Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater HSU STF-2 & CompUSA

I got my email from FedEx saying my STF-2 shipped yesterday (the 7th). Unfortunately, it's not going to arrive until next Tuesday (the 13th). I am in Ohio, so that time frame is understandable. Anyway, so far so good.

Hey, just want to follow up on the concerns about defective STF-2s from CompUSA. The specific problem described on the Hsu forums surfaced (somewhat amusingly) when people were watching the aquarium-tapping scene in Finding Nemo, which blew cones or housing or something on at least two people's new subs. (Is Nemo a sub-killer?)

Well, just want to report that when we watched Finding Nemo on our CompUSA-bought STF-2 this week, several times, the only problem was that several pictures rattled off the wall. The pane on one of those pictures broke (from the fall, of course), but the sub is fine. Great, in fact.

Birdman

ask HSU for a replacement picture frame

I thought I would reply with something here, since I was one of the posts on the Hsu board. The problem with the STF-2 is that the seal on the driver is not wide enough to adequately seal the driver to the enclosure. Hsu recommended that I go to Home Depot, buy 3/8" weather stripping and install it myself. Since dealing with Axiom was my first experience with Internet audio sales, I was obviously taken aback by Hsu's customer service, even though Dr. Hsu replied directly to me via email about this problem. Obviously not all companies are as responsive as Axiom. I don't think that any consumer should have to make any type of personal repair to any item right out of the box, no less buy their own parts. CompUSA took back the defective unit, and I've been trying to find out if their new incoming stock has the same problem or if it has been corrected. Since I couldn't get a definate answer from Hsu, I just ordered an EP-175 from Axiom, since CompUSA is out of stock and had no clue what I was referring to in the first place. I would add my praise for Axiom customer service, because I called several times before placing my original speaker order, and they were always receptive and forethcoming with answers and advise.

if i can get my hands on finding nemo i can tell you if my factory direct is defective

once you used finding nemo on your STF-2 was there a residual problem that was noticeable on all bass material? I am afraid to try it if it will permanently break my sub.

I purchased my STF-2 right before the holidays, and it sat there in the box unopened until this past Monday. I had been reading about the problem on the Hsu forum, so I sent an email to Hsu, which is when I got the reply from Dr. Hsu. Once I had it hooked up with my new Axioms, the first thing I played was Finding Nemo...it is scene 25 I believe. (I played it enough to remember, if that tells you anything)
When I heard the "distortion", I just packed it back up and took it back to CompUSA. I didn't need to play anything else. Other posts have said that the distortion was as loud as the bass, but I didn't experience it at that level. Mine was just loud enough to be noticeable. I can't see how this one scene would damage your sub, since the defect was a manufacturing one at the factory. Let me know what you find when you test yours...

Well i don't have a Hsu sub but i do have the Axiom ep350 and as most others, just received Finding Nemo for Christmas.

I will pop in the dvd later and see how that scene plays out with the EP350.

That scene on my VTF-2 was very cool! The scene of the sunken submarine falling was indeed stirring as well. My entire floor was vibrating. No rattles, or noises that didn't belong though.

ditto for me. I was another poster on that thread and returned mine to compusa as well. Lest we start yet another internet myth ("Darla, the SUB KILLER")...

My GUESS is a bad manufacturing run. I called tech support and he knew right away what I was talking about and told me to visit home depot...
If you have the issue, it is visibly (and touch) noticable, as described in some of the posts. You visually see that one or two of the screws don't attach to enough surface area to get a good seal -- they just don't look right compared to the other screws. You feel a strong burst of air in this area during an extended low bass scene like Darla's. Now I ain't no expert but I don't know that a sub is supposed to do that. You hear rattling during this. In hindsight, I recall that it just don't sound right either when doing a frequency sweep and it get's lower (under 40hz or so).
By the way, I did attempt the self-repair and still felt some air. Plus, I got myself further confused after the initial re-assembly when nothing at all could be heard from the sub. After another dis-assemble I found that one of the leads was disconnected. At this point, I just said screw it and returned it.
I since re-sequenced my upgrade strategy and just ordered a new VP150 center. I'll replace the sub later...

Which now leads me to a question suited to this forum... all along I was just looking for a sub that was econimical with good musical detail and accuracy (to fill in my M22 mains). I do watch a lot of movies, but I live in a condo and wasn't really looking to shake the foundations anyway. I succumbed to the buzz and tried the hsu. When I do decide to get the sub again, I may still go with that. But I guess I am more curious now as to what is wrong with the axiom subs and why do many axiomites have the hsu, svs, etc. ???

The more I hear about this STF-2 problem the more it sounds like simply a bad batch. The part that disturbs me though is that Hsu, known for great customer service, has been telling customers to fix it themselves. I'm curious to know if they're telling everyone that, or just the people who bought their subs at CompUSA that the "illegally" low price?

As to your question about Axiom subs. I don't think anyone has ever said that the Axiom subs are not good. The issue is that there are subs as good and better (Hsu being one of them) that cost less. Axiom owners are notoriously "cheap". We want the very best, for the very lowest price. That's why we own Axiom speakers! That being the case, Hsu (and a few others) fit that bill very nicely.