Hi All,

First time poster, long time Aperion enthusiast. I have a 5.1 system with 533PTs in the front, 532 surrounds, 533-VAC, and a new Bravus 10 sub. Combined with my Onkyo receiver, Planar 47" HDTV, and game systems, my family and I enjoy our system very much. My family never says to me, "Gosh Dad, I am sure am glad we have an Aperion Audio 5 series system!"

However, I have enjoyed watching them jump at extra loud thumps and explosions, scream out the lyrics to songs written before they were born as we play Rock Band, or groove to perfectly balanced music while doing homework.

It is these moments that make it worth it. I know it sounds corny, but it is true. It is also these moments that inspired me when designing the new Bravus sub.

With the direction of Aperion's web marketing team, I am responsible for most of the images and flash you see on the Aperion site. It is a truly wonderful to design for a company driven by Aperion's values and products that create such joy in people. When I heard from Aperion's sound guru Ken, about Bravus' unique dual drivers I jumped at the chance to design it. I researched subwoofer designs from the outlandish to the mundane and discovered an opportunity to break out of the box.

As an Aperion customer, and budding audio enthusiast, I know the pain of wanting the best sound while needing to appease my wife's concerns about budget and decor. One complaint she has had is the size of the S-10, my original sub. In order to keep it in an optimal location, I had to let her put some books and a big candle on top of of it (I know, horrible). When I found out it would be much smaller and have more sound, I was even more excited. The goal for me was to create a design that was unique, without going over the top like most examples, compact, and that would convey the key attributes of the Aperion brand.

The dual driver configuration led me to use symmetry as a key design element. Center mounting the logo and revising the treatment from an applique with a small Aperion logo and type to a one piece aluminum  logo bar was the starting point. Although a small element, this is a main cue point for the design. The cabinetry for the sub, although still retaining the traditional box shape, was inspired by classic designers like Eames and Aalto. The wrap around design accentuates the drivers and really shows off the cherry finish.

The display and controls was a little controversial for me. I felt it would really disrupt the symmetry of the design and I didn't really know if people would use it. The Aperion team and I iterated on several different designs, even one on the top (which made it difficult to operate from the couch via IR), and came to rest on the solution you see on the product today. In the end, I am very pleased with the design. The display bezel aligns well with the midline of the cabinet and the logo. A lot of time was spent on the size of the bezel and the controls to ensure they would register as a single shape. It disrupts the symmetry, but compliments the design providing a welcome relief to the face. The remote design was also an important extension of the design and was given equal attention.

Then, when I finally got my Bravus I realized the true beauty of the remote and display. Although I doubted the actual use of this feature at first, I was pleasantly surprised that it really is cool! Being able to dial in sub volume and settings on the fly is great! Doing it from the couch is even better. And although I like the remote, I will like it even better when I program it in to my Harmony remote. Of course, my only wish is that the whole surface of the bezel could have been an full color LCD touch screen but somebody told me that would cost a fortune.  ;-) Someday, when LCDs are sold in vending machines, we'll make that happen.

As a designer, there are always things that I want to change. Bravus is no exception, but I probably see things that no one else sees and have ideas that would make the price skyrocket (something Aperion, believe it or not, is not a fan of). As I look at it across my living room, awed by it's simple yet elegant design and bathed in it's clean bass, all my wishes go away... at least until the next design.

Hint: One thing I found out the hard way is that receiver settings for the S-10 won't necessarily work for the Bravus. I thought I would be able to just swap the Bravus in for the S-10 and call it good. No dice. It wasn't until I re-calibrated my receiver for the Bravus that I was truly happy. Once I did though, it was beautiful. You really have to see (and hear) it to believe it.
 

Skylark, it is nice to get the design perspective, thanks for your post.  I am in agreement with you (as seen in my previous post) that they only thing I don't like is the protuding control buttons.  To me, it distracts the eye to that one point.  However, it is a relatively minor point in context of the overall design.  Nice job.

And thank-you for those rubber feet, I know others with hard wood floors will appreciate it!

Rubber feet as well as a host of other cool features are do in large part to the incredible team at Aperion. I was but one part of the process. As far as the controls, they are something I look forward to revisiting. Especially since I enjoy messing with the settings so much with my remote. Of course, in the pursuit of perfection, there is always something.

Thanks for the reply!

 
—David
 

Perhaps you could have went RF with the control. Then you could have buried the controls in the back. Just an idea for the next version. It was not enough to steer me away from the sub, but I did say EWWWWW, when I saw it. I hope that live, and in person, it does not detract as much as the picture indicates.

