LFM-1 or VTF3-MKII

Ok now don't hold nothing back here tell the truth. Do you wish you had the HSU VTF3.
Later, Daman

Daman,
I originaly had the VTF2 MKII and ended up taking it back for the VTF3.In my application the VTF3 sounded much better. I never actually had the LFM-1 in my pad, so I can't comment on that. But the VTF3 is really amazing......


later,
simp

I really wanted the VTF-3, especially for the future "turbocharger" upgrade, but $400 for the B-stock LFM-1 was to hard to pass up. They told me that mine would ship tomorrow (Friday), and I can't wait!

ordered mine also, I would rather have the VTF-3 as well, but for $400 Bstock, it's a no brainer.

Someone may have to test an LFM-1 and VTF-3 Mark II side by side.

Well as you guys may know, I have been listening to both the VTF3-MK2 and the LFM-1 side by side for over a week now and continue to be more and more impressed with th LFM-1. The Outlaw seems a little tight or reserved compared to the Hsu but the Hsu was the same way until after two months of break in. And to be perfectly honest I haven't been doing alot of comparing since most of my listening has been done with both running in tandem with each other. They blend beautifully with other as they have very similar listening characteristics. With the Hsu I have experimented with max extension mode vs. max output mode and found max output to be my preference. I am a bass junky and to me more is better. I did lots of listening to several bass tracks including the Hsu test cd and in max output mode it never had any problem hitting the low notes down to 20 and neither did the LFM-1. It just seemed like the Hsu does it a little more effortlessly. I'm not sure if it is in the amplifier as there is only 25 watts rms that seperates them but I run my Vtf-3 on a volume setting of about 4 or 1/4 turns and the Outlaw I am running at about 7 or a little past the half way mark. The Vtf-3 definitely commands more authority although this is only apparent when doing direct comparison one then the other. I am not a true audiophile I just love music and I love my stereo. Either of these would blend in nicely with all but the most exoctic of systems.In a few short days I will have to part with the LFM-1 as I bought this one for a friend. I must say I will be sad to see it go. Both of these to bad boys together sound awesome. If I had to do it over again...well,this is probably what I would do. If I had the room I would go with two LFM-1s.I have read some professional reviews that said they had phase trouble running two LFM-1s together,this was not the case for me these two are incredible. And if I had a really large room and had low WAF I would go with the Hsu.The KFM-1 b-stock is the bargain of a lifetime, if there are any left I am going to buy another for a future playroom surround system. If you guys let this one pass you buy don't kick yourself just buy two for a thousand that still is a heck of a deal. That's probably what I will do. Feel free to e-mail me with any specific questions you may have.I hope this was helpful.

Michael

Nice write-up, Michael. Did you run any measurements regarding your notice of the ability of both to "hit the low notes down to 20", or were you using your ears ?

I used a Radio Shack spl meter with the downloaded test tones and was able to get some sound(very little)at a true 20 Hz. However, a friend of mine who was assisting me is a retired Physics professor seriously doubts the accuracy of the high dollar Radio Shack meter especially with sounds that low. I used the YPAO feature on my Yamaha receiver to calibrate each sub independently. I found that it did a good job of integrating the sub with the rest of my Paradigm monitors. Although I thought I was doing pretty good by ear alone. I still like the remote bass control built into the reciever that I am constantly tweeking depending on what source or recording I am listening to. It's amazing the variances in recording quality between cds specifically the amount of bass a track may or may not contain. Other than the test tones and some recordings of some pipe organs(which the quality is terrible) I was hard pressed to find any material with anything that low. I would like to do more listening especially with the VTF-3 in max extension mode. Lord of the Rings has some good stuff and so does Pearl Harbor but I don't think any of it goes that low. I am not an expert by any stretch and I leave all professional reviews up to those who are. Being more of an amateur enthusist I have learned alot. No matter how technical or objective a listener tries to be it really comes down to a subjective matter-what sounds good to the individual. I know both of these subs sound great to me.

Michael - Thanks for the reply. One fun test for me is to run a "peak hold" with TrueRTA software while watching a movie. By doing this, one will see the peak bass levels at all frequencies from 10 Hz and up. With 1/24th octave resolution, this makes for some very informative graphing.

Perhaps someday, I will get a chance to try this with an LFM-1 and VTF-3 ...

If your Radio Shack meter is Analog, this is a general concensis on calibration:

10hz.....+20.0db
12.5h....+16.5db
16hz.....+11.5db
20hz.......+7.5db
25hz.......+5.0db
31.5hz....+3.0db
40hz.......+2.5db
50hz.......+1.5db
63hz.......+1.5db
80hz.......+1.5db
100hz.....+2.0db
125hz.....+0.5db
160hz......-0.5db
200hz......-0.5db
250hz.....+0.5db
315hz......-0.5db
400hz.......0.0db
500hz......-0.5db
630hz.......0.0db
800hz.......0.0db
1k.....…....0.0db
1.25k..…..0.0db
1.6k.........-0.5db
2k............-1.5db
2.5k.........-1.5db
3.15k.......-1.5db
4k............-2.0db
5k............-2.0db
6.3k.........-2.0db
8k............-2.0db
10k..........-1.0db
12.5k......+0.5db
16k.....…..0.0db
20k.........+1.0db

Thanks trikos and I love your pics of your HT-truly impressive. When are you going to have us all over to watch "The Aviator"?

Michael

Thanks!

Need a 990 first.. I will be finishing the theater room off once I get the 990 and will take a week or so to tune it. I will repost some pics when it’s all done. I have been breaking in my new LFM1B, which so far seems to be complimenting my IB Sub nicely.

After that, Outlaws are welcome anytime..

Well I jumped in on the LFM-1 bstock. I don't know what the VTF-3 MKII is like but I really like the LFM. Yep this is a keeper especially at the $462 price. A special thanks to the Outlaw gang NICE PRODUCT!
I also own a SVS 20-39PCI. Well I moved that to my second system and use the LFM for the main system. I really love the way this thing does music. A more natural true sound over the SVS I think.
Later, Daman