Another SVS thread... (1 Viewer)

[Robert Cowan]

im personally curious about SVS myself. it seems like a great product, but every thread i see talks about scenes in movies basically done the way they should be...

i guess what im saying, has anyone owned a GREAT subwoofer before SVS? or has everyone just upgraded from a bad sub first. i hear so many "check this movie out, it really works the sub", or "____ killed my sub". i try out all these movies, and my sub plays them like its just another bass tone... for instance, the tapping on the glass in finding nemo was cool, but its just another sound byte that makes the windows flex. i didnt think it was anything "special".

has anyone had like $2K+ sub and then tried a SVS?

ive never had a problem with my sub not producing massive amounts of pure and clean bass. and i dont even know what a sub should sound like when its bottoming out (well, i do, but mine has never even come CLOSE). im not boasting about my sub really, just wondering if SVS is better, where do i sign up?

 

[Wayne Ernst]

Not me, personally. However, from time-to-time, I do come across threads in the various forums where someone used to own a $2K Velodyne and now has an SVS.

 

[VinhT]

I guess the big question is, what subwoofer do you have? Have you measured its frequency response to verify that you are in fact getting all of the inaudible material? I know it may seem a bit bold of me to ask you these questions since you have a multi-thousand-dollar sub, but SVS subwoofers seem to often beat products well out of their price range.

 

[Joe Szott]

I think the more telling question is how many people have left SVS to go to any other sub? Not a whole lot it seems...

 

[ChrisWiggles]

What sub do you have? And have you tried finding someone with an SVS to take a listen (audioenvy.com)?

 

[Khai]

Robert Cowan,

Firstly, I am a very big fan of Velodyne products in general and have owned a THX Ultra II Velodyne HGS-18 Series II (regarded as one of the best commercial subwoofers in the world) and I have also listened their latest Digital-Drive 18 subwoofer and now that I own an SVS PB2+ and I would honestly pitch the PB2+ in the same league as them in terms of performance, with the PB2+ offering more SPL and impact than the HGS-18.

 

[JohnSmith]

I own a Rel and a SVS $825. The Rel is close to $2000 in the states. No contest the SVS goes louder, deeper and cleaner, with no port noise. For something less than half the value it's actualy at least triple the performance of the Rel.

The Rel is good for music where it isn't pushed hard, but is hopeless for AV (modern LFE soundtracks) to fill a small 4m x 4m room (calibrated) as it just distorts, parps with lots of port noise when action scenes come along. I can ramp up the SVS several dB hotter than it should be and it still sounds clean. Wheras I have to use my Lexicon's peak limitor with the Rel (at calibration, Titan AE & Toy Story threaten to blow the driver) I have never needed to enable it with my SVS. So I don't have to worry about destroying it (and it sounds better anyway)

A Rel & M&K dealer has heard the SVS. Classes it above the MX-350, and equal to the Studio

 

[Hartwig Hanser]

I think you can´t compare REL and SVS. REL subs are made to supplement the lowest octave below the natural roll-off of the main speakers (and they have large, floorstanding speakers in mind). So, if you have speakers that go below 40 Hz, REL will give you the bass below 40 Hz. But if it has also to take care of bass up to 80 or 100 Hz , it will be easily overtaxed, then a SVS is better.
The RELs are unique in one respect, that you can connect the .1 output from your prepro for movies AND in addition connect it to the L and R main channels to add the lowest bass for stereo music. And you can trim the volume for both inputs independently. For many systems with 50/50 use of music and movies that already contain excellent large stereo speakers, this is the optimal solution. If you have 5 small speakers for movies, then look somewhere else.
Of course, if you have the money, buy a REL for stereo music AND a SVS for movies.

 

[JohnSmith]

The problem with the Rel's dual connection method is that you will get a double signal. Unless the sub can switch high or low level off completly, or you connect the sub to speaker switch "b" on your stereo integrated amp and switch on/off depending on the what you're watching. However my stereo integrated amp does not have speaker a/b on/off switches -so both input on the Rel would get will get the .1 LFE PLUS the high level stereo full range signal. Not good. I've also found the bass management in my pre-power better quality (and integrated) than using the Rel's own crossover to filter out frequencies above or around the main speaker's roll-off.

Ideally like you said a Rel for music, SVS for AV. But you will need to make sure one is off, whilst the other is on music-Rel on, SVS off- and AV- Rel off, SVS on.

The best method is probably two systems- a Hi-Fi system in one room with a Rel, and a 7.1 system in another room with a SVS.

If I cross the SVS at 40hz (either on the MC-1 or it's own) it still goes lower than the Rel, and I guess the Rel will struggle and introduce port noise and it'll be mostly distortion at louder volumes and/or in larger rooms.

Rel subwoofers are still overpriced IMO.

 

[JimmyK]

I had an a/d/s M3 powered sub that did a very good job with music and HT. Tom at SVS also said he thought this was a good sub.

So when I purchased an 16-46PC+, the difference wasn't as dramatic as some have described, nor did I expect it to be. That said, the SVS does play deeper, louder, and with less distortion than my a/d/s M3, which is exactly what I was hoping for.

There is one area where the M3 tops the SVS sub; appearance. The M3 is finished in mahogony on all sides and is absolutely gorgeous.

So now I use the SVS on my main system and the M3 is being used in another room.

JimmyK

 

[Jesse Sharrow]

I work in retail at a pretty "high end" store. Soundtrack/Ultimate Electronics. I have heard $1500 Sunfires, $2000 Kefs, $1500 Klipsch, $2800 Martin Logans. And I still think the BP1+ at $1200 is a much better sub. The only sub I think even came close was the $2800 martin logan. I think the SVS blends better, its cleaner has a flatter frequency response, and it has alot more output. I got a personal demo from Ron at SVS, cofounder if you dont know him. I was very very impressed.

 

[Jesse Sharrow]

You know whats one thing I just noticed.



I have never in my entire 6months here seen anyone post that about SVS. Thats what I love. Since I work in retail Ron is giving me a small... very small compared to others... discount on SVS. But I would gladly pay full pop for it. This is coming from a guy who can get 75% off of deftech.

 

[Wayne Ernst]

I don't think I'd be bragging about a discount in an open forum. Might open up a big can 'o worms.

 

[Edward J M]

Sorry, I just haven't seen a convincing argument where the REL is better suited for any application or bandwidth than the SVS. A great subwoofer is faithful to the source signal and can easily pull double duty for music and HT below 80 Hz just fine.

It seems to me that REL owners are often put into the uncomfortable role of becoming REL apologists when the product is exposed to the light of objectivity.

When products like the SVS PB2-Ultra and the A-V Denali are available in the $2000-$2400 price range, a product like the $9,000 (!!) REL Studio III (with its 500 watts and twin 10" drivers) is suddenly marginalized as a prohibitively expensive and incredibly overpriced imported British paperweight.

 

[Arthur Vino]

and get Ron in trouble..

 

[Jesse Sharrow]

Fixed. Sorry.

 

[Jesse Sharrow]

I thought I fixed it. Oh well. An op can delete that post.

 

[JohnGil]

When products like the SVS PB2-Ultra and the A-V Denali are available in the $2000-$2400 price range, a product like the $9,000 (!!) REL Studio III (with its 500 watts and twin 10" drivers) is suddenly marginalized as a prohibitively expensive and incredibly overpriced imported British paperweight.
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Well said!

 

[Jesse Sharrow]

Thats a big ass paper weight. How much paper do you need to weigh down? DAMN!

 

[Hartwig Hanser]

John,



perhaps you see it now? At least for some people like me?