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Subwoofers: Inexpensive Hsu vs REL

Does anyone feel the incremental dollars for a REL subwoofer versus an Hsu TN1220HO are well spent? I know the Hsu TN1220HO goes to 20Hz and is down only a little at 16, so it is not the depth. I would 'crossover' Merlin VSM-Milleniums at 40 or 50 Hz, so it is not a wide bandwidth involved. You don't need incredible detail below 50 Hz, so I imagine you have to work real hard to hear differences between subwoofers presuming they both roll off steep. The Hsu rolls off at -24db per octave, so you are not going to hear much above 50Hz, therefore it should not give its position away (e.g. 'directionality'). The Hsu fires toward the ceiling, not the floor, so you are not exciting the floor too much. You can get two (2) Hsu's for $1,500 - you can't come close to that with REL. Am I missing something? Has anyone heard both?
gererick
phasecorrect's avatar
phasecorrect
2,013 posts
 
Havent heard Hsu...but REL makes one the most musical subs I have ever come across...and there are very few...Sunfire is another...Hsu is a mail order outfit...so doing an a/b m against REL is next to impossible...they do get great reveiws though...if money is an issue...hard to ignore their trial and return policy...or go used with REL..good luck...
sugarbrie
3,854 posts
 
They are both nice subs and good brands. The TN1220 is also a very different animal from a REL. (The VTF models are more similar.) I own two REL's. I also met Dr. Hsu at CES in Las Vegas a couple weeks ago. He put on a very impressive demo. He is also a nice guy and smart.

Have you contacted anyone at Hsu?? Maybe you should express some of your concerns with them. I am confident Dr. Hsu will give you his honest opinion.
kgb540
125 posts
 
One area that HSU is able to save money is the quality of construction. REL subwoofers are furniture grade fit and finish, while the HSU somewhat lags behind in this area. But like I stated, it is a functional, cost saving move. If you were to build 2 HSU-like sonotube subs, with better drivers, it would cost you about $300 in material (+ your time in labor). If you are woodowrking inclined at all, that is the way I would go. Good luck.
bishopwill
369 posts
 
Hsu subs are extremely responsive but, in my experience, can get a bit boomy and thus may be better for HT than audio. RELs, unless you go to the big ones, are a little dynamically shy for HT. If you are watching Das Boot and listening to a REL, when the rivets blow out you're impressed. If you are listening to a Hsu (or either of the brands listed below), when the rivets blow out you jump out of your chair and duck on the floor. That being said, REL subs are extremely musical and famous for mating easily with the mains.

For dual use at not too much cost, you might want to consider the Paradigm Servo 15, as suggested earlier, or the VMPS subs.

will
dollysowner
47 posts
 
I would go with the REL, simply because of its ability to mate with just about anything. It takes its input signal from the same line as your speakers, so it's "seeing" exactly what your speakers see in terms of the amplifier. The flexibility of the crossover is amazing. I'm using a REL Storm III to augment the bass on a pair of B&W Signature 800's--no slouches themselves in the bass department. I'm able to cross the REL over at 25 hz, so 98% of the time it's not even doing anything; but when it does, there's no question that it extends the lowest octave beautifully.
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