The SVS doesn't look THAT bad. Really, the only complaint my wife had was that the fabric looks too much like velvet, which she thought looked a little cheesy. But, I pointed out to Tom that my wife saw that due to the design on the SVS, she could easily sew a slipcover using any fabric she wanted, whether she wants to match the drapes or go with a more "modern" look. If paying $499 + $10 slip cover delivers me the output of a $2000 sub, I'll gladly take that exchange.
I've been EXTREMELY happy with my 25-31PCi, even if they are slightly over-hyped here (just slightly). No, I didn't lose any roof tiles or crack my foundation, but this sub delivers on all cylinders (or, at least one BIG cylinder!).