Contest: Be the First to Audition the New SVS SB13-Ultra Series Sealed Box Subwoofer!

[rkm]

Send to a good home.

1. Yamaha RX-V3800. Carver 5.2 w/ Bose presence. Oppo BDP93. Monster Power & Better Cables, Samsung 55" 7000 (2011) & Sony XBR 34" HD (Tube). External Sub Amp as Internal Carver 5.2 Sub Amp has a grounding issue. (Cough, Cough - I need a better sub.)
2. 12x18, Height variers (peaked) 7 to 11'. 2000 ft^3. 2 doors, 3 Windows, 2 skylights. (All windows covered, carpeting and other draping.)
3. How long? Remember that scene in Boogie Nights where the audio salesman (dressed as a cowboy), comments "THIS is HiFi."? Or lets just say 1985.
4. 4 on a scale of 5. If i were a 5 of 5, I would be a professional reviewer, and thus, would be disqualified.
5. Published on the forums: Zero. In my head, at least 20.
6. A wide range of listening material (and I can quote chapter #'s of my favorite listening tests), excellent hearing below -5 db. I've been known to turn a phrase, as well.
7. Only Yamaha YPAO, now. My wife is a producer so I can probably borrow any hardware that program might require.

 

[jdskycaster]

• Describe your current home theater and music system, listing all equipment, speakers, and subwoofers.
  
  HT Equipment - Denon 3311CI, Panasonic AX200, 120" 16x9 DIY Screen, Aperion 633T mains, 634-VAC center, 534-SS surrounds, MFW-15 sub*, Monster Signature 3250 Amp, HK Citation 22 Amp, Panny BluRay, XBOX 360, Popcorn Hour NMT-A110, PS3, Roku XDS, Monster Power Center, Belkin UPS, HP 42U Rack, DIY Media Center PC with 12TB DAS
  
  *Currently awaiting Dual CHT VS18.1 subwoofers with Dayton SA1000 Amp along with CHT SHO-10 speakers as possible replacements for mains and center.
  ETA 7-17
  
  
• Describe your evaluation room (size, dimensions, openings), and do you utilize any room treatments (bass traps, absorbers, diffusers, etc.) in that room?
  Dedicated HT 18Wx24Lx8.5H ceiling. Completely sealed bat cave, no openings, no windows all electronics outside of space. Room treatment includes completely treated front stage wall with bass traps in each corner side walls and rear wall treated to ear height semi-damped, semi-live.
  
  
• How long have you been a music and HT aficionado?
  
  2ch. Music in the late 70's, 80's, 90's - really became focused on home theater and built my first dedicated HT in 1990, second in 1994, third in 2000, fourth and current in 2005.
  
  
• What is your level of expertise as it relates to high-end A/V, and in particular, subwoofers?
  
  Worked in and around the world of high-end 2ch audio in the late 80's early 90's including sales and service experience. Experience with subwoofer brands including M&K, JBL, Velodyne, Elemental Designs, AV123, soon will be CHT.
  
  
• Have you performed any previous equipment user reviews on Audioholics forums? If yes, please provide links.
  
  No.
  
  
• Do you have anything else to add that may better qualify you as one of the three candidates?
  
  Have been an avid A/V enthusiast for many years and have experience that spans from the most basic of systems to the very complex.
  
  
• Bonus (NOT required): Do you have the ability to take basic acoustic measurements (such as using the popular Room EQ Wizard software)?
  
  Yes, with OmniMic.
  

This will be a great opportunity for a few lucky candidates to evaluate what should be a fine product. Would love a chance to compare it directly to the the dual VS18.1's I have coming this week!

Best Regarsds,
JD

 

[kleinwl]

Msme

1. Describe your current home theater and music system, listing all equipment, speakers, and subwoofers.
My current HT setup consists of a HTPC (optical out), Pioneer VSX-820-K and Aperian Audio Verse Grand Bookshelf speakers.

2. Describe your evaluation room (size, dimensions, openings), and do you utilize any room treatments (bass traps, absorbers, diffusers, etc.) in that room?
The room size is 10x16x8 and has 6' sliding glass doors to outside opposite speakers. The room is treated with heavy drapes (including across sliding glass door, rug (across laminate floor).

