Silly SVS question (1 Viewer)

[Jud]

After much lurking around this forum, I decided to order me up an SVS for my birthday (thanks honey for permission to put it in the living room!)

Anyways, I picked the 25-31PC+ due to size issues, and promptly tuned it down to 20Hz with the port plug. Now here'#### question: How loud can I turn it up before I'm in danger of bottoming the sub?

I guess I've just never heard bass this good before (and holy cow is it good). The little THX intro before Phantom Menace had me checking my shorts. But I had to wonder, how much louder could I actually turn it up before I run into trouble? My old sub would've woofed it's last if I'd have asked it to reproduce a fraction of what my PC+ is churning out. I guess I'm a bit scared about damaging my new "precious" (as my wife has dubbed it).

So, I was wondering what everyone else's experience has been with loudness and bottoming, particularly with the 25-31PC+. And is there any chance I might bottom it out before my ears bleed and my apartment building falls apart?

 

[Kenny WH]

Jud,

It's hard to say at what levels a sub will bottom out in real world conditions. It really depends on factors such as room size and the level and what frequency range of the source material your trying to play.

For example: If you your trying to play material that contains a lot of real low frequency bass a sub will tend to bottom out at a lower volume level.

Also in larger rooms a sub will tend to bottom out quicker also.

At what ever level your sub bottoms out rest assured you'll likely know it when it does because it will make a distinct metallic clank/pop sound.

Usually a good sub driver like the ones SVS uses can take a few of these hits without major problems but take note of the bass intensity when it bottoms and make adjustments so that it doesn't keep bottoming. Too much abuse and any sub driver can fail.

SVS subs can reach scary amounts of bass safely so relax and enjoy your sub, but at the same time be mindful that it does have limits and you should be fine.

I would be more concerned with your neighbors' nerves bottoming out than your sub or if you have cool neighbors you may need a bigger couch on movie night!!! Either way, the bass WILL get their attention.

Enjoy

Ken

 

[ChadLB]

Hey jud why did you choose the 25-31PC+?
I am debating on the 25-31pci or the new box style. But I do have the 25-31pc+ still in my head also...just not sure if I want to spend that much more money on a sub..roughly a $226 diff.

 

[Tony Genovese]

Maximum sub output can be quantified. Why not contact SVS, tell them the volume of your room, openings, etc and they'll tell you what the maximum volume you can expect from the sub.

 

[Jud]

Chad: Why did I pick the 25-31PC+? A couple considerations:

1. Any other model would have been too tall for my current room (wouldn't have been hidden behind the couch, and the Mrs. wouldn't have liked that)

2. I wanted the flexibility of being able to set my own tuning point. Since I'm more interested in HT than music, I wanted depth. And since I couldn't get the depth from bigger size, I get it by the port plugs (one plug tunes the PC+ to 20Hz, two plugs to 16Hz, the plugs are included). I found out yesterday after some experimenting that I get some serious room gain at about 18Hz, which is kinda nifty.

3. I didn't want any buyer's remorse. I figure if I'm gonna put money into a sub, I might as well get the best.

4. The box subs were a consideration, but I was too impatient to wait for them!

Ken: Not a bad idea. My room is approx 14x12 with an opening to a 14x12 kitchen (the opening is opposite the corner the sub is in) There's a bay window adjacent to the sub, unfortunately, that seems (upon some initial testing) to be sucking in the 60Hz tones. Grrr. I'm gonna do more playing around today.

 

[Phil Iturralde]

How loud can I turn it up before I'm in danger of bottoming the sub?

If your associated speakers can handle it, you could do what I did, ... where I once easily monitored an impressive sub-sonic LFE 110 dB (RS Meter Dial = 110 dB / Speed = FAST / Weight = C) @ my sweet spot (9' from my Center / 20' x 30' w/10' high vaulted ceiling HT/family room), clearly, comfortably, with no compression or distortion (JBL S26 x4 & S-Center) & no fear of bottoming out my SVS, ... garnering the already familiar 'sounds better and more dynamic than our local DD/DTS/SDDS Cinema Century Theaters' by my fellow Friday NITE crowd, ... while watching LOTR @ -5 dB*** below REFERENCE Level!!! (Audio Calibrated w/Video Essentials dedicated LFE Test Signal)

***I usually watch our Friday NITE DVD's (since 1998) @ -10 dB below REF Level - SPL peaks = 105 / 106 dB - loud enough to move the air during the sub-sonic LFE impact and still audible enough to hear the whispering moments during the DVD movie!

So, REF Calibrate it, and from that starting point, tweak it a little hotter where it doesn't intrude, sound bloated or change the overall balance of your entire HT System. If you carefully calibrated & install/integrate your subwoofer, there will be no intrusion on the upper ranges of your system and it will (if your sub is big enough), . . .shake your structure, the earth, and leave an aftershock, which is "Most Glorious". To quote "Tom Nousaine" in Sept. 1997 Stereo Review - "No aftershock, no decay, means no lows. Contrary to popular myth, there is no such thing as a "fast" subwoofer." (unquote)

Take the time to locate and calibrate your sub, if it's done just right, . . .it's capable of pulling you into the sound and the story by moving the floor under your chair, and giving you the natural decay that comes with powerful low-frequency information.

Phil