- Do subwoofers have to be clunky, bulky boxes? No, the Velodyne MiniVee X clearly proves that there are also compact, elegant and yet impressively powerful solutions.
It is amazing what measures ambitious music lovers often think of to optimise their audio systems. There are so many different possibilities, from the simplest to the most complex solutions, and much of it is usually highly efficient and therefore sensible, but some of it is at least worth discussing in terms of the actual added value given the effort required. But in the end, it’s all down to personal taste anyway, and experimentation is an essential part of the HiFi hobby.
One of the simplest measures, especially in the HiFi sector in general, but also in the desktop audio sector in particular, is something that is apparently often not even considered. We should therefore never tire of pointing out that the use of subwoofers, for example, can be an extremely promising upgrade, because even shockingly few HiFi enthusiasts think about optimising their own HiFi chain in this way, and beginners hardly have such a solution on their radar anyway. A clear mistake, because the gain in sound quality can simply be immense.
Subwoofers only for Home cinema?
Subwoofers are something you only need for home cinema solutions, so you kind of have to accept them, because of course you need a solution that provides the right bass foundation, no matter how powerful and numerous the other speakers in the room are.
But why bring something like a subwoofer into play in a fine HiFi system, especially if you have deliberately opted for a solution that is focussed on the essentials, compact and particularly elegant?
One reason for this attitude is probably also the fact that subwoofers were often not the most elegant solutions in consumer electronics and still aren’t today. Physics simply cannot be tricked, and since a subwoofer should be as powerful as possible while still delivering a solid bass foundation, a certain size, and to a certain extent a rather clunky-looking design, is a given.
Yet it would be a rather compact audio system, such as a slim shelf speaker system or even a graceful floorstanding speaker system, that would benefit most from an additional subwoofer and could even raise the performance to a whole new level of quality, as our test of the Velodyne MiniVee X from specialist Velodyne Acoustics GmbH proves.
And the Velodyne MiniVee X also proves one thing: a subwoofer may have a certain form factor that is simply dictated by physics, but it can be designed by true specialists to be comparatively compact and elegant, and sometimes even extremely creative.
Velodyne MiniVee X – A versatile solution for any living environment
The company Velodyne Acoustics GmbH is one of a handful of experts who deal solely with the development and production of subwoofers. The majority of the market is clearly dominated by loudspeaker manufacturers, many of whom of course also have fine subwoofers in their product range, but often see them more as a complement to their own product lines, especially in the home cinema segment.
Pure specialists in the subwoofer sector, such as Velodyne Acoustics GmbH, naturally endeavour to cover the entire range of subwoofer applications in the best possible way, i.e. to develop solutions that can be used particularly flexibly. And one of the smallest models in the company’s product range, our current test candidate Velodyne MiniVee X, is precisely one of these.
The manufacturer expressly emphasises that the Velodyne MiniVee X is a solution that can be seamlessly integrated into any living environment, and this is of course primarily due to its very, very compact size, but also to its very successful design.
The small, elegant subwoofer with a very special extra
When Velodyne Acoustics GmbH presented the Velodyne MiniVee X for the first time, they were content with just a discreet black version, initially relying solely on the very small dimensions of just 30 x 29 x 29 cm, although the subwoofer weighs an astonishing 15 kg thanks to its solid workmanship.
At ISE 2025 in Barcelona, two further design variants were presented, one of which was added to the programme as a regular model and the second as a limited special edition. The Velodyne MiniVee X is now no longer only available in discreet black, but also in high-gloss white, and for a short time you can find the subwoofer in the version we are currently testing in specialist shops, made of transparent acrylic.
Closed, front-firing subwoofer
As already mentioned several times, the Velodyne MiniVee X is a particularly compact subwoofer, but the developers have nevertheless made every effort to realise a very solid housing as the basis for optimum results. The regular version of the subwoofer in black and white is therefore made from MDF, with elaborate bracing used on the inside to prevent resonances that could damage the sound right from the start. With the special model in acrylic, you can even see how solidly the housing is designed, especially in view of the overall small dimensions.
