Oh the decisions one has to make.
This is what BrenR had to say about the STF-2 versus VTF-2 in his review of the HSU line up 8 months ago.
"This is probably the only time I can compare an entire product line. I demo'ed the whole STF-1-3 line (and the VTF-2), American Hi-Fi of Canada (yes, AH-F of C, makes me worder if there's a Canadian Imperial Bank of Congress, of America) has them here.................I'm not sure why Hsu quotes the same bass extension for the STF-3 as the 2, while I didn't bring an SPL meter, subjective listening would say that the 3 did dip down lower than the 2. Really nothing came as a surprise. the STF-1 had the least low bass but performed remarkably well to the "punch" torture test (and the sales guy was less than impressed with playing something that sounded like Lars Ulrich playing double kick on a really REALLY big kick drum), the STF-2 was in the middle and the STF-3 went down the furthest but glossed over each individual "hit" a little. The VTF-2 unbunged definately dug deeper than the STFs and yet remained nice and responsive. (as a side note - this test probably would have caused a voice coil to weld itself together in the 80s - a testament to new driver technology!)
Since I went down with my brother (due entirely to the fact he drives something with a cargo area) the bassist in him drooled over the VTF-2, and I picked up the STF-2 (for the cheap bugger in me)."
For $40 I'd be thinking pretty seriously about the VTF.
