Is a sub this important? (1 Viewer)

[PS Nystrom]

Just a priority question for those more experienced. I can not resist all the hub-ub around SVS and am dying to get one. What's stopping me is the knowledge that it would be the most expensive component in my home theater. My TV was $600, my surrounds and center were $420, my DVD player was $250, my receiver was $675, and my current sub was $250. I want the $850 powered SVS. Am I crazy? Should the largest investment in my hobby be a subwoofer? Is there anyone out there that went through what I'm going through and has some advice for me? I sure would appreciate it.
Pieter

 

[Reginald Trent]

Why not think of it this way? The SVS will make you appreciate all your other components more.

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[Brian Fellmeth]

My svs PC is the most expensive single component in my system, and I wouldn't even consider giving it up. If you love bass, it actually makes sense for the sub to take the biggest bite out of the budget. I believe that in sub-woofers, the incremental performance in moving from $250 to $500 to $800 pricepoints is more dramatic than with any other audio component. Another point is that by adding the SVS, you will likely never need a sub upgrade and can stepwise upgrade the other components around it.

 

[David Ely]

You definately won't regret your purchase. I don't have an SVS, but I do own a Paradigm PW-2200. It's incredible what a good sub will add to your home theater. Originally I owned an 8" Dahlquist sub. There's no way I'd ever go back

 

[SVS-Ron]

Pieter,
Naturally I'm biased but I think Dolby Digital is the most important feature you can have (decent receivers start at $200 now).
DVD is a close and related second of course. Figure $200 for perfectly adequate DVD player.
Decent mains are key of course. You can spend as little as $500 for a very nice set of 5 speakers.
Having said all that, a great sub will be the single most important piece of gear when it comes to comparing adequate versus GREAT.
I wouln't hesitate to recommend to folks to spend as much for their sub as they spend on ALL other speakers. It's that critical. A sub provides the very foundation upon which so much of today's theatrical experience rests upon.
Frankly SVS wouldn't exist if we didn't really believe that. You can cut corners on lots of things (I'm a believer in working class electronics and cables for instance) but do NOT skimp on a sub. You'll kick yourself for months if you do and happen to hear a great sub. You made the right move. You'll agree within the first few movies or we'll insist you send that sub back!
Ron

 

[RobP]

PS Nystrom, I'm in the same boat as you. Well infact I just ordered an svs 20-39pc. It is/will be the most expensive component in my system. Although I haven't heard it yet, I have a strong feeling that I will not regret my purchase.
By the way, how about this for customer service: I ordered the sub monday night at about 2:30 A.M. Here it is Tuesday and I already got the shipment invoice this evening with the ups tracking number. I looked it up and my sub is scheduled to arrive tomorrow (or later today considering it is 12:30 and now Wednesday). I dont know how accurate UPS tracking system is but I'll be floored if it arrives today.
RobP

 

[PS Nystrom]

Thanks for the gentle nudging everyone. I posed the same question to my J6P roommate when he got home today. He gave a great answer, "That just means you need a new TV." If only it were that simple!
...and if only my credit card would go through. The humanity. Thanks for the patience SVS.
Pieter

 

[RobP]

Oh yea one more thing,
"Am I crazy?"
I asked myself the same thing before, during and after ordering my svs. I came to the conclusion yea I'm probably crazy but I'm only going through life this one time and I want to hear some good music during my trip!
Regards
RobP

 

[Jeffrey Forner]

As of this moment, my 16-46PC is the most expensive component of my system. I spent $517 on all of my speakers (HTD Level III bookshelves), $420 on my reciever (Onkyo 575X), $630 on the DVD player (Panasonic RP91), and about $270 for the dinky little 20" TV, which should be replaced soon by a 42" Toshiba 16:9 set.
PS, listen to me good. If you are seriously willing to spend $849 on an SVS 16-46PC, you are not crazy. It is worth every penny in your pocket and then some. If anything, it will only make your system sound even better. Trust me on this one. I know what I'm talking about.
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-J.Fo
Live in the Minneapolis/St. Paul Area? Wanna meet local HTF members? Click Here!

