PB-2000 not impressed

[Matthew J Poes]

I don't know if I'd go as far as fanboy (as in I'm not opposed to other brands per se). I originally was listening to speakers in the $2000 or less range in college and narrowed it down to the Carver AL-III dipole ribbon speakers or the PSB Stratus Gold. I went with the Carver ribbons, but I remembered how neutral sounding the PSB speaker was and when I moved to another house I decided to go with PSB for the home theater. Well, I was already invested in PSB so when I went from 6.1 to 17.1 (11.1.6), I kept going with PSB (that nice neutral clean sound means all the speakers play nice in every direction around the room, more like one giant sound field than individual speakers.

While I’ve long respected Paul, I only got to know him personally a few years ago. My respect for him and his accomplishments has only increased. He was in college when he started building speakers and took advantage of the NRC not long after he got started. I believe he was working in the NRC for college when he started PSB. That means he was measuring and designing speakers using anechoic chambers long before most and was, for all practical purposes, a garage operation.

Today his speakers are some of the best engineered speakers on the planet. Very similar to Revel in terms of how the science of good sound was incorporated into the design. His speakers measure really well and I think the performance to price ratio is actually really good. While his best speakers aren’t cheap, it’s also hard to deny the performance.

Plus we enjoyed a great steak together at AXPONA 2018 and everyone knows when two men bond over steak it’s a bond for life.

Today Paul still runs thing with the engineering aspect of PSB, he flies to China all the time to manage his factories. I think that’s really impressive. He is no spring chicken.

He’s also become a bit of a mentor for me as of late and i greatly appreciate what he has taught me. He has helped me with speaker and headphone measurement and taught me quite a bit about driver design. He definitely falls into the category of someone who has forgotten more about speaker design than probably all of us know combined. I’m a fanboy and I don’t even own his products.

 

[ryanosaur]

sorry for more side distraction, but what drivers does JTR use?

 

[Matthew J Poes]

sorry for more side distraction, but what drivers does JTR use?

To be honest I’m not comfortable divulging that information without his permission. He tends to be very secretive about what goes into his speakers. I can say this, it’s all really good stuff and typically not off the shelf. The midbass drivers have unusually low distortion.

 

[ryanosaur]

To be honest I’m not comfortable divulging that information without his permission. He tends to be very secretive about what goes into his speakers. I can say this, it’s all really good stuff and typically not off the shelf. The midbass drivers have unusually low distortion.

Say no more. A curiosity as his gear has such a strong reputation. Admittedly, if ever I were to want the horn experience, I think it would be his gear I would choose. I'll get back to you when I happen to have an "extra" 20K lying around. (slight crossover here, with the other thread about wide vs narrow dispersion... gotta love stream of consciousness!)

 

[bravo79]

The sub has arrived today. I did Audyssey calibration and wow! My whole house is shaking. I can’t crank the volume more than 75 because it’s too loud. My I’ll try that during the weekend. There are settings on the sub it self I need to read about and to understand. Like p-eq1 and p-eq 2 stuff.

 

[lovinthehd]

The sub has arrived today. I did Audyssey calibration and wow! My whole house is shaking. I can’t crank the volume more than 75 because it’s too loud. My I’ll try that during the weekend. There are settings on the sub it self I need to read about and to understand. Like pq1 and pq2 stuff.

Congrats! 75 on the absolute scale is pretty loud, only down 5-7 dB from reference (depending on the specific of your volume scale/calibration).

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

The sub has arrived today. I did Audyssey calibration and wow! My whole house is shaking. I can’t crank the volume more than 75 because it’s too loud. My I’ll try that during the weekend. There are settings on the sub it self I need to read about and to understand. Like p-eq1 and p-eq 2 stuff.

Congrats!!!

 

[bravo79]

So far this sub rocks. Although this is the only one Ive experienced. I originally wanted to by the HSU VTF-3 MK5
But now although the SB 13 Ultra is very impressive I wonder If the VTF is better ? The real question is how it this sub compares to the VTF? Anybody compared the two ? I wish HSU would do like SVS for in home trial but thats not the case.

