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$600 or less subwoofer amp for B4+ (1 Viewer)

Jerry Parker

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Jan 15, 2001
Messages
174
The problem I see with the K2 is that it puts out only 100 watts more than the Behringer, yet costs at least 2 times as much, used. I think Allan specified a budget of 600 dollars.

I originally thought that the Behringer was overrated in it's power output, but as that link shows, the amplifier doesnt have a problem doing over 2000wrms into 4ohms bridged as long as you have a stiff 120vac input. And I ran mine HARD for 5 hours straight. I know that certainly isnt a scientific test, but it impressed me nonetheless as showing that it is a durable product.

The K2 is clearly the better amplifier, but I doubt Allan is going to be running it for extended periods like the pro's do, IMO he doesnt really need to worry about power consumption, amplifier efficiency or heat generated, at which the Crown K2 clearly excels at.
 

javry

Agent
Joined
Sep 19, 2003
Messages
31
Allen,
Believe me, I totally understand if your heart is just plain set on a B4. But I wanted to run something by you...just in case you hadn't considered it yet.
About a year ago, I recommended SVS to a freind of mine. He decided to order the PB2-Plus. When we got it in and set up, he went straight for chapter 15 in The Matrix. That's the Kung Fu scene......and his test for whether a sub is good or not. When Lawrence Fishburn's knee hit that floor, the room literally shook.

Now, I'm a B4 dude myself. But I was just plain blown away by the rock solid power and response that came out of that thing. It's not a B4....obviously.....but it certainly wasn't lacking for anything. SVS has brought out several new designs of the PB series since then. I think the top of that line is just under the cost of a B4......and it's powered. Your thoughts?
Javry
 

Allen Marshall

Supporting Actor
Joined
Sep 26, 2003
Messages
561
I have to put up with an ackward HT for quite awhile, my tv is in the corner on an angle cause the fireplace is where you would put a tv in that room head on. The B4 will go in the opposite corner, 18 or so feet away from my spot, i guess that may be one reason im gettin the B4. I figure it's far away, and almost hidden because the couch and the fireplace almost touch each other on there corners. So when the B4 gets here im gonna move the couch, snug it in there (i measured the space, it's gonna be a perfect fit), then move the couch back. I figure if i got a B4 the db i lose from the distance wont matter but may with the other subs.

More reasons are, it's beautiful, upgradable ampage and there's something fullfilling about having SVS's biggest monster. When i first get the sub i want to start as low as possible then work my way up, with bass demos and such so i can enjoy the surprises longer. The first thing im gonna try is probably music, finally get to here my bassy songs with actual bass.

The sub is probably gonna be used the most for video games.
A video game with bass is something i've longed for. It's pretty cool to watch Anime with bass in it, like Ninja Scroll, sounds more natural then i thought it would.

Another reason is, the PB2-Plus will probably be more then enough but even if i got it i wouldnt be able to get the B4 craze out of my head, stuff like that gets to me. Funny thing is by late 2005 my HT will go from the 25x30 room to a 15x15, or 15x20 or 25x45, however people decide to percieve the room :)

If i know myself, and i probably do, once i get used to bass in the movie step, i'll probably put it as loud as possible until it sounds like the house is gonna fall down, or if my chest is rumblin so much it feels like i got heartburn.

When it comes to looks, there all beautiful, but if someone showed me a PB2-Ultra and a B4 and said they had the same performance, i'd get the PB2-Ultra, just love the way it looks, but thats my opinion.

This is just one step of my 4 step process of making a jurastic hometheater change, from $1,500 to $20,000. Im goin from the bare minimum straight to the most expensive stuff i'll ever be able to get and anything new after that will probably cost less.

Here's what im aimin for.

SVS B4+
Pre amp/amp with atleast 300wpc at 4 ohms.
6 Speaker setup with a joint cost of $6,000.
And eventually a projector and screen, a big one, 10 or more feet.

