# Lava LSP12 Subwoofer Review Discussion



## Dale Rasco (Apr 11, 2009)

Lava Subs LSP12








Lava Subs is a relatively new company founded by a group of experienced audio engineers who have been in the industry for decades. Lava’s stated mission is to provide quality sounding, high performing subwoofers at a wholesale price. 

The LSP12 was delivered double boxed and hosts a 12 inch cellulose composite woofer in a front firing position. The cabinet has dual 3 inch ports that measure 10 inches each positioned directly under the woofer and whole cabinet is glued together on all of the edges. The amplifier is a 250 watt Lava branded plate amp that has all the common features for crossover, volume, LFE RCA input as well as speaker terminal connections.

*Published Specs:*
Speaker Type:	Powered Subwoofer
Enclosure Design:	Front-firing, front-ported
Driver:	12" coated cellulose composite
Power:	250 watt internal amplifier
Frequency Range, Lowpass:	22 - 200 Hz (+/-3dB) boost: 13dB @ 40Hz
Frequency Range, LFE:	24 - 400 Hz (+/-3dB)
Sensitivity:	200mV @ 250W
Crossover:	40 - 200 Hz continuously variable low pass
Inputs:	Line level RCA, speaker level
Cabinet Dimensions:	18 7/8" [479 mm] H (including feet) 13 3/4" [350 mm] W 16 3/8" [416 mm] D (including grill and amp)
Grill Material:	MDF frame w/ black speaker cloth
Available Colors:	Black vinyl, lightly textured
Price: $338 Shipped

*Construction:*
The cabinet itself is constructed of ¾” MDF with a black vinyl laminate finish and feels very solid. The corners are rounded for aesthetic purposes and the front grill is basic black speaker screen material stretched over a frame.

When I removed the driver, I was surprised to find that there was no additional bracing for the woofer itself. The lip on which the sub sits and attaches to is actually the same ¾” MDF routed to accommodate the subwoofer’s placement making the lip around .37 inches in thickness. Most people I know drive their subs very hard and having built my own sub, I can’t see it performing as adequately through some of the more grueling punishment I have subjected my subs to however; it is important to recognize that this is a budget sub and shouldn't be measured against subs costing twice as much. That is also not to say that the LSP12 doesn’t have an audience in our forum either. Pictures of the open cabinet can be seen HERE and HERE.


*Setup*
Setup and placement was relatively easy as this sub does not weigh much compared to my Outlaw and Shiva DIY. I took several measurements in two different locations. The first was on a concrete slab in the floor of my garage as to diffuse the risk of the test being contaminated by room extension. The second was in my home theater room to the left of the center. I also took another measurement running the LSP12 through my Behringer DSP1124 and setting various filters to compensate for room deficiencies.

​
One of the hardest things about reviewing this sub was around what my expectations should be as opposed to what I think a sub should do. I definitely wanted to give it a workout however; being a budget sub, it would also be unfair to expect it to perform at the levels my current subs perform. I felt the best way to achieve my goal was to test the LSP12 against Lava’s stated specs.

*Overview:*
In-room frequency response measurements were taken using Room Equalization Wizard utilizing a Galaxy CP-140. 

*Data Analysis:*
The specs state that the frequency response is 24Hz to 200Hz so I measured 20Hz to 250Hz using Room Equalization Wizard. I used three separate mic placements to verify the response and found that the same was true at ½ meter, one meter and two meters. I had the initially connected to the LFE and found that the one constant was that the roll off started at about 50Hz which then continues to drop 15 db on its way to 24Hz. After scratching my head a bit, I decided to try the Low Level Input and discovered that there was about a 13db boost on frequencies below 50Hz however; for the purpose of this review I went back to the LFE which is how most consumers will connect the sub.

*This first result shows the measurement from the garage floor and reflects the 15db roll-off that I mentioned earlier.*


 

*This second graph shows the sub in the floor of my home theater with no filters set on the DSP1124.*

 
*The final graph shows the response after setting the filters on the Behringer. This gave the LSP12 a much flatter response as well as boosted the lower end quite nicely.*

 

Subjective Listening​
*Reference System:*
For testing I used my Onkyo TX-NR3007 and a combination of Apple TV, Sony Playstation 3 and ASUS EEE Box 1501U running Windows 7 for sourcing the material from. 

