Speaker Asylum: REVIEW: Velodyne Acoustics SPL-1200 Speakers by Iguana Man

Model:	SPL-1200
Category:	Speakers
Suggested Retail Price:	$ 1,399.00
Description:	Sealed Front firing 12" - 750 watts RMS/1500 watts dynamic
Manufacturer URL:	Velodyne Acoustics
Model Picture:	View

Review by Iguana Man ( A ) on March 13, 2002 at 11:28:26
IP Address: 207.162.229.12

Add Your Review
for the SPL-1200

This is my first review, so go easy on me folks!

A little history:

My first sub was purchased based on price and listed specs only. It's an AR SP12, a slot ported 12" down firing unit with a 150 watt amp. Specs claimed 20Hz but if it ever got there, I wasn't around for it. However, for $170 bucks, I've got no complaints. Anyhow, the sub was IMO the weakest link in my setup. So off I went researching this forum and others for a quality sub, one that would be used primarily for HT but also for music (more on that later).

The Demo:

The only subs I've heard were the AR and a friends NEC so I called a Sound City nearby and found out they had some Velodynes, Sunfires, Paradigm and Atlantic Techs. Some ported, some sealed and most had 12" drivers. I brought the U571 dvd as demo material and the receiver used was a Yamaha with 150 wpc. All speakers were turned off except for the subs. My first impression of the Velodyne SPL-1200 wasn't that good, meaning it didn't blow me away. Thankfully, I brought a friend along too, and as he pointed out, the room @ Sound City probably had a 6" concrete floor, compared to my wood floor at home. He also suggested I move to the corner behind the sub (which was out and away from any wall/corner)and low and behold I began to realize that everything was shaking. Compared to the other subs, the Vel was the clear winner. Louder/Deeper/Tighter

Competition:

Pete (Sound City salesman - nice guy !) set up a Sunfire with dual 8's and let it rip - this thing is small, and while it performed well for its size, it looked like a wind up toy bouncing all over at high volumes. Then we listened to both Atlantic Tech 12" subs, one ported - one sealed. The sealed one only had a 250 watt amp (I think) and it couldn't keep up with itself at higher volumes. It had to be turned way down because it kept bottoming out. The ported one was ok, but still fell way short to the Vel. He then gave me the price for the Vel, offered me 3 days to try it at home with a full refund if I returned it. After 3 days (heck, after the first hour) I can call this sub a keeper!

At home:

The room is 12'x12' (I know, but it's all I've got) and the sub sits in between and on the same plane as my floorstanders. What a difference between my room and Sound City, the low end seemed to be triple of what I heard at the store! I was amazed when I played chapter 15 of U571. Explosions were clear, crisp and wickedly low. I then tried a different chapter, the one where they first take over the sub. Now this is where I was really impressed. The machine gun fire was unreal - each bullet round had its own hard hitting sound. Next up was the battle scene in the Patriot. The cannon fire had impact I've never experienced before. I think my ears actually popped. Is that SPL ? Now for the musical side. I've always felt my 604's had a good amount of bass, but using the sub in conjunction with them opened up the sound a whole lot more. Some of my cd's sound a bit boxy, but not any more. Improvement in music was more than I anticipated.

Conclusion:

While I admit my listening experience with different subs (and speakers) is limited, I am very impressed with what the SPL-1200 has done for my humble HT. This sub really put the icing on my HT cake. The only thing I see upgrading now is my collection of dvd's !

Product Weakness: Since I've only demo'ed a few subs, it's hard for me to find any faults as yet. This unit blew away the other ones.
Product Strengths: Incredible for HT, great for music. Deep, powerfull low end. Can dip to 16Hz (per Sound & Vision review). Produces a permanent ear to ear grin. Small footprint. Blends well with my B&W's.

Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier:	Pioneer VSX-24TX Elite - 90 wpc
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	none
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	Pioneer DV-05 Elite
Speakers:	B&W's - Mains: DM604S2's - Center: CC6 - Surrounds: LM1's
Cables/Interconnects:	Run of the mill stuff
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	Jazz & Rock-Blues: Pat Metheny, David Benoit, GRP, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Beatles, Pink Floyd
Room Size (LxWxH):	12' x 12' x 8'
Room Comments/Treatments:	Acoustical Nightmare - Large leather couch/Heavy carpet w/padding.
Time Period/Length of Audition:	3 days
Other (Power Conditioner etc.):	none
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner

Product Weakness:	Since I've only demo'ed a few subs, it's hard for me to find any faults as yet. This unit blew away the other ones.
Product Strengths:	Incredible for HT, great for music. Deep, powerfull low end. Can dip to 16Hz (per Sound & Vision review). Produces a permanent ear to ear grin. Small footprint. Blends well with my B&W's.