Such a robust construction is also entirely appropriate, as the Velodyne MiniVee X is a very powerful subwoofer – once again in relation to its very compact dimensions – which is designed as a closed construction and works as a so-called front-firing subwoofer.
Eight-inch chassis with up to 800 watts of power
Two chassis are used here, both with a diameter of eight inches. One of these eight-inch long excursion chassis with a particularly efficient and therefore powerful dual-ferrite magnet motor and a two-inch voice coil with high-current capable four-layer windings made of high-purity copper wire is designed as an active driver, while the second chassis functions solely as a passive driver. This is therefore stimulated by the active chassis and de facto assumes the function of a bass reflex system, albeit in the form of a closed construction, which is more expensive to realise but clearly ensures greater precision in the performance.
Especially as the two drivers are installed in the left and right side panels of the Velodyne MiniVee X and are therefore positioned opposite each other. This so-called force-cancelling design means that no forces are transferred to the housing, even under maximum load, which in turn could lead to unwanted resonances and thus a distortion of the sound.
The active chassis of the Velodyne MiniVee X is driven by an amplifier module in Class D MOS-FET, so this is also a particularly efficient solution that produces a nominal output of 350 watts and even a peak output of 800 watts, ensuring that the small Velodyne MiniVee X can actually be described as a small power station for a solid bass foundation that covers a frequency range between 18 and 300 Hz.
DSP-based signal processing for maximum precision
However, power alone is not everything; it must also be utilised with appropriate control for maximum precision in reproduction. Of course, a subwoofer can only deliver optimum results if it is optimally tuned to the respective room and if it harmonises perfectly with the other speaker systems. The Velodyne MiniVee X achieves this through DSP-based signal processing, which relies on the latest electronics platform from Velodyne Aocustics GmbH and therefore the latest technology. This provides control at a digital level, right down to the filters, which in turn form the basis for room correction based on accurate room calibration.
The Velodyne AutoEQ Sub app, which is available for Apple iOS and Google Android, is used for this purpose. In combination with a suitably tuned calibration microphone included in the scope of delivery, the user can use it to achieve optimum tuning in the simplest possible way.
Equipped for all situations
Subwoofers in the compact segment in particular sometimes show some deficits in terms of connectivity, but the Velodyne MiniVee X is a completely different story. The developers have really thought of everything important here, and even a little more…
The Velodyne MiniVee X is ideally equipped to be used in a wide variety of configurations, both for HiFi in stereo and in combination with a surround sound system in the home cinema. It can also be used in combination with a soundbar or a soundbase around the TV in the living room without any problems.
First of all, of course, there is the obligatory LFE, i.e. the input that is required for control by common AV receivers in the home cinema, but also in the aforementioned interaction with a soundbar system or a soundbase. This offers two channels and is therefore also designed for integration into a stereo system. As a special feature in this class, it should be emphasised that the Line In is not only designed as a pair of RCA sockets, but is also available symmetrically in the form of a pair of XLRs.
This also applies to the outputs offered by the Velodyne MiniVee X: a pair of RCA sockets and a pair of XLR sockets can be used to integrate further solutions, such as a second Velodyne MiniVee X in series, whereby this is referred to as daisy-chaining.
Another option for controlling the Velodyne MiniVee X is to use its high-level input in the form of solid screw terminals so that it can be operated in parallel with the speaker systems. This is the most elegant solution if, for example, the amplifier does not have a separate output for a subwoofer. Some people even swear that this way of integrating a subwoofer is the best in terms of sound…
The connection panel of the Velodyne MiniVee X also has a few other special features, such as a trigger input and output with 12 V, so that the subwoofer can not only be controlled by external devices and thus put into operation, but the subwoofer itself can also be used to operate other components.
