Power Sound Audio XV-15 Subwoofer Review

[tiffany0019]

Hi Jim, I'm a long time reader of your reviews/posts at a couple of sites/forums. Been thinking about a new sub (70% music 30% movie) for a couple of months and need to decide soon between the Rythmik LV12R and PSA XV15. My budget is about $800. I know you like the LV12R very much. And I'm leaning toward the LV12R at the moment but my room size is significantly larger than the one you tested it in (about 3000+ cf). Other owners seem to agree that the XV15 is not that terrible with music and it looks better (slightly) than the LV12R. I put this post here because someone in this thread mentions that you also have/had the sealed version of the XV15 (XS15). Perhaps, you can offer your opinion. Thanks a bunch.

 

[theJman]

Hi Jim, I'm a long time reader of your reviews/posts at a couple of sites/forums.

I'm glad you enjoy my reviews. I certainly enjoy getting first hand experience with all that equipment, so we both end up winning it seems.

Been thinking about a new sub (70% music 30% movie) for a couple of months and need to decide soon between the Rythmik LV12R and PSA XV15. My budget is about $800. I know you like the LV12R very much. And I'm leaning toward the LV12R at the moment but my room size is significantly larger than the one you tested it in (about 3000+ cf). Other owners seem to agree that the XV15 is not that terrible with music and it looks better (slightly) than the LV12R. I put this post here because someone in this thread mentions that you also have/had the sealed version of the XV15 (XS15). Perhaps, you can offer your opinion. Thanks a bunch.

The LV12R proved to be a heck of a nice sub, and while I do indeed like it very much 3000 ft^3 is a sizable room for a single 12" driver, even one as good as the LV12R. Given your situation the XV15 or XS15 would probably be better suited for that much space (I reviewed the XS15).

For the most part, bass reflex subwoofers don't lend themselves to music as well as acoustic suspension subs do. That's a bit of a generalization though, and there are exceptions to the rule. I've never heard the XV15 myself, but knowing how Tom and Jim do things I doubt they would have skimped on precision for output. If you're really concerned that the XV15 might not have the precision you desire the XS15 may be the better choice; that is a sealed design, yet it should still ably fill your room.

What type of music do you listen to? That could potentially have some bearing on your decision.

 

[haraldo]

Jim

Thanks for a very thorough and useful review of XS15, of course I also look forward to the review of twin XS30

-Harald

 

[theJman]

Thanks for a very thorough and useful review of XS15, of course I also look forward to the review of twin XS30

Would that be an XS60 then?

 

[haraldo]

Would that be an XS60 then?

Jokes aside.... it would be very interesting with an XT-30 !!
Well, they would be huge if you go with sub-20 Hz tuning but I'm sure there's a market for this too

I always preferred the bass from transmission loaded bass systems, compared to.... well, anything else
And some others around here think likewise

 

[tiffany0019]

What type of music do you listen to? That could potentially have some bearing on your decision.

I listen to very similar materials that you use in your reviews. About 50% light bass (rock/country) and 50% heavier bass (reggaeton - latin version of pop/rap with lots of electronic sounds). Looks like XS15 is the one for me. It's smaller than the XV which is a plus. Thanks for helping me.

 

[theJman]

I listen to very similar materials that you use in your reviews. About 50% light bass (rock/country) and 50% heavier bass (reggaeton - latin version of pop/rap with lots of electronic sounds). Looks like XS15 is the one for me. It's smaller than the XV which is a plus. Thanks for helping me.

You're welcome. I hope everything works out. Be sure to come back and post your impressions, although you should probably start a new thread. After all, this one is more for the XV15.

 

[haraldo]

I listen to very similar materials that you use in your reviews. About 50% light bass (rock/country) and 50% heavier bass (reggaeton - latin version of pop/rap with lots of electronic sounds). Looks like XS15 is the one for me. It's smaller than the XV which is a plus. Thanks for helping me.

I would be very eager too.... to hear about any of your experiences !!!!!

