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Leadfoot
02-17-2009, 11:27 PM
Just ordered a D 15-SE to replace an older Velodyne VA 1250X, and wanted to stop by, say hello, and share my thoughts...

I shopped around several of the well-known brands before deciding on the Rythmik sub, and one of the reasons I chose Rythmik was because of their innovative design, quality driver and amp, liberal return policy allowing me to essentially demo it in my home...and it may sound silly, but it's tall thin down-firing design will mesh well with my other furniture. :)

Anyway, I ordered the sub on Sunday night, and immediately realized that I ordered the wrong one (need XLR connection), and sent an e-mail. Got a call back today from a nice lady (whose name I don't recall, sorry :( ), saying they will ship the XLR, and viola I got notification that it has been shipped. Since Monday was a holiday, the turnaround on shipment was the next business day -- impressive.

Looking forward to delivery and testing.... Until then, take care...Mike

p.s. anyone want to predict how much better the D 15-SE will be than the Velodyne?

DougMac
02-18-2009, 03:06 AM
Welcome to the forum Leadfoot! I'm glad to hear you've had a positive experience so far. I have no predictions, but I'm looking forward to reading your impressions!

Doug

Leadfoot
02-25-2009, 01:22 PM
The D15 SE arrived yesterday. Here are a few impressions:

Packaging/Shipment: The unit arrived via UPS and tipped the scales at 102lbs! I was bit concerned when it arrived as it seems like one of the UPS guys dropped it on a corner -- the corner of the box was pushed in about two inches. However, the ample amount of foam around the unit prevented any damage. Upon opening the box, I did note a very nice cloth shroud the unit was enclosed in. It is worth noting that the power cord came in a separate box via USPS, which was odd but not problematic in the least. Overall: 10 of 10.

Pre-Sale Support: I received no less than four e-mails from Ascend with status of my orders. My phone call to Ascend was answered by an actual person on the second ring, and my question answered immediately. Overall: 10 of 10.

Documentation: The unit arrived with only a one-page quickguide. While I would have appreciated a fancier manual complete with much of the information on the website, this is probably a minor issue. On the bright side, the information on the website is very good and made installation and tuning a snap. Overall: 8 of 10.

Aesthetics: First off, this sucker is big! I can understand why some are using it for an end-table -- the size is just perfect for that. The piano-gloss black finish is immaculate, not a scratch or swirl to be seen anywhere. The driver is also very impressive -- this is my first foray into aluminum drivers -- too bad that pretty driver is hidden from view (but understandable given the design). Overall: 10 of 10.

Performance: The heck with all of the above meaningless stuff -- it's all about performance. I gotta tell you all, this unit didn't disappoint in the least. Bass was extremely tight (much tighter than any sub I've listened to -- admittedly a limited number compared to some of you bass-buffs). While I suspect there are better subs out there, I couldn't be more impressed with the sub's performance. Overall: 10 of 10.

Versus the Velodyne: No comparison really, the D15 has better range on the low-end, tops out much higher SPL-wise (and I have the crooked pictures in my condo to prove it! :eek: ), and most of all provides much tighter and more accurate bass. I tested my six reference materials (three video - Bourne Ultimatum, Lord of the Rings, and Transformers; and three audio -- Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon, Primus: Pork Soda, and Beastie Boys: Check your Head) and the D15 SE beat the Velodyne hands-down -- louder, tighter and more musical bass was the result. Gone was the boomy and rough around the edges sound of the ported 12" Velodyne. It was replaced with a much more realistic and musical sound of the Rythmik. Even with movies, where many folks seem to prefer a slightly boomy bass, I prefered the tight accurate sound of the non-ported Rythmik.

All in all, I am very pleased with my choice and I'm looking forward to years of enjoyment from the Rythmik sub -- and hope this unbiased review will help others evaluate Rythmik's offerings.

Take care...Mike

R˙che 1
02-26-2009, 12:15 AM
Great review Mike...I'm very happy with mine as well

davef
02-26-2009, 05:11 PM
The D15 SE arrived yesterday. Here are a few impressions:

Packaging/Shipment: The unit arrived via UPS and tipped the scales at 102lbs! I was bit concerned when it arrived as it seems like one of the UPS guys dropped it on a corner -- the corner of the box was pushed in about two inches. However, the ample amount of foam around the unit prevented any damage. Upon opening the box, I did note a very nice cloth shroud the unit was enclosed in. It is worth noting that the power cord came in a separate box via USPS, which was odd but not problematic in the least. Overall: 10 of 10.

Pre-Sale Support: I received no less than four e-mails from Ascend with status of my orders. My phone call to Ascend was answered by an actual person on the second ring, and my question answered immediately. Overall: 10 of 10.

Documentation: The unit arrived with only a one-page quickguide. While I would have appreciated a fancier manual complete with much of the information on the website, this is probably a minor issue. On the bright side, the information on the website is very good and made installation and tuning a snap. Overall: 8 of 10.

Aesthetics: First off, this sucker is big! I can understand why some are using it for an end-table -- the size is just perfect for that. The piano-gloss black finish is immaculate, not a scratch or swirl to be seen anywhere. The driver is also very impressive -- this is my first foray into aluminum drivers -- too bad that pretty driver is hidden from view (but understandable given the design). Overall: 10 of 10.

Performance: The heck with all of the above meaningless stuff -- it's all about performance. I gotta tell you all, this unit didn't disappoint in the least. Bass was extremely tight (much tighter than any sub I've listened to -- admittedly a limited number compared to some of you bass-buffs). While I suspect there are better subs out there, I couldn't be more impressed with the sub's performance. Overall: 10 of 10.

Versus the Velodyne: No comparison really, the D15 has better range on the low-end, tops out much higher SPL-wise (and I have the crooked pictures in my condo to prove it! :eek: ), and most of all provides much tighter and more accurate bass. I tested my six reference materials (three video - Bourne Ultimatum, Lord of the Rings, and Transformers; and three audio -- Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon, Primus: Pork Soda, and Beastie Boys: Check your Head) and the D15 SE beat the Velodyne hands-down -- louder, tighter and more musical bass was the result. Gone was the boomy and rough around the edges sound of the ported 12" Velodyne. It was replaced with a much more realistic and musical sound of the Rythmik. Even with movies, where many folks seem to prefer a slightly boomy bass, I prefered the tight accurate sound of the non-ported Rythmik.

All in all, I am very pleased with my choice and I'm looking forward to years of enjoyment from the Rythmik sub -- and hope this unbiased review will help others evaluate Rythmik's offerings.

Take care...Mike

Thanks so much for the excellent review! I am very pleased that you are enjoying the subwoofer and that your purchasing experience was pleasurable :)

Enjoy!!

ebh
02-27-2009, 12:31 PM
any word on a bamboo veneer version? :D

RythmikAudio
03-01-2009, 07:17 PM
any word on a bamboo veneer version? :D
I am still working on it. The big question is would a silver cone be ok?

ebh
03-02-2009, 08:06 AM
I am still working on it. The big question is would a silver cone be ok?

yes, i think that would look very nice. bamboo and silver--very modern looking. just my opinion though.