*Music Reference:*

*Liquid Tension Experiment Universal Mind*
Universal Mind is one of my all-time favorite songs to test bass with as it has great punchy bass but avoids the over processed, electronic thump that is so common these days. Tony Levin’s bass line half way through the song is powerful by itself, but coupled with Mike Portnoy’s drums it offers a perfect balance of low and mid bass. The results were very pleasing to the ear and I couldn’t make out any discernable distortion as the progression built faster and faster. The LSP12 carried the lower end very well.

*Bass Boy I Got The Bass*
This one on the other hand presented a few obstacles for the LSP12. This is all about over processed/electronic bass and while the LSP12 kept up with the music, there was some chuffing going on when I turned the mains off and played it at 90db. Most of this material is very low for music, somewhere south of 30Hz, and is the kind of thing you would here inside your house as a teenager goes down the street in his tricked out corolla. Still, this did have me concerned for some of the other tests I had planned. 

*Movie Reference:*

*War of the Worlds (2005)*
I can't think of any better subwoofer test than the emergence scene from War of the Worlds. There is a ton of bottom end waiting to be explored from the ground shaking to the alien craft placing its leg firmly on the ground. The port chuffing was again present when I had the volume up at my designated reference level but could not be heard when the mains were on. 

*Transformers*
The scene I tested here was around the firefight near the end of the movie when Ironhide does the summersault over the lady in the middle of the street. I believe that sweep goes down to about 30Hz and I could not hear an issue with the chuffing there even with the mains turned off. The rest of the scene was fairly impactful as the LSP12 did its best to keep up with the rest of the system.

*Finding Nemo*
Darla’s tap scene is another must for testing the subs and I found a similar scenario that I had found with War of the Worlds in that the chuffing did exist, but could only be heard while the mains were off.


*Summary and Recommendation:*
The bottom line is that the LSP12 is a budget sub and as such there are certain things that need to be taken into consideration. I have no problem recommending this unit, and I have actually, to those that are just getting their feet wet with surround sound or that just absolutely can not afford to spend a lot of money on an expensive setup. I think that overall the Lava Sub performed very well for the price point. The bass is impactful and low as long as there is plenty of room extension to help it over the hump. Yes there is some minor chuffing but it really isn’t noticeable unless you are looking for it and are not running the mains. I did find that if the LSP12 was unable to go low enough to accomodate a particular frequeny, it would gracefully bow out rather than struggle and give the familiar mechanical "clank" that we have all heard from time to time. Let me be clear, this isn’t a replacement for any audiophile subwoofer however; you would be hard pressed to find a subwoofer at this price point that performs half as well. I actually sold the original giveaway LSP12 that I used for testing to an executive at my company and we now have a brand new, never been used unit in a box for our giveaway that we will announce soon!

I think it is important to mention that Lava seems to be very dedicated to customer service and resolving any issues that may come up as well. Lava has had some problems with UPS delivering damaged product, but I have seen definitive evidence that Eric Mortensen from Lava Subs has been there every step of the way to answer questions, address concerns and assure customers that they were addressing the issue and were going to take care of the problem and replace any units that were damaged. He was also very responsive to questions I had during the review process. I even know of one instance where they cross shipped a unit so the customer had his replacement as soon as possible. I think that speaks volumes about Lava's dedication and commitment to their customers and to their product.


----------



## drdoan (Aug 30, 2006)

Great review. Dennis


----------



## tcarcio (Jun 27, 2007)

For the money I really don't see a downside to these subs. They look like a great choice for someone on a strict budget or just getting into HT and want to start out slow. Great review, Thanks.


----------



## Dale Rasco (Apr 11, 2009)

Thanks guys and I agree, these are a great value and I think Lava will get quite a following in short order.


----------



## dachness (Feb 17, 2009)

Dale,

Would you know how the LSP12 would compare to an Outlaw LFM-1 Compact or HSU STF-2?

I was originally thinking the LSP12 because it would have more output...

I am helping my dad with a 2.1 music setup for a large kitchen which is completely open to a large living room. The setup will require a OAW3 Wireless Audio System from Outlaw so the LFM-1 Compact comes out to about the same price with current sale as the LSP12 when its all said and done.

