Review Velodyne MicroVee X:Features and Sound
- The small remote control fits perfectly in your hand and allows you to adjust the level and reverse the phase (Image credit: Velodyne Acoustics)
The MicroVee X comes with a small remote control that fits comfortably in the hand and is clearly laid out. It allows you to switch the phase and control the volume of the subwoofer from the comfort of your sofa. If the MicroVee x is placed under cover, you can connect the wired IR receiver to the subwoofer, which is also included. In most cases, it should be possible to position the receiver's eye in such a way that there is a line of sight to the listening position. On the back of the unit, the phase reversal can also be switched with a small button; in addition, the automatic switch-off can be set here.
- The scope of delivery also includes a wired IR receiver. If the subwoofer is placed under cover, it allows interference-free reception of the signals from the remote control (Image credit: Velodyne Acoustics)
- On the rear panel, the level and phase can be adjusted and the bypass for the internal crossover and the automatic switch-off can be activated or deactivated (Image credit: Velodyne Acoustics)
A control dial is used to set the frequency continuously between 40 and 200 Hz, whereby the DSP performs the low-pass with a slope of 12 dB per octave. The level can be adjusted with the help of two small buttons on the unit; next to them are four LEDs that signal the set level. In fact, however, the level setting is more finely graduated: Only after the fifth press of a "volume" button on the unit or on the remote control does another LED light up or go out.
Ready for home cinema and stereo
- The diaphragms of the 165 mm passive radiators on the sides are also made of carbon fibre (Image credit: Velodyne Acoustics)
When it comes to connecting a subwoofer to different components, be it within a surround system or a stereo system, the available connections sometimes limit the possibilities. With the Microvee X, however, there are no problems, because it is fully equipped on the connection side. For use in a multi-channel system, the LFE channel is the ideal solution. In this case, the LFE output of an AV receiver is connected to the LFE input of the MicroVee X. In this case, the receiver is used for the LFE output. In this case, the receiver is responsible for bass management, but depending on the internal circuitry of the subwoofer, double filtering may occur. To avoid this, the Microvee X allows you to switch between its internal crossover and "Subwoofer Direct" mode with two buttons on the back.
The MicroVee also has speaker-level inputs, which are helpful when the subwoofer is to be integrated into a system with a purist stereo amplifier that has neither a subwoofer output nor a preamp output. In this variant, the speaker cables are connected from the outputs of the amplifier to the speaker-level inputs of the MicroVee X, with a second pair of speaker cables leading to the speakers as before. The Velodyne's speaker terminals accept only bare stranded wire, which should be carefully twisted to make the best possible contact. When used with amplifiers that have a preamp output, the RCA high level inputs are the better way to go: a conventional stereo RCA cable runs from the preamp output to the woofer's high level inputs and its internal crossover takes care of bass management.
In addition, the MicroVee X has a feature for particularly ambitious users: a high-level output enables additional subwoofers to be connected. While the predecessor only had a mini-jack output for this purpose, the MicroVee X offers a pair of RCA sockets.
Listening
- On "Frost" by Eydís Evensen, the MicroVee X provides an impressive example of how subwoofers can enrich even a small acoustic line-up: It lets the concert grand piano really breathe and simply brings more atmosphere into the performance
Regarding their placement, subwoofers generally allow a great deal of freedom because low frequencies are difficult to locate and spread quite freely. Nevertheless, it is advisable to keep a small distance between the MicroVee X's side passive diaphragms and furnishings or walls, so that the passive drivers do not excite them to vibrate. Otherwise, all that's needed is careful adjustment of the input frequency and level so that the subwoofer doesn't become unduly prominent - with a little practice, this is quickly done in the case of the new Velodyne. For our listening tests, we chose the slim FS 407 floorstanding speakers from Elac as playing partners, which already lay a solid foundation and play very agile and precise down to their lower limit range. It quickly became obvious that it doesn't necessarily take a room calibration to blend in a subwoofer perfectly: The MicroVee X merges completely with the speakers and the room at an operating frequency of 45 Hertz and moderate level (one illuminated LED).
The best way to check this is with handmade music that is not bass-heavy, because when there is more atmosphere, instruments sound richer and still as if they were made of one piece, then the point is hit. The MicroVee X provides an impressive example of this with the current EP "Frost" by the Icelandic pianist Eydís Evensen: the concert grand piano breathes deeply together with its whole body and can be experienced with its entire sound volume, while deep octaves are finely graduated. At the same time, the tonal balance remains intact and the instrument's body is drawn even more vividly - exactly as it should be. With an intense techno track like "Deeper" from the album "She Sleeps" by Deborah de Luca, the performance of the small MicroVee X is definitely that of a large woofer, it provides the extra kick for abyssal bass lines and delivers them as dry as a bone - great fun!