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Velodyne DD: 10 or 12?

Will be replacing a REL Strata II which is very nice, but a recent upgrade has left me looking for more. I like the room correction idea but now am wondering if I should upsize. The Strata II is an 8" driver and seems to have provided adequate bass in my large-ish room, but maybe that is due to down-firing? The floor is carpet over wood, with a full-height basement beneath so there is some reverb due to that. Am also using a Gramma/SubDude which I like and will probably keep.

For budget reasons am considering only the 10 or 12, so the 15 and 18 are not really players for me. Looking at specs the only diff seems to be 1.7" in driver size, amps, etc all the same, and the 12 goes 1 hz lower, which I don't see as significantly different. Is the 12 worth the extra $500 msrp for a budget-conscious decision? Obviously I can afford it if I am considering it but prefer to not overspend.

Would be interested to hear esp from users who have weighed this type of choice before.

On an aside, which finish is preferred in general? The gloss black is no doubt attractive but am concerned about how it would wear. Most of the gear is black/dark but it is parked on a Salamander Twin 20, in cherry, which seems to be close to the Velo cherry.
kck
goatwuss
877 posts
 
Kck - I am a velodyne DD15 owner. Buy the DD12. It is exactly what you need. The DD15 enabled me to put a band aid over my room's major problems and enabled me to listen to music without being constantly distracted by boomy bass.
teonyc's avatar
teonyc
43 posts
 
I will add that the DD-12 should be fine. The onboard digital EQ should equalize most of the bumps and dips. I've got my room nearly flat all the way to 22hz.
rwwear
2,867 posts
 
There is a very good article on the DD-12 in the Dec 2004 issue of Stereophile Ultimate AV. There has been a software update since the review was printed.
kck OP
184 posts
 
Thanks again, guys... getting close now... I have a specific question. My mains go down to 40 hz... is this overkill for such speakers? I am also confused by the 80 hz crossover point as mentioned in reviews. Does this mean that if my mains have a dip in the 90-110 range, I cannot use the DD to fill in that dip? I see the spec of 200 hz but am having a hard time reconciling this with the previous fact.

I should note that I am quite happy with my Strata II in terms of depth. But because of my wood subfloor, I think I am getting some reverb that might not exist with a forward-firing sub such as the DD, plus I would like to correct for the room anomalies *above* the 80 hz point.

Sorry for all the questions. You all have been great with providing info. I am planning to call up my fave dealer tomorrow and get this wrapped up but would like some reassurance as to the above.
rwwear
2,867 posts
 
I imagine if you cross the sub over high enough you could compensate for a dip in the main speakers. Having parametric EQ can make a big difference in sound quality.
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