David Barteaux

SVS box VS cylinder subs..help

I don't care about price, looks, or whatever, but I want to pick the best woofer. Do the box subs sound better that the cylinder series? Plain and simple for those who have heard both.

WayneO

Owning a PC+ and now a PB2+, I'll give the smallest of edge to the box, but I would get a cylinder again in a heartbeat. If I wouldn't have to wait for a PC-Ultra that just was announced, I would be tempted to send the PB2+ back. Uh...........no I wouldn't, the power of this beast is unmatched for the price. :-) But you know, I bet the PC-Ultra may sound better with that better driver, hard to say since no ones heard it yet.

Dom P

I see the cylinder PCi models have the same amp and sub, just different tuning points. Same for the + models. How would I know which tuning point to get?

How are the PCi models compared to the PB1?

Edward J M

You would be hard pressed to hear more than subtle differences between these four subs:

25-31 PCi (25 Hz tune)
PB1-ISD (22 Hz tune)
"22-31" PCi (a 25-31 PCi with a factory 22 Hz tune – longer vent)
20-39 PCi (20 Hz tune)

They all employ the same driver, vent size, and amplifier.

The PB1-ISD and the "22-31" PCi will sound the most similar, since they have the same tune point.

The 20-39 PCi will troll the lowest, but it probably won't be obvious on most program material. And the 25-31 PCi will play the loudest by a small margin (maybe 1.0-1.5 dB) due to its slightly higher tune point.

The cylinders are a bit less expensive to manufacture, so they offer a slightly higher performance/$$ ratio. And they have a smaller footprint. The box is more traditional, and a box design is important to many prospective buyers.

Since they will all offer very similar performance, I think aesthetics and personal preferences will probably influence your final decision the most.

Regards,

Ed

Ed Mullen
SVS Customer Service
sales@svsound.com
techsupport@svsound.com

"What we do in life, echoes in eternity."

David Barteaux

Do the box or cylinder designs influence room acoustics differently? Has there been any measurements of frequency curve of each type in similar situations?

Rory Buszka

since bass at those frequencies is mostly about room pressurization, it is unlikely that the cylinder affects sound propagation or anything. The box might be heavier, though, since it requires bracing, while the cylinder subs do not. A heavy sub is a good thing in my book (especially when downfiring) because it is less likely to move around.

"It sounds like it's barfing out the bass." - Zach

David Barteaux

Ok if I go with SVS, I will opt for a cylinder.
I have been looking at SVS for some time now but I am still not sure. I can get a Paradigm Servo-15 for the same price as a 20-39PC+ here in Canada. This decision has been nagging me for some time now.

WayneO

As a Paradigm(speakers) and SVS(sub) owner, that's a real tough call. If you've compared everything and you still can't decide........get the one that looks best to you.

If the best advice is "listen for yourself", then why offer your opinion?