SVS PB12-Ultra/2 Pics and impressions... (1 Viewer)

Here's a few pics of the "temporary setup", forgive the mess and crap, just showing it off for now...







Man, pictures do these subs NO justice, the finish is SOOOO much better looking than the pics show. I was shocked at how nice it looks, I REALLY LOVE THIS SUB!!! I had a chance to do a little demoing, just a couple CD's, no movies.

First off, no calibration was done, I can't find my SPL meter right now with the move, I had to go to the storage unit and get all my other stuff (Receiver, speakers, DVD player, etc) just to listen to this beast

I put the gain at 1/4 and my receiver at -5.0 on the sub level, per the instruction manual. I had one port plugged, Subsonice filter at 20hz, crossover disabled, crossover on the receiver at 80hz, I also turned the PEQ to it's lowest setting to keep it from doing stuff, also per instructions. I set up a 2 channel rig with my Klipsch RF-7's, powered by my Pioneer Elite VSX-53TX (set in direct stereo mode), Denon DVD 1600 player connected via Optical cable.

Initial reaction to the PB12-Ultra/2.... AMAZING!!!!!!!!! I am floored by the sound it has, VERY tight, VERY clean, and VERY VERY powerful as far as I can tell, it seems pretty accurate, I haven't measured my room responses yet, but I will soon. I didn't crank it very loud (-18 on receiver uncalibrated), as my newborn was there in the house too, but I did get it up enough to know that it just hits hard for music, plays everything perfectly! I CAN'T WAIT to hear some movies when I get my TV in there (Monday) and at MUCH louder volumes

At low volumes, say -35 on my receiver, it still displays great performance, it's MUCH better than my 3 20-39's for music (at all levels), I really was never impressed with the 3 20-39's for music, couldn't figure it out, just didn't seem to be there. I have a feeling the Ultra will be able to out perform my 3 20-39's in every way, it just seems that much better to me for some reason. I LOVE the cylinders don't get me wrong, maybe it's just the Ultra driver that makes it that much better than the 2 ISD's + 1 db12 that I had working together, don't know.

I know this review sucks, mostly just my opinion/view, and I will get it more accurate with a graph of the frequency responses, etc in the room. But as for my initial reaction/review, it's a KICK ASS sub, I will NEVER get rid of it, and it's worth EVERY DAMN penny of that $1799, hell, even 2 or 3 times as much, it's just killer!

With it sitting next to my Klipsch RF-7's, it DWARFS those RF-7's, unbelievable , it's BIG, not as big as I was expecting, but BIG! I will get a pic tomorrow of what it looks like in the room compared to the RF-7's, etc.

I know you all that are waiting for yours will NOT, I repeat, NO WAY be dissapointed with this PB12-Ultra/2 (new name for Ron ). Man I want to go listen to it some more, but gotta go to sleep, moving all that equipment (EVERYTHING WAS HEAVY!!!!), really wore me out.

Here's some misc. pics of a couple areas of the new house, again, a mess, I'm normally a VERY tidey person We aren't done painting, moving in, etc, etc. I can't wait to be done and watch my first movie in the new place with the Ultra. I did more listening today while working on the house, it just keeps amazing me more and more, just absolutely perfect in every way, bass at low volumes and at high, it just never stops doing its job Let me know what you think of the temp pics...

http://members.cox.net/scott2049/ima...droomentry.jpg
http://members.cox.net/scott2049/images/den.jpg
http://members.cox.net/scott2049/images/kitchen.jpg

great review or rather it is nice to hear good things about something one has bought. I can't wait for mine to arrive.... but then my new place is even messier than yours.... it will be a month b4 I can get it done...

Messy? Ha! You ought to look at my place! On the other hand...you better not!

Congrats, your new toy looks terrific!...

-THTS

"...hi, my name is Frank...and am the proud papa of twin SVS Black Beauty B4-Plus babies!... "

Welcome to the SVS club

Great review Scott. Miss seeing you around Club Polk after you defected to (cough) Klipsch. Actually, I set up a Klipsch Reference rig recently and it's awesome; great speaks. Glad to see yet another satisfied PB12-Ultra/2 owner - it's an amazing subwoofer.

Alan - Thanks dude, you're gonna love this sub, it's the best thing I have bought yet

Frank - thanks, haha, I try to keep my place spotless, kind of hard sometimes, I get lazy sometimes and it gets sloppy, then the wife kicks my ass

Simon - Thanks, but I have been in the club for 3 years now

Ed - Thanks dude, my reviews can't touch anything you can create, you're just a detail master!! Yeah I haven't been over to Club Polk for a while, I will try to poke my (cough) traitor head over there once and a while Can you believe it's been that long since I asked the comparison between Polk and Klipsch? Yeah Klipsch are awesome, I have never looked back since I bought them, they just blow me away! And then this Ultra, I'm overwhelmed with joy as of late And I have been overstressed too, new house, new baby, new this new that, busy here busy there, ugh, I need this house to be all finished so I can relax!!

Hi Scott

I think you ought to check your dictionary for the real meanings of "mess" & "crap".

When you can't see 8 x 16-46's across the room. Now that may be what they really mean! :wink:

Sorry Frank. It was just too good an opportunity to miss. :b

Regards
ChrisBee

Very nice job Scott and also very nice pics. Nice to see your getting things dialed in.

