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PB2-ISD owners, I need your opinions. (1 Viewer)

EdNichols

Second Unit
Joined
Feb 15, 2003
Messages
372
I e-mailed SVS and for my 16x20x9 room they recommended the 20-39+ but like most others here I want to take it one step up "just in case" so I am considering the PB2-ISD. I noticed that alot of others here take it even further and go with the PB2+. I think that may be overkill for me but I want to be sure so here are my questions for the ISD owners:

What size room do you have?
Have you ever bottomed out the sub?
What levels do you listen to?
How does the sub do with music?
What do you have your sub set at, (i.e. 1/4 or 1/2 volume)?
Do you wish you had gone with the PB2+? If so why?

Thanks in advance.
 

Charles Gurganus

Supporting Actor
Joined
Mar 2, 1999
Messages
689
Ed, I got my PB2-ISD about 3 weeks ago and it is more than enough for my approximatly 16x22x8 room.


What size room do you have?
Have you ever bottomed out the sub? no
What levels do you listen to? movies av about 75-80db
How does the sub do with music? great
What do you have your sub set at, (i.e. 1/4 or 1/2 volume)? right at 50%
Do you wish you had gone with the PB2+? If so why? no

I can't imagine you needing anymore than the PB2-ISD, even if you have satilite speakers all around. I have a real flexible system and lots of times I still prefer to listen to 2 channel music with no sub but my Soundstage pre allows that (seperate crossover for stereo vs multi) and my main speakers (NHT VT2's) do down to about 30hz by themselves.
 

EdNichols

Second Unit
Joined
Feb 15, 2003
Messages
372
Charles, thanks for the input. Your room is about the same size as mine and it sounds like your system is pretty close also. I have full size mains also, but they only are good to 40hz so I need the extra boost for the low stuff. Have you ever pushed your sub hard just to see what it would do? Can it pressurize your room or make your pant legs flap or rattle pictures off the wall like some of the others say their subs can do? Then on the other hand can it blend seemlessly with your speakers with music?
 

Charles Gurganus

Supporting Actor
Joined
Mar 2, 1999
Messages
689
Ed it is just a great sub regardless of what I call on it to do. For multi channel hi rez, using the Aragon Soundstages 6 channel input, the music is fantastic. The sub can rattle anything in the whole house (and does) since my HT room is basically the middle room in the house and opens up to the entire house. I CAN shut off some of the house with a couple of doors but my HT does have uncloseable openings that easily doubles the size (probably a bit more). I have the sub calibrated correctly and I do juice it up a little with HT. I have NOT felt my pants legs flap but the couch rumbles. :D You can easily turn the sub up too loud but for me, it's just better to leave it be on the calibrated level.

I use an Outlaw ICBM in conjunction with my Onkyo SP800 universal DVD player so the ICBM makes it easy to raise and lower the bass (using the outlaw controls) and route as much of the low frequencies from the other speakers to the PB2. I think my sub is just now getting fully broken in as it sounds more tunefull than out of the box. It IS HUGE though, so make sure you have a good place where it fits. I tried 2 spots but it ended up in the front right corner, which is the ONLY corner in the room that doesn't have an opening adjacent. I think corner placement is almost required in my room because of the open nature. I have 3 double wide doorway openings that I can't close off. I have no doubt that IF I could close those off, pants would flap along with everything else.

System includes....Aragon Soundstage preamp, Sherbourn 5/1500a amp biamping NHT VT2 mains plus VS2a center, B&K ST1400 amp driving NHT VT1.2 rears, Onkyo DV SP800 DVD, Yamaha DVD C920 DVD, PB2-ISD sub.

I was origionally going with an HSU VT3-2 but, like you, I wanted to make sure I had enough. It is a plenty. :D
 

EdNichols

Second Unit
Joined
Feb 15, 2003
Messages
372
Thanks again. You have a killer system. I also have three openings to my HT room, two of which are unclosable double sized doorways and one that has a door that can be closed. I also only have one corner location without a door opening so my coice is limited to one corner or a side wall.

I am kinda surprised more people haven't replied to this thread about their PB2-ISD's. I guess more people are springing for the PB2+.
 

Marvin E

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Mar 1, 2001
Messages
90


I have a 15X17X9 HT room with a permanent opening dead center at the rear wall. The PB2-ISD is corner-loaded, and just like Charles said, I'm sure I would probably destroy part, if not all of my house (foundation included), if I could close off my room. The PB2-ISD is plenty enough power and pressure. I was trying to decide between the PB2-ISD and the PB2+, with the idea of going one step beyond ("just in case"), but Tom of SVS recommended the PB2-ISD. I don't generally play movies at or near reference level, so I scootch the PB2 up a bit to compensate for the lower volumes..right now the volume is calibrated at 11 o'clock.
 

EdNichols

Second Unit
Joined
Feb 15, 2003
Messages
372
Marvin,
Have you ever bottomed yours out or have it act like it is straining? I get the impressions that by the settings I am hearing from you guys that the output would be very close to the same when comparing the PB2+ and the ISD. For example, the + might be set at 9 o'clock and the ISD might be set at 11:00 o'clock to get the same SPL. Still more room to go but the + doesn't have to be set as high to get the same SPL. Hope that is the case because to me it's like having a 1000 watt amp and a 200 watt amp, unless you get at deafining levels you won't be able to tell the difference. So as far as the + vs ISD, other than bragging rights, why would you want to go for the + if the ISD is just good?
 

Charles Gurganus

Supporting Actor
Joined
Mar 2, 1999
Messages
689
Ed, thats why I ended up with the ISD. But I was considering the HSU VT3/2 and felt going UP to the PB2-ISD would be the prudent thing to do. I guess I could pressurize my whole house a little better with the +! :D
 

Marvin E

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Mar 1, 2001
Messages
90

I don't think you will be able to tell the difference. Like Charles, the PB2 was the prudent thing for me to do. The only was I would have purchased the PB2+ would be if I was planning to move to a larger house with a larger HT room...
 

MikeNg

Second Unit
Joined
Jan 22, 2004
Messages
440
Hey Ed,

I was also deciding between the ISD and the plus, and just pulled the trig on the ISD. :emoji_thumbsup:

I've previously owned a 16-46CS+ and was really happy with it. But alas, the relocation of my HT didn't accommodate the cylinder. My current HT is about 24X15X8, with two permanent openings to other rooms. Even so, my CS+ had no problem towing the line in that room so I'm highly confident that the ISD will do fine without strain or stress. I really had to consider whether the extra headroom gained by the PB2+ was actually going to be used. I'd have to say that unless I moved the HT again to an even larger room, the answer would be no.

And in discussing it with my wife whether I should get the ISD or the Plus, she said 'well honey, if we move the HT to a larger room, just add another ISD subwoofer...'! Gotta love a woman like that!;)

Cheers...
 

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