HSU STF-2 Review
Ok, I finally got the STF-2 home, unpackaged and setup.....
Initial impressions: Well packaged. Instructions were excellent and easy to follow. The sub is pretty massive compared to my old Polk. It also seemed rock solid. I got the impression right away that this was a well made product and nothing was sacrificed in the build. I could tell this was going to be something special.
Setup: Setup was a breeze. Plugged in my existing coaxial audio cable, the detachable power cord and turned it on. I set the crossover switch to "out" so my receiver can handle the crossover tuning. Regardless, I set the crossover frequency on the subwoofer itself to 90 Hz, just in case. My receiver is the
Denon 1909 and is equipped with Audyssey. I let the auto calibration run it's course and 15 minutes later, I was in business.
Testing: After the calibration was complete, I proceeded to put my new toy to the test. I gathered all of the movies in my possession with good bass including War of the Worlds, Transformers and Hot Fuzz. I then tried out CD's that tend to emphasize bass from various Metal/Hard Rock selections that had plenty of double bass drums and bass guitar. I also tested some good ol' heart pounding beats from some old Hip Hop/Rap CD's.
Results: I bought this as a blind buy and never demoed before. Essentially I trusted the stellar online reviews. Needless to say, I was expecting big things from this sub and following the rigorous test I put it through, I was more than impressed with it! If anything, my expectations were exceeded. It's amazing how efficient this sub is. At no point during all of the lows I put it through did I ever hear this sub struggle one bit. It handled everything like a champ. My room is apx. 1500 cubic feet and it is honestly more than enough. I'm not sure how any sub in this price range can compete in performance. From everything I've heard, I am completely satisfied and couldn't imagine needing anything more.
Final remarks: I built my HT in the summer of 2007 with a budget of $5k. Build thread
HERE. Since then, I've upgraded two key components. A new lossless capable AVR (
Denon 1909) and the new subwoofer. With these two additions, I think it's safe to say the HT is sounding the best it ever has. The wife and I watch a ton of flicks down there and this will only make the experience more enjoyable. As a matter of fact, with the whole setup and quality I was able to reproduce, I don't see any point in going to a public cinema again.
Here's to a happy 2009 of film watching...