SVS SB13-Ultra Subwoofer Contest Review Thread

[Adam]

This is surprising to me...

I would have been even more surprised if his mom had voted for you or me.

 

[Marshall_Guthrie]

Well, I have the most video views even if I didn't get the most votes

 

[STRONGBADF1]

This is surprising to me as I really enjoyed how you narrated the review in the video and the golf club swing was price-less. Figured voters who didn't like the heavier technical/graphical stuff (or techno-babble as I think someone referred to it ) would have been deciding between yours and Adam's which had less, well, techno-babble.

I'm surprised and see it the same as you. These reviews are all good enough that the voting figures should be within 10-15% of each other IMO.

 

[Adam]

Well, I have the most video views even if I didn't get the most votes

Didn't hurt that SVS linked to their "favorite video reviewer" on Facebook.

J/K! You'll get a lot more views in the future, for sure. I said it before, and I'll say it again - I loved you guys' reviews. That video was outstanding!

 

[Gord Gee]

Great reviews from all three! I decided to pull the trigger myself and just got one on the pre-order special. Can't wait!

 

[Marshall_Guthrie]

Great reviews from all three! I decided to pull the trigger myself and just got one on the pre-order special. Can't wait!

Congrats. I'd wager you'll be very pleased. Dial in your placement and run an auto EQ, and you'll get loud, clean, and flat.

 

[pbc]

Well, I have the most video views even if I didn't get the most votes

Humorously the driver excursion video (Pulse scene) that I posted has more views than the rest of my videos, almost combined. Subwoofer driver-p*rn for some I guess.

 

[pbc]

Great reviews from all three! I decided to pull the trigger myself and just got one on the pre-order special. Can't wait!

Methinks you will enjoy it. How large of a room?

 

[Marshall_Guthrie]

Humorously the driver excursion video (Pulse scene) that I posted has more views than the rest of my videos, almost combined. Subwoofer driver-p*rn for some I guess.

Yes, you can find lot of, IMHO, worthless driver excursion vids on youtube, and I've gotten many comments from past reviews that people like the excursion footage. I refuse to do max excursion, though. I put on tough content and turn it up, but never anymore that I would if I were rocking out instead of doin a review, i.e. real world use.

SVS seems to do a good job with their limiters, so I don't think that there is a high risk of damage, but I just don't think it represents a real use scenario. Of course, this is coming from the guy that wants to smash one with a golf club, though I suppose that could happen.

 

[pbc]

The TC Sounds drivers are usually the ones that people put through insane amounts of torture.

I've never tried max excursion either. Typically I'll just do the Pulse scene at -5 to -10dB to reference, depending on the subwoofer's capabilities. It was pretty clear from the fluttering sound that SVS's limiters were keeping the sub within its limits.

 

[Marshall_Guthrie]

I've never watched Pulse, should I pick it up?

Obviously, I'm a fan of the Last Mimzy, though the clip I have is off a Dolby Demo Disc. I don't know if they ever did a commercial release on HD-DVD/Blu-ray. I also use a lot of random car-audio torture tracks, real basshead stuff.

 

[k0rww]

I hope this isn't too late.

I voted for PBC because his review was the most professional and thorough of the three. I especially appreciated the graphs which required a good deal of time and effort. Having pictures of the inside of the amp was just icing on the cake.
I own two SVS subwoofers and I’m in the market for an upgrade so this was a timely review for me.

Richard

 

[pbc]

I've never watched Pulse, should I pick it up?

Obviously, I'm a fan of the Last Mimzy, though the clip I have is off a Dolby Demo Disc. I don't know if they ever did a commercial release on HD-DVD/Blu-ray. I also use a lot of random car-audio torture tracks, real basshead stuff.

I've never actually watched the movie as I've heard it's terrible. I have the one scene on a DVD test disc. It's a great scene, have watched it a hundred times or so.

 

[Gord Gee]

Methinks you will enjoy it. How large of a room?

The viewing space of my family room is 12 x 13.5 x 8 but it opens directly onto a seating area at the side and then up to the 8" raised dinette area to the kitchen cabinets which are 14 feet away and then to the kitchen. So roughly 1225 addtional square feet is added to the side of the 1300 square feet in the primary viewing area.

BTW, I remember seeing a picture that one of you posted of the Delivery guy wheeling in the SVS. I can't seem to find it. A link anyone please?

Thanks

-Gord

 

[pbc]

See Adam's video review...

 

[Marshall_Guthrie]

I didn't even know about that (I'm a bad facebooker). Very cool, thanks for bringing that to my attention. I probably got some bonus points by being the first person (I assume) to put down money on the PB12-NSD (I had my order in before it was even announced).

Didn't hurt that SVS linked to their "favorite video reviewer" on Facebook.

J/K! You'll get a lot more views in the future, for sure. I said it before, and I'll say it again - I loved you guys' reviews. That video was outstanding!

 

[Adam]

BTW, I remember seeing a picture that one of you posted of the Delivery guy wheeling in the SVS. I can't seem to find it. A link anyone please?

See Adam's video review...

Yep - first part of the video. Thanks, Steve!

After the contest is over, I'll probably throw up another outtake of Niki going outside to investigate (and me running out to get her) that was after the part of the delivery that I showed. She took advantage of me being trapped behind the box at the door.

 

[Gord Gee]

The viewing space of my family room is 12 x 13.5 x 8 but it opens directly onto a seating area at the side and then up to the 8" raised dinette area to the kitchen cabinets which are 14 feet away and then to the kitchen. So roughly 1225 addtional square feet is added to the side of the 1300 square feet in the primary viewing area.

BTW, I remember seeing a picture that one of you posted of the Delivery guy wheeling in the SVS. I can't seem to find it. A link anyone please?

Thanks

-Gord

Sorry. That's cubic feet.

 

[Adam]

Gord, congrats on the order! I agree - I think that you'll really like it. Your area is smaller than mine (which is about 3800 ft³ in the main room, with large openings to even more volume that you can see in my video), and the SB13-Ultra did a fantastic job in my listening area.

 

[GO-NAD!]

Well, I thought I was off the hook because I'd missed the voting deadline. I only just got an opportunity to peruse all the reviews this evening. They were all extremely well-done, which only makes the choice more difficult. I'm going go with Adam, because it had the best mix of video/technical/text.

That said, my vote may be biased, because I've interacted with Adam a great deal on AH forums and it could be a subconscious influence. This was certainly a great idea and I hope to see more like it. I would just suggest that it be set up in a way that each reviewer and all voters could be anonymous.