Velodyne HGS-10 Subwoofer.(Evaluation)

Manufacturer: Velodyne Acoustics, Inc., 1070 Commercial St., Suite # 101, San Jose, CA 95112; www.velodyne.com

Price: $1,799

Source: Manufacturer loan

Reviewer: Gregory Koster

You can't repeal the laws of physics, but it you're really smart you can sometimes bend them a little. The folks at Velodyne must be really really smart, because they've managed to bend really long bass wavelengths into a tiny (less than a cubic foot) box. Even they couldn't repeal the rules, so there are a couple of trade-offs with the HGS-10 that keep it from being the best choice for everybody--but in the right application this is one sweet little sub.

Howard Ferstler wrote a very thorough review of the big brother HGS-12 in Issue 80, so I won't go into too much detail about the common aspects of this design. The HGS-10 is even smaller (10-inch driver instead of 12-inch, so the cabinet shrinks to 11" W x 11" H x 11.5" D), but it's nearly as heavy (45 lbs. vs. 51) because it uses the same super-size magnet (310 oz./19.3 lbs.), Dual Tandem Voice Coil, servo-feedback circuit, and 1250-watt Class D amplifier. The HGS-10 also has the same controls HF described for the HGS-12: volume control, variable low-pass crossover, phase switch, subsonic-filter switch, crossover-bypass switch, and auto-power on/off switch; and the same three sets of jacks: line-level inputs, 80 Hz high-pass outputs, and a remote sensor connection (the remote is a $60 option that was useful during setup).

The HGS-10 also has the high-gloss black laminate finish on all cabinet surfaces, with the entire front panel covered by a black grille. This gives the HGS-10 a very elegant appearance, so it's a shame that optimal subwoofer placement requires sticking it in a corner.