SVS Subs!!! Are they really that good??? (1 Viewer)

[Neil Joseph]

Folks, just a friendly reminder to keep things civil and leave out any personal attacks

 

[Mike Sloan]

I think we have another "BOB" in the making...they sound like soul-mates. Give me a break...Revel is about as overpriced as it gets!

 

[Mike Sloan]

Priced at $2,995 in Black Ash and $3,295 in faux Rosewood, Cherry or Sycamore wood veneers, ....

I think if I just spent $3000+ for a sub...I too would be uncomfortable with the "fact" that the SVS PB2+($1100.00)could kick it's buttocks!

 

[Jon Musil]

I got the follow-up call from Tom at SVS right on time and he was very helpful!

To keep this short, for me anyway, I talked with Tom about my layout and what sub would be best for my needs. I mentioned I had a chance to buy speakers at 25% off with 15 mo's no finace/payments this next week and that buying a sub from the same manufacturer was something that appealed to me.

Tom then offered to call me in response to an email anytime, even over the weekend if I had questions about what direction I should go, even with a competitors product!

Prior to starting my own business, I was a Lexus "Master Certified Sales Consultant" for several years at a perennial Elite Award winning Lexus dealership! So, I know what type of committment it takes to consistently provide exceptional customer service. Particularly when you get a well known reputation for providing amazing service, as the benchmark and expectations are very high! I could learn a lot from SVS and Tom! Awesome culture of customer service, Bravo Tom!

Jon

 

[VinhT]

Props to Chris Wiggles for demonstrating immense patience and tolerance.

When I bought my 25-31PC+ nearly a year ago, I didn't need to listen to it first. I had spent a few months reading all of the reviews and all relevant threads on various forums, so I knew it was accurate. The only "problem" I had with my SVS sub is that it took the fun out of the quest for better bass, as I have no more need to upgrade.

To me, there are two paths to phenomenal home theater bass. DIY or SVS.

 

[Bhagi Katbamna]

I agree with VinhT. I haven't upgraded my HT in about 2 years. And I have an unused channel on a Cinepro 3K6III.

 

[Mike Sloan]

It is fairly easy these days - provided you have the spare dough - to spend several "ten" thousand dollars on consumer audio equipment. Golden-eared reviewers in "High-End" audio mags will tell you things like only single ended Class-A triode valve amplifiers are to be taken seriously - any other amp configuration will "seriously degrade your stereo imaging and three-dimensionality" - and of course a pair of serious single ended triode class A mono-blocks with 15 Watts rated output will set you back about $15,000 or so. And I'm not even talking about the "superstitious magic" associated with interconnection cables costing $1000 a pair, $100-per-foot speaker cable, $1000.00 dollar power cords and the plethora of weird accessories supposed to further enhance sound quality by "neutralizing undesired side effects" of all sorts. Once you have bought into the above and shelled out your hard earned money...the thought of a "non-Gucci/name brand" company selling something better at 100th the cost will turn your world upside down. Those familiar with the placebo effect understand very well how vulnerable we all are to hearing differences that usually disappear when non-intimidating blind controls are implemented. It's hard to overcome the "Rolex watch phenomenon!" If I hit the lottery...I of course would buy the Krell, Theta, Wilson products....but hopefully I would also realize that I was light years beyond the point of "diminishing marginal returns."

Long live Outlaw Audio, SVS, HSU...and the like!

 

[MikeLi]

Mike.. I agree with all you had to say except the "It's hard to overcome the "Rolex watch phenomenon!"
Might work for home theater gear but not for watches. I don't own expensive HT gear.. but I do have good stuff. Pioneer RPTV, DVD recorder, Directivo, HD settop and an SVS sub and on and on.. Hardly an upper end HT set up but I would call it a medium setup. The Rolex is a different story all together... I have one that I saved for years to get and its one of the best investments I have ever made. Its doubled in value even though I wear it everyday.

 

[Dan Hine]

Well, after reading through this thread I think Eric is NOT the one that is being the most "brand biased." In fact, in my almost 3yrs as a member of this forum NO ONE is more brand biased than SVS owners. All of this started with him just saying he couldn't understand how you would buy something without having heard it...a reasonable point of view. Next thing ya know it's all "you haven't heard SVS. You're Biased. Yadda yadda yadda...." A lot of you guys that own SVS subs have never heard Revels or Rels, or Acoustic Visions or Rutledge Audio subs either. But you all own the very best bass out there of course.