 

[everettT]

So far this sub rocks. Although this is the only one Ive experienced. I originally wanted to by the HSU VTF-3 MK5
But now although the SB 13 Ultra is very impressive I wonder If the VTF is better ? The real question is how it this sub compares to the VTF? Any buddy compared the tow ? I wish HSU would do like SVS for in home trial but thats not the case.

Two different subs, so it's hard to compare. Considering you can get two of the HSUs for about the same price ... I'm sure the SVS, based on reviews, will look better on paper but depending on goals and room, it might matter.

 

[lovinthehd]

So far this sub rocks. Although this is the only one Ive experienced. I originally wanted to by the HSU VTF-3 MK5
But now although the SB 13 Ultra is very impressive I wonder If the VTF is better ? The real question is how it this sub compares to the VTF? Anybody compared the two ? I wish HSU would do like SVS for in home trial but thats not the case.

Well Hsu I believe does allow returns after an in-home trial but you pay the freight (both ways). Probably contributes to their subs tending to be better priced than SVS...

Compare how? They're not very similar. I'd think the Hsu VTF-3 would simply outperform it in a few ways.

 

[snakeeyes]

Well Hsu I believe does allow returns after an in-home trial but you pay the freight (both ways). Probably contributes to their subs tending to be better priced than SVS...

Compare how? They're not very similar. I'd think the Hsu VTF-3 would simply outperform it in a few ways.

I don’t think most people bother returning HSU or Rythmik or SVS or Monolith. (As long as they are at least 12in). These are quality brands.

 

[lovinthehd]

I don’t think most people bother returning HSU or Rythmik or SVS or Monolith. (As long as they are at least 12in). These are quality brands.

LOL so true. But wondering later if the fine sub you just got was a good decision and then start wondering about a different sub....that's just audiophilia

 

[bravo79]

LOL so true. But wondering later if the fine sub you just got was a good decision and then start wondering about a different sub....that's just audiophilia

audiophilia is what Im suffering from right now. But I paid $900 for the svs and I wonder I could have got the hsu and I might be missing out on it. As I stated I originally wanted the vtf but I kept stalking the svs outlet and here it is the ultra was on sale. Ive seen people comparing the vtf to PB 2000 but not any ultras.

 

[lovinthehd]

audiophilia is what Im suffering from right now. But I paid $900 for the svs and I wonder I could have got the hsu and I might be missing out on it. As I stated I originally wanted the vtf but I kept stalking the svs outlet and here it is the ultra was on sale. Ive seen people comparing the vtf to PB 2000 but not any ultras.

Without reading back, what's your main content for the sub going to be?

You do realize PB and SB subs even in the same driver size can be somewhat different?

 

[bravo79]

Without reading back, what's your main content for the sub going to be?

You do realize PB and SB subs even in the same driver size can be somewhat different?

50 Music and 50 movies.

 

[lovinthehd]

50 Music and 50 movies.

Do you think the SB13U is lacking something in the low bass? That's probably where a larger ported sub would make the most difference...

 

[bravo79]

Do you think the SB13U is lacking something in the low bass? That's probably where a larger ported sub would make the most difference...

Here is the problem I cant tell if its lacking anything I personally like it but I cant tell say if the hsu will perform better but I dont know and never had one.

 

[lovinthehd]

Here is the problem I cant tell if its lacking anything I personally like it but I cant tell say if the hsu will perform better but I dont know and never had one.

Sounds more like audiophilia than a particular concern then. What size room? How loud do you listen? Is the lowest end of the frequency range the most important to you?

 

[bravo79]

Sounds more like audiophilia than a particular concern then. What size room? How loud do you listen? Is the lowest end of the frequency range the most important to you?

My room is 14 by like 30 because its open to other room and 9 high. I'm planning to move in the future but not sure when.

 

[bravo79]

I checked the cea 2010 data and it shows
SB 13 Ultra at 20hz is 96.5 at 40hz 112.2 and 80hz 117.3
VTF 3 MK5 one port open at 20 hz 114.4 at 40hz 126.1 and 80hz 125.1