PaulT
Supporting Actor
- Joined
- Oct 28, 2002
- Messages
- 932
Well, have been trying to make a decision on an SVS sub or a Paradigm Servo-15 to replace a KSW12.
Living in Canada with the value of CDN to US$ of .64, we pretty much need to double to US price to get an SVS landed here. That means for a 20-39PC+ it would be on the order of 1650CDN.
Have read a great deal about the quality, performance and customer satisfaction of SVS, but unfortunately I am not in the position to hear one here in central B.C. Others in this Forum have suggested the Paradigm line especially since I live in Canada.
Went to my local Paradigm Reference dealer today with the following:
The Matrix DVD
Fight Club DVD
Eagles - Hell Freezes Over DVD - dts
Diana Krall - Live In Paris DVD - dts
Test tones CD 1Hz intervals at 0db
RS SPL Meter
The gentleman was kind enough to set me up with the Studio 100's turned off, but 4 Studio 20's and a Studio CC on. Set the Bass Management to all 'small' and all speakers set to 0db. The Servo-15 was hooked directly to the Denon receiver's LFE out rather than through the Paradigm X-Series unit. He then left me to my devices
.
In the Matrix S15 Morpheus/Neo Matchup the drums and synthesizer were very clear with no boominess. When Neo hits the ground I felt the solid kick of the bass into my body. In S32 Rooftop Rescue the Chopper Crash was solid and again did not boom. I think this would be attributed to the Servo system. Listening at 'Reference' Level and there was no fading or dropouts.
In Fight Club C8 Single Serving Jack, the mid air collision was incredible to feel, and C27 Near Life Experience the car wreck had me holding the couch in the demo room.
The bass and drum lines on the Eagles DVD (specifically Track 9 Love Will Keep Us Alive) were tight and 'single note'. There is definately no boominess like the Klipsch. For music this sub is great.
The Diana Krall DVD with standup bass on track 13 S'Wonderful again showed how tight the sub is.
I then threw in the Sine Waves CD and was able to get 108db (corrected by adding 8db- Slow C weighted) at 18Hz with the meter approximately 1.5 metres from the sub. From 17Hz down there was a fairly quick rolloff. As an aside I had the room resonating with a 20Hz test tone at nearly 110db and I figured the staff would toss me out, but they let me continue
.
This was a fairly rough test in a 3.5 x 4m room, but overall I was extremely happy with the performance of the sub. It's as big as a medium sized coffee table but has more WAF than the SVS 39 inch tall tube (which I think looks 'cool' BTW).
The Servo-15 has a MSRP of 1800CDN and I can pick it up for 1400CDN (approx 900US), so I think this is the one for me.
Living in Canada with the value of CDN to US$ of .64, we pretty much need to double to US price to get an SVS landed here. That means for a 20-39PC+ it would be on the order of 1650CDN.
Have read a great deal about the quality, performance and customer satisfaction of SVS, but unfortunately I am not in the position to hear one here in central B.C. Others in this Forum have suggested the Paradigm line especially since I live in Canada.
Went to my local Paradigm Reference dealer today with the following:
The Matrix DVD
Fight Club DVD
Eagles - Hell Freezes Over DVD - dts
Diana Krall - Live In Paris DVD - dts
Test tones CD 1Hz intervals at 0db
RS SPL Meter
The gentleman was kind enough to set me up with the Studio 100's turned off, but 4 Studio 20's and a Studio CC on. Set the Bass Management to all 'small' and all speakers set to 0db. The Servo-15 was hooked directly to the Denon receiver's LFE out rather than through the Paradigm X-Series unit. He then left me to my devices
.
In the Matrix S15 Morpheus/Neo Matchup the drums and synthesizer were very clear with no boominess. When Neo hits the ground I felt the solid kick of the bass into my body. In S32 Rooftop Rescue the Chopper Crash was solid and again did not boom. I think this would be attributed to the Servo system. Listening at 'Reference' Level and there was no fading or dropouts.
In Fight Club C8 Single Serving Jack, the mid air collision was incredible to feel, and C27 Near Life Experience the car wreck had me holding the couch in the demo room.
The bass and drum lines on the Eagles DVD (specifically Track 9 Love Will Keep Us Alive) were tight and 'single note'. There is definately no boominess like the Klipsch. For music this sub is great.
The Diana Krall DVD with standup bass on track 13 S'Wonderful again showed how tight the sub is.
I then threw in the Sine Waves CD and was able to get 108db (corrected by adding 8db- Slow C weighted) at 18Hz with the meter approximately 1.5 metres from the sub. From 17Hz down there was a fairly quick rolloff. As an aside I had the room resonating with a 20Hz test tone at nearly 110db and I figured the staff would toss me out, but they let me continue
.
This was a fairly rough test in a 3.5 x 4m room, but overall I was extremely happy with the performance of the sub. It's as big as a medium sized coffee table but has more WAF than the SVS 39 inch tall tube (which I think looks 'cool' BTW).
The Servo-15 has a MSRP of 1800CDN and I can pick it up for 1400CDN (approx 900US), so I think this is the one for me.