Budget home theater sub - SVS PB-1000 or Hsu ULS-15 MK1?

[jaydee77ca]

Hello,

I've am looking for a new subwoofer for our home theater. It is an L-shaped open area in the basement of about 3,900 cubic feet. The other speakers are Paradigm Monitor 9 towers, Monitor 3 center, and Surround 1 surrounds along with 2 Triad OmniRound8's in the bar and two RBH VA815's in the game area. It is used about 75% for movies and TV and 25% for music. My budget is about $750 Canadian which makes it challenging to find good quality. The SVS PB-1000 is $710 shipped from a Canadian dealer but I have also found a used Hsu ULS-15 MK1 for $750 (note it is the MK1 not the MK2) from a local retailer. They seem pretty similar but I noticed the PB-1000 is 110.6 dB at 20 Hz while the ULS-15 is only 106.7. My understanding from my research is that the low end is what's needed for movies so would it be better to go with the PB-1000?

What would the expert recommendation be?

Thanks in advance!

 

[shadyJ]

I don't think those CEA-2010 numbers are comparable, so I wouldn't go by them. The bottom line is, these subs will probably have comparable output at around 20 Hz, with the ULS having an advantage from 30 Hz to 50 Hz or so.

Either one of these subs will be in over its head in a room of 4,500 cubic feet. If I could only pick one between them, I would get the ULS without hesitation, however, you might think about adding more subs down the road, in which case they should be matching, so the PB-1000 might be a better choice for a multi-sub setup.

 

[yepimonfire]

The VTF 3 is about the same price as the ULS, and would do much better in that room. Unfortunately, you’re gonna need two really big sub or 4 smaller subs in that room at a minimum. I’d definitely corner load it until you can get more subs.


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[jaydee77ca]

The VTF 3 is about the same price as the ULS, and would do much better in that room. Unfortunately, you’re gonna need two really big sub or 4 smaller subs in that room at a minimum. I’d definitely corner load it until you can get more subs.


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The VTF-3 isn't the same price for me. The VTF-3 is 799 USD which is 1,025 CAD which is $300 more. Plus, Hsu do not sell in Canada and shipping would be quite expensive, pushing the cost difference even greater. So unfortunately the VTF-3 is way out of my budget.

I can get the PB-1000 for about 710 CAD delivered to my door or the used ULS-15 MK1 for 750 CAD locally. So budget wise those are the only two contenders that I can see.

I'm just trying to find out if the ULS-15 will perform as well for movies and TV as the PB-1000.

Thanks!

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[everettT]

The VTF-3 isn't the same price for me. The VTF-3 is 799 USD which is 1,025 CAD which is $300 more. Plus, Hsu do not sell in Canada and shipping would be quite expensive, pushing the cost difference even greater. So unfortunately the VTF-3 is way out of my budget.

I can get the PB-1000 for about 710 CAD delivered to my door or the used ULS-15 MK1 for 750 CAD locally. So budget wise those are the only two contenders that I can see.

I'm just trying to find out if the ULS-15 will perform as well for movies and TV as the PB-1000.

Thanks!

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@shadyJ answered it. If you can't get a second MK1 go with the SVS so you can match it down the road

 

[jaydee77ca]

I don't think those CEA-2010 numbers are comparable, so I wouldn't go by them. The bottom line is, these subs will probably have comparable output at around 20 Hz, with the ULS having an advantage from 30 Hz to 50 Hz or so.

Yeah I think those numbers are whacky. This Audioholics article says 99.8 dB at 20 Hz: http://www.audioholics.com/how-to-shop/500-subwoofer-roundup

So that would make the 106.7 dB of the ULS-15 much better.

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[jaydee77ca]

@shadyJ answered it. If you can't get a second MK1 go with the SVS so you can match it down the road

Yeah I hear that. I doubt I would be able to get a second subwoofer though. There aren't any good placement options for a second, plus it would be difficult to justify the cost So I think my best bet is to get the most for my current budget. In 10 or 15 years when I'm looking for two subs I can reevaluate based on the options then LOL

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[shadyJ]

Yeah I think those numbers are whacky. This Audioholics article says 99.8 dB at 20 Hz: http://www.audioholics.com/how-to-shop/500-subwoofer-roundup

So that would make the 106.7 dB of the ULS-15 much better.

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That Audioholics article is probably using SVS's own numbers. SVS will have reliable numbers. Hsu reports their numbers at 1m peak, that is not comparable to SVS's numbers. I have tested the ULS-15 mk1, at 20 Hz I measured 98.6 dB passing CEA-2010 output. So in terms of CEA-2010, they are very close at 20 Hz due to the PB-1000s port contribution. Above and below 20 Hz, the ULS-15 mk1 should have an advantage.

 

[jaydee77ca]

That Audioholics article is probably using SVS's own numbers. SVS will have reliable numbers. Hsu reports their numbers at 1m peak, that is not comparable to SVS's numbers. I have tested the ULS-15 mk1, at 20 Hz I measured 98.6 dB passing CEA-2010 output. So in terms of CEA-2010, they are very close at 20 Hz due to the PB-1000s port contribution. Above and below 20 Hz, the ULS-15 mk1 should have an advantage.

Ok, I think that helps a lot! I figured the ULS-15 would have an advantage in the higher frequencies because it is sealed and larger (right?). The only question was whether it would be powerful enough in the low frequencies to compete with the PB-1000 for movies & tv. Thanks a lot for your help shadyJ!

 

[shadyJ]

I figured the ULS-15 would have an advantage in the higher frequencies because it is sealed and larger (right?).

The larger cone does lend it an advantage. the sealed design doesn't give it an advantage in higher frequencies, but it does give it an advantage in extreme low frequencies. However, you would need multiple units to begin to capitalize on that advantage.

 

[jaydee77ca]

you would need multiple units to begin to capitalize on that advantage.

Oh


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[jaydee77ca]

Thinking on this more over the weekend, I think the ULS-15 is a red herring. My original plan was to get one PB-1000 now and in 1-3 years perhaps get a second one. Though a single PB-1000 might drown in the room, it will at least be better than the PA HDS10 I'm currently using (10", 150W, 35-150 Hz) Then some point down the road I can get a second which should be good.

Going for the ULS-15 now basically makes going dual very hard as I'd have to sell the ULS-15 first and that's going to be difficult in my small town (and with it being so old)

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