svs or hsu subwoofer? (1 Viewer)

I am thinking of getting a svs PB12-ISD or a HSU VTF-3 MK2.I will be using it for 90% movies.Which one do you guys recommend?

Hey Bobby-

Choosing a sub is something that you should let your ears decide. Take some time and listen to each before you buy. Both companies offer a return policy that will allow you to listen to then at home and then decide which one works best for you.

Also you could see if there are ant forum members in your area who have one of the subs you are looking at and you could do a real world auditon in someone else's system. That is what I was able to do before I spent my hard earned cash.

I listened to both SVS and HSU subs before I decided which one I was going to live with.

I liked the Hsu better, but I know some who prefer the SVS. To me the Hsu was more musical on audio tracks and when used in Home Theater the Hsu just seemed to hit harded and reach a little deeper. I just bonded more with the Hsu sub than with the SVS, but you need to decide for yourself.

Dave

At any given price point, there is nothing an Hsu sub can do that an SVS can't do better

Alan-

Obviously I disagree opinion. I spent about 2/3 of the dollars and got a Hsu sub that in my system worked better than the SVS.

Am I saying that the Hsu is better than the SVS? In my system the Hsu was better. Perhaps in your system the SVS worked better than the Hsu.

I just think that for a purchase as important as this the person needs to spend some time and see what works best for them and what sounds best to them.

And by the way, I did listen to a few different SVS subs and several Hsu subs in several different settings prior to my purchase. So I got what I feel works best for me. It si good that we have this forum to narrow down the playing field and remove choices that are obviously flawed. I just do not think it would be prudent for people to just say "This sub is the best" or "That sub is the worst" to anyone without supporting that persons oportunity to audition them.

Also, I had great fun looking and listening to all of the great subs. Got to meet some really great folks also. I am very happy with my choice with no regrets. I just would hope that those looking for a new sub and are faced with this problem get the chance to decide for themselves and not just look at numbers and blind recomendations.

In my opinion, this topic has been debated to death, and way beyond. Go to the search page and type "HSU SVS", or "SVS HSU"

This thread I found by typing "PB12 VTF-3" into the search page. It links to this exhaustive thread

Unfortunately you'll have to wade through a majority "fanboy" type posts which don't add anything intelligent to the discussion at all. The most amusing thread, where the debate between the manufacturers got really ugly has unfortunately been removed. I say unfortunately because it was one of the few sources of amusement in these SVS vs. HSU threads. Now how long before someone tells Dave Nelms that he must have defective ears…

Dave:

Differences of opinions make the world go 'round, bro. As for Hsu vs. SVS, some people pick Bose over Paraidgm, too. If that's what they like, who am I to tell them otherwise?

As for my statement in the post above, I stand by it from both a subjective and empirical perspective. Subjectively, SVS has gone above and beyond to earn and keep my business - as they have for thousands of others. Objectively, you will find professional review after professional review where an SVS product out-guns the competition. So from an empirical perspective, I feel my statement is well supported.

But, as we both agree, people have different tastes.

Except that musicalishness thing.

Make sure you search other forums as well....not just this one.

Yep! There is a reason this place is referred to as "the SVS forum."

lol.....I think I'll take 'accurate' over musicalishness

I think with any technology including speakers or subs, your talking about a moving target. Saying SVS vs HSU is too general. You have to say, at this point in time or maybe looking ahead to your upgrade timeframe, at a given price point, with a given form factor / WAF, which is better? That isn't even taking into account listening tastes or material.

As an example, I would say that within the last 6 months, at the high end, SVS has lost some of its edge to competition in the form of high end sealed designs that only have come to market recently with a new wave of drivers. Specifically, I'm speaking about the ACI Maestro, upcoming ONIX UFW-12, and custom jobs with the new XBL^2 drivers. Note, that even some hard core SVS fans have chosen these solutions over SVS. That is not to say that the high end SVS offerings are bad. Only, that they are not as dominant as they may have seemed when the PB2-ultra and B4 first came out. I think the only thing that will hold true going forward is that subs will continue to improve and get cheaper and that we the consumer will win

Yeah, there will always be the 'latest and greatest' on the market.....SVS product or otherwise. But sooner or later you need to make a decision, pull the trigger, and enjoy your music and movies. As of February 8th, 2005, good luck finding another sub that can match up to a PB12-Ultra/2 or the B4. Many better educated (in audio, anyway) men than myself have claimed that nothing in its price class can touch them.

As for the non-SVS owners using the term "fan" when referring to those of us who so effusively praise our SVS subs, that's almost laughable. I can't speak for the rest of the SVS owners, but when it comes to where I spend the money I work hard every day to earn, it has very little to do with being a 'fan'. It has everything to do with the quality, value, and overall customer satisfaction that SVS provides for us on a daily basis. They respect our business and they respect the lengths we go to in order to be able to give them our business. Not only that, but they go out of their way to make sure you, as a customer, know that they feel that way. That's pretty cool......and it has nothing to do with being a 'fan'.

The fan label is applied equally to those who prefer Hsu's musical accuracy to SVS' louder and deeper philosophy.

What about the people who believe that Hsu subs are more 'musical' than an SVS offering, simply because they need to make themselves feel better about buying an inferior sub?

You'd have to find one that believes it is inferior first.

You have a good point there......the psychological concept of 'confirmation bias' is very powerful, and nearly impossible to overcome...... Oh well

I've noticed this about many products.

One thing to remember too is the fact that there are very few people that have listen to competing subs from both companies side by side.

It would be pretty stupid to subjectively say mine is better than yours if I never heard them in the same room.

I haven't heard your subwoofer Curtis or even know what your model is, but mine does sound better :-D

I recommend BOTH. Either one will work great for 90% movies. I'd say most people would be happy with either one, and never sit around wondering if they should have bought the other one.