SVS 16's vs 20's (1 Viewer)

[TedO]

After reading review after review, I realize a SVS sub is the best way for me to go. The only thing I need help with is, do I get the 16-46's for their low end or the 20-39's for their "punch"? Then to make it more complicated, maybe the best of both worlds are the soon to be offered 16-46 PLUS's. I would like some feed back to help with this choice. The budget only allows for one sub, but a second in a year or two is not out of the question. I am mostly a movie guy, with a little music add in.

My HT room is 16'x24'x8' and my front speakers are good down to 44hz

Thanks in advance.

 

[Brian Fellmeth]

I have heard the different sizes side by side. They are much more alike than different. Just decide- do you want it loud (25-31), low (16-48) or in between (20-36). I prefer the 25-31 since 99% of the signal on 99% of movies is above 24 Hz, and the small one does above 24 Hz a little better. Throw in that its smaller (less obtrusive) and cheaper than the other two.

 

[Salvador]

i'm also considering an svs sub but 80% will be for music.

Which of the three is more suited for music? And will the + models make a significant difference when listening to music?

 

[SVS-Ron]

Ted/Salvador,
I think Brian summed it up well. ALL of our subs sound great with music. There is no such thing as a sub that isn't "musical" at SVS, period. Musicallity is about accuracy, depth and the ability to play as loud, or as low as you want. "Musical" subs are often those that simply do poorly at reproducting the more difficult low freqencies and high sound pressure level called for in home theater.
The new SVS CS-Plus follows the same tuning characteristics of its "normal" CS bretherin but simply supplies far more output for the same size. Not quite as much as a mid-sized CS-Ultra but within spitting distance.
That is to say, if you like your music and/or movies LOUD, even if only on occasion, then the CS-Plus is for you. Especially in large rooms, you need more subwoofer than you might think to get true theater sound.
So, will the CS-Plus make a "difference"? Only if you like your music loud. Folks with somewhat more moderate tastes can save $ and get great performance with our standard CS subs.
Ron

 

[Myram]

I would say that if this is going to be mostly for movies......go for the 16-46. More and more movies are coming out with deeper bass, and with the 16-46 you are not going to miss any of it.

I have a 16-46PC and I really push the reference level to the max and then some and the 16-46 keeps right up and never skips a beat. The bass is so deep, tight, and loud that it is incredible and really leaves people's jaws hanging.

If you are considering a second SVS in the future, then I would go for the Samson S700 and a single 16-46cs+ for now....then when you are ready for the second one just add another 16-46cs+.

Good Luck

 

[Chip E]

I went with the 20-39 for my HT.... best of both worlds. I'm thinking of putting together a bedroom system and the 25-31 looks like the ticket for that.

 

[gregstaten]

I have a 16-46 and agree that this is the sub to get for movies. As far as "loud", I think this sub has no problem filling up a room with serious bass. Movies with a serious punch (the plane crash in FIGHT CLUB comes to mind) will literally knock the wind out of you.

I'm adding another 16-46 to my arsenal in my new dedicated screening room (and switching to the Samson from the incredibly fan noisy Fidek - a great amp if you can put it a few rooms away!).

(I just realized. Including the 700 watts for the two 16-46es, I'm gonna have nearly 2500 watts of power in my screening room. Scary.)

-greg

 

[Mike Voigt]

Ted,

I have a 16-46CS, powered by a Samson 700 (i.e. 350W to it from one of the channels, the other is unused).

I can tell you this:

1. I do not listen to music or watch films at *reference* - it is way too loud for me, and I would like to be able to hear well into my old age.

2. Given the above, the few dBs that the other subs throw in are, IMHO, meaningless.

3. The 16-46 adds a whole section of music that is otherwise not really present. I ran it with a 20Hz brickwall filter once - it was quite sad, somethign was missing from the music. And we're talking about records, CDs, DVDs, MDs, LDs, heck even radio as sources. Once I took out the brickwall, it came back.

I suppose I am waving with a fencepost here. IMHO, there is no better deal with SVS than the 16-46 series (CS, PLUS, whatever) - you get the clarity, the oomph, and the extension, all in a neat package.

Mike

 

[Scott-C]

Mike, Greg, and Myram, interesting posts! As I consider which SVS I'm going to get, more and more I find myself leaning towards the 16-46 (either CS or CS+). I use my HT almost exclusively for movies (at least 95% of the time), do not listen at reference (I listen at -10 to -7 db), and was considering that it seems more and more DVDs are taking advantage of lower frequencies.

I'm also thinking for the future. Right now, I'm using our rec room as the HT, but in the near future I'll build a dedicated HT that may be a little larger in terms of volume, and I want to make sure that whatever I purchase either fulfills the needs of the future theater or can be expanded upon (i.e. add another sub). That said, it would seem to me that two 16-46s gives me the necessary SPLs while maintaining clarity and low-end punch.

These posts were helpful for me in that they validated some thoughts I've had (and that I've discussed with Tom in previous months).

Thanks!

 

[LarrySkelly]

How large is your room? And can you corner load the subs? These factors come into play.

I have a pair of 16-46's with the Samson 700. I love the subs, but my room is 8000 cubic feet, and its difficult to fill with bass.

I lost the corner that I previously had the subs in, to furniture (imagine! the nerve of some people!)

If you have a small room then you probably don't need the output of the 20-39, go for the 16-46.

