svs and dharman - nice talk (1 Viewer)

[Brian Bowles]

I do not want to start a flame war. I realize that the dharman and the svs 20-39 are both great speakers from very good companies. Although, prices are very different. I would need to buy an amp for the svs. What i want to know is what to go with? If the svs is that much better then maybe I should go with it. Someone told me that the it would be a waste because really for either because both of these subs will over power my speakers too much. I am unclear about that. Here is what I have:

20'x18' room with 12' ceilings

2 Polk rt-5

2 Polk rt-25i

1 Polk cs245 center

Onkyo 595

I must say I have corresponded with the Tom at SVS and he is a very nice and helpful person. He has only had good things to say about the competition. I contacted the people that sell the Dharman, but I have not heard back yet. Of course it is late at night so they really have not had much of a chance to do so. I just want some oppions and maybe some from someone that has heard both. As a new home theater user I just do not know what to buy. It is very confusing. I am sure either would be a good product just having a hard time deciding what would be the best for me. Thanks for your time!!!

 

[Jack Gilvey]

You can search here for SVS reviews, or over on hometheatertalk.com for some Dharman reviews (I think Mike and Max have had both subs), and check out that Dharmann data thread for objective numbers.

Someone told me that the it would be a waste because really for either because both of these subs will over power my speakers too much. I am unclear about that.

As well you should be, since it doesn't make any sense.

 

[Brian Bowles]

Thanks Jack I have read many of your post over the last several days and you are an asset to both forums

 

[ToddJoseph]

Brian,

If these are the two subs that you looking at, buy them both A/B them and then send the one back and get your money back. A sub will only over power your set-up if you let it. What that means, if its not properly calibrated and sub or speaker for that part, will take over your system....

I have the 20-39PC (Powered sub, no buying a seperate amp)

I have not heard another sub better.

 

[Brian Treinen]

Brian,

I've got a 20-39CS powered by a Parts Express 250W plate amp. The whole thing ended up costing $604.31 shipped. So prices are pretty equal. I haven't heard the Dharman but I'll tell you the SVS is freakin unreal. I wouldn't trade it for anything but a CS Plus or Ultra from SVS.

 

[BryanZ]

Given that size room, I'd say you will be looking at needing dual subs. Perhaps dual Ravas would fit the bill? Otherwise you may want to go for a 20-39CS+ w/amp and that should work as well.

 

[Bryan Acevedo]

Also think about the two designs. One (SVS) are cylinders, and the other is a normal cube box. If you don't have to worry about your wife approving, then this doesn't come in to play. But for some (me) the big cylinders were not even an option. If I had really known about the dharman, I might have bought that over my Velodyne SPL 1200 (not that I am unhappy with it, but for the price the dharman is quite a bargain).

I don't think you would be unhappy with either one, but as was said, using a dual SVS package with a Sampson 1000 would probably start running away from two dharmans in the performance category, and be audible, not just on paper.

Bryan

 

[David Giles]

Brian,
A good sub definitely WILL NOT BE A WASTE! Calibrated correctly, it won't overpower your other speakers at all, but it will fill in all the bass your missing now. While this has improved my enjoyment of music, I'm really more into the Theater side, and a good sub will make a HUGE improvement to your enjoyment of movies, especially when watching the newer movies that are really putting out LOW bass.
You're doing the right thing by researching and thinking it out first. Don't be in a huge hurry. In just a few days of intense reading on this and the other forums, you can learn more than you ever wanted to know about subwoofers.
I have no experience with the Dharman, so I can't give you a direct comparison. But I do have an SVS CS_Ultra, and it's AWESOME! And now the 20-39CS "+" is available (80% of the performance of the CS_Ultra for only a 30% price increase over the regular 20-39). It sounds like one hell of an improvement in the price/performance category. After reading some of the other threads, I almost feel like I should be bothered by this new model that has 80% of the performance of mine at only 62% of the cost. But I guess I'm enjoying my Ultra way too much to lose any sleep over it. Anyway, that's another subject altogether.
The regular 20-39CS with a plate amp should be pretty impressive, but if you can stretch your budget just a little, I'd say give the 20-39CS "+" a real hard look.
P.S. The number of Brians in this thread is a little strange, don't you think?
David Giles

 

[Jack Gilvey]