I have a Velodyne CHT8 and I am considering replacing it with the LFM...would this be a noticeable improvement or should I save my $$$?
I want it to integrate with Polk Lsi 15 fronts, Rti 100s as surrounds, Sonus Faber Solo center and a Polk Csi 30 rear channel.TIA

Okay....let's say I keep the Velodyne AND get the LFM. Will they work ok together in a two sub set up? What is the appropriate placement of either sub when you have two? I am learning a lot from the posts on this site. Thanks

lfm is quite a bit better than the cht8. id just use the lfm.

Do you have a second system or a computer speaker set-up that would benefit from the CHT8?

On lighter side, perhaps the LFM-1 can be put in the system to handle the the normal combination of low-bass tasks, while the CHT8 can be set up as a LFE only sub and be placed immediately under/behind/next-to the primary seating sofa/chairs ... give the movie viewer that little extra bit of "tactile involvement" in some scenes, as long as it doesn't conflict with what you would be hearing from the LFM-1 and the rest of the system.

Ok...The Velodyne is on E Bay. Thanks but now I am presented with another challenge.... The LFM-1 or the SVS Pci 25-31? Hmmmmmm. Decisions, decisions.

But wait! There's more ha. I also have to take into consideration that I live in a townhouse (my poor neighbors) and I will need to be able to turn it down some for now and then be able to let 'er rip when I get a house.

For what it's worth, I actually replaced an SVS 25-31PCi with an LFM-1 last year and I preferred the LFM-1.

Really? What differences did you notice? Thanks

Check out my review if you haven't already. Basically, the 25-31PCi was somewhat boomy at certain frequencies and didn't integrate with the rest of my speakers as well as the LFM-1 did.

I read it thanks again. Ok so I will probably go with the LFM..you think it will go well with my Polks and Sonus Faber?

Yep, I think it should work just fine with the Polks & Sonus Faber.

Thanks . You have really helped me out with this. I appreciate the input.

As for your townhouse issue, you may need to isolate it more than the included spikes. Auralex Acoustics makes a sub isolation product called Gramma. You can find info about it HERE . Check the dimensions, you may need two.

I use the Auralex Mopads for my center channel speaker and they work great.

I checked out the Gamma. I see where people like the way it improves the bass but does that help my neighbors from calling the cops on me? :p

From what I can tell, it should serve to decouple the sub from the floor, such that the sub would not induce vibrations in the floor. That will keep the neighbor's floor from vibrating along to the beat (or at least reduce it), although it won't help any with sound passing through the walls.

Okay. That might be worth checking out. I saw it on-line for about $49.95 so not much to lose and I am sure that the neighbors will appreciate it. Thanks again, you guys rock!

One thing I forgot to mention..I noticed with the Velodyne that I always knew where the bass was coming from. It was very localized. Is that due more to the acoustics or the sub do you think? Will the LFM's downward firing set up take care of this? I have tile flooring throughout.

We haven't had any trouble with our LFM-1 being localized.

What are your current bass management settings? If the crossover point is too high, the bass is typically more easily localized.

Right now I have everything set at 60 since the Onkyo only lets you adjust all of the speakers to the same crossover. I suppose I will have to figure each speaker out now with the 950. Since I have 2 floorstandings for fronts and two floorstandings for surrounds it should be interesting
What is it on the speaker specs I am supposed to look at to figure that out anyway? The lowest overall frequency?

To figure out the recommended crossover point, check the speaker specs and look for the lower limit of frequency response at -3dB (for example, the lower -3dB limit on the Polk LSi15's is 30Hz). At very least, set the crossover above that point. Some people recommend going up one octave from that point (in other words, doubling the -3dB point) and setting the crossover there, but I don't necessarily go that high. For your mains, I'd try 40Hz and 60Hz.

I can not seem to find the lower -3db limit on the Sonus Faber Solo. The most I am able to find is frequency response 40 -20.000 Hz. Is this anywhere close? I do see the -3db on the Polk site for the Lsis and the Rtis. And , at the risk of sounding like a dweeb, what exactly is a 'lower -3db limit' anyway? (Caution:Learning In Progress).

wingnut4772...no problem with the learning...I am not quite sure of that myself but I believe it is a measure that the manufacturers pick for the frequency response...if you set your crossover near (but always "above") that point...your lowest frequencies go to the sub and your "mains" can concentrate on the rest (mids and hi's)
gonk and others take their time with newbies 'round here.
Bill

Wingnut,
I have 2 LFM-1's in my room. Cranked up...a little.....NO LOCALIZATION!!! A great buy!

When a frequency response range is given and identified as "-3dB" it means that the high and low values shown are the points where speaker output has dipped 3dB from the baseline output. Think of the response as being nearly flat across most of the speaker's range (from perhaps 100Hz to close to 20,000Hz), but with slopes dropping off at the left of right. Where those slopes pass the point 3dB below that baseline is where these upper and lower limits are. It's a way of consistently comparing apples to apples for frequency response between different brands of speakers (it's also useful for determining crossover points, of course). Your LSi15's, for example, list an "overall" frequency response of 22Hz to 27,000Hz, but the -3dB response range is 30Hz to 26,000Hz. This means that they may be capable of producing a 22Hz tone, but it will not be at or very close to the same "loudness" as tones from higher frequencies - that slope will have fallen off several dB more.

Oh...okay that makes sense. Thanks again. I just set up my 950b.(see 950 thread for initial impressions) ( It came early) 60 sounds pretty good for the fronts and eighty for the back. Can I put the surrounds to 'large' since they are floorstanding or am I better off leaving them 'small'?. Without a doubt this Velodyne has to go. Placing the LFM order .....

I'd probably set the surrounds to small even if they are floorstanding.

I think probably too. I will experiment though in my usual obsessive compulsive manner.

if a speaker is large (i.e. floorstanding) and/or full range, then it should be set to large. ideally you could just set the crossover for each speaker independently of its size setting, not everyone allows that though.

If I set it to Large do the crossovers still apply?

Nope

Hmmm..so I am taking the chance that some bass info may be lost on the Polk Rti 100s if I set them to large. How much bass info is in the surround channels anyway?

the polk rti 100s are specd at 25Hz-27kHz. so no you would not be losing any bass that is going to the surrounds unless it is under 25Hz. i have not seen a movie yet with a surround track dipping that low in frequency anyway.

conversely you would be gaining all of the mid-low bass from your surrounds rather than from the sub, which could be dedicated only to lfe. i like my setup to have full range everywhere with that channel's bass being handled by the appropriate speaker and the sub getting only the signal it is supposed to get, rather than the lfe + the crossed over bass from all the other channels...

those settings are not for everyone, but if you have all large speakers it is best. i guess MOST people dont have full range surrounds, so that is why the crossover settings come into play a great deal for them as far as tweaking the sounds...

I think those specs are with the powered subs on them? But I have been experimenting and I like them set to Large and the fronts to Small so far...Just for reference...the Rti100s make a pretty killer surround speaker if anyone has them and they want to upgrade their fronts and push these to the back. At least in my house they work very well.

The LFM arrived and it is all set up. What an incredible sub. I put in the Finding Nemo Darla - What a nice name!... (it just happens to be mine) Taps The Tank Scene and the whole house shook - and I have the sub set reasonably low due to my townhouse situation. The difference between this sub and the Velodyne is night and day but it is not really fair to besmirch the Velodyne. It is in a different category, price range , etc. and was/is decent for that level. I am very pleased with yet another Outlaw purchase. Now I just have to get that house....