3. How long have you been a music and HT aficionado?
I have been an aficionado for at least 10 years. My first system was a couple of Sony boom box speakers running off my computer's sound card.


4. What is your level of expertise as it relates to high-end A/V, and in particular, subwoofers?
My expertise with A/V systems is very high. I have operated on a number of times as a custom system installer for friends and clients, specifying and installing equipment and software, calibrating the system, and then educating them on the operation of the everything. In particular subwoofers, I have used many of the articles posted on this site to "hunt for bass" or precisely, specify the placement of the subwoofer to maximize its power. I have listened to and evaluated many different subwoofers in various client/friends’ houses during installation.


5.Have you performed any previous equipment user reviews on Audioholics forums? If yes, please provide links.
Nope, though I have done a lot of acoustic measurements of pcs, including discussions of how to overclock and modify PCs to minimize noise while maximizing heat rejection.

6. Do you have anything else to add that may better qualify you as one of the three candidates?
I have a Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering and have over 15 years of experience in product development and testing (automotive). I understand how to set up tests and report results in a clear and concise manner without bias creeping into the results.

7. Bonus (NOT required): Do you have the ability to take basic acoustic measurements (such as using the popular Room EQ Wizard software)?
Absolutely. Radio Shack SPL, tripod, and the computer equipment necessary to run it are in my possession. I am also used to creating audio files for comparison (harshness in noise is not always easily characterized by spl alone).

 

[internetmin]

SVS Sub Test Review

1. Describe your current home theater and music system, listing all equipment, speakers, and subwoofers.
   My current setup serves both critical 2-channel listening and a 7.1 home theater as well as distributed 3-zone audio (including a second 4.1-channel home theater made up of all Atlantic Tech speakers and in-wall sub).
   
   The following equipment makes up my main setup where I would test the SVS sub:
   HARDWARE
   1. Anthem AVM50v Preamp
   2. Lexicon CX-7 Power Amplifier
   3. Oppo BDP-83 BluRay
   4. AppleTV
   5. PowerMac media server connected to the Anthem AVM50v with a Musical Fidelity V-Link USB to SPDIF converter. I serve lossless and high res files from this server.
   6. Roku2 XS
   7. Panasonic VHS and DVD burner DMR-EZ475V
   8. Scientific Atlanta 4250HD Cable Box
   
   MAIN SPEAKERS
   1. Revel Performa M22 for front L and R
   2. Revel Performa C32 Center
   3. Revel Performa B15 Sub
   4. Revel IC15 surrounds
   5. Revel IC6T2 Rear Surrounds
   
   VIDEO
   1. Sony 52" 1080P LCD TV
   
   ELECTRICAL
   1. Dedicated 20AMP circuit for all audio equipment in the Main setup (including sub)
   2. Panamax 5100 Power Conditioner
   3. Shunyata SRZ1 AC wall outlets on 20 AMP circuit
   
   CABLING and MISC
   1. Blue Jeans Cable and Tributaries Series 3 HDMI cables
   2. All balanced/XLR interconnects between preamp and amp consisting of Nordost (fronts), MIT, and Cardas. Unbalanced interconnects are MIT cabling.
   3. Power cables are from Shunyata and Transparent
   4. Logitech Harmony universal remotes
   
   
2. Describe your evaluation room (size, dimensions, openings), and do you utilize any room treatments (bass traps, absorbers, diffusers, etc.) in that room?
   
   My room is large so if there's a sub that wants to prove it's mettle, this is the room. My primarily listening room is approximately 39' 5" x 24'. My main home theater seating area is located in the first 1/2 of the space and I'm 14" away from the speakers in the primary listening position. I have oriental rugs in front and behind the main listening area. My main speakers are also set out approximately 3 feet from the front wall.
   
   The left side of the listening area is a wall and glass windows. The right side of the listening area is an open foyer area with oriental rugs. I have three 2'x4' 2" absorbers on the right wall. The couch is a four-seat couch and heavy fabric. The rear wall is approximately 20' from the listening area and offers no relevant echo or reflection in the main listening position. I use Anthem's ARC to handle all further EQ in the room and compare my results to the curve and I've optimized my EQ results depending on graph results. Based on those readings and my general listening and experience, I haven't felt the need for any further treatments in my room.
   