 

[Mike Knapp]

Seems like a lot of folks have gone "bass happy" in this thread!
The most expensive piece of equipment in a home theater should be the display device.
Second should be the pre-amp/processor/amp or receiver.
Third (if you listen to music with the system) should be the main two speakers.
Forth should be the disc transport.
THEN the subwoofer.
While a top-notch subwoofer and 500 dollar speaker package may indeed sound very good, I assure you that top-notch receiver, transport and speakers with a 500 dollar sub will sound better.
Spending the lion's share of your home theater budget on the smallest section of the audible sound seems a bit askew to me. Your priorities should lie in the video display first and trickle down from there.
Just my opinion.
Mike

 

[AVspec]

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Barcographics 808s FP - $3000
QSC EX Professional amps - $1300
Sherwood Newcastle R945 - $1000
SVS twin 20-39CS subwoofers making everything else pail in comparison? Priceless…..
There are some things money can’t buy, for everything else there’s MasterCard.
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-Mark
**** Digital Vortex ****
The Digital Electronic Site
www.digitalvortex.com

 

[Mike Knapp]

Mike
[Edited last by Mike Knapp on August 01, 2001 at 06:23 AM]

 

[James Q Jenkins]

I TOTALLY AGREE WITH WHAT MIKE KNAPP WROTE.
At very most you should be considering the least expensive svs sub. The svs sub owner's club is almost as bad as the Pronto owner's club around here. Yes the svs subs are fantastic (yes, I've heard at least one), but to spend that much of the available budget on one is as much as mistake as buying a Pronto for a 27" TV and HT in a box system.
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-JQJ

 

[Rob Lloyd]

Well I thought I had a decent system for quite some time. My Klipsch speakers sounded really nice. I then got a DVD player and had no more inputs on the receiver. Darn... time to upgrade. Now I have a B&K AVR307. WOW did those Klipsch sound even better.
Before you know it I was building a Shiva sub. It's amazing how much better everything is - movies, tv, music. Even if it's not loud it just fills in that missing element. Now when that rocket launches so does the heart.
So yes go for it. If you can't justify spending that much, consider a smaller SVS or build a Shiva.
Rob
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Rob Lloyd
Rob's Web Page

 

[Stefan A]

Pieter,
I am sure you will be plenty happy with the SVS, but I agree with the logic Mike has stated. I just can't see spending so much money on the .1 part of a system. That's why I bought a Rava for $400 and am very happy.
STefan Antwarg

 

[John Morris]

Hmmm. Let's see how I stack up to MK's cost priority list?
RPTV - $2400 (6 yrs old and I need to upgrade this next!)
Pre/Pro/Main Amps - $3000 (and I bought my Denon 3801 used?)
Main L,R Speakers - $2800
DVD Player - $500
SVS Ultra - $1100 or $2500(if you include the K2 amp and EQ)
I guess it's obvious that I need to upgrade my pre/pro too, OR downgrade my subwoofer???

NOTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!
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Take Care,
merc

 

[Ryan Schnacke]

I highly recommend buying the SVS. So what if the sub is the best component you'll have? You know you'll get hooked on this hobby (if you're not already) and that means that over time you'll be upgrading the rest of your system anyway. So why buy an "intermediate sub"? You'd just end up replacing it later, once you've upgraded the rest of your system. Skip the intermediate step and save yourself some money in the long run!

 

[BryanZ]

IMO, Yes!!!!
It is akin to laying down the foundation of your house (okay, so I'm stretching this just a bit). You will not replace a good sub for many years (same thing goes for speakers).
As a general rule of thumb, I say whatever you spend on the speakers you should spend an equal or greater amount on the sub. This rule applies only to those with budget systems. Right now I have spent more on my subs and amp than my speakers. That is due to change shortly. However, the experience will not. A good sub can add a wealth of enjoyment to a movie watching experience. Think of TS2 and all the bass within the first 5 - 7 minutes. Now imagine all of that gone or very boomy.
There is no substitute for clean, low bass.

 

[Bob Marker]

It seems to me that the relative importance of the home theater components depends on one's preferences and priorities. Because many of the movies I enjoy most don't contain a lot of low bass energy (or at least I don't think they do - its possible its buried in the soundtrack and am just missing it!)I feel that I can get by without a sub, at least for know. Anyway, it is a film's musical score, rather than special effects, that are most important to me and therefore I would tend, like Mike, to put more of my money into good quality main speakers before investing in a sub. On the other hand, based on my experience I have to agree with Ron that one can get by with minimal expenditure on electronics and not compromise sound quality. The Pioneer SX205 receiver (Cost about $100- can't get much cheaper than that!) I am using in my very modest HT system is, as far as I can tell, fully equal in performance to the "high end" electronics I own or have owned as part of my 2 channel music system.
Bob

 

[Marty M]

I know this is very obvious, but the price of your sub to the rest of your system is all relative. You will probably want to upgrade your other speakers at some point in time. You will have a sub that will last through that upgrade.
For what it's worth, my sub is also the most expensive piece of equipment in my system. I have the Paradgim PW-2200 and am very pleased.