Music only, what did you compare your SVS to? (1 Viewer)

[EdNichols]

I would like to know, with an emphasis on music, what you compared to the SVS sub before you bought. Did you end up buying the SVS or some other brand? Why?

 

[WayneO]

First, let me say my SVS is my first real sub, so I am a novice as far as sub judgement goes, but did my homework in learning what all the buzz words meant and whatnot and I know how to listen to speakers. I looked hard at the Paradigm PW2200, first the old, then the new version, to match the rest of the same make speakers I have, on a couple of occasions. I didn't do any in home demoing, so a direct comparison is impossible. Of course this was tested just with music, and I looked for the HT part just to fall in place. The new version was definately an improvement, but I just felt the SVS would be a better value at a $800-900 pricepoint and at least an equal performer based on reputation and specs.

I got a 20-39PC+ at first and came to realize how much bass accuracy was missing with my old crappy subs I've owned, I was astonished. I also discovered how much my old subs "boomed" and colored the sound. There was real low bass and an accuracy I never experienced in my A/V material with my SVS. Just because you read that another Internet brands might be more musical, dont' believe for a moment SVS' aren't. I ended up bottoming it twice at very loud volumes during a movie and decided to upgrade to the PB2+, since I had a new appreciation for good bass and wanted more. I believe the PW2200 would have had a difficult time filling up my room than even the PC+ did. Musically, I prefer "direct" 2-channel listening, but after listening with a good sub, it was nice that sub didn't really make its presence known unless at loud volumes or the material called for it. It really blends into the background when calibrated flat with the other speakers, so I use the sub much more now.

The $1300 total cost for the PB2+ put me another price bracket, but I was so pleased with the performance of the PC+, I stuck with SVS since the PB2+ uses the same drivers. The PB2+ has pretty much the same performance sound-wise as the PC+, except I can tell the "sound" of the cylinder is missing, but not in a bad way. It also can go much louder in my room, even retuned from 25hz to 20hz, which is necessary to meet my HT demands. So that's my story, it's tough to pick the right sub with all the hype and opinions. You can never tell for certain unless you demo them in your home and see how the sub reacts to your environment. I am so pleased with my purchase, that even if another sub was judged to be, say, 5-10% more "accurate" in some room I'll never be in, I doubt I'd be able to tell.