   
3. How long have you been a music and HT aficionado?
   I love music and movies. Both have been a passion of mine since I was little. However, I really developed a more critical ear to audio equipment about 20 years ago in college when one of my good friends had an Onkyo and Infinity setup that sounded unlike anything I had previously heard before. When I went back to my home system, I found the musical involvement lacking. That moment was the catalyst for me jumping into better sound and equipment.
   
   
4. What is your level of expertise as it relates to high-end A/V, and in particular, subwoofers?
   When it comes to high-end equipment in both A/V, speakers, and subs, I'd classify myself as an expert with lots of experience in different setups and homes. However, I don't work for a home theater company or installer. It's simply a passion of mine like it is yours!
   
   You can tell from my current setup that I value great equipment that is based on proven and sound science that has spectacular value and performance. Value and stellar performance is what I love about Anthem and Revel gear. I've previously owned Boston Acoustics, Focal, KEF, and Cambridge Soundworks speakers. I've had the pleasure of auditioning Magnepan, NOLA, Martin Logan, Paradigm, and B&W speakers over the years.
   
   In addition to the Anthem 50v, I've had prior experience with an Anthem AVM20, NAD stereo preamps and receivers, and Marantz home theater receivers over the years. I've likewise helped out my friends calibrate their Onkyo, Sony, Harman and other Marantz receivers. Helping out in that capacity is easy and I love it.
   
   For subs (at least the serious ones), I've owned Martin Logan, REL, and now Revel. I also own an Atlantic Technology in-wall sub in my secondary 4.1 setup. I've battled with down-firing and front firing models and fooled around with tweaks and placement and experienced the results of each.
   
   As a Revel B15 owner, I'm accustomed to using test discs and manually measuring and calculating in-room frequency responses thanks to the LFO test CD, Revel software, and built-in parametric EQ. I've also experienced first-hand how far we've come with products like ARC. With every step up, I've learned to appreciate and recognize good, tight, clean bass that is optimally crossed over with the rest of the system. You should know that I've also auditioned Sunfire, Definitive, and JL Fathom subs. I've clearly had a wide range of experience across vendors over the years.
   
   As a final side note, I've also done all the A/V and data wiring in my house. Everything (including all three zones) across my entire home is fully distributed from a central rack in my basement and a centralized home theater equipment cabinet. Distributed HDMI runs to remote locations are done via CAT6 baluns. I have setup remote Niles IR distribution blocks with volume control for the second and third zones. So, I'm knowledgeable about the entire process and setup of doing larger-sized setups from wiring to electronics to speakers and the planning to make it work.
   
   
5. Have you performed any previous equipment user reviews on Audioholics forums? If yes, please provide links.
   Unfortunately, no, I haven't provided you all with any previous equipment reviews in the forums :-(
   
   
6. Do you have anything else to add that may better qualify you as one of the three candidates?
   I would love to be an equipment reviewer as a side hobby. I'm serious! I'm thorough, organized, and can write well. I'm well-acquainted with the typical demos that reviewers setup and I own some great demo material that would be perfect for this test.
   
   If you do pick me as one of the three candidates, I would have the time and the resources to put together a great review. Perhaps most importantly, you would also give me the absolutely perfect reason to revisit some of my favorite movies and demo material and play it at near reference-level in my house. OK, let's be honest here: giving me the excuse to open up my system and then tell my wife that I have to do this for a review and the benefit of the Audioholics community is reason enough to pick me!
   
   In case you're wondering, I've subscribed to Home Theater and Sound and Vision for years and I've lurked here and on other forums as well. I check the Audioholics site and reviews regularly. I love the technology, the gear, and the fellowship that I get with my friends. I'm passionate in telling people about quality equipment and most importantly the value of good sound. I love to demo that when people come to my home and evangelize that you don't have to spend an arm and a leg to enjoy a quality musical experience. From what I've read, SVS is a company that fits into that value system and I'd simply love to demo one of their products in my home first-hand. I'm simply salivating at the opportunity to do a subwoofer shootout with my Revel B15 in my room! I know quality sound and quality bass when I hear it.
   