 

[tiffany0019]

I have been on a tighter budget than I originally thought, but will have enough saved to pull the trigger near the end of the month. Also, my situation has changed a little since the last post. The 3000+ cf room is no longer considered for the entertainment system. The new room is a little less than 2000 cf. I recently had a chance to listen to a 10" B&W sealed sub at a friend's place, and was so impressed with its musical quality (a lot may have to do with the rest of the speakers too - all B&W's) that I'm leaning toward using this new setup mainly for music now (probably 80% music and 20% movie). This may sound funny but this was probably my the first time listen to a sealed sub - that I can remember Reading the posts, I know that you have high standards for music quality. Would the XS15 (being sealed) has a slight edge in music when compared to the LV12R, or is it too close to tell?

 

[tiffany0019]

I have been on a tighter budget than I originally thought, but will have enough saved to pull the trigger near the end of the month. Also, my situation has changed a little since the last post. The 3000+ cf room is no longer considered for the entertainment system. The new room is a little less than 2000 cf. I recently had a chance to listen to a 10" B&W sealed sub at a friend's place, and was so impressed with its musical quality (a lot may have to do with the rest of the speakers too - all B&W's) that I'm leaning toward using this new setup mainly for music now (probably 80% music and 20% movie). This may sound funny but this was probably my the first time listen to a sealed sub - that I can remember Reading the posts, I know that you have high standards for music quality. Would the XS15 (being sealed) has a slight edge in music when compared to the LV12R, or is it too close to tell?

This was meant to be a reply to Jim's last post. Sorry.

 

[theJman]

Reading the posts, I know that you have high standards for music quality. Would the XS15 (being sealed) has a slight edge in music when compared to the LV12R, or is it too close to tell?

Neither will ever win a beauty contest, so appearance is essentially a wash. They're sizable too, meaning both are not going to disappear in your room. I'd give the edge to the XS15 when it comes to total output, with depth (extension) being closer then you might think. That being said...

I'd probably favor the LV12R, given the circumstances. Your room is only a bit larger then mine (about 1800 ft^3), so I can infer to a certain degree. You will have no trouble filling that room with deep bass regardless of which you choose, but with the different configuration possibilities the Rythmik has you can dial it in more to your preference. Want the most accuracy? Set the Bass Extension to High. Feel like watching a movie and prefer a richer bass sound? Set it to Low. You could even set it to Med and get the best of both worlds. Depending upon how you like things to sound that may prove to be an indispensable feature.

 

[espanarules]

I will have to tutor math a good couple of weeks to save up for that bad boy!!!

 

[mdanderson]

Thank you Jim for your excellent review of the XS15 and for all your input in this thread. Also thanks to Josh Ricci for the great review of the XV15. I have my SVS PB12-plus DSP sub up for sale and I am planning on getting dual XV15s. This would be my first experience with a dual configuration. To any XV15 owners, what is your impression of this sub with music? I am about 50/50 with music and movies. Thanks.

Matt

 

[shadyJ]

Thank you Jim for your excellent review of the XS15 and for all your input in this thread. Also thanks to Josh Ricci for the great review of the XV15. I have my SVS PB12-plus DSP sub up for sale and I am planning on getting dual XV15s. This would be my first experience with a dual configuration. To any XV15 owners, what is your impression of this sub with music? I am about 50/50 with music and movies. Thanks.

Matt

In terms of sound quality, you would likely be downgrading. The Plus drivers that SVS use are heavy duty, they have huge magnets and stay very linear with extremely low distortion. The Power X driver ... is another story altogether. There is no way I would trade a SVS Plus for PSA Power Xs. The cone control of Power Xs will be far inferior. The natural upgrade path for you would be to simply add another PB12 Plus. A couple Rythmik FV15HPs would also earn you a considerable boost in output and extension without sacrificing sound quality. Another affordable sub which I think would offer a decent amount of output while keeping very high sound quality would be this Dayton dual driver kit. The drivers have very respectable BL and are built for quiet excursion and low distortion, and the cabinet would be totally inert, so the sound quality should be excellent.

