Please help convince me to buy an SVS!! (1 Viewer)

[Kelly]

OK, here is my scenerio. I have HT fever. I have even drawn a layout for an addition to my home just so that I can incorporate a dedicated room and am going to talk to the builder this week. I now only have a pro logic receiver and Bose Acoustimass 15 speaker system. I am currently auditioning speakers and almost ready to purchase the Denon 3802 receiver unless something else comes along to confuse me. I would really like something to enhance my current system until the room is built and the other speakers purchased. I will get the receiver first. I am looking at many speaker lines, some with power towers, but I keep reading that a dedicated sub is unmatched and that SVS is the ONLY way to go. I am a man of limited means so each purchase has to be reasonable and beneficial, but I cannot afford to waste money buying "less" to have to go back and buy more later. I had rather buy QUALITY a piece at a time than to buy everything at once and later wish I had bought better. Please tell me the SVS is going to be a good step along with the receiver to improve my current setup. Please tell me that when added to a newer receiver, the SVS is going to overwhelm me even with the Bose. Please tell me my wife will notice the improvement!

 

[Brian Bunge]

Kelly,
Although I haven't heard the SVS subs, I think they're definitely the way to go. I would buy one myself if I didn't have so much fun building my own subs.
Brian

 

[BryanZ]

Okay. Your wife will notice the SVS. Big time. First due to its size. The next thing she will notice will be the sound. Run the mains from the Denon over to the AM sub (if one could call it that) module. Run the sub out to the SVS. Set all your speakers to small and then watch the movies and listen to the music. You will notice a drastic difference. Especially with movies such as The Haunting, Titan A.E., Matrix, etc. Your ears may need a week to adjust to the SVS but trust me. It will be well worth it.

 

[Brian Treinen]

Kelly,

I would recommend an SVS either the 25-31 or 20-39 in their CS line. Couple that with an amp you've got OR if you don't have one (which it sounds like is the case) try this.... Get either the 120W or 250W parts express plate amps and build small wooden box to put them in. I went with the 20-39 and the 250W parts express amp, it was very easy to put together and it absolutely ROCKS!! A friend of mine was over last week and after watching Phantom Menace he mentioned my sub was "the most awesome thing I've ever heard". Total was $600 all shipped. If you went with the 25-31 ($369 + $20) and the 125W amp ($79 + $10ship) you'd end up at $478. The 250W amp runs $125 + $10.

Like you we're building an addition as well - a new family room and SVS recommended TWO 20-39s! So far I think the one will be plenty and while 250W is plenty of juice for it I think 120W would do well too. Since we're going to be moving everything around (we're remodeling the whole first floor) I didn' want to bother with moving the whole cabinet and placing the SVS in the corner of the room (where it should be) replacing my current sub so I set it up just along the wall. My wife and sister could definately tell the difference with it placed there, after a Packer game I decided to put it in the corner - both of them were just wowed by the difference. You can't not notice the difference with the SVS!

 

[DonnyD]

Any of the SVS line will improve what you have significantly. I already had a sub and some major speakers but due to the hype surrounding the SVS, I purchased the 20-39PC model and will never look back. I've had mine about 3 months now and I can't imagine being without it. What your wife and yourself will notice, is that it will rearrage wall hangings a lot and you'll find rattles in a bunch of things (ie bathroom cabinets, kitchen, windows etc.)! The sub-bass coming from those SVS is simply outstanding and you will not be disappointed. I have read of those who have a dual SVS setup etc and I can't imagine how much bass they are getting !!!!

So yes, the SVS sub will be a significant improvement and a value to your HT. You seem to have targeted the Denon 3802 which will also be a significant improvement over your pro logic.

By the way, the fever will continue.... upgraditis is infectious but a new receiver, an SVS sub and some better speakers will quench the fever very, very well.

 

[Pete Jennings]

Your life depends on it! If you don't buy it to palpatate your heart subsonically you will die!
Quickly now, before it's too late!
Convinced now?
Pete

 

[Steve Morgan]

Kelly, I initally had a Paradigm Servo 15 which is a very good woof and has gleamed great reviews but due to my awkward and large room I needed another sub to try and get close to Reference bass for HT.I ended up after reading all the gushing reviews of the the SVS buying a 20-39cs and hooking it up on an open channel on a Parasound 2205a.I have to say after 3 months that the 20-39cs definitly keeps up very well with the Servo 15 and has not once bottomed out on me. Considering the SVS was $800 less than the Servo, this sub is a no brainer and a great bargain.My SO is very strict on the aestetics as luck would have it we have a fake ficus tree in one corner so I put the SVS behind it.I had to point it out to her before she noticed the sub.There are creative ways to blend the sub to a room.

