Best sub for about $500 (1 Viewer)

[Brian*W]

I'll add my recommendation based on my 2 week old 22-31 PCi as well. I was even more hesitant about the purchase, not only the sight-and-sound-unexperienced factor, but also that I am in Canada and had to deal with taxes, customs etc. However, it really is the real deal and I couldn't be happier with spending that amount of money because now I know what people are talking about and I know that there is virtually nothing out there that can come close to its performance for its price.

 

[Ed McCaffrey]

I am moving back to college in a few months. I will be in a different dorm so I don't know how big it will be. It is a 2 person room so it is not going to be too big; but I will probably move it into the commom room once or twice a month to watch movies with my roomates. That room will be large enough to hold 5-7 people comfortably so it will be big.

I do want to listen to it very loud. While my speakers are not great compared to what people in here have, they are far better then what people around me will have. They can play loud enough to cause pain in my ears, and higher tones sound great with no distortion; but any serious bass at those levels will cause distortion and would damage them. I imagine that any sub at $600 can take the load off of the speakers (they were only two or three hundred for the pair), so it is a matter of finding the best deal for the money.

I want the best that I can get for about $500-600. It will be a few months before I can afford that, so I have time to shop around. If I had the money right now I would be leaning toward the SVS PB1-ISD. If anyone thinks I should consider something else please let me know, if you have some reviews (especially head to head with what I am looking at) that would be great. I will seriously consider a DIY sub, but since I have no experience, no tools, and probably no skills; I will find the best retail I can for my price and see if I can beat it with a DIY.

This is a very nice community here, thanks for the suggestions.

 

[Robert Hoffman]

If you will be moving the sub around, you may want to go with one of SVS's cylinders. They are much lighter and have the same performance. Additionally, it'll take up less floor space which could be an issue in a dorm room.

 

[Ed McCaffrey]

The cylinders seem to be more expensive for one that matches one of their boxes.

We will have 7 people in the suite though, so moving it shouldn't be a problem; as it will only be moved when we are all going to sit down and watch movies. If we start to move it often I can make something with wheels to roll it.

 

[Alex Prosak]

Since you're still in college and will be moving around, I'd definitely look at the UFW-10 that I provided the review link to above. It's smaller and lighter than the others since space and transportability will be at a premium you. A Hsu VTF-2 would be another sub to consider.

 

[Ed McCaffrey]

How does it compare in performance to the SVS? I am capable of moving the SVS by myself, and there will be 7 of us anyway. So size is not an issue, just performance.

 

[Dom P]

What about the low end comparo of Rocket ELT-1 SW-10 vs STF-2? Both are 10" and 200W.

 

[Alex Prosak]

The PB-1 is tuned similar to the 25-31 (25Hz) which is also the point at whicht the UFW-10 rolls off. The PB-1 will provide more output down low but the UFW-10 is a tighter and more musical. It still provides plenty slam too. Another nice feature is that it includes a single band parametric EQ so you can tune out a null point in your room. You should read the review, it compares the UFW-10 to a Hsu VTF-3 and an Aperion S-12.

I wasn't trying to say that the subs are too big to move around. Back when I was in college I had a pair of Polk RTA-11t towers. Those things were pretty darn big and heavy and a MAJOR PITA to move a couple of times a year. Looking back, I'd have been happier with higher quality, smaller speakers.

Either way, you'd be getting a great piece of gear from a great company. FWIW, I own a SVS sub (PB-2+) which I love and won't be leaving my system for a long time, if ever.

 

[Mark^Faust]

I will be moving on to a PB1 from my current Velodyne in the next month...(maybe something bigger)

Hope it is all what people make it out to be

Mark

 

[Robert Hoffman]

It's the other way around. The $600 PB1-isd compares to the $549 PCi 25-31. You could get the 20-39 for the same price as the PB1.

 

[Ed McCaffrey]

Exactly, the cylinders are more expensive for the same performance. The 20-39 costs exactly the same, but according to their tech support is not as powerful as their box.

So according to them, the cylinders are more expensive then the boxes for the same performance, not the other way around.

 

[Sami Kallio]

No, according to SVS the cylinders perform better for the dollar. You have to remember that the 16-46 (16Hz) and 20-39 (20Hz) are tuned to go lower than the box sub.

