Velodyne HGS-15X Amp and Remote

The final phase of the construction and development of the Velodyne HGS-15X was its enclosure. The enclosure is solid and well-built. It is a totally sealed design, meaning that you can place this subwoofer in custom cabinetry or build it into a custom home theater entertainment system 舑 important factors to note if you are looking for a good subwoofer to recommend for custom installation needs.

Now that you know how and why they designed the HGS-15X, its time to tell you what it looks like, how it functions, and most importantly, how it performs.

As I unpacked the Velodyne HGS-15X, the first thing I noticed was the Black Ash vinyl wood grain finish. This is a change in the HGS-X line of subwoofers. Velodyne has indicated that this was done to offer a high-end subwoofer at a reasonable cost. I call this "less show and more go". Whatever the reason, the Black Ash finish is tastefully done with no visible seams. The black wood grain vinyl looks like real wood until you examine it very closely. Placing this subwoofer next to my other subwoofer (one with a real wood veneer) you cannot distinguish between the two under normal lighting conditions. I would have no problem incorporating this subwoofer out in the open in a high-end well-furnished room.

Editorial Note: Installing Subwoofers Into Custom Audio Video Cabinetry
Installing subwoofers into custom audio/video cabinetry can be a tricky proposition. Selecting the correct subwoofer for this type of installation is key for good performance. Sealed enclosure subwoofers are my first choice for this type of installation because they are easy to integrate and the custom audio/video cabinet can be built around them. Ported subwoofers should not be installed into enclosed cabinetry unless they are ported in the front. Downward firing subwoofers and passive radiator subwoofer should never be considered for installation into custom audio video cabinetry.

Proper installation is crucial for good performance. The cavity the subwoofer sits in should be very close to the size of the subwoofer. I generally specify a three to four inch gap on either side of the subwoofer and a six to eight inch clearance on the top. The clearance on the top allows access to the plate amplifier if the subwoofer has no remote functions (a flashlight and a small mirror make adjustment easy.)

After the subwoofer is placed into the custom cabinetry, thick rubber foam is then packed in tightly between the sides and the top subwoofer and the furniture to aid in the reduction of unwanted resonance and rattling. Foam or acoustical material should not be placed at the rear of the subwoofer if the subwoofer has a built in plate amp because the amplifier generates heat that needs to be dissipated.

Installation of a 15-amp outlet in the subwoofer cavity should be considered when designing your custom cabinetry. The subwoofer should also never be placed on a hollow riser. If you must elevate the subwoofer make sure the riser is solid or filled with sand. The door that covers the subwoofer cavity should also have no cross support to interfere with the woofer cone.

All custom furniture and cabinetry should be built out of solid wood, and all doors should have strong closing springs. Foam bumpers should be used between the doors and the cabinet, preventing them from rattling against the cabinetry.

Glass doors have no place in custom audio/video rooms and should never be considered. Glass doors retain heat, rattle, and reflect light (great for bathrooms but very poor for home theaters.) If you must have knickknacks in and around your audio/video furniture, consider using rope calk to tack them down. Rope calk is available at many hardware stores. Remember, anything that you can do to reduce resonance or rattles will increase the overall performance of your system.

For more tips on integrating subwoofers into custom Audio Video cabinetry see:

Subwoofer Placement Tips for Cabinetry Installations

Velodyne offer's an optional HGS Remote Eye kit. This kit contains one remote eye pickup and the remote. The remote is pretty basic, with a power button, volume up and down and a mute button. It is not backlit, so I suggest using it to program its functions into your universal remote and then store it away. The remote kit is very handy for installations in custom cabinetry or where access to the rear of the subwoofer is limited. It is also very handy when calibrating and integrating the Velodyne HGS-15X into your Home Theater system.

The grill that covers the woofer is secured very tightly and takes quite a bit of effort to remove. This is done to prevent unwanted rattles at high SPL levels. On the bottom of the enclosure you will find 4 plastic feet about the size of a quarter. There is no provision for spiked or cone feet. I would have liked to see threaded inserts for aftermarket solutions.

Around the back of the Velodyne HGS-15X is the enormous subwoofer plate amplifier. The Velodyne HGS-15X subwoofer amp has nearly all the inputs, outputs, and control devices that anyone would ever need, including:

• Subwoofer volume
• Variable low pass crossover 40Hz-120Hz
• 0 or 180 degree phase switch (we would have preferred to see variable phase control)
• Subsonic switch with options for 15Hz THX setting or 35Hz
• Crossover bypass switch In/out
• Power switch (with Auto sensing or On)
• External remote input (for the optional HGS Remote Eye kit)
• Balanced left and right inputs
• High-pass crossover (80 Hz or 100Hz)
• Right and left speaker level adjustment
• 5-way binding posts
• Line level right and left Inputs and Outputs
• Main Power button and detachable power cord

Setting up the Velodyne HGS-15X was simple and straightforward. The instruction manual is very comprehensive and easy to read. I used the Impact Acoustics Sonic Wave subwoofer cable from my Aragon Stage One Preamp's LFE output and a Y-splitter connected to the HGS Line Level Right and Left input. The use of a Y-splitter is the preferred method of installation for the Line Level inputs because many subwoofers, including the HGS-15X, prefer the higher input gain. This is done to accommodate many different speaker sensitivities from extremely low to extremely high. The subwoofer amplifier is also less likely to clip with a higher input voltage.