Face Off: Sub-$1,000 Subwoofers:
Velodyne CT-150 Velodyne CT-150
Mike brought me a gift in the form of several moving dollies to use during this Face Off, and the Velodyne CT-150 is the reason why. This is not a piece of equipment I'd want to run into while skiing. The CT-150 looks like a well-dressed schoolyard bully when sitting next to the M&K and Cerwin-Vega. I myself must've questioned a hundred times whether or not it's really under $1,000. The Velodyne weighs in at 72 pounds. Admittedly, I've seen heavier 15-inch subwoofers— just not in this price category. Obviously, you get my point about this sub's build quality.

The CT-150 features a single, frontward-firing 15-inch woofer in a bass-reflex enclosure. The rectangular-shaped port runs along the lower front baffle, which arguably renders smoother bass response than conventional tube-style ports. The woofer is powered by an internal 250-watt amplifier. There's an adjustable 40- to 120-Hz low-pass crossover that can be turned on or off, as well as a selectable 80- or 100-Hz high-pass crossover and high/low ins and outs. Additionally, you get variable volume control, a 0- to 180-degree phase switch, and overexcursion protection.

The CT-150 also utilizes Current Sensing Servo, a simpler version of the accelerometer technology that Velodyne uses in their higher-end products. This feature adjusts the output of the internal amplifier based on the impedance of the driver, which (according to Velodyne) lowers distortion by about 30 percent while improving the speaker's accuracy and low-frequency extension.

Highlights
Velodyne CT-150:
• Build quality is top-notch
• 250-watt amplifier
• Anticlipping and over-excursion protection

HT Labs Measures: Velodyne CT-150

This graph shows the quasi-anechoic (employing close-miking) frequency response of the CT-150 subwoofer. Response of the subwoofer, normalized to the average level from 40 hertz to 80 Hz, indicates that the lower - 3dB point is at 36 Hz and the - 6dB point is at 31 Hz. The upper - 3dB point is at 83 Hz.— AJ