Martin Logan vs SVS

[Aggie09]

I am in need of a sub for my set up. I am running a 3.1 system with DT SM55's and DT 8040 center. I think I am set on the SVS PB1000, but was recently looking at the Martin Logan Dynamo 500 and 700 series. I have a bigger room this will be going in. The SVS is bigger and much much heavier than the Martin Logan. What would you recommend? Thank you.

 

[tyhjaarpa]

Logan has some nice subs but they are overpriced. Get svs, hsu or Rythmik and you get a lot more bang for your buck.

 

[lovinthehd]

The SVS is the better choice of those two IMO. Why just these two?

 

[Pogre]

SVS makes great subs. I'd pick them for sure of your 2 choices. If you have a large room though, a PB1000 might not be big enough. How big is your room?

 

[Aggie09]

Those 2 seemed to be my best options because of the price range. I wanted to stay around $500 for it. I seem to read a lot of good things about the SVS, I just got interested in the Martin Logan because I can listen to them at Best Buy. I would take any recommendations if you have some for that price range. My wife is not a fan of a lot of Bass, so I figured that package could give me what I wanted. The room is tile, we have couches, and a carpet, with vaulted ceilings. It is approximately 20x20.

 

[j_garcia]

Listening to things at Best Buy is definitely not going to tell you anything. Their showcase rooms are normally a joke.

20x20 is a bad thing, though if your wife is sensitive to it, maybe that is better. Square rooms have much more cancellation so good bass is can be more difficult to achieve. PB1000 is probably pushing it for that room. Since she's sensitive to it, I might actually say the SB1000 would be a better option since it is sealed. Bass is cleaner, but still pushing it for that room.

 

[Aggie09]

I actually stoped by best buy today to look at receivers and they had an sb1000 in there that I got to listen too. I guess the new Magnolia Design Centers stock different things now. I really liked it. My original gut feeling over the past few months was to get the SB, but I did not know if the lower output being sealed would be enough for the room. I liked what I heard though.

 

[j_garcia]

I recall SVS saying BB/Magnolia had picked them up, which is kind of cool.

 

[vsound5150]

I actually stoped by best buy today to look at receivers and they had an sb1000 in there that I got to listen too. I guess the new Magnolia Design Centers stock different things now. I really liked it. My original gut feeling over the past few months was to get the SB, but I did not know if the lower output being sealed would be enough for the room. I liked what I heard though.

I believe the HSU Research subs as someone mentioned earlier have enclosures designed to run the subs either ported or plugged.

SVS lets you evaluate their subs for 45-days free shipping to/from if you want to test the PB vs SB subs but I would call them for a recommendation for your current setup and future outlook.

I ran the Martin Logan Dynamo 500 before but now running a pair of SVS PB-1000. I can say the SVS is a better sub, bass is very smooth sounding and it doesn't seem to struggle to push out the lows at both low and high volumes like I remember the Dynamo 500 did. I still have the Dynamo 500 will probably find some use for it.

 

[j_garcia]

All of the HSUs that start with "VTF" in the name can be adjusted between output and extension modes, but it does not exactly become a fully sealed sub.

 

[shadyJ]

All of the HSUs that start with "VTF" in the name can be adjusted between output and extension modes, but it does not exactly become a fully sealed sub.

Not true, when the ports are plugged, they operate as a fully sealed subwoofer. In fact, their sealed operation is very good compared to other natively sealed subwoofers since they have a comparatively generous internal cabinet space.

 

[j_garcia]

Are they rubber plugs? Last one I owned, the plugs were foam, just like the old SVS plugs were. That would not be fully sealed, though they do behave much like a sealed.

 

[lovinthehd]

Are they rubber plugs? Last one I owned, the plugs were foam, just like the old SVS plugs were. That would not be fully sealed, though they do behave much like a sealed.

Isn't the difference pretty much moot with foam plugs, i.e. there's very little to be gained by changing them to rubber for a compete seal? Thought I'd read that before at least....

 

[shadyJ]

Are they rubber plugs? Last one I owned, the plugs were foam, just like the old SVS plugs were. That would not be fully sealed, though they do behave much like a sealed.

They are a rubbery material, I am not sure what it is called exactly. It makes an airtight seal for practical purposes. It's not the polyurethane foam that SVS uses, although that does the trick for practical purposes as well. They behave exactly like a sealed subwoofer because they are sealed subwoofers; there is no air cavity resonance, and there is no significant change in internal enclosure pressure from any leakage.

In some instances the driver in some of these variable tuned subwoofers might not be optimal for sealed operation, as with the PB13 and PB16 Ultra drivers, and SVS uses an overhung driver for the natively sealed SB13 and 16 Ultra subs. In the ported cases SVS is using a very long-throw underhung driver that is geared toward deeply tuned ported operation in the ported subs. The Hsu subs are using overhung drivers that can be used very well in either sealed or ported enclosures.

 

[vsound5150]

I remember asking SVS if they sold plugs for my PB-1000 ported subs and they said no because the enclosure was designed specifically for a ported setup. I may try plugging them just for the heck of it to see what happens, maybe take a before and after mic measurement.

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

Does hsu use the adjustable subsonic filter for their tunable subs?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[shadyJ]

Does hsu use the adjustable subsonic filter for their tunable subs?

Yes.

 

[KEW]

I remember asking SVS if they sold plugs for my PB-1000 ported subs and they said no because the enclosure was designed specifically for a ported setup. I may try plugging them just for the heck of it to see what happens, maybe take a before and after mic measurement.

Stuffing a pair of socks in the port is a time honored approach.

 

[vsound5150]

Stuffing a pair of socks in the port is a time honored approach.

I stuffed the ports on both my SVS subs and easily heard a difference. I played Fleetwood Mac's "You Make Loving Fun" on vinyl with the volume up near reference level and noticed the highs (drum cymbals) came forward and stronger, the bass guitar somewhat disappeared, and the kick drum became louder, overall the sound lost its balance of separation and fullness.

I unplugged the ports and played a movie (Moth) where the steady rumbling sound from inside the car driving down the road was present and filled the room with strong vibrations. After plugging the ports that same sound lost its rumbling feel throughout the room it became more flat or short lived. End result, ported sounded better for this particular sub as SVS mentioned the PB-1000 subs were designed strictly for ported use only.

 

[LAB3]

For a larger room I would look at the SVS PB13 Ultra or the 16 Ultra if money is not a issue. I use one plug in the center port for music and all 3 open for movies for my PB 13 Ultra. This sub is really fast with that 13.5" 55 lb driver in it. The 1000 Amp 3,600 peak Sledge Amp with DSP has a lot of adjustments to deal with different room placement etc There are other brands that are good too but most cost a lot more.
What ever you do for a larger room Go BIG on the subs that dig down deep in the LFE if you want to feel the bass. I am lucky I have a small den 10X14 so I have the gain turned down so it does over power the mains YMMV every room has it's issues. Good Luck.