I don't think you could go wrong with a SVS in your system!

Cheers,

Steve

 

[Martice]

I agree from my listening experiences with a dual 2531cs setup, the performance was really quite special and my first time hearing quality bass. Although I didn't wind up with an SVS(I went with Acoustic Visions), I will always hold a special fondness for SVS and what they offer product and service wise.

Psst. I did enter the SVS give away by the way.

 

[Ryan Schnacke]

If you need convincing its because you haven't heard one. SVS subs will drop your jaw. Period.

I agree with your priorities. I recently made a similar transition from mediocre speakers, Prologic receiver and no sub to quality speakers, DD and DTS receiver and SVS sub. And after the change I realized I was totally missing out on

digital surround sound and the lowest bass stuff. While the speaker upgrade was also a big improvement, it was more of an increase in quality rather than gaining something that I had been missing. So I think the new receiver and sub will be a biiiiig step up even using the Bose speakers.

Wire the Bose as you normally would: Receiver to bass module and then base module to satellites. But then set all speakers to small.

 

[Mark Zimmer]

If you watch newer movies on DVD, with heavy low bass, and you want something utterly gutwrenching, get an SVS or two. The 16-46PC I got a few weeks ago has become a treasured part of my HT. Nothing else in its price range will allow you to play *all* of the bass in Phantom Menace, with sonics so low it can make you physically ill. Of course, that benefit may run afoul of the SAF. But if you're going so far as to invest in an addition to the house for your home theater, you WILL regret it if you don't include at least one SVS in the package.

How's that? Convinced yet?

 

[RichardH]

SVS is definitely the real deal, but you might think about replacing the Bose first. It's really going to limit you in terms of volume and quality of sound if you add an SVS to it.

If you can, replace everything at the same time, or replace the speakers first (w/ receiver).

 

[Saurav]

I am looking at many speaker lines, some with power towers, but I keep reading that a dedicated sub is unmatched and that SVS is the ONLY way to go.

The ONLY way to go? I think that's BS. Even the owners of SVS think there are other subwoofers out there which offer great price/performance ratios.

There's never any ONLY way to go. Especially when you have a limited budget. I've seen several people on here with systems where they have 5 speakers for $500 total and a subwoofer for $700, and that's usually an SVS. Yes, it's an excellent sub, and yes, a good sub costs money, but a sub cannot fix the shortcomings in the rest of your equipment. A well-balanced system is always better than a system with one superlative part and other crappy parts.

IMO, of course.

 

[Reginald Trent]

Use the HTF search feature on SVS. If you aren't convinced after that there ain't no convincing.

 

[Eric Gan]

Hmmm...I know the original poster asked for advice to buy an SVS, but I can't honestly recommend one before upgrading the mains! SVS with Bose cubes and a Denon 3802? Something's out of whack there...
My advice for what it's worth, is to get a decent pair of mains. Run them as large until you can get the SVS, or whatever sub you may end up with.
Don't get me wrong....I'm not trying to knock SVS. I have a 25-31 CS and wouldn't trade it for the world....well, except maybe dual 20-39's
Regards,
Eric

 

[MarkO]

Seems I posted in the wrong post :frowning:

 

[Dave Vaughn]

SVS in an apartment = INSTANT EVICTION!!!

 

[John Morris]

I agree with, ummm, Saurav!
Really, as much as I love my SVS Ultra sub, I'd never consider a subwoofer until I had my front two channels covered for music playback... and I aint talkin Bose. Sell the Bose and build your system around a fantastic(to you) full range set of front speakers.

 

[Neil Weinstock]

While I would never understate the importance of good mains, I don't think it's completely ridiculous to have a sub that's way better than the mains, for one basic reason: You can (IMHO) enjoy the benefits of a great sub no matter what the rest of the system is doing, provided the mains are set to small, and not mucking up the bass. Bass is the sort of thing that's just *fun* all by itself, at least for HT. I wouldn't make the same claim if music is the main goal.

Now, I would say that having fantastic amplification with crappy speakers is an obvious waste...

As for SVS, I'm sure happy with mine. I consider it to be a much better component than my mains (DefTech ProCinema 200's), though I don't consider the DefTechs to be crap. They are a future upgrade target, though, once I take care of a few other things.

 

[Saurav]

I guess we just disagree on that. If I were building an HT system from scratch on a limited budget, I would consider clarity of dialog and soundtrack presentation to be more important than bass. Actually, I would shoot for balance between components, with no one peice being in a totally different league from the rest.

You're right, this is probably a personal choice, dictated largely by one's taste in movies and music.