Rythmik FV15HP Subwoofer Listening Impressions

The first song I listened to just happened to be a Joni Mitchell tune from the late 1960's, and if you are familiar with this artist, you are likely asking yourself why I would test a subwoofer with program material which is mostly female vocals and acoustic guitar.  Certainly this is not a treasure trove of deep bottom end.  It is, however, a great way to find out if the sub itself will disappear into the background, or start introducing midrange sounds that will interfere with the stereo image.  I had the sub pointed straight at my right ear, well off to the side, and double the distance (or more) from me compared to the satellites.  After a good deal of fiddling, I managed to get the  Rythmik sub to meld into the soundscape.   

I spent more time listening to the Rythmik, than all the other subs I reviewed for the CEA output article.  I found the best blend with my satellite speakers when I set the Rythmik crossover frequency control to 50Hz and the low pass knob to "80Hz/24".  For those using external bass management facilities, I still suggest starting at 80Hz 24dB/Oct. But, because this sub has so much tactile energy, if it's placed in close proximity to the listening area, you may want to experiment with a lower crossover setting.

Keep this in mind especially if you plan on using small satellite speakers requiring a higher crossover frequency and steeper rolloff of the sub to prevent it from being localized.  Another setup tip when using this sub in close proximity to the listening area that may help is to orient the subwoofer sideways which will audibly reduce any higher harmonic frequencies emanating from the ports. 

My testing were mainly concerned about usable low distortion output, so I paired the sub with a pair of the high efficiency (about 97.5dB/watt) prototype B52 Matrix 1000 Version 4 satellites driven with a 725 watt per channel amp.  The Rythmik FV-15HP sub seemed to run out of steam at about 90-100 watts RMS level into my satellites, which is about 117 dB in my lab.  That's very LOUD!  That's the loudest of any sub in the group testing except for one folded horn I had lying around and put outside to prove a point. For the additional music and movie tests I performed on this sub, I was most astounded by the usable output and low distortion - this sub can crank out volume like you wouldn't believe! 

Application

Given the range and output capabilities of this sub, I can recommend it for either Home Theater or Audiophile use.  Home theater use is a bit more difficult as sound effects are often kicked up for dramatic effect to levels at extremely low frequency output (below 40 Hz) that you might only find at a Rave or a Rap concert.  If you are more interested in music reproduction, you can push the box a little harder and count on more output.  The Rythmik FV-15HP should be more than capable of filling medium to very large size rooms with more than adequate bass for all but the audio-insane.  It is one more example that if you want real high-output performance down to 20 Hz, the wife needs to give up her coffee table or favorite floor lamp.  While this subwoofer won't come home comfortably in your compact car, it will fit into your SUV or the back of your pickup truck.  Don't count on lifting or placing it by yourself unless you routinely pick up hundreds of pounds in your daily life.  Get a buddy to come over, and have him bring a bass-heavy CD or an iPod full of tunes. 

Like with all subs used in a home theater environment, we highly recommend utilizing the internal bass management and level control of your A/V processor and either bypassing the sub's internal filters or using them in conjunction (if needed) to ensure the best integration with your speaker system.