   Finally, you should know that I ordered an Emotiva amp several months ago for my Zone 2 solely based on your reviews here. I've been thoroughly impressed with its performance. Good reviews do make a difference—especially with direct to consumer companies where you can't audition products before purchase. I'd like the opportunity to do just such a review for other potential audioholics members.
   
   
7. Bonus (NOT required): Do you have the ability to take basic acoustic measurements (such as using the popular Room EQ Wizard software)?
   Yes I do. I obviously use ARC with my Anthem 50v and can relate any of those results in text and visuals. You already know that the ARC process is accurate and has a calibrated microphone. In my pre-ARC days, I've used TrueRTA with a calibrated Dayton microphone. Like any other committed Audioholic, I also have my trusty RadioShack SPL meter!
   
   I think you have gotten the clear message that I'm not afraid of the tech or the process of taking measurements and reporting back what I've gotten. I've never specifically used Room EQ Wizard, but it looks as though ARC will give me the overlay graphs but not the waterfall or spectrograms. I'm happy to accommodate whatever process you would like to follow and I'd love the chance to do a quality review.
   
   Thanks for your consideration!

 

[pbc]

Awesome contest guys!

Describe your current home theater and music system, listing all equipment, speakers, and subwoofers.

My current system consists of:

Video:
Samsung 58A550 Plasma
Sony BDP-570
Cisco 8642HD PVR
Speakers:
Paradigm Signature S2 Bookshelves (sitting on top of Auralex Monitor isolation pads) - crossed at 150hz
Paradigm Signature C3 Centre Channel (also on top of Auralex Mopads) - crossed at 150hz
Mirage OMR2 Rears Speakers x 4 (not pictured) - crossed at 150hz
4 15" Acoustic Elegance AV15H drivers in dual opposed configuration DIY Subs
SVS PB13-Ultra in sealed tune placed nearfield to the LP (used to fill in some "holes/dips" in the frequency response)

Electronics:
Marantz AV7005 Preamp
Sunfire Cinema Grand 200w x 7 amplifier
QSC RMX-5050 (currently looking into having Nathan at Funk Audio design me a new external amp that is fanless ... )
Behringer DCX-2496 (haven't gotten around to taking this out and putting in my MiniDSP 2x4 Balanced EQ)


Other:
HTM-MX500 Remote
Panamax MAX 5300-EXPanamax M2-Sub (for the PB13)
Panamax GPP8005 whole house surge protection
Salamander Triple 20 Walnut Stand
2 dedicated 20amp circuits
Speaker wire is made of Canare 4S12 (DIY speaker wire)
Plasma is self-calibrated using an X-Rite i1 Display LT (calibrated by Tom Huffman) along with Tom Huffman's ChromaPure software


Describe your evaluation room (size, dimensions, openings), and do you utilize any room treatments (bass traps, absorbers, diffusers, etc.) in that room?

Room is around 1700 cubic feet, about 12.5 x 17.5. It's a family room with two standard doorway openings at either end. Unfortunately no bass traps or absorbers/diffusers etc. I think with all the equipment I have in a 1700 cubic foot room I've pushed as far as I can with the wifey.


How long have you been a music and HT aficionado?

Reallly started getting into home audio seriously back in 2001 and in particular in 2002 after getting married and buying my own house. Joined numerous forums and it quickly became one of my biggest passions.


What is your level of expertise as it relates to high-end A/V, and in particular, subwoofers?

Not sure what is considered "high-end" as I find it depends on the person being asked. Most of my friends think I own super high end stuff. But to give you an idea ...

I started in 2002 with a system that consisted of:

Toshiba 51HX82
Toshiba SD4800 DVD Player
Toshiba VCR
SA3250HD Cable Box
Denon 2802
Mirage OM-200 Subwoofer (dual 8" woofers)
Mirage FRX-7 Fronts
Mirage OMC3 CC
Mirage FRX-Rears

I eventually added a Sunfire Cinema Grand 7x200. Admittedly I also had a Toshiba VHS player (hey, I needed something to play the darn expensive annoying wedding video my wife insisted on!).

In 2007, I made the biggest replacement to my HT, which really started my love for all things bass. The SVS PB-13 Ultra. I still recall the day Mason's SUV pulled up to his house (he lived across the street from me at the time) and saw the beast of a box in his SUV. I maintain that I believe I'm the first to