---

Scottiemon

Although I agree with going RF, I've got the S-10 sub in high gloss.  Certainly nice, but it's still just a box.  To me, the Bravus line look different, and that's a good thing.  Ok, Aperion, ship my damn 10D already

---

Speakers: Aperion 6T, 6C, 5DB, 6IC, Bravus 10Dx2
Monitor: JVC RS20U front projector with Stewart Velux 100" screen
Receiver: Yamaha RX-V1800
Blu-ray: Yamaha BD-S2900
Amplifier: Emotiva UPA-7
Conditioner: Panamax M5300PM

JoeZ:

Although I agree with going RF, I've got the S-10 sub in high gloss.  Certainly nice, but it's still just a box.  To me, the Bravus line look different, and that's a good thing.  Ok, Aperion, ship my damn 10D already

Should start shipping the subs today my friend. Be ready!

 

---

David Bolt
Aperion Audio Guru
www.aperionaudio.com

Sweet, thanks as always!

---

Speakers: Aperion 6T, 6C, 5DB, 6IC, Bravus 10Dx2
Monitor: JVC RS20U front projector with Stewart Velux 100" screen
Receiver: Yamaha RX-V1800
Blu-ray: Yamaha BD-S2900
Amplifier: Emotiva UPA-7
Conditioner: Panamax M5300PM

Here till 4:00 Ken. Come on down if you like!

 

CD

---

Caleb Denison

This is another thread that has generated a lot of interest since Aperion’s announcement for a new line of subs that, I tend to believe, Aperion wasn’t totally prepared for considering the “all-over-the-board” reactions generated thus far.  Bearing in mind both the positive and negative feedback from owners and potential customers (I’m a potential); here’s my response and opinion(s). 

 

• I don’t care if the enclosure is constructed from ¾” material, 1” material, 3” material, ¼” material, or concrete: if it’s acoustically inert and doesn’t resonate or contribute anything audible during exuberant use, how does this matter?
• I’ve previously posted that the size of the sub matters to me since I have WAF/space considerations (primarily space): from my perspective…smaller is better and I applaud Aperion’s choice to downsize!
• I’m an engineer who appreciates symmetry: the new design looks unbalanced with the digital display and (I’m assuming) manual touchpad for control off-centered and emanating from the side of the sub.  I don’t particularly like it; it may sound (and measure) great, but it looks odd to me.  But some folks might love it, which confirms the adage…”beauty is in the eye of the beholder”.  Take this opinion for whatever it’s worth.
• Having said this, I appreciate Aperion’s decision to “blank” the display’s illumination after a few seconds of user inactivity…however, while less noticeable, it still looks odd to me (sorry).
• I like the use of active dual woofers, and the side-firing-alignment appeals to me since I believe this will reduce the likelihood of localization by propagating sound from multiple directions from an essentially single point-source.  In my sub’s corner placement this is likely to work well since both drivers will have a few feet of unobstructed path to both side walls for dispersion.  However, I don’t believe this alignment will work as well in applications where reflective surfaces are perpendicular to the drivers and in close proximity (say, less than a foot or two), and certainly not within the 2” mentioned by Aperion in a previous post.  Frisky/enthusiastic use is likely to induce vibrations/resonances in adjacent objects, and this will probably have undesirable (audible) effects to the surfaces being assaulted by the movement of air. 
• From a more technical perspective, and to a lesser degree, I can tell you from professional experience (and measured results in precision-pneumatic machine-control applications) that the drivers themselves will “see” or “feel” this backpressure generated from reflective surfaces in close proximity.  This might manifest itself in alterations to the drivers’ frequency response and/or power requirements (probably both) when compared to installations where reflections and proximity are not an issue.  Is the frequency response/power-consumption thing a big deal?  Maybe not, but I would definitely leave as much space as possible between the woof’s radiating surface(s) and any interfering boundary….and certainly more than 2 inches.
• I commend Aperion’s inclusion of EQ but believe that any required equalization not adjusted by some “automated” method (YPAO, Audessey, etc.) is going to be very difficult for the average user to accurately tweak/correct by ear (or factory-selected/defined presets), so I think Aperion should have included some sort of provision for accommodation and choice…meaning a microphone and subroutines for users once they’ve accessed the amp’s setup parameters.  A competitor of Aperion offers this arrangement using a single 10” driver in a similarly sized package, and for the same price as your dual 8” design.  Due to the localization thing mentioned, I remain a fan of dual-driver configurations but suggest you explore the inclusion of automation when you next decide to upgrade (just my opinion).
• While the mention of Parametric EQ is an attention-getting marketing strategy that will probably help sell a lot of units, Aperion should also take the extra step to include instructions concerning the need to acquire a SPL meter, graph paper and explanations for measuring and calibrating/adjusting the sub’s response to minimize the modes (“poles”, “zeroes”, humps/dips…whatever) inherent in any room due to its boundaries.  I further believe that this is an essential requirement to maximize the long-known benefits of EQ, i.e., to “flatten” the frequency response of a driver by altering its behavior during excitation.  Short of this, Aperion should encourage prospective owners to play/experiment with the EQ until they determine settings that sound best to them, and be prepared to spend a bunch of time doing this with the understanding that what sounds “best” to them might not be the most accurate…and accuracy is what every mfg touts as one of their most compelling features when compared to the competition.  In any event, encourage your customers to get involved with their purchase, play with it and experiment, and then enjoy the results of their efforts.
• The introduction of the Bravus line represents a noticeable increase in cost (~ 25% and more) which might possibly be a determinant in the purchasing decision for more than a few customers: I hope Aperion will continue to offer the Intimus line of subs for the foreseeable future (until the end of 2008?).
• I’m pleased to hear that Aperion will furnish access parameters/codes for the Bravus line for inclusion in users’ remotes.  I purchased a Harmony 880 around a year ago and absolutely love it…the most useful device I’ve had my hand on in the past 15 years (five other remotes are now redundant and relegated to emergency/backup status).  Readers of this forum: if you don’t own an automated remote that’s programmable via an on-line connection, you really need to check this out.