This thread has gone just about nowhere after half way through page one...which is typical of SVS threads. Someone disagrees and all the bandwagon riders jump on them. There are other options out there, even Ron and Tom say that! Get over yourselves guys...

- Dan (owns two SVS subs) Hine

 

[Zack_R]

This thread has gone just about nowhere after half way through page one...which is typical of SVS threads. Someone disagrees and all the bandwagon riders jump on them. There are other options out there, even Ron and Tom say that! Get over yourselves guys...

The thread title is "SVS Subs!!! Are the really that good???" So no one should be suprised to find that there are pro SVS comments in the thread.

Eric on the other hand enters the SVS thread and suggests that essentially the SVS sub can't be good becuase he hasn't heard it. Then goes on to rave about his sub and why it's better than an SVS sub. I would reccomend Eric start a seperate thread about how and why he likes his sub instead of proliferating it here in what is essentially off-topic.

I think the intent of the thread title was to solicit actual owners of SVS subs or those that have at least spent a fair amount of time with an SVS sub to obtain the pros and cons.

I don't really see how a poster was helping answer the original posters question "SVS Subs!!! Are the really that good???" When he has never heard one.

Now for me to get on topic
I have an Ultra Sub and am very pleased. It has and continues to exceed my expectations. To me it blends perfectly with my mains and is much improved over my 12 inch Bic America 200 watt passive sub.

 

[Dan Hine]

I don't really see how a poster was helping answer the original posters question "SVS Subs!!! Are the really that good???" When he has never heard one.

He was offering up an alternative. A "do your OWN research and don't go just on hype." Something that happens very often and should be the first thing anyone says. There is no solution that is right for everyone.

So, on topic, is SVS really that good? It depends on what you consider good. Some will like it, some won't. And some want to listen BEFORE they buy. Listen to as many as you can and make your decision after that.

 

[Doug Fogle]

Okay,I'm writing this as someone looking for a sub and trying to create the best ht possible within my budget,which I think what most do in the real world.Maybe the original title was wrong but I didn't get the feeling the poster was trying to say they are the best in the world.Most people start off with this kind of question when theyre researching a purchase:what is the most sub I can get for $600?(or$1000,etc.)After you research at yoor price point maybe you decide to go abit higher because the reward is so great-i.e. for say $200 more you can get something you consider twice as good.I don't think anyone starting out to spend $600 suddenly decides he has to spend a couple thousand or more.And its not just a question of having the money or not-its what youre willing to spend.How many people go out to test drive a ford and come home with a Lexus?It doesn't happen,but that doesn't mean Lexus is not a better car.Its a question of whether its a better buy.Svs and Hsu are working under a definate handicap since you can't just walk into a B&M and hear their stuff.They compensate by offering products about which there can be no doubt the quality is higher than simiarily priced competitors.I'm not saying they do that,only thats its their goal.So yeah I might buy unheard because my research convinces me they are not only a good buy at their price but also better than anything substancally more.If I don't like it I'm out the return shipping.If I do maybe I just saved a $1000,who knows?Thats the appeal internet companies have-not that youre buying the best no matter the price

 

[JohnDG]

I never said I was surprised to see pro SVS comments. In fact I said I wasn't surprised to see SO MANY of them while detracting from other companies.

I don't know that the SVS owners are "that" detracting. In the multiple threads I have seen over the years, most SVS owners agree on a number of points: the HSU subs are another brand that is price and quality competitive; the Adire subs are good; that, when buying in Canada, that the Paradigm top-of-the-line subs are competitive; that you can get better price/performance from DYI subs; etc.

I think the "detracting" comments are along price/performance lines: that SVS will deliver deep, non-distorting bass with flat frequency response curve (sans room effect) high SPL output for a lower price than subs sold in stores. And, if the SVS subs (and any other mail-order subs) are made well, this makes sense: the distribution model is cheaper.

