it blended better with the mains. I bumped the crossover up to where I'd wanted to set it initially (60Hz). I took a minute to confirm that the LFM-1 still blended smoothly (actually I think the word "invisibly" came to mind -- there was definitely bass being produced, but it was part of a musical whole, not booming along at the same time as the music), then tossed in a couple movies to see how it did with them -- and how it did at being really loud.
It didn't take much to prove that the LFM-1 could provide all the bass power I will ever need. The scene in Finding Nemo with Darla tapping on the tank was just plain frightening; the LFM-1 filled the entire 17x20 den and the adjacent breakfast room with almost visible waves of sound power, and I found myself starting to back up slightly. The first seismic charge in chapter 28 of Attack of the Clones knocked stuff off the wall (literally -- the commemorative piece of basketball floor from Indiana's old field house jumped off its nail the first time I demo'ed the LFM-1 for Mrs. gonk). For movie watching, the LFM-1 reached at least as low as the 25-31PCi had, and it could generate very respectable sound power levels. I didn't try to take a dB measurement, but it was able to go louder than I would listen even under extreme circumstances and it did it without straining.
I also went back later, calibrated both subs to the same output level using the 950's test tone and my trusty Radio Shack SPL meter, and proceded to switch back and forth using some music as a test. These tests confirmed two things: the new room and sub location are superior to the conditions at the old house, and the LFM-1 integrates better with my speakers than the SVS. The SVS tended to 'boom' a bit on low passages in music, which is why it didn't blend well with the mains at higher crossover points. Two years ago, I thought the SVS blended well on music when crossed over at 40Hz, but it was really just being starved of material -- with music recordings, the area below 50Hz or so is pretty sparse. The LFM-1 is free of this sense of 'boom,' and at a 60Hz crossover (the recommended crossover point with mains that are rated to 30Hz at -3dB) it merges quite seamlessly with the main speakers while still contributing to the presentation when called on.
Having compared the LFM-1 to an SVS sub with their ISD driver (the driver used in all of the entry-level SVS cylinders and the box subs that include "ISD" in their designation), I find that I would recommend the LFM-1 over an ISD-based sub. I haven't heard the Plus or Ultra drivers, both of which come with price tags a healthy step above the LFM-1, so I can't speak to them, but I suspect that the LFM-1 would be able to stand respectably alongside more expensive subs in most cases.
Particularly large spaces might bring about a need for a pair of subs to match the dB output of a sub like the PB2-Plus, but for my listening room (close to 3000 cubic feet) it does a fabulous job.
------------------
gonk -- 950 Review |
LFM-1 Review |
Pre/Pro Comparison Chart |
Saloon Links