This from www.svsubwoofers.com:

 

[Ed McCaffrey]

I am pretty sure the e-mail sitting in my inbox says that the box will outperform the cylinder; but I could be reading it wrong.

I will just reply and ask outright for a comparison between the PB1-ISD vs the 20-39PCi (middle $600 one).

I am not arguing with you guys, you all seem like experts; and the e-mail was not clear cut since I didn't ask that question. I will let you know what I get as a response either way.

 

[Sami Kallio]

It might be that the sound pressure output on the box is a little higher than on the 20-39PCi cylinder but the frequency has something to do with it. 25-31PCi is louder than the 20-39 and the 20-39 is louder than the 16-46 but 20-39 goes down (is tuned) to 20Hz and 16-46 to 16Hz. PB1-ISD goes down to 22Hz. I think SVS is saying that 25-31 tuned at 22Hz tune will outperform the PB1-ISD.

If you want the loudest sub then get the 25-31 instead of 20-39 or 16-46.

 

[Robert Hoffman]

I'm no audio wiz, but the 25-31 pci tuned to 22hz should perform exactly the same as the PB1-isd at $50 lower cost. The 20-39, will play lower frequencies (sub 22hz) louder than the PB1-isd, but at the cost of giving up an ever so slight amount of volume at the upper frequency range (above 25hz). The one you get should depend on your listening habits. Most music never goes below 25hz, so to the extent your usage favors music, and you desire output at near reference levels or higher (your roomates will love you), the 25-31 or pb1 would be the way to go. If you want something that reaches a little deeper to handle some of toughest bass put out by movies these days, then the 20-39 will ever so slightly outperform the 22hz tuned pb1 at these lower frequencies.

edit: I'm no expert, I just happened to sleep in a Holiday Inn last night....and I've read the HTF for months on end. The SVS guys are the real experts and they should be able to answer any of your questiosn.

 

[Ed McCaffrey]

Thanks, that seems to make sense.

If you guys are right, it really gives me something to think about then. My laptop will be the thing that is primarily hooked up to my system, so not a lot of movies; although we would watch a few a month usually, so I do want good movie performance too.

I have this quote from one of their tech support people: "In say...1500 cu-ft, the 25-31PCi
will extend down to 20hz and even slightly below...with 112-118dB of clean
bass output."

Now someone yelling at that levels will hurt, but bass needs more volume to do the same; so can someone put that in comparison to someone yelling at those levels.

I asked the tech guy for a comparison between the 20-39 and PB1 and not the volume for the 20-39; but I am sure he will provide that. If any of you know how the volume for the 20-39 would compare to the 25-31 at 20Hz and then at levels above that it would be good to know.

 

[Robert Hoffman]

I'm not sure of the exact SPLs, but the general rule seems to be that at frequencies above 25hz, the 25-31 will give you about 3db more headroom than the 20-39. At anything below 25hz, the 20-39 will outperform. If you looked at the 16-46, it would maybe be 5-6dbs below the maxium amount of of the 25-31 above 25hz, but should have a similar amount of volume advantage over the 25-31 all the way down to at least 16hz, and probably lower.

As you've already noticed, a lot of this deals with maximum output. Most of the time you don't really need the max, which is why it seems a lot of people go with the 20-39 so that their sub can extend down to probably 16-17hz and they retain almost all of the 'usable' volume at higher frequencies.

FYI, I have the 25-31 PC+.

 

[Sami Kallio]

I have the SVS with the least sound pressure, 16-46PCi. Large, open room and there definately is enough bass even at reference level (might be just me but on the other hand some of my friends complain there is too much). I calibrated it with DVE to 89dB and it took the gain level on the sub to less than halfway. The only problem is that it starts to shake stuff, I had to remove all the ventilation grills on my HT room, window shades and paintings as well. They started to rattle during bass heavy scenes.

On a 1500ft^3 room you would probably have enough output from any of the models.

 

[Ed McCaffrey]

Can someone help me interpret this chart I found? http://svsubwoofers.com/subs_pci_performance.htm

It seems that the 20-39 is louder then the 25-31 at anything below 26Hz; which is what Robert said I believe? If anyone can confirm that then all I will be waiting on is the tech support person to give me the specs on the PB1-ISD box so we can finally tell if the boxes or cylinders perform better at the same price.

 

[Robert Hoffman]

Quoting from the SVS website