 

[mdanderson]

In terms of sound quality, you would likely be downgrading. The Plus drivers that SVS use are heavy duty, they have huge magnets and stay very linear with extremely low distortion. The Power X driver ... is another story altogether. There is no way I would trade a SVS Plus for PSA Power Xs. The cone control of Power Xs will be far inferior. The natural upgrade path for you would be to simply add another PB12 Plus. A couple Rythmik FV15HPs would also earn you a considerable boost in output and extension without sacrificing sound quality. Another affordable sub which I think would offer a decent amount of output while keeping very high sound quality would be this Dayton dual driver kit. The drivers have very respectable BL and are built for quiet excursion and low distortion, and the cabinet would be totally inert, so the sound quality should be excellent.

Thanks shadyJ for your input. I was trying to avoid getting another 127lb beast like the PB12-plus even though it is a very good sounding sub. Plus the cost of another SVS plus is not in my budget. As far as the "cone control of Power Xs will be far inferior" statement, where is your evidence to support such a statement? Much of what I have read about PSA is that their products are of excellent quality. Thanks again for your suggestions.

 

[shadyJ]

The motor of the XV15 is using three 5" magnets. I don't know the diameter of the PB12 Plus, but it is a hell of a lot more robust than that. You can compare them visually:

To me it looks like the Power X driver was built for excursion but not cone control. This will get you lots of output cheaply but at the cost of sound quality. I think some of the penalties of this can partly be seen in the distortion and compression measurements at data-bass.com. Obviously the PB12 Plus driver is quite different. That motor will have a far tighter grip on the VC and cone. There is a reason why the PB12 Plus is so much more expensive despite having a smaller woofer diameter. I would bet the cost of a single Plus driver is more than two Power X drivers.

 

[Steve81]

Another affordable sub which I think would offer a decent amount of output while keeping very high sound quality would be this Dayton dual driver kit. The drivers have very respectable BL and are built for quiet excursion and low distortion, and the cabinet would be totally inert, so the sound quality should be excellent.

FWIW, I'd probably stick with something like the Rythmik F15HP over that thing. Better warranty & return policy, the DS1510 actually has (marginally) more linear displacement than the two Dayton 12" drivers, the advantages of servo control (i.e. practically no compression until you hit the hard limits), etc. The amp is also appears pretty conservatively rated @ 600W RMS, continuous, versus most short term ratings.

 

[theJman]

Thanks shadyJ for your input. I was trying to avoid getting another 127lb beast like the PB12-plus even though it is a very good sounding sub. Plus the cost of another SVS plus is not in my budget. As far as the "cone control of Power Xs will be far inferior" statement, where is your evidence to support such a statement? Much of what I have read about PSA is that their products are of excellent quality. Thanks again for your suggestions.

I would caution you against making a sound quality assessment by looking at pictures of a driver. That's akin to deciding which pickup truck has greater towing capacity by looking at them from the outside, without knowing anything about how they're configured (driveline, engine type and size, etc). It's simply not an accurate way to discern capabilities. You need far more information than a photo can provide.

For example, I reviewed the Rythmik LV12R recently. The driver is nothing to look at, but the sound quality and depth it can produce are quite impressive. Were you to draw a conclusion strictly by looking at the driver you would be missing out on an excellent subwoofer. It's the sum total of the parts, and how they're implemented, that makes the package work or not work. It's impossible to look at one photo in isolation and make that type of determination.

 

[Tom V.]

Thank you Jim for your excellent review of the XS15 and for all your input in this thread. Also thanks to Josh Ricci for the great review of the XV15. I have my SVS PB12-plus DSP sub up for sale and I am planning on getting dual XV15s. This would be my first experience with a dual configuration. To any XV15 owners, what is your impression of this sub with music? I am about 50/50 with music and movies. Thanks.

Matt

Hi Matt,

If you choose to audition a pair of XV15s in your home I'll handle all the shipping costs if you decide to return them. Our return rate is next to *0* and we have very high confidence in our products. Decide for yourself.. Just email me at support if/when you decide to order, thanks.

Tom V.
Power Sound Audio

 

[Marshall_Guthrie]

Can't argue with that.

Hi Matt,

If you choose to audition a pair of XV15s in your home I'll handle all the shipping costs if you decide to return them. Our return rate is next to *0* and we have very high confidence in our products. Decide for yourself.. Just email me at support if/when you decide to order, thanks.

Tom V.
Power Sound Audio