Velodyne CT-80 Sub Get it or not?

[Adam N.]

There is a Velodyne CT-80 sub on the local Craigslist. They guy will take $75 for it and deliver it to me, so it's not an expense or inconvenience to acquire. I have two systems:

A Harmon Kardon HK730 with a pair of NLA speakers. This is our livingroom system.

A Harmon Kardon HK690i with Pioneer SP-BS22-LR Andrew Jones Bookshelfs. This is our garage/workshop/backyard party system.

We mostly listen at moderate volumes. Would the Velodyne compliment either of these systems? Is this adding junk to nicer systems? We mostly listen at moderate volumes, but it would be fun for parties and I would like it if it added depth to what we have, which already sounds good to me.

 

[cnolanh]

It's a small powered sub which sounds nice within its volume and frequency limits. I had one for several years. After its plate amp died, I powered it with an external amp with a low-pass crossover (Dayton APA-150). My brother is now getting good use from the little sub, paired with mini monitors in a stereo system.

So as long as the sub amp works properly, it might be worth picking up. The price you quote is at the top of what I'd pay for one, so make sure it's in excellent condition. I would pair the Velodyne with your Pioneer BS22 speakers, which should sound great together. The Advents play so deep that the sub would make much less of a difference in that system.

 

[Adam N.]

So as long as the sub amp works properly, it might be worth picking up. The price you quote is at the top of what I'd pay for one, so make sure it's in excellent condition.

Thanks, that's what I figured, about adding them to the garage. The big deal for me is that the guy is willing to drop it off, the price well, maybe I am overpaying by $25, so not a big deal. With stuff in this price range it's fun to goof around. Our listening volumes aren't demanding so it keeps the prices pretty low. It'll be fun for summer.

 

[Adam N.]

So, I just hooked up the CT-80 and I really like it, for my use it's perfect. It's both bigger and heavier than I thought. I think I may swap out my Boston Acoustic HD7s for the pioneers which are pretty good at bass on their own. In all it makes a nice little system that uses the space I have and the money I've spent very efficiently. Patio dance parties, here we come!

 

[twiiii]

Well its strong enough, but with its limited performance below 35 hz I would pass. Any good high fi speaker should reach 30 HZ.

 

[Adam N.]

Well, it's meant to augment bookshelf speakers. The setup is in a tight location and pretty budget. The HD7s really don't have a lot of base to speak of so they pair up good. The spec sheet says they sign off at 52 HZ & the Pioneer SP-BS22-LR are about the same but sound bassier to me maybe because of the reflex design.

It's also a garage, not a listening room. I think I achieved the goal of improving that system on a budget. Also, the seller dropped it at my house!

I don't want to let the great be the enemy of the good.

 

[Adam N.]

I'm running the crossover at 80 hz and the volume in the middle and it sounds really good to me. I am going to leave it as is with the BS22s. I like it a lot and no swap them with the HD7s which look classier and so belong in the house. I'm into that whole system for less than $500 and I think it sounds pretty great. It also wedges into the workshop nicely where space is at a premium.

It's too bad more people don't know you can assemble something that will sound shockingly good on pretty short money. Audio reminds me a bit of the bicycle industry where everyone is buying the wrong bicycle for the wrong reasons and everyone winds up spending too much or too little money.

 

[cnolanh]

I'm running the crossover at 80 hz and the volume in the middle and it sounds really good to me. I am going to leave it as is with the BS22s. I like it a lot and no swap them with the HD7s which look classier and so belong in the house. I'm into that whole system for less than $500 and I think it sounds pretty great. It also wedges into the workshop nicely where space is at a premium.

It's too bad more people don't know you can assemble something that will sound shockingly good on pretty short money. Audio reminds me a bit of the bicycle industry where everyone is buying the wrong bicycle for the wrong reasons and everyone winds up spending too much or too little money.

Yes. That's one of the joys that music and audio offers me. What kind of high-quality sound can I create with relatively inexpensive components, and/or with what's at hand? I've helped a lot of friends and family set up (or improve) audio systems. In most cases it doesn't take big money to provide a household with real musical happiness.

Your garage system, with its new sub, should be a lot of fun. You just added about an octave and a half of good-quality bass, and for very little expense. Rock on!

 

[Audiokingman]

Well its strong enough, but with its limited performance below 35 hz I would pass. Any good high fi speaker should reach 30 HZ.

I guess that eliminates just about all Klipsch Heritage speakers from being "high fi".....

 

[twiiii]

WEll a Klipschorn in a big enough room and a Cornwall placed in a just the right location in a good room will get there. But My Concert Grands reach 23 hz with only 3 db off boost and my XRT 28. easily reach below 20 HZ. The 28's have lower distortion, but 4 10's can't keep up with 8 12's till you go below 23 HZ. Which is rarely required. I have some commercial recordings where a microphone didn't have a blast shield or wind screen in place or wasn't shock mounted and you get some very low energy that the Grands won't produces and the 28's will quite easily. My live recording of steam trains, jet airplanes, prop driven airplanes you can easily hear the advantages the XRT 28's have. RR cars and engines going across seams in the track will generate some great percusive very low frequency sounds. Course none of that is music. But the Dallas wind Symphony , NTS, and the Marine band at its rehearsal hall can generate some very low frquencies, too. Everyone should own the Cleveland Winds on Telarc CD to hear the bass drum on the 3rd movement of The 3rd Suite for Band in Eb. That will buckle your knees. If you stream the recording you don't get the same effect because of digital electronic limiting not present on the original CD.