 

A final observation:

 

Jack Gates previously posted his concern regarding the power consumption of the S-10 sub when the power switch was set to its “OFF” position and the effect this condition might possibly have regarding the life of the amp.  In addition, I provided a follow-up response to his post requesting clarification from Aperion to properly address his observations.  Aperion responded to Jack’s post with the following from Caleb: 

 

“In reading these most recent posts, I realize that there are concerns amongst some of you that we at Aperion may have glazed over this topic. To put it another way, it may appear to you that we have not taken heed of your findings or perhaps gone so far as to ignore them. That this concern exists is something I feel responsible for.

Please allow me this moment to assure you that we are addressing this concern. Pursuant to the information provided to us by Mr. Gates and company, and in conjunction with findings that were provided to us by an independently contracted engineer, we have initiated steps that will reduce the amount of power consumed by the subwoofer amplifier in its standby and off positions.  I am sure that you can imagine these processes take a fair amount of time.”

 

Since Aperion has chosen to discontinue the Intimus sub, the S-10 inquiry now becomes moot.  However, Jack’s original question remains valid and Aperion’s acknowledgement of his concern should logically apply to the current Bravus design. 

 

My question to Aperion is: how much power, in watts, is drawn by the Bravus line of subs when the owner sets the power switch to its “OFF” position? 

 

Fred Swearingen

I spent a couple of hours at Aperion this afternoon with my primary goal of hearing the new subs.

But first I got treated to the new 5T which they had just gotten in.  I must say that they sounded very good and that I believe most folks will be pleased with the improvements.  We did a little A/B testing with the old version.  The mids are not nearly as harsh, but rather have a warmer/fuller tone while going deeper on the low end.  The highs are not as bright and yet more pronounced/crisper.  Overall, a very nice upgrade.

The subs are very noticeably smaller than the older versions (I initially mistook the 10 for the 8).  I listened to all the models but focused on the 12. 
Let me start but saying that they all are a major upgrade over the older models.  We did A/B on the old and new 12s and it wasn't even close.  The Bravus subs are so much cleaner and more powerful, effortlessly delivering tight bass.  We started off listening to music where it was evident that the new 12 was very clean compared to some mudiness in the older version.  On an intro to a Diana Krall song with an upright bass, you could clearly hear the plucking of the individual strings.  It sounded as though the instrument was right in front of me, smooth and natural.  And when you crank these up, the whole room vibrates but the bass never sounded the least bit strained.   We then compared the two listening to a battle scene in Master and commander.  I thought music would high light the difference more, but we heard just as much differnce in the movie.  The new 12 was so powerful and yet at the same time they sounded incredibly real.  Most impressive, even though we had them cranked, they still blended very naturally into the rest of the sound track.   Needless to say, I was extremely impressed with the new subs.

Scottiemon, you are going to love this new sub.  And yes, I will be getting one for myself (can't give them a bigger endorsement than that).

 

Ken,

Wow! Thanks for the review. I am so stoked, I cannot even explain it. The only thing holding my order up is the @##%$ wall mounts. Yes...WALL MOUNTS.....GRRRR!  By any chance did you listen to the 5Bs or the 5C? I did indeed upgrade my order to the new speakers.

Anywho...if the mounts come in on the expected date, I should be pumping glorious sounds through my Aperions two weeks from today. It's nice to have that little kid waiting for Christmas feel again. However, anticipation can be a beee-otch!

And to Davey Gravey, thanks for your time this afternoon helping me to switch my order.

---

Scottiemon

I spent a little Quality Time with the 5Bs today - I think they represent a much bigger quality jump than the 533-T to 5T.  They look and sound amazing, and I'm currently trying to figure out a justification for getting rid of my entire collection of speakers for a 5 series 7.1 system with 5Ts in front and 5B's all 'round and a bravus 10D.  Weee shalll seeeeee. 

---

Word.

Thanks for the info Ken!

 

You are making me strongly consider switching out my Intimus S8 for a Bravus sub. :) 

I did not take the time to listen to the 5B or 5C, but it looks like Alex did.