This is particularly interesting if, as already mentioned, you are using a pair of Velodyne MiniVee Xs. An exciting detail: the trigger signal is passed on by the Velodyne MiniVee X with a delay of five seconds so that no voltage peaks occur, especially when using two subwoofers.
A so-called Power USB socket with 5 V and 1 A can be used to integrate wireless modules that allow “wireless” control of the Velodyne MiniVee X, above all, of course, the Velodyne Wi-Connect II system offered by Velodyne Acoustics GmbH itself for this purpose.
The connection for the aforementioned measuring microphone and, of course, all the rotary encoders and buttons for optimising the settings of the Velodyne MiniVee X are also included.
Level, volume, phase and even the automatic calibration for room correction can all be controlled here, and as there is also a small display, this is very convenient.
Everything under control – the Velodyne AutoEQ Sub app
Of course, the setup and customisation of the subwoofer is even more convenient with the app that Velodyne Acoustics GmbH provides in the form of the Velodyne AutoEQ Sub app for smartphones and tablets with Apple iOS and Google Android. Unfortunately, this is not available under Velodyne in the App Store, but under the name of the developer Integrity Electronic Co. Ltd. However, a link on the Velodyne Acoustics GmbH website takes you directly to the corresponding download.
Hands-on experience
The first step is to integrate the Velodyne MiniVee X into the listening room in the best possible way. You shouldn’t be tempted to hide the subwoofer bashfully, even if this is probably the first impulse for many users. Be proud that you have bought such a fine piece of equipment, show it off!
Especially as the really compact and timelessly elegant Velodyne MiniVee X can be integrated comparatively harmoniously into any living environment in all available design variants.
Of course, the type of control you choose depends primarily on the intended use – home cinema or stereo – as well as the individual possibilities of the other components.
In our case, we used the Velodyne MiniVee X for our small, fine HiFi system in the study. It was connected to a Naim Uniti Atom via its preamp out using an RCA cable and thus served as a remarkably superior support for a pair of Chario Aviator Ghibli.
However, this first requires the reproduction to be adapted to the individual conditions of the room, the positioning of the subwoofer and the optimisation of the interaction with the other speaker systems, whether home cinema or HiFi.
When it comes to the initial start-up, there are a few essential settings to be made, especially the level adjustment, the setting of the filters and possibly the phase.
The best thing about the Velodyne MiniVee X is that the user doesn’t have to worry about how it all works at first; the automatic calibration and automatic room correction of the subwoofer take care of the most important adjustments to guarantee very, very appealing results without the proud owner needing any specialist knowledge.
As already mentioned, in the simplest case this can even be done directly on the subwoofer, but it is of course much more convenient to use the Velodyne AutoEQ Sub app on a smartphone or tablet.
The connection between smartphone or tablet and Velodyne MiniVee X is made via Bluetooth, so that all settings and optimisations can be made conveniently directly at the listening position.
To do this, you connect the supplied measuring microphone to the subwoofer and place it in the appropriate positions using the app’s instructions on the stand, which is also included in the scope of delivery, and carry out the calibration, which in turn forms the basis for the subsequent room correction of the Velodyne MiniVee X’s DSP-based signal processing.
But that’s not all, the correction curve determined can of course be edited manually at any time, and several curves can also be saved as presets and thus called up at any time, for example for different listening positions. If you prefer to do everything yourself, you can rely on a parametric 6-band EQ and, of course, the upper and lower cut-off frequencies can be adjusted just as easily via the app as the level and phase. And if you actually own several Velodyne MiniVee Xs, they can all be controlled via the app.
Who is the Velodyne MiniVee X suitable for?
Even if, as we have already mentioned several times, subwoofers are primarily associated with the term home cinema, the Velodyne MiniVee X is further proof that this is simply too short-sighted. In fact, our test candidate is of course also perfectly suited for this application scenario, especially as its compact dimensions and outstanding features make it ideally equipped to be used not only individually but also as a pair, which delivers incomparably better results in one fell swoop.
