SVS PB-13 Ultra vs JTR Captivator 2400 (with amp)

[PENG]

If you are curious about the amps, you can check out their website here: SpeakerPower - Home

Thanks, it doesn't say much other than high efficiency blablabla....., really nothing to be curious about either as we know class D,G,H etc. are efficient. Fact is, efficiency cannot be greater than 100% and you can't draw more than what the source is rated to provide, short term yes, question is how short/long. One could be creative in specifying power rating without stating the actual conditions. I thought we all know that already.

 

[jasonr93]

It's not wattage so much as other parameters. First of all, the woofer of the Captivator has nearly twice the area of the PB13. Second, the Captivator has a huge cabinet and large vents which provides for a great deal of efficiency, if not WAF. This all adds up to a lot more air displacement, and more displacement means more SPL. Certainly the extra wattage of the amp doesn't hurt though. By the way, you could save some money by getting a passive Captivator and providing your own amp. A passive Cap and a Behringer iNuke can save you a few hundred dollars.

Thank you for your help. I'm not stating this myself, however i have heard that the amp you mentioned (the iNuke) can only put out that wattage (2 x 3100 Watts into 4 Ohms, 2 x 1600 Watts into 8 Ohms) temporarily and not consistently.

 

[jasonr93]

Thanks, it doesn't say much other than high efficiency blablabla....., really nothing to be curious about either as we know class D,G,H etc. are efficient. Fact is, efficiency cannot be greater than 100% and you can't draw more than what the source is rated to provide, short term yes, question is how short/long. One could be creative in specifying power rating without stating the actual conditions. I thought we all know that already.

So are you stating that the SVS could very well have better performance because it has graphed data (data-bass) opposed to the JTR not having any graphs listed?

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Pair of these bad boys and their branded Chane 3600 amp and you'll have all the bass you could crave and still lots of moneys saved in your wallet
Chase Home Theater VS-18.1 Passive 18" Subwoofer

Check data bass for measurements

Just FIY: I am surprised that no one took notices of this great deal
Chane used be called Chase - Data-Bass
Do Compare it to PB13 ultra which cost 4 times - they are not far off and in some tests VS18.1 is even better.

2 subs plus 3600 amp = $1600 + shipping - I guarantee it will kick single PB13 behind

 

[its phillip]

I think those subs are a great deal but I'm not a big fan of Chase

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

I think those subs are a great deal but I'm not a big fan of Chase

It's Chane now, forget about Chase

 

[PENG]

So are you stating that the SVS could very well have better performance because it has graphed data (data-bass) opposed to the JTR not having any graphs listed?

No I cannot say that at all. Without bench tested data and proper listening it it not possible to know.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

No I cannot say that at all. Without bench tested data and proper listening it it not possible to know.

I think it's equivocal whether we need to audition subwoofers (and amps, preamps) like we audition speakers.

Do all subs sound the same if the THD is less than 1% and the SPL is the same?

 

[PENG]

I think it's equivocal whether we need to audition subwoofers (and amps, preamps) like we audition speakers.

Do all subs sound the same if the THD is less than 1% and the SPL is the same?

I would say not so much listening, if relevant and reliable data are available. If not, then listening would be necessary as bare minimum.

 

[jasonr93]

No I cannot say that at all. Without bench tested data and proper listening it it not possible to know.

Okay. I was just seeing if that was your opinion, thanks.

 

[jasonr93]

How about each subs performance for music/theater? I have heard (again, not stating this from my perspective) that SVS's PB-13 Ultra is awesome for HT but lacks in Music, somehow. Where as those who own the JTR have stated that its performance is good for either Home Theater or Music.

 

[jasonr93]

I would say not so much listening, if relevant and reliable data are available. If not, then listening would be necessary as bare minimum.

Yeah, I agree with that.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I would say not so much listening, if relevant and reliable data are available. If not, then listening would be necessary as bare minimum.

If reliable data are available, then all subs with the same THD & SPL will sound the same or equally "musical"?

If the much cheaper Chase/Chane sub has more SPL than the other much more expensive subs @ similar THD & compression data, does it mean the Chase sub will sound at least equally as good or even better?

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

How about each subs performance for music/theater? I have heard (again, not stating this from my perspective) that SVS's PB-13 Ultra is awesome for HT but lacks in Music, somehow. Where as those who own the JTR have stated that its performance is good for either Home Theater or Music.

Equivocal. Anecdotal.

I bet proud owners of SVS subs think their subs are very "musical"; if they have to compare their SVS subs to JTR, I bet they would say their SVS subs are more "musical".

I bet the people who say JTR subs are more musical either own the JTR or contemplating on buying them.

 

[jasonr93]

I would say not so much listening, if relevant and reliable data are available. If not, then listening would be necessary as bare minimum.

Equivocal. Anecdotal.

I bet proud owners of SVS subs think their subs are very "musical"; if they have to compare their SVS subs to JTR, I bet they would say their SVS subs are more "musical".

I bet the people who say JTR subs are more musical either own the JTR or contemplating on buying them.

So in other words, the owners of that sub believe theirs are better then the opposing. I wonder if anyone has had both and can actually say (unbiased) which one is better in performance, however graphs would help. Hopefully it will be tested and graphed so people interested in the two can look somewhere like Data-Bass for reference.

 

[shadyJ]

Sometimes when a sub is said to be particularly musical, that raises a red flag to me. A sub with lots of harmonic distortion may sound like it has more articulation, simply for playing back notes that are not there. Also, any sub that has decent extension can be mistakenly perceived to sound 'slower' due to deeper frequency playback, which by its very nature can increase overhang and sound laggy. I think SVS takes some flack for this, but SVS's subs are actually very accurate with respect to FR with very strong and clean low frequency playback and their extremely low THD can make them sound a bit restrained compared to other subs for music playback. They are the opposite of Rel, which has very high THD and no serious extension to speak of on many of their subs, yet Rel somehow has the reputation of being musical among audiophiles. Yet one more piece of evidence that audiophiles are not the slightest bit concerned about actual fidelity.

 

[Basshead81]

I believe I read that the Captivator 2400 was capable of 115db @ 20hz 2m rms.

 

[jasonr93]

Sometimes when a sub is said to be particularly musical, that raises a red flag to me. A sub with lots of harmonic distortion may sound like it has more articulation, simply for playing back notes that are not there. Also, any sub that has decent extension can be mistakenly perceived to sound 'slower' due to deeper frequency playback, which by its very nature can increase overhang and sound laggy. I think SVS takes some flack for this, but SVS's subs are actually very accurate with respect to FR with very strong and clean low frequency playback and their extremely low THD can make them sound a bit restrained compared to other subs for music playback. They are the opposite of Rel, which has very high THD and no serious extension to speak of on many of their subs, yet Rel somehow has the reputation of being musical among audiophiles. Yet one more piece of evidence that audiophiles are not the slightest bit concerned about actual fidelity.

Thank you very much for this information. I wonder if the JTR doesn't dig as low with as much clarity as the SVS, making people believe that it is better musically.

 

[jasonr93]

I believe I read that the Captivator 2400 was capable of 115db @ 20hz 2m rms.

Any clue to where that may have been? I wonder if thats with the Amp built in or passive with different amp.

 

[shadyJ]

Thank you very much for this information. I wonder if the JTR doesn't dig as low with as much clarity as the SVS, making people believe that it is better musically.

My guess is the SVS has no advantage over the JTR with respect to low frequency playback. The physics are totally in the JTR's favor.