Subwoofers : what if...thread

I currently own a JBL SUB12 VENUE SERIES 250w sub. It's 15 years old; bought new, the amp broke down twice: once just after the one-year warranty had expired, and the other one year later.

I discovered that it disliked working in a room temp above 26C, and that I was abusing it by using it in LFE mode, handling all the 150hz it allowed, and sending the rest of the spectrum to the less-than-capable mains I owned at the time.

This was solved by the arrival of very bass-capable mains, crossing at 65hz, and adding an air-conditioning unit to the room. It never broke again and it's still going strong.

Nothing lasts forever though, so I've been eyeing possible replacements, and due to the available space in the corner it's at, availability, and price, the one and only option is the 1K SVS SB1000 Pro. Just that one I'm afraid.

My question is : being a sealed unit, will it be adequate for my 12x13 room, with a semi- vaulted 8 foot ceiling ? Will it be underwhelming ? Will maybe trounce my existing unit, if and when it breaks down and cannot be longer repaired ?

Opinions welcome, esp of owners of such units who might have compared it with previous ported units of various brands.

THANXXX!

 

SVS PB1000 pro is ported (though it supports a sealed operation mode) and will have enough output and extension to smack the daylights out of a 12by13 room. SVS's sledge amp tech tends to run cooler in operation. It is indeed a good choice. If you have some freedom of placement, you could integrate a single sub quite well in a room of that size.
Here's some more info.. The Audioholics dudes tend to do a good job with sub measurements/reviews.
SVS PB-1000 Pro and SB-1000 Pro Subwoofers Conclusion

 

I'm betting you're going to be very pleased. I did something somewhat similar when I replaced my aging 30 year old definitive technology 18'' ported sub with an SVS sb16. I quickly found out that subwoofer tech has come a long way in those 30 years as the new SVS bested the old def tech in every conceivable way.
FWIW a sealed sub is recommended for music while ported is better for ht.

 

Typo: I meant SB1000 pro. Wished I could go for the ported one, but it not only does not fit my corner but importing it is not allowed.

 

Typo: I meant SB1000 pro. Wished I could go for the ported one, but it not only does not fit my corner but importing it is not allowed.

 

Typo: I meant SB1000 pro. Wished I could go for the ported one, but it not only does not fit my corner but importing it is not allowed.

 

I've seen enough happy SVS owners on here to think you would be very happy

 

The mods have kindly corrected my typo

 

I have two SVS SB-1000 pro’s. And they replaced a single PB-1000. Could have easily gotten away with one SB but I had the space and wanted “stereo” subs.

In your size room it will be fantastic.

 

SVS' product support is in the A/V Pantheon - so don't fret over possible needed future repairs.

I've had two SVS subs that were bought used and needed new plate amps. The original plate amps were no longer in production, but SVS had newly-designed ones that worked great - and that came with detailed instructions (and phone/email support) on how to swap them in (including needed mods that I could easily handle myself.)

Jeff

 

Just go for it, you will be happy. I run dual SB2000 in my setup.........You have nothing to lose.

 

If you're wondering whether a 10" sub from SVS is sufficient for your 12'x13' listening room, it's possible that you've given up on music and are listening primarily to bass. That's an observation, not a criticism, but it does point to one direction that you often point out in other threads. So let me be the first in this one:

KLIPSCH!

The RP1200 is excellent and will be as easy as anything on the market to integrate/balance with your existing main speakers. Klipsch subs have come a long way. They test quite well, and once you get out of the basic model line and into the reference and premiere lines, they also sound quite good.

 

It's actually a 12".

Sure, but no hi level inputs to use with my vintage receiver. Plus, not available down here.

 

I own two of the SVS 12-inch sealed subs that were bought before the pro model came out. 15 years no problems with SVS! Same basic sub, the main thing is both this and the "pro" SVS model have lots of ways to fine tune with parametric, room size, crossover, variable phase, speaker/line and XLR inputs. Phew! Perfect!

The SQ goes tight and musical down to the mid 30s, then seems to roll off. Run with my main Harbeth 30s, these 12 inchers put my bass in the "solid, tight but not real deep" class.

Problem is that it seems to me 12 inchers are small enough to bleed into the mids a bit if you get too enthusiastic with them. No matter how drastic a crossover setting, if you try to add super deep bass it always also adds some mud into the vocals! If you chow down on the parametric the sound quality gets awful-like a stuffy nose! So I run them without any parametric and don't use them much.