The compact dimensions also make the Velodyne MiniVee X an ideal playing partner around a soundbar or soundbase in the living room, and this should also be expressly mentioned once again. Of course, we also tested this on a very powerful soundbar, the Sennheiser AMBEO Max, and even there the Velodyne MiniVee X delivered a remarkable improvement in sound quality.
But it was really fun with our small HiFi chain consisting of the Naim Uniti Atom and the Chario Aviator Ghibli, because here the subwoofer was able to impressively demonstrate what it is capable of in an environment, it should be mentioned again, that unfortunately far too few HiFi enthusiasts even consider.
Bass dry to the point
Probably the most remarkable thing about the Velodyne MiniVee X is that it is an almost tiny representative of its kind, and yet it can get down to business so powerfully.
The little one can also be really loud when it needs to be, and never loses control, quite the opposite, everything is brought exactly to the point with the highest precision. The sound character can be expressly described as dry, concise and always free of colouration, which is a virtue in home cinema and a basic requirement in the environment of a stereo system.
At the latest when you realise from the first bar of the music that the entire HiFi system suddenly performs with a new lightness, a wider and deeper sound stage, because there is a new powerful competitor in the game that reliably takes care of the critical bass foundation, you will happily remember that you didn’t even have to budget € 1,000 for this striking improvement, this increase in quality to a completely new level in the form of the Velodyne MiniVee X.
Prices and availability
In view of all the points mentioned so far, this is what makes the Velodyne MiniVee X stand out: its outstanding price-performance ratio. The Velodyne MiniVee X is already available from specialist retailers for € 999, albeit in the two standard versions in black or white lacquer. You’ll have to invest a few euros more for the special acrylic model.
Getting to the point
With the Velodyne MiniVee X, Velodyne Acoustics GmbH once again impressively demonstrates why it is a recognised specialist in the subwoofer sector and one of the most renowned and innovative manufacturers. The Velodyne MiniVee X really doesn’t lack anything and can boast an outstanding price-performance ratio thanks to its performance data, outstanding flexibility and, last but not least, a well-equipped connection panel and downright intuitive operation. It can also be described as a truly universal solution, equally at home in home cinema or as an extension to a soundbar in the living room.
However, the tiny subwoofer, which is extremely easy to integrate into any living environment, is at its best as a playing partner in a compact HiFi chain, standing alongside bookshelf speaker systems and graceful floor-standing speaker systems as a powerful, always extremely precise competitor with a superior bass foundation. A clear recommendation is the conclusion of our test, as the Velodyne MiniVee X is clearly the reference in its price class.
| Product | Velodyne MiniVee X |
|---|---|
| Price | € 999,- |
With its very compact form factor and timelessly elegant design, making it easy to integrate into any living environment, its impressive features and thus the possibility of being used very flexibly from home cinema to HiFi to desktop audio, and especially its excellent sound with the highest precision and intuitive operation, the Velodyne MiniVee X must clearly be described as the reference in its price class.
Positive
- Attractive design
- Very robust workmanship
- Extremely flexible in use
- variety of connections as a prerequisite for flexible use from home cinema, as an extension for soundbars, HiFi to desktop audio
- amazingly powerful despite its compact form factor and yet always precise in its performance
- Very convenient, almost intuitive operation and therefore ideal for beginners
Negative
- a little more courage with colour would be desirable
Test Environment
- Naim Uniti Atom
- Chario Aviator Ghibli
- Roon NUCLEUS+
- Apple iPhone 14 Pro
- Apple iPad Air
- Signal cable from Oehlbach
- Power cables from Supra Cables
- Speaker cables from Oehlbach
| Brand | Velodyne Acoustics GmbH |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Velodyne Acoustics GmbH |
| Distribution | Audio Reference GmbH |
| More about this manufacturer at HiFi BLOG |
Conclusion
Sound
Design
Handling
Price/Performance
Excellent
Do subwoofers have to be clunky, bulky boxes? No, the Velodyne MiniVee X clearly proves that there are also compact, elegant and yet impressively powerful solutions.
