SVS PB12-NSD Subwoofer Review

[admin]

SVS has long been known for high performance subwoofers and the PB12-NSD while the most cost effective vented subwoofer in the current line up, still musters up a hefty amount of room filling bass. (Also offered is the PC12-NSD cylinder version which is said to have nearly identical performance.) Tipping the scales at 66lbs the heart of the PB12-NSD is a quality 12" long throw, aluminum cone driver vented through a 4" diameter flared port, all housed in a large, well braced, black vinyl wrapped enclosure, which happens to be the only finish option available. The brains of the operation come from a 400 watt version of SVS's Sledge amplifier platform. This combination available shipped to your home for $769, provides extension with authority to 20Hz and perhaps a bit lower in some rooms. Build, performance and parts quality for this price range were all found to be exceptional. While the PB12-NSD is short on finish options and may not have some of the extra bells and whistles offered by other subwoofers on the market, what it does do very well is the task of producing accurate and powerful bass with depth and finese that most other subs in this price range cannot match, as evidenced by the PB12-NSD achieving the Audioholics Large Room rating. At the end of the day that is what a subwoofer is supposed to do and the PB12-NSD does not disappoint.


Discuss "SVS PB12-NSD Subwoofer Review " here. Read the article.

[Adam]

Great review - thanks! I'm glad that AH and SVS are friendly again.

Any chance of reviewing one of their cylinders, as well? While they are reported to be very similar, I'd love to see an apples-to-apples comparison from AH.

[gotchaforce]

Its amazing that no other website has picked up a guy like ricci before... these tests are invaluable for internet direct subs and showing which sub is worth their salt.

[cel4145]

Very good review, so I'm not complaining. The review has "fit and finish" listed twice in the report card at the end. Should one of those have been "features" like with some of the other reviews?

[Nuance AH]

Thanks for the review fellas. SVS' never ceases to amaze me!

[Fowl]

Thanks for the review fellas. SVS' never ceases to amaze me!

Me too, I have two of these subs in my current room, and I love them. Good job SVS.

[FirstReflection]

Another great review of another great SVS sub!

It's obvious SVS has gone for linearity with their current lineup, even of it means they can't boast higher output levels at only a few or a small range of frequencies

It's interesting that if you look at the 20Hz output, each step up in model basically adds around 3-3.5dB more output. The NSD at around 103, the Plus at around 106-107 and the Ultra at a hair over 110. Might not seem like much, but it's literally a doubling of power. It's just interesting to note that you can basically move up in the model lineup or get a pair of subs that are one model down. And the prices sort of track with that too. Makes perfect sense, really

[Marshall_Guthrie]

Its amazing that no other website has picked up a guy like ricci before... these tests are invaluable for internet direct subs and showing which sub is worth their salt.

Josh did great work at a couple forums before coming to audioholics. I'm glad he's chosen to make audioholics his permanent home.

[Marshall_Guthrie]

Great review. I was an early owner of this sub and your observations match my own. I didn't have the guts to take mine apart though for fear of bending something up

One suggestion: you may want to note the model number on the Tabbed Measurement Data as "PB12-NSD (2011)" or similar as SVS has been updating their models every couple years without much in the way of model number changes. People logging in to view your data may confuse it with the previous model.

Keep up the stellar work.

[homwerk]

Great review. I was an early owner of this sub and your observations match my own. I didn't have the guts to take mine apart though for fear of bending something up

One suggestion: you may want to note the model number on the Tabbed Measurement Data as "PB12-NSD (2011)" or similar as SVS has been updating their models every couple years without much in the way of model number changes. People logging in to view your data may confuse it with the previous model.

Keep up the stellar work.

this is a great idea. I had to double check when I was comparing this data to some of the other subs that were reviewed.