Hardware Review SVS SB-2000 & PB-2000 Subwoofers Review (1 Viewer)

[Todd Erwin]

The new 2000 series of 12-inch subwoofers from SVS features their new Sledge STA-500D amplifier with DSP controls, boasting 500 watts of power and distortion-free performance. The subwoofers come in a sealed (SB-2000) and ported (PB-2000) design. SVS sent samples of these new products for Home Theater Forum to evaluate, and our review is in.

SVS SB2000 & PB2000 Subwoofers Review​

I’m often asked to assist a client in getting the most for his or her money when selecting gear for a new home theater, and regardless of budget, one thing I stress is to not skimp on speakers, especially when selecting a center channel and, more importantly, a subwoofer. The subwoofer can be one of the most important speaker components in your home theater, not only providing that room-shaking rumble during explosive action sequences, but complimenting and filling in the lower frequencies that your other speakers may be lacking. To be honest, I do not always follow my own advice. My home theater setup consists of the following:

[*]Samsung 60F7100 HDTV
[*]Marantz SR5008 Receiver
[*]Polk TSi100 Bookshelves (L+R)
[*]Polk CS10 Center
[*]OSD PS10 Subwoofer
[*]Energy CB5 Bookshelves (Surrounds)
[*]Sony BDP-S5100 Blu-ray
[*]Sony PlayStation 3 120Gb Slim
[/list]

Currently, what may be the weakest part of my home theater is my subwoofer, the OSD PS10 (which I reviewed in 2011). And that is my baseline when comparing the SB2000 and PB2000 subwoofers from SVS. For home theater use, the connections and settings for both the SB2000 and PB2000 are simple and identical. Simply connect one subwoofer cable from the LFE Pre-out on your receiver to the Right Channel input on the subwoofer (which is also marked as LFE). Set the volume to 50% (12:00), leave the phase at 0, and rotate the low pass filter to LFE. Plug in the power, flip the switch from Standby to ON, and run the receiver’s calibration program. My Marantz SR5008 receiver did have some difficulty detecting an acceptable level for both the SB-2000 and PB-2000, and per the recommendation of SVS tech support, they suggested running the calibration again, but setting the volume on the subwoofer to 1:00 or 2:00, then adjusting the volume back to my own personal preference. The Audyssey program on the Marantz suggested crossovers of 60Hz for the fronts and 40Hz for the Center and Surrounds. The detected settings were identical between the SB-2000 and PB-2000.

Rear view of SB-2000​

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Rear view of PB-2000​

SB-2000

Front view of SB-2000 without grill​

Specifications:

[*]New SVS 12” 2000-series driver
[*]New Sledge STA-500D DSP amplifier, 500 watts RMS (1100 watts peak dynamic)
[*]Premium black ash finish
[*]Protective non-resonant steel mesh grille
[*]Rigid and braced MDF cabinet
[*]19-220 Hz ±3 dB
[*]FEA-optimized motor technology for low distortion.
[*]Heavy-duty 2” voice coil for extreme power handling.
[*]Upgraded Nomex spider for improved linearity and driver control at extreme drive levels.
[*]500 watts RMS continuous (1100 watts peak dynamic), Class D power with 'green' (

 

[PaulDA]

Just ordered a PB-2000. Looking forward to reaching "the next level" (my current sub is decent enough, but it is 10 years old and doesn't play in the same league as the PB-2000).

 

[Mike Frezon]

Congrats, Paul. I've had a PB-1000 for a couple of years now and have been loving it!

Mine was an upgrade from a Sony SA-WM40. HUGE difference!

Impressive amounts of bass (when called for), but absolutely no boominess.

And my dogs love it, too!

 

[PaulDA]

My current sub is a Boston Acoustics PV900. No slouch in its day (especially at the price I paid for it), it's been 10 years. Don't think I'm being too hasty with the upgrade.

 

[Mike Frezon]

It's important to pace ourselves...

 

[Robert Crawford]

Just ordered a PB-2000. Looking forward to reaching "the next level" (my current sub is decent enough, but it is 10 years old and doesn't play in the same league as the PB-2000).

I am probably going to buy that same sub before the summer is out. Keep us informed about your experiences with it.

 

[PaulDA]

Will do.

 

[PaulDA]

A revised graph (compared to those I posted in the other PB-2000 thread) showing the SVS alone without EQ, alone with EQ and combined with the PV900 with EQ. The scale of the graph is logarithmic, rather than linear, as, apparently, this makes for a better graph according to those who take of REW. So far, sounds great. Green trace was recorded with a lower volume setting, so the peak at 22 or so hz would be about 7dB higher than it is, just to give an idea of how effective the Anti-mode 8033C subwoofer EQ system is for taming big peaks.