Daniel


----------



## Dale Rasco (Apr 11, 2009)

Hi Daniel, I would go with the Outlaw only because of the OAW3. My thought is that it was designed with Outlaw products in mind so I would think there may be an advantage to keeping it all the same manufacturer. Also, depending on the time frame, the LSP12 is currently back ordered.


----------



## recruit (May 9, 2009)

As I said before this is an excellent review Dale :T


----------



## Dale Rasco (Apr 11, 2009)

recruit said:


> As I said before this is an excellent review Dale :T


Thank you John, I really appreciate the kind words.


----------



## bambino (Feb 21, 2010)

Great review Dale! For a budget sub you really couldn't ask for much more and it seems to be worth the :spend:. :T


----------



## ScottyRyan (Nov 18, 2010)

I enjoyed reading the review. I liked how you were able to point out the weakness of the sub without coming off as too harsh. It does sound like a good sub for those on a tight budget.


----------



## Voodoo Rufus (Feb 24, 2010)

Is the internal crossover defeatable?


----------



## Dale Rasco (Apr 11, 2009)

I am not sure if you are asking about bypassing the internal or if there is a frequency adjuster that can be maxed out. 

It you asking about bypassing then I am not sure. I would assume you could but not 100%. If you are asking about the frequency adjust then yes, there is a knob on the back that will allow you to adjust the frequency. My assumption is you were talking about the former and not the latter.


Thanks for the question though, it's something I need to keep in mind for future reviews.


----------



## Voodoo Rufus (Feb 24, 2010)

I meant a switch on the plate amp that will allow whatever processor/receiver that one may use to do the crossover remotely.

Maybe that's what the LFE input is for since it lists a higher frequency range than the other inputs.


----------



## Dale Rasco (Apr 11, 2009)

Voodoo Rufus said:


> I meant a switch on the plate amp that will allow whatever processor/receiver that one may use to do the crossover remotely.
> 
> Maybe that's what the LFE input is for since it lists a higher frequency range than the other inputs.


Oh, got it. In that case then the answer is yes. There is an asjustment knob on the back that will allow you to set the frequency manually.


----------



## atomik (Apr 8, 2009)

Hi !

I'm interested in buying a sub. 

I see that there is a phase switch 0-180° but in other subs the phase can be set between 0 and 180° continuously.

My question is: what is the more suitable sub ? one with a phase switch 0-180° or continuously adjustable ?


Thanks a lot.


Amaury


----------



## Dale Rasco (Apr 11, 2009)

Both of my subs use a phase switch instead of the knob. I have personally never been in a situation where I was left with an impression that either way was superio over the other. To me they are just two different ways of accomplishing the same task. I don't think it is a selling point unless there were no phase control available.


----------



## atomik (Apr 8, 2009)

Ok.

I understand that the sub needs to be in phase (with the signal) or out of phase to be in phase with the speakers.

So what's the advantages to be able to set a phase of 10° or 20° or X° ? 

Thanks


----------



## Dale Rasco (Apr 11, 2009)

A continuously variable phase control on a sub may allow slightly better control over a null than a 0/180 phase switch. Not much more other than that.


----------



## Picture_Shooter (Dec 23, 2007)

I swear I saw pics of this subs amp plate on here, was that picture removed?


----------



## Dale Rasco (Apr 11, 2009)

I didn't post any pics of the plate amp during the review. I could probably upload one though.


----------



## Picture_Shooter (Dec 23, 2007)

Hi Dale - 

That would be great if you could share some pics of it's internal guts.

I would love to see what kind of board / circuits are being used and how the box was put together (glue / bracing ect. Plus if you have a pic off the woofer basket / magnet / voice coils, that would be sweet also.
Thanks


----------



## Picture_Shooter (Dec 23, 2007)

Oh BTW, did you experience any ground-loop humm on your lava?


----------



## Picture_Shooter (Dec 23, 2007)

Ok, nevermind 


I saw the pic here


----------



## recruit (May 9, 2009)

That looks like a pretty solid design, it is ported so I'm presuming it has 2 tubes for tuning to its lowest frequency as they are not in the picture?


----------



## arclight (May 1, 2006)

Is it me or could they have done a better job with the cabinet ? Would a cross or radial brace have cost that much more ?


