AudioScienceReviews measured SVS Ultras and the pink panther gets out in one piece!

[KEW]

Articles, Reviews and Measurements of Audio Products

Audio Hifi Equipment Reviews Stereo

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[D Murphy]

Articles, Reviews and Measurements of Audio Products

Audio Hifi Equipment Reviews Stereo

www.audiosciencereview.com

They measure like I expected given my listening experience, which was a basically clean and deep presentation, but lacking in lower treble presence. Somehow Amir managed to hear a speaker that was both warm and bright. That may be a first.

 

[Beave]

Strangely enough (or not?), I've read lots of accounts of the speakers as being too warm, and lots of accounts of them being too bright. Not many say they are neutral. It kinda makes sense and kinda makes no sense at all.

 

[shadyJ]

Strangely enough (or not?), I've read lots of accounts of the speakers as being too warm, and lots of accounts of them being too bright. Not many say they are neutral. It kinda makes sense and kinda makes no sense at all.

Sound systems are like a Rorschach test; you are going to hear whatever you think you are going to hear from them. Your expectations and biases are going to corrupt your experience of the actual performance of the system. No reviewer's subjective experience can ever be trusted, mine included. My guess is, from looking at the measurements, these speakers are probably just fine.

 

[Beave]

Oh, I agree. What it probably means as much as anything is that they ARE fairly neutral, despite never being characterized that way; and that the 'warm' or 'bright' characteristics are due to the program material, the placement and room acoustics, and as you point out, the the listener's psychology.

 

[WaynePflughaupt]

I waded through all six pages of comments, and everyone who claimed they had owned these speakers agreed with Amir’s assessment. And they all have sold them.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[Pogre]

Strangely enough (or not?), I've read lots of accounts of the speakers as being too warm, and lots of accounts of them being too bright. Not many say they are neutral. It kinda makes sense and kinda makes no sense at all.

I think they're more on the warm side. Not bright at all.

 

[mazersteven]

I really like this Speaker. I've had the Privilege of having these in my house for a few weeks (Thanks SVS). I didn't find them "bright" at all. They were Balanced, Detailed, Clear, and not Harsh in any way.

 

[3db]

Im also a member of that forum and its filled full if sheeple that hang on every word Amir publishes. The community as a whole is as zealous about specs as audiophiles are about sighted listening tests. Thankfully, there are a few moderates there to help balance the view point. Its really fawkin weird.

I dont own these speakers so I cant comment on them being warm and bright. But in all my auditions, a speaker is either warm, neutral, or bright but no way can they exhibit both warm and bright at the same time in an anoechic chamber. If this conclusion was indeed reached, it makes question the validity of the test, the tester, or the understanding of the tester when it comes to speaker testing.

 

[everettT]

Im also a member of that forum and its filled full if sheeple that hang on every word Amir publishes. The community as a whole is as zealous about specs as audiophiles are about sighted listening tests. Thankfully, there are a few moderates there to help balance the view point. Its really fawkin weird.

I dont own these speakers so I cant comment on them being warm and bright. But in all my auditions, a speaker is either warm, neutral, or bright but no way can they exhibit both warm and bright at the same time in an anoechic chamber. If this conclusion was indeed reached, it makes question the validity of the test, the tester, or the understanding of the tester when it comes to speaker testing.

The amp reviews seem to bring them outta the woodwork. The amount of complaining about inaudible numbers is annoying.

 

[KEW]

I waded through all six pages of comments, and everyone who claimed they had owned these speakers agreed with Amir’s assessment. And they all have sold them.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

You would think room acoustics/treatments would result in some variations!
I'm thinking the people who had a different experience just decided to stay quiet.
I also expect some were like Pogre and simply upgraded over time (but did not really have a problem with the Ultras ... they did have 45 days to notice and get money back). Now that they have Amir's "expert*" opinion, they feel more clever to believe the things Amir heard "drove" them to get rid of the Ultras!

* I do not intend "expert" to come off as sarcastic! I very much appreciate the effort Amir makes to measure and do his best to subjectively evaluate speakers (and that he does not deny the likelihood of bias). I have learned to re-calibrate my expectations when reading his reviews because he is a far cry from the "everything's great" reviews that most reviewers give. I just think of him as being a picky SOB!

 

[KEW]

The amp reviews seem to bring them outta the woodwork. The amount of complaining about inaudible numbers is annoying.

So you disliked my OP because you do not believe his reviews worthy of discussion here?

(I do agree that the discussions are full of a lot of BS)

 

[everettT]

So you disliked my OP because you do not believe his reviews worthy of discussion here?

No not at all. I was referring to some members over there becoming overly critical and argumentative.

Edit: I'm not sure how my post came across that way?

 

[mazersteven]

No not at all. I was referring to some members over there becoming overly critical and argumentative.

My Woofer is Bigger then Your Woofer. TAKE THAT!!!

 

[everettT]

So you disliked my OP because you do not believe his reviews worthy of discussion here?

(I do agree that the discussions are full of a lot of BS)

Never mind I see my fat thumbs hit the wrong thing. It's back to "like".

 

[Alex2507]

It's back to "like".

Liking leads to loving and loving leads to f^%&ing.

 

[everettT]

Liking leads to loving and loving leads to f^%&ing.

Time to run off to my men's group

 

[Pogre]

You would think room acoustics/treatments would result in some variations!
I'm thinking the people who had a different experience just decided to stay quiet.
I also expect some were like Pogre and simply upgraded over time (but did not really have a problem with the Ultras ... they did have 45 days to notice and get money back). Now that they have Amir's "expert*" opinion, they feel more clever to believe the things Amir heard "drove" them to get rid of the Ultras!

* I do not intend "expert" to come off as sarcastic! I very much appreciate the effort Amir makes to measure and do his best to subjectively evaluate speakers (and that he does not deny the likelihood of bias). I have learned to re-calibrate my expectations when reading his reviews because he is a far cry from the "everything's great" reviews that most reviewers give. I just think of him as being a picky SOB!

Yeah, I wasn't looking for a new speaker when I upgraded and I still think the Ultras are fantastic speakers. They come across as clear, detailed and pretty balanced, if a touch laid back- at least until you turn them up. They seem to open up a little more with some volume and stay very composed at high spl. They're the first speakers I've had at home that didn't leave me wanting more. It wasn't until I heard the Sierras with RAALs and was able to compare them side by side that I decided to upgrade after 4 years with the Ultras.

I don't agree with them being bright or harsh at all. I think Dennis sums up my impressions pretty well. If anything they're a touch recessed in the treble region.

 

[ryanosaur]

Time to run off to my men's group

Depends on the "Men's Group:"

 

[everettT]

Depends on the "Men's Group:"

View attachment 38482

Well I was replying to Alex...