Is that considered high-end?
 

javry

Agent
Joined
Sep 19, 2003
Messages
31
:emoji_thumbsup: Allen...Allen....Allen. I don't think I've ever read another explanation done so well. It's obvious you've thought this through.....and through.....and through somemore. All I have to say is.....Man, are bitten or what!. You sound like I do when I want something I know darned well I don't NEED but I want it anyway:D

Come to think of it, since when has "NEED" had anything to do with this hobby? Just to prove my point, when I was shopping for a sub, I flat out n out fell in love with SVS products. I looked at all they had at the time. I ordered 2 of the Ultra cylinders but wasn't satisfied with them. Not because they didn't do the job....they did...and very well. I just knew that SVS had something better and I didn't have it. So I sent the cylinders back, saved up my pennies, and later went for the B4. I was sure it would do the trick......but just to be sure, I bought 2 of them. Go get it dude!!
Javry
 

Allen Marshall

Supporting Actor
Joined
Sep 26, 2003
Messages
561
You bought 2 of them!!!!! Same finish? what finish?

javry i get that all the time, "why do you need that?" "you dont need that?" "why do you need more then 75 watts a channel?" "These speakers sound fine, we dont need anything else" "you should just be happy with what you have" "Why would we by $5,000 floorstandings when our $600 floorstandings will go just as loud and sound just as good", hard to come up with some reasons.

Here's my excuses, i showed my family pictures and comparisons (without showing them the B4 price).

"B4 out performs subs up to $10,000"

"Any svs sounds better then a velodyne at it's price and the B4 beats the most expensive velodyne"

"a B4 can go louder and deeper then those humungous subs with the big 18 or 24" subs in them".

"Only one commercial subwoofer in the world can beat it and it cost way more then the B4"

"Im not saying were gettin the sub because it'll wake up the neighborhood, althought it can, it's because of how the sub sounds. Subs sound different just liek speakers and SVS makes the cleaniest sounding subwoofers in the world"

Some excuses you have to fabricate/tweak the truth alittle bit :D

Then of course i always get asked questions like

"How much does it cost?", and thats between me and my parents. If i tell my brother it cost $500 he'll go "WHAT!!! thats insane, you dont need a subwoofer that expensive!"

This is why i cant show them reviews without censoring the pricetags!

The biggest question is "Why dont we just get the 1200 dollar one" and i never have an answer except to make the PB2-Plus look bad by saying stuff like this:

"It's good for it's price, but it's just like when somebody says something about $100 speaker "This speaker is incredible, specially for its price" and its an incredible speaker in there terms (there own dimension), and thats what people do with the PB2-Plus. People say it sounds great and they can feel the walls shaking alittle bit but thats because the subwoofer is workin really hard and there givin it alittle to much credit kind of like what i do with my Athenas. The PB2-Plus is "an unbelievably powerful subwoofer" but thats under certian limitations and conditions, heck it couldnt fill our 25x30 room unless it was pushin really hard at which it would eventually turn off".

Just put my hand in my pocket and cross my fingers when i make the PB2-Plus look bad so i can get the B4. Then later give myself a good slap in the face for betraying my sworn allegiance.

It means alot to me, being such a movie nut and finally, after soooooooo long, years and years of desiring to watch movies the way i want to watch them, watch Jurassic Park the way i got to watch it in 1993. When i get it there aint gonna be no movie i wont mind watchin again, probably watch all 650 dvds over again one after the other completely fascinated with the sound.

Well cant go on anymore, dead tired, goin to bed. :emoji_thumbsup:
 

javry

Agent
Joined
Sep 19, 2003
Messages
31
To answer you first question, my subs are a dark Cherry. I use them as end tables....kind've. I can tell you first hand that SVS will work themselves into the ground to get you exactly what you want...especially if you can send them a sample of the finish you want. They'll match it to a tee.

When I'm getting ready to buy something really really really expensive...especially something I know I don't need, I have to evaluate how many guilt trip days it will take to get over squandering my money. For instance, I bought a bicycle a few years ago. I could've very easily lived with something that wasn't as expensive but that particular bike was the one that made my heart dance. I figured it was worth about 5 guilt days. In other words, it would take me about 5 days to stop flogging myself with tree branches in guilt ridden depression, get past the void in the bank account, and get on into the business of enjoying my new toy.