I think the two themes that I see challenged by SVS (and HSU and other mail-order sub owners) are that 1) good, accurate subs have different tonal qualities that require auditions to choose to taste (versus main speakers where this is certainly true, especially given room effects), and that 2) these same high quality subs are or are not "musical."

The conclusions drawn are: get a mail-order sub for the best price/performance for a sub in the less than $2,000 range. Not disparaging at all.

jdg

 

[Mike Sloan]

The conclusions drawn are: get a mail-order sub for the best price/performance for a sub in the less than $2,000 range. Not disparaging at all.

Would not the PB2+, Ultra and the B4+ challenge the big Vel, Rel,Mac subs?

 

[Zack_R]

So if someone, ANYONE, thinks that they are not then that comment should be welcome. And their comments should NOT have to be in a separate thread.

Even if they have not heard them, does not know anyone that has heard them has no links to reviews and doesn't state what audiophiles he is reffering to? How does that help Ralph? I don't think there is any doubt that Ralph knows there are other alternatives to an SVS sub. He said he had never heard an SVS sub not that he has never heard a subwoofer.

The comments for Eric to start a spereate thread were relative to the sub he has *heard* since he has not compared it to an SVS. Other people looking for info on Eric's sub and all the R&D that went into it will lkely miss it since it's buried in an SVS thread. I don't think Ralph wants a 100 page thread listing every subwoofer known to man. IMO, the question was specific to SVS and another brand would only be mentioned if they had performed a comparison.

"And some want to listen BEFORE they buy. Listen to as many as you can and make your decision after that."

That's a fair point but someone that doesn't know SVS could get the impresion that you can't return it and are therfore stuck with it. You also have to consider your time and gas to travel to (perhaps) several B&M stores in the hopes they will let you audition the sub at *your* home. They may not have one in stock and you might have to drive back. If you get it home and don't like it you have to return it.

Ralph see the SVS review page for professional as well as amateur *objective and subjective reviews* of SVS offerings. Then you may understand why 2 out of 5 people(in the thread you were reffering too) own an SVS sub. And why it's difficult to find many that were displeased with the purchase.

 

[Mike Sloan]

Dan,

Do you remember Bob and his obsession with HSU...or should I say Dr.HSU? There are alot of similarities here...the most obvious being that this individual HAS NEVER HEARD AN SVS!!!

Also he makes loaded statements like:

Out of all of the audiophiles i know none of them have heard of svs

Mail order woofers are just a bad idea in my mind

More time effort and experience has gone into the b15 than subs that cost twice as much. Svs does not have the tools or the man power to hang with revel.

Svs can not compete with all of the talent working for revel (Kevin Voeks from snell anyone???) Few companies can hang with madrigal.

Can I please get a show of hand of owners or previous owners of the b15??? How many b15 owners here have sold there b15 for a svs sub. Hello anyone????

Sooo, he gets what he asks for. I have heard the B15...and it is a fantastic sub....but nothing (properly setup) "dual" SVS Ultra's wouldn't shred.

 

[Ozzie_Sheikh]

Posted by Troy R - Since I live in the same city as Eric someone loan me some money so I can buy a PB2+, PB2 Ultra, or B4 and show us both what SVS is all about, since I haven't heard one either...

I will gladly accept donations on me and Eric's behalf.

Then maybe we can put this argument to rest. I've got Dynaudio's too so we could have the Dynaudio vs. Revel war too!

Does SVS allow tours in their Ohio shop? maybe we could hit that up!

Where are you located in columbus?

Ozzie

 

[JessPrice]

Anyone have an SVS sub near Colleyville/Grapevine?

 

[Dan Hine]

Then color me guilty for reading between the lines. SVS are great subs but mail order woofers are a bad idea. If it's a great woofer why would you care about the distribution model?

Because not every sub fits every persons need. For someone it might be the best thing ever. For others it might not be worth it at all. Just b/c he says they are probably good subs doesn't mean he would suggest them to someone...simply b/c if they are not the best fit for who he suggests them to then he (Eric) just cost that person money.

 

[Dan Hine]

I have heard the B15...and it is a fantastic sub....but nothing (properly setup) "dual" SVS Ultra's wouldn't shred.

Well, I know I'm outnumbered here so I'll head on out. If someone really doesn't like what I said then feel free to PM me.