>>>Initial reaction to the PB12-Ultra/2.... AMAZING!!!!!!!!! I am floored by the sound it has, VERY tight, VERY clean,

Thanks Steve, slowly but surely things are getting done, we should be all moved in by next week sometime, then it's fun time (movies ) Yeah this sub is a awesome piece, best sub I have got so far (even better than the 3 20-39's). I TOTALLY agree, the finish is TOTALLY better than the pics show online, I was floored, it's an all around perfect sub! I am glad you enjoyed the review, sorry it was so "non professional"

sorry it was so "non professional"
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No not at all Scott. I know the thinking (non professional myself) but I am 100% sure that 99.9% of the HTF members would tell you all styles and formats are more than welcome. Don't you dare deprive us of your input brother.

Hey Scott! with your pic ability is there any chance of you turning that bad boy around and taking a nice shot up close of the amp/port side of the PB12-Ultra/2 and posting? Admittedly this might not be part of your local 305 Union contract but it would be very interesting. Aren't those port plugs a hoot! Big as round as a fence-post.

I'm not sure which speakers I am more envious of... PB12 or the Rf-7s. I have a PB2-ISD now, and I love it, but hearing how much "better" the ultra driver sounds is making me wonder if I should have waited and saved up some more money to get the Ultra myself. And those Klipsch... some day I want to get 2 Rf-7s, 2 Rb-75s and an Rc-7. They are hard to find though since Klipsch frowns on online sales.

Scott, we know you love your Svs... how about some thoughts on your Klipsch's? Not a review per se, just brag about them!

Steve - Thanks for the kind words, it's just hard to post any kind of review and think it's "worth while" when you got killer reviews coming from Ed, etc that have technical back up for the sub, all I can really say it my opinion and how much I love the thing I can definitely take some pics of the back, etc for everyone to see, I will do that today. Yeah the port plugs are crazy, just BIG short cylinders, almost as wide as my 20-39's where hehe

David - I run Klipsch RF-7 mains, RC-7 center and RF-5 rears, and let me tell you something, I have NEVER heard anything better as far as speakers go yet! Some people don't like Klipsch, I LOVE them, the crisp, clear, detailed sound is what I like, I don't like that muddled/medium sound of some speakers, but others do, that's why Klipsch is a LOVE/HATE relationship, you either love them or hate them I started my Home Theater campaign with a Polk (lower end model) satellite system, had it for 4 days, returned it and bought a Klipsch RF-3, RC-3, RS-3 setup from a guy on the Klipsch forum. The second I set up that RF-3 system I almost cried, it sounded SOOO amazing, I have loved Klipsch for the longest time (heard them about 9 years ago, didn't know what they were at the time, just amazing sound).

Well, as much of us know, the upgraditis set in, I went and heard the RF-7's at a local Ultimate Electronics, and had the opportunity to pick up a new setup (the current setup) at a great price, so I sold my RF-3 setup, and here I am today. When I got the RF-7 setup all in, I couldn't believe the amount of detail, clarity, etc that they were capable of, movie watching has never been more fun, and music is just killer, I like Rock and Roll/Alternative music a lot, so they are my kind of speaker

I plan to get RF-7's all around someday, but for now, the current setup is doing me well I heard some Klipschorns at a local guys house, now those are amazing speakers man, I will own some of those one day, it was like the person singing was IN THE HOUSE, I was floored, I love my RF-7's, but a Klipschorn is something is a league of it's own.

Sorry for the ramble, damn it's easy to type about things you enjoy huh?

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When you can't see 8 x 16-46's across the room. Now that may be what they really mean!
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He, he, he...and that's why the digital camera hasn't been able to capture 'em!... :wink:

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Sorry Frank. It was just too good an opportunity to miss.
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That's quite alright, Chris...'forgit'bout it!

Now...how is that old saying goes?...Umm...paybacks are a b....???

-THTS

"...hi, my name is Frank..and am an SVS bassaholic..."

Frank you are a gentleman.
I wish I could say the same for myself.

Best regards
ChrisBee

I can definitely take some pics of the back, etc for everyone to see.
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Thats great Scott and Thank you. Maybe put a soda can in one of the ports for size reference if you like?

Couldn't agree with you more on the Klipsch Scott. I run the RB-75s and C-7 up front and the RB-35s for surrounds. Never a dull moment with them teamed up with SVS imo. I know it's a preference thing but Holy Moly does this put a on my face.

Begin cheap shot:

Frank -- I'm waiting to post photos of 8 16-46 subs. You can delay, but I will never stop nagging! Break out the broom and start snappin' pictures, dammit!

/end cheap shot.

Actually, that message goes for Steve, too!

-Robb

Actually, that message goes for Steve, too!
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Thanks Robb! I'm all over it as soon as the PB10-ISD shows up. PM your way very soon along with a nice winter Kilt.

Alrighty folks, here's the other pics requested by Steve, I didn't have a coke can or anything to give you a idea of size, so I used my fist You'll see, it REALLY gives you an idea of how large these are, you can just see my arm and fist, then the rest of the sub, it's HUGE! hehe









And a couple more shots of the rear...

http://members.cox.net/scott2049/images/svsrear2.jpg
http://members.cox.net/scott2049/images/svsrear3.jpg

Hope you enjoy

Very cool!

What are those tiny little speakers sitting next to the subs? Must be some little RF-10's or something.

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Frank -- I'm waiting to post photos of 8 16-46 subs. You can delay, but I will never stop nagging! Break out the broom and start snappin' pictures, dammit!
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Oops! :b OK...will do, Robb...will do!...

-THTS

"...hi, my name is Frank...and am an SVS bassaholic..."