If you have a medium-sized room and can corner load it, same thing.

If you have a large room and/or cannot corner load it then you might want to consider the extra output of the 20-39.

TV can offer some comments on what he considers to be small, medium and large rooms.

Larry

 

[Jeffrey Forner]

I, too, have heard both the 16-46PC and the 20-39PC subs and will gladly admit up front that both are fantastic. As far as I'm concerned, there is no wrong decision between these two.

That said, I own a 16-46PC and would not trade it for anything. As far as I'm concerned, the 16-46 plays louder than you could ever want, so volume is not an issue unless you have a super huge room, in which case you would probably need two of these buggers. Yes, the 20-39 has a bit more kick, but the 16-46 is a smooth sub, very easy on the ears. One of the things that amazes me about it to this day is how well it blends in with my speakers. It plays a vital part in filling out the bottom of the sound spectrum, but it doesn't get in the way of the rest of the music, which is what a good sub should do. Musically, it is the best sub I have ever heard.

As for movies, you probably won't notice much of a difference between these two subs until you get one of those "stupid bass" movies like The Phantom Menace, The Haunting, or U-571. With films like these, you'll appreciate the deeper extension of the 16-46 a great deal. This is where the extra money for the 16-46 will pay off.

Basically, what I'm saying is, if you spend more, you'll get more.

 

[BryanZ]

It looks like in your situation either a CS-Ultra or 16-46CS+ would be ideal. I'd go with the 16-46CS+ and S1000 amp for now and add the second sub later on.

 

[Mark Zimmer]

I would second Myram's comments. I was floundering about what to get also until the Phantom Menace came out and people were going on about their subs not being able to handle the really low bass on that disc. It occurred to me that the 16-46 was the way to future proof myself a little bit against the race for 'how low can you go.' I'm glad I did; there was a disc I did over the weekend (I did so many the exact one escapes me, but I think it may have been Twin Peaks Season 1) where the DTS logo goes down into depths I've never heard before, and the 16-46 read it like a charm.

Trust me, if you get a 25 or 20 you'll wonder if you're missing something with the 16. With it, you'll wonder no more. My HT room is about the same dimensions as yours, and one 16-46PC fills it up just fine.

 

[Gil D]

I have the same dimensions as Ted for a new cinema room I have planned, but with CONCRETE floor. Would I be better off going with 20-39CS+ over the 16-46CS(+ or -)? If I eventually get a 2nd sub, is putting two subs in separate corners of the room (both in front, or one back + one rear)a bad idea?
With the floor situation should I consider some bass shakers under the seats? What shakers do you guys reccommend and how much would the shaker (2 sofas) and SVS sub (no amp) run me.
Thanks.

 

[Vin]

Scott, I can definitely relate....I've been considering an SVS for a while myself and this thread has once again gotten the wheels turning!
So Ron, here's my story:
I recently upgraded a secondary system in my house leaving me with a 5 year old Technics DPL receiver with nothing to do. The secondary system is in need of a sub and the Velo CT-120 that I have in my main system seems like the perfect fit.....if this isn't justification for a sub upgrade I don't know what is!
If you can tell me that the Technics receiver at 110watts/channel will be sufficient to run a CS+ I'll be plum out of excuses for not taking the SVS plunge!
Thanks,
Vin

 

[TedO]

Thanks all, with your help and input I have decided to go with a 16-46cs PLUS. I will be ordering in a day or two.

Thanks again

 

[Dan Malloy]

TedO the + line has the tri flow ports on them. SVS is supposed to have port plugs coming out soon. This would allow you to custom tune a 20-39+ down if you werent happy with its extension already. Just a thought for you

 

[TedO]

I just pre-ordered my 16- 46cs Plus.
I just hope a Carver TFM15cb bridged will enough to run it at near peak.

 

[John Besse]

I just got a 20-39PC to replace an older 25-31PC. I did this for a few reasons. First, I keep the sub in the corner near a computer desk. I wanted the sub to tower over the computer and needed a few extra inches to do so! The whole coolness factor!
Ok, logical reason for my upgrade. First, I wanted a sub that would hit down to 20Hz. That is the cut off on the human ear. Since the sub is calibrated to reach down to 20, I had to have that sub. I chose it over the 16s for one reason. My friend has 2 of these and you feel a lot more than you can actually hear. I think the concept of running dual subs is cool and all, but not worth the money to me. I would rather hear the whole bass extension more so than feeling them crush in my chest. Obviously my single 20-39 isn't going to overwhelm me like that.
Anyways, I just wanted a sub that could hit the lowest frequncies that the human ear could establish. However, unless you are planning to watch the Phantom Menace on Laserdisc or The Haunting DVD and a few other discs that actually drop down in the low 20s and lower... Any SVS you choose will be a great addition to you Home Theater.
I was happy with my 25-31, but when I saw how huge my friend's dual 16-46s were... Mine looked like a little baby! The whole cool factor just kicked in and I wanted to go bigger. I feel that they sound roughly the same. Musical bass was a lot more tight and defined with the 25-31 though. I think that movies sound a little bit better with the 20-39PC. Was it worth the upgrade? Oh hell yes! It just looks so much cooler Either way, any SVS you buy you will be happy with.
I was born in Ohio. I lived there for 10 years, and found the only good thing to come out of that state was SV Subwoofers! Although, they have one other claim to fame! Cedar Point and Kings Island! That's all Ohio is good for!