The bulk of my true sub bass is produced by an additional pair of 15 inch Velodynes in the same setup. These are UNDER the 12 inch SVS subs and do NOT bleed into the midrange when you crank them. Perhaps that larger cone doesn't put out a lot of mid range noise.

My suggestion is to go UP in size to a sealed 15. Then set the sub way deep and don't let it mess with your vocals like my 12 inchers seem to do. I love using the 12s for just a hint of low bass presence. They are so tight they shine with Fender Bass, cellos and baritone male voices. But they don't do much alongside my full range speakers to help out a lot. At least compared to a 15.

The Doc

 

I'm a big fan of SVS subs, with a pair of SB-3000s in my large room. I would think the SB-1000 pro would be plenty for your room, and you will LOVE the remote app.

 

This is nice to know, thanks.

 

I am a kool-aid drinking fanboy after adding just one SB-3000 to my room. Stuck it in the only place it could reasonably go, used the app to set the recommended settings with my speakers and hit play. I was literally blown away with super tight glorious bass. Very Addicting. Get one now! On a side note, the SVS rep told me that the SB-3000 was a real sweet spot in their line-up - he said it is 40% better than the models below it. I'd step up to the SB-3000. It's not very big. I have the Piano Black finish and it is gorgeous. I've also hooked it up to a Schiit SYS so that I can switch it between my main main system and my TV system with a pair of LSX ii's. The SVS shines in both systems, so much so that my wife says it's the best addition to the system ever. If I forget to switch in the sub, it's immediately noticeable and in a bad way. And as @timind mentioned, the remote app is amazing. You can literally make instant adjustments on the fly to fine tune the sub to the song being played.

 

The app is an OCD person's nightmare, but the Pinhead loves nightmares and would get the hang of it for sure. I'm used to 65hz and a 24db slope, so I'd try that first.

 

None of my subs have an app, unfortunately. Without apps, it's a dog's life running back and forth between subs and the couch when a user's dialing it in (especially in multi sub configurations). An app can greatly enhance the user experience.

 

I also don’t have an app to control my two subs. No big deal: a bit more exercise getting up and down to fine-tune the XO and gain...

 

The app is super easy to use. If I can figure it out then even a neanderthal can. Heck I use the phone app more than I use the supplied remote.

 

If I could have it my way, I'd get the RSL 10" Speedwoofer. Best bang for the buck. Ported, yet behahes like a sealed with music and doesn't cost an arm and a leg
Sadly they only sell directly, so the middlemen here don't import it.

 

I’ve had an SVS PC+ 20-39 in our surround setup for 20 years with zero issues. When it came time to get subs for a 2.2 channel setup it was a no-brainer to go back to SVS. My room is slightly bigger at about 14’ x 15’ x 9’ and I find the two SB-2000 (non-pro) fill out the low end of my KEF Reference 3 nicely.

 

My doubt really lies in that I've watched and read many online reviews stating it's a weak sub because of the (for a sealed sub) weak amp, and the fact ported are way more efficient. This said, the 1000 PRO has the same extension as my JBL (25hz) but since I don't use it for reinforment rather than extension, and I rather hear than ''feel'' the bass, I don't need it to dig down to 16hz or anything.

Mine is at mid volume on most records, and I fear I might have to crank the SVS near its limit and have it diying on me because of that. Still; I'm no basshead.

 

Thanx a lot for chiming in Doc!

My doubt really lies in that I've watched and read many online reviews stating it's a weak sub because of the (for a sealed sub) weak amp, and the fact ported are way more efficient. This said, the 1000 PRO has the same extension as my JBL (25hz) but since I don't use it for reinforment rather than extension, and I rather hear than ''feel'' the bass, I don't need it to dig down to 16hz or anything.

Mine is at mid volume on most records, and I fear I might have to crank the SVS near its limit and have it diying on me because of that. Still; I'm no basshead.

I'm well aware of that but it's never really been a problem; washing out the Klipsch sound is no easy feat for any sub! My xover slope is a drastic 24d by default, no--adjustable, and works beatifully; no mids come through, and VERY little of the ''punch'' that's usually around 100hz, and can be painfully localizable. I neve overdo it anyway.

I wished! No room and no budget for such a thing. 12'' hit the right spot for me, though admittedly I have no experience with other sub. Your 15+12+Harbeths has got to knock you outta yer socks; wished I could listen to some reggae over at your house, on that rig (Third World's ''Persevering'') has the sweetest, deepest bottom end ever committed to vinyl.