Dr. Hsu started with a subwoofer made of recycled cardboard tube called a sono-tube. It was seven feet tall. The experiment was powerful, and played pristine bass notes deeper than humans can hear, down to 16 Hz. Dr. Hsu called the design a "true subwoofer."

Although air shook all around the room, no harm was done. The volume could be turned down, and the deep notes were strangely captivating. Bass notes were known to exist throughout the ages in church organs and large drums, and they possessed a strong emotional impact on whoever heard them, regardless of personal background, culture, and age. Dr. Hsu's neighbors began visiting to hear the sound.

It was a good review in Stereophile magazine that sparked the first wave of customers. High-end audio enthusiasts read the reviews and were thrilled to save on full spectrum sound. Soon after, the early products sparked a tube subwoofer hobby amongst budget-conscious enthusiasts on the Internet.

Unknown to many, the secret to Dr. Hsu's exotic subwoofers had little to do with their external form, and more to do with what was inside: carefully engineered and matched components. Most engineers did not understand how to properly integrate all the parts in a subwoofer, such as the cabinet, driver, and amplifier. The idea came along in the late 90s of taking Dr. Hsu’s unique synthesis of components, and putting them into a smaller box—with an additional twist. The VTF series was born. Dr. Hsu's variable tuning technology (VTF) allowed for a subwoofer to play either low or loud by building into the cabinet two large, closable openings called ports. The "maximum output" mode became popular among home theater enthusiasts, who could fill large rooms with very loud bass by opening both ports. The "‘maximum extension" mode was preferred by music aficionados who appreciated pure deep bass by opening one port. Once again, imitation was inevitable.

In 2003, Dr. Hsu aimed for the mass market with the STF subwoofer series and Ventriloquist surround system. Dr. Hsu felt that high performance audio was gaining recognition and popular acceptance. Instead of throwing money into flashy parts, as is typical in the mass market, money went into high performance components. The new products reflected Dr. Hsu's beliefs that superior audio performance and reliability should be available to many people, not just a privileged few.

In 2006, Dr Hsu applied for patents on several new technologies, including the turbocharger, mid-bass module (positional optimization of low frequency reproduction), and a way of bending a port tube so it will perform as well as a straight port. The year 2006 also marked the acceptance of the Ventriloquist patent. These advances further widen the gap between the performance of a HSU product and the competition.

Today, Dr. Hsu spends his time behind the scenes, developing products for Fortune 500 companies and consulting privately with his customers. His goal is to design best-of-breed audio technology for the smart masses. Honesty, a mastery of engineering, and sound innovations define HSU Research.

Our Directory Listings
Subwoofers

Visit us online:
http://www.hsuresearch.com/