----------



## bambino (Feb 21, 2010)

arclight said:


> Is it me or could they have done a better job with the cabinet ? Would a cross or radial brace have cost that much more ?


It really wouldn't have a huge impact on performance by adding a brace. That's a trade off of having it be a "budget" subwoofer.:T


----------



## Dale Rasco (Apr 11, 2009)

recruit said:


> That looks like a pretty solid design, it is ported so I'm presuming it has 2 tubes for tuning to its lowest frequency as they are not in the picture?


Hey John, here is the pic I took that had part of the ports.


----------



## Dale Rasco (Apr 11, 2009)

Picture_Shooter said:


> Oh BTW, did you experience any ground-loop humm on your lava?


No, the sound was clean and didn't have any type of external interference or ground-loop humm to it. It was a very solid sub and I think it easily bests the BIC/Acoustech subs. My friend has the PL-200 and he really preferred what he heard out of the Lava over the his. Of course he plans on buying my Outlaw in a month or so when I get the Axiom EP800...


----------



## doc5150 (Jan 4, 2011)

Very good review, I have been considering one or 2 of these since I have replaced my 15 year old system with all new equipment, then build myself a 15in DIY later. Thanks for the review


----------



## browndk26 (Jan 3, 2011)

Would one of these subs be powerful enough to use in a 12 x 30 Basement room? The display would be on the twelve foot wall. The basement is carpeted with acoustic tile ceiling panels. Would two subs be better?


----------



## Dale Rasco (Apr 11, 2009)

Two subs would definitely be better. My room is 18X15 and I really felt it would need two of the Lava subs to carry the load.


----------



## chashint (Jan 12, 2011)

After you EQ'd the sub did you run any FR vs SPL sweeps ?
I would like to get an idea of how much outpu this little guy is capable of after you pulled up the low end.
During your testing did you hear any port chuffing ?
Sorry if I sound demanding LOL
I don't mean to be, I really appreciate the review, it looks like it was a lot of work.
Thanks for doing it.


----------



## Dale Rasco (Apr 11, 2009)

chashint said:


> After you EQ'd the sub did you run any FR vs SPL sweeps ?
> I would like to get an idea of how much outpu this little guy is capable of after you pulled up the low end.
> During your testing did you hear any port chuffing ?
> Sorry if I sound demanding LOL
> ...


I cam go back to the data and see if I can pull an FR vs SPL graph after using the DSP.
Yes, there was some chuffing, but it was only audible at higher volumes with the mains turned off.
You're not demanding, this is what we're all here for! :T


----------



## chashint (Jan 12, 2011)

Thanks for taking the time to look back through your test results.
Until recently I have not given chuffing much thought, but I sense that my constant begging is beginning to wear the wifey down ;-) so now I am paying attention to more things that may be at issue with subs.
I have seen several of the brick & mortar subs called out for chuffing but with the ID brands it is seldom mentioned.
Audioholics noted that the Hsu VTF3.3 chuffed in the 16Hz tune at high volume, unfortunately high volume is not a well defined parameter. I consider the Hsu sub to be fairly high end and if it has chuffing I would think that almost all ported subs will have it.
I am trying to get an idea of how loud a sub has to play before chuffing begins, or maybe they chuff all the time even at fairly low volume levels but it is drowned out by other audio that is present.


----------



## Dale Rasco (Apr 11, 2009)

The chuffing I experienced was when I pushed the volume to what I listen to as reference level which is 85 db with spikes over 100 db. The chuffing I heard was not predominate and could not be heard at all when the mains were on. I used to have two Klipsch Sub-12's a few years back and one of the reasons I got rid of them was because of a chuffing problem. The Lava is nowhere near as bad as those were and if I had Lavas instead of the Klipsch, I would not have gotten rid of them when I did.


----------



## doc5150 (Jan 4, 2011)

So chances are, when the Lava is set to audessey set up level which is 75-78db it may not even do it at all? Almost everyone i have read about buying one has been happy with it. Thanks for the good info


----------



## Dale Rasco (Apr 11, 2009)

doc5150 said:


> So chances are, when the Lava is set to audessey set up level which is 75-78db it may not even do it at all? Almost everyone i have read about buying one has been happy with it. Thanks for the good info


Correct! :T


----------



## browndk26 (Jan 3, 2011)

Dale Rasco said:


> Two subs would definitely be better. My room is 18X15 and I really felt it would need two of the Lava subs to carry the load.


Would going from a 10 inch sub to one or two 12 inch subs make much of a difference in this room? What does one gain by going up in the size of the driver?


----------



## craigsub (Sep 9, 2006)

browndk26 said:


> Would going from a 10 inch sub to one or two 12 inch subs make much of a difference in this room? What does one gain by going up in the size of the driver?


A 12 inch driver has 44 percent more cone area than a 10 inch ... assuming both subwoofers are designed with the same relative parameters for enclosure size, tuning, and driver throw ... and amp output ... you should see about 9 dB more with a pair of the 12's (co-located) and 3 dB more with a single.


----------



## browndk26 (Jan 3, 2011)

craigsub said:


> A 12 inch driver has 44 percent more cone area than a 10 inch ... assuming both subwoofers are designed with the same relative parameters for enclosure size, tuning, and driver throw ... and amp output ... you should see about 9 dB more with a pair of the 12's (co-located) and 3 dB more with a single.


So I would see an increase in output which would mean an increase in volume? I imagine more output would mean I could also adjust or calibrate the sub better to my room?


----------



## craigsub (Sep 9, 2006)

browndk26 said:


> So I would see an increase in output which would mean an increase in volume? I imagine more output would mean I could also adjust or calibrate the sub better to my room?


You are correct - 9 dB is a HUGE increase in output. This directly translates into more available volume. Let's say the 10 inch subwoofer can deliver 110 dB in room at 40 Hz with boundary gain (this is added volume from the floors and walls) and dual 12's can deliver 119 dB at 40 Hz.

Up to the 110 dB in output, the dual 12's will be working much less hard than the single 10, and will have the ability to handle short term transients much better for that occasional hard hitting bass scene.

Taking a car analogy - Two 3800 pound cars with identical transmissions, but one has 200 HP and can go from 50-80 MPH in 8 seconds while the other has 400 HP and only needs 4 seconds ... which would you rather have if you needed to pass a Semi-Truck on a two lane road.

Even though both will cruise at the normal speed limit, having the extra power is always good. 

And for most of us guys, it's fun !


----------



## asere (Dec 7, 2011)

Dale Rasco said:


> Lava Subs LSP12
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I am actually on a budget and am considering the Lava sub. Which sub is a better choice the Elemental Design AS3-250 or Lava LSP12? Does the Lava come with the Grill?


----------



## Dale Rasco (Apr 11, 2009)

I've heard a lot of good things about the ED AS3-250 but I have personally never listened to one. The Lava is a decent budget sub that I don't mind recommending because I think it offers a great value, but unfortunately I don't have enough data to say which one is better. Sorry I couldn't be more help.


----------



## asere (Dec 7, 2011)

Dale Rasco said:


> Lava Subs LSP12
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Great review indeed!!!


----------



## asere (Dec 7, 2011)

How low did the lava sub get on the frequency response. I'm sorry I didn't understand your measurement.


----------



## theJman (Mar 3, 2012)

Lava went out of business February of 2014, so these are no longer available.


----------



## Picture_Shooter (Dec 23, 2007)

theJman said:


> Lava went out of business February of 2014, so these are no longer available.



I saw on the website that it says *We've Moved*.

Any idea why they shut down?


----------



## Picture_Shooter (Dec 23, 2007)

Looks like they went the Authorized Dealer Network route.

Their new website is www.truaudio.com
Guess ID was not the direction they wanted to continue.


----------



## theJman (Mar 3, 2012)

Picture_Shooter said:


> Looks like they went the Authorized Dealer Network route.
> 
> Their new website is www.truaudio.com
> Guess ID was not the direction they wanted to continue.


TruAudio was the company that manufactured the subs from day one, which made it ironic that Lava used to claim "we are the manufacturer". They never actually were.


----------



## asere (Dec 7, 2011)

A few years back when I was looking at buying a sub I called the Lava company and they told me they would provide a code to get a discount on the sub. I don't remember how much the discount was but for being budget subs I guess they are not too bad. 
I never did buy one from them because I settled for a HSU at the time.


----------