The B4s came with about 15 guilt days. It was a tough ordeal. I'm a low-down dirty dog. Why did I do this? God's going to get me for this. The kids need new shoes. I'm getting to big for my britches. People in China are starving. What about the homeless? I'll probably go blind for doing this. Better make sure I sign up to work at some shelter next Thanksgiving. Why didn't I buy something more affordable? People in Ethiopia are starving. Gawd I'm rotten and self indulgent. I have no respect for money. People on Mars are dying. I'm a very bad man. Will god ever forgive me? on and on....and then one day...VOILA!...it's over.....and the fun begins.

Now....since you're stuck on a B4....and you're such a movie nut, I gotta figure out how to convince you to go for the K1 or K2
htf_images_smilies_chatter.gif

Javry
 

JohnSmith

Supporting Actor
Joined
Apr 8, 2003
Messages
554
So the K2 is a great subwoofer amp?

Man I'm chopping and changing..dunno if I should get one :b
 

javry

Agent
Joined
Sep 19, 2003
Messages
31
I'm sure you could find better amps but from what I've heard, the K1 or K2 seems to work extremely well with SVS equipment. I'm trying to talk Allen into going that way but he's a little limited in the budget area.


try this link. It's got some good info on the K2
http://www.stereotimes.com/amp031302.shtm

Javry
 

Allen Marshall

Supporting Actor
Joined
Sep 26, 2003
Messages
561
if the amp i want gets to be a problem then i'll definetly get the K2, but if it aint a problem, hey i just saved myself alot of money and only lost 100 watts! One thing is for sure, i cant get the K2 and B4+ in the same 3 month period. I could order a B4+ without an amp, wait 3 months then get the K2.....but if anybody here has the will power to go through something like that your very strong.

Waiting for the thing to get here will be hard enough.

What does the BFD do exactly?
 

Allen Marshall

Supporting Actor
Joined
Sep 26, 2003
Messages
561
Does anybody have any reviews on the B4+ other then Secrets of Hifi. Further more how bout SVS comparisons, all i've read are reviews on most of the SVS subs by themselves but no comparisons with each other or other subs except for Tom's tests on the site. Did read Ed's two reviews though.

Only interested in PB2-Ultra and down if there comparison reviews, read a million reviews on just the subs, think i got the jist of it. But B4 reviews, i'll take those anyway i can find them cause google aint bringin up anything.
 

javry

Agent
Joined
Sep 19, 2003
Messages
31
The only thing I remember beyond the secrets article is a shootout that was done before the B4 came out [I'd have to go find it again because I can't remember who did it]. All the heavy wieghts were there..and the SVS won out. But that was before the B4.....git it?...before the B4:D? It's acclaim has been speading mostly by word of mouth....er thread. I take it you've gone to all the other HT forums?
Javry
 

Allen Marshall

Supporting Actor
Joined
Sep 26, 2003
Messages
561
No, just this one. Think all the other ones have ugly layouts lol (the ones i've seen so far.)

It's kind of ironic, in one of my earlier posts on this thread i was gonna say "Now with my luck a Tornado is gonna knock my house down and take my precious hometheater away", i decided not to cause it's a useless statement haha but......yea if anybody has watched the weather channel you probably know what happened Tuesday. Doesnt happen around here much but it did.
 

javry

Agent
Joined
Sep 19, 2003
Messages
31
yep....that's the one. That one and the article they did on the B4 are the only ones I know of for SVS.
Javry
 

Joey_V

Second Unit
Joined
Apr 13, 2004
Messages
354
dang allen... im jealous! i wish i could have a b4, maybe when i graduate med school... maybe..

dang - u live in chicago - i want to hear that monster! i love my svs - but dang... a b4... wow! props man. :emoji_thumbsup:
 

Allen Marshall

Supporting Actor
Joined
Sep 26, 2003
Messages
561
Joey, so far thats the first time anybody has said that (to me), been invovled in so much expensive subwoofer talk i got caught up in it like it's a random thing. Oh by the way, Chicagoland area :D

Guys, what about max output tests for any of the subs? i'd like to read those.

Maybe i should go buy all the gear and learn how to make a review eh?
 

Joey_V

Second Unit
Joined
Apr 13, 2004
Messages
354
allen, it is almost summer time - ill be off college - you should show off your gear sometime!! :D :D

i live right in the heart of chicago - i can see the Sears Tower outside my window. ;)
 

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