Stupid question? Which goes lower the SVS CS Ultra or the 16-46 CS+? (1 Viewer)

[james e m]

The heading says it all. I guess I'm just confused, I know the 16-46 CS+ is tuned to go to 16hz and since the CS Ultra uses basically the same enclosure as the 20-39, does that mean the Ultra is tuned to 20hz? Also does that mean once the sub goes as low as there tuning point (be it 16hz or 20hz) does that mean they cannot play any lower (i.e. 8 hz or something) ?
Thanks!
James

 

[Michael R Price]

It's close but I think the 16-46 goes a little lower. IIRC, the Ultra is tuned a little below 20 Hz, but it's a very low Q design so it will probably extend almost as low as the 16-46 in people's rooms (it was measured as having decent output to 14 Hz in a review). Tom V should be able to answer your question better than any of us can though.

Subs will go lower than their tuning point, but their response starts to fall off pretty steeply and signals under the tuning point can cause huge cone movements, causing distortion or bottoming. A subsonic filter can help this by filtering out such signals. A 16-46 could probably produce significant output down to 10-12 Hz if you plugged a port though. Remember that lower tuning points sacrifice output higher up, so you may not like the sound if the tuning is too low.

 

[james e m]

Thanks for the reply. If the 16-46CS can go lower, why is the Ultra considered a better sub?
James

 

[SVS-Ron]

James,

Mike pretty much hit it. As for why the Ultra is ...well... the ultra SVS (not counting the top of the line SS) it's all about impact.

As good as it is, the 16-46CS-Plus (and to a lesser degree the 16-46CS) it can't provide the sheer impact in sound pressure level (SPL) on most movie bass that the Ultra can. Yes the 16-46 can dip a tiny bit lower but how much movie/music bass is down there? Very little, and the Ultra's superior performance means it's not far behind down there either. From probably 15Hz up in just about any room the CS-Ultra will best any sub now in our inventory (with sufficient power behind it).

Now, DUAL 16-46CS-Plus subs would be another story. But sub for sub, on the vast majority of program material the vast majority of the time the Ultra can't be touched by much else at SVS, or anywhere really if cost enters the equation at all.

Frequently folks care less about cost than having to cope with placement of dual subs. And they might want the most clean and accurate bass they can get from that single sub. For them the Ultra is the natural choice.

Ron

 

[james e m]

Ron, Thanks for the reply. I think I am leaning towards dual 16-46CS-Plus subs, I just want a sub that can reproduce whatever a dvd throws at it without bottoming out. I actually just want a sub that can accurately reproduce a film's soundtrack. Can I ask why you haven't put the Ultra driver in the 16-46CS? Just curious. Thanks for the info.
James

 

[SVS-Ron]

James,

If you went with dual 16-46CS-Plus I can't imagine much your system couldn't take/dish out. I figure you would be up there in the 99.99% bracket of SPL and extension capability.

As for an Ultra driver in other models, well, we have too many models already I think sometimes. And it's only going to get worse. Of course for the customer more choice is better sometimes. We wanted a "killer ap" for that driver originally developed for the SS. The mid-size cabinet serves this pretty well.

But you never know what's coming next from us.

Ron