I'm a very happy 950 owner who is about to move into a new condo. I had always assumed I would purchase 2 LFM-2s to flank my new 61" Sony SXRD TV.

Here's the issue--I have no sub placement flexibility. Whatever I choose has to fit on either side of the TV cabinet. An LFM1 is a bit too wide. The room is approx 24x15x9 high, not including hallways and such. Sats are the Gallo A'Divas.

The 2 LFM-2s would fit beautifully, and I was hoping that the two would help to offset my placement issues a bit. Still, the reality is that if I have a standing wave, it's not going to help. So I've been looking at the newish Velodyne SPL-R 800R, which is a tiny cube with a built in SMS1-style system. It retails for about 1000, and has gotten spectacular reviews.

So it's a bit of a quandary. The LFM2s are cheaper, and I know the quality is high. But if placement isn't just right, there's really nothing I can do to fix it. On the side of the LFM-2s, however, is the fact that I use a high crossover--so the stereo style configuration actually becomes somewhat useful (localization is always an issue).

The Velodyne, in contrast, is double the price, but should be more flexible to positioning with the EQ.

Any thoughts from people who have heard either sub? Any advice is quite appreciated. Thanks!

Why don't you buy 2 LFM-2 subwoofers and the EQ in an external box! Outlaw/Velodyne sells that EQ as an outboard processor.

Outlaw pricing- 2xLFM-2 / SMS-1 - $1,074
1xLFM-2 / SMS-1 - $848

Regards,

Charlie

Well, that's defnitely a reasonable possibility. I'm just starting to squeeze out of my self-imposed price range. Another option is to just buy an SMS for now, and use it with my current DefTech sub (an older Powerfield 1500, which is a nice big boomer). I have to see if I can squeeze the DefTech in the room, though. That way, if the DefTech doesn't work out, I can order two LFMs separately.

Hmmm. Definitely something to ponder. Thanks!

I have a Powerfield 15, I believe of the same vintage (mid 90's). Right now I have it cramped into a small space. Once we (my wife and I) get moved into a home I may look at getting a SMS or a new sub. Over the years I have wanted to upgrade to a newer sub and many people have pointed out that those Powerfield subs are quite the boomers.

I was ready to pull the trigger on a SMS because the bass was real overbearing in my room during movies (and music). Sometimes it felt like it was drowning out the movie. When I uppgraded my processor (to an outlaw 970) I was able to move the crossover frequency down to a lower level. That really did the trick for me. Now my main speakers handle down to 60Hz and the sub takes over from there. I must have had a peak between 60Hz and 80Hz. After installing the new processor I didn't feel the need to go get the SMS-1.

I am sure that only getting the SMS-1 would have also fixed my issue, but in my case I wanted the newer processor first.

Good Luck.

Charlie

Well, I recently listened to a Velodyne MiniVee (same as an 800r without the equalization), and I'm not sure I'd be happy with it--or a single LFM-2, for that matter. Even with new technology, an 8" driver simply isn't a 15" driver. The bass frequencies were there, but you couldn't feel the wave of air hitting you like my DefTech, even sitting a few feet away with the driver facing me. I'm going to order an SMS-1 for now, and try it with the Def--which just barely fits my space. That way, if I can't live with the size, I can always buy 2 LFM-2s later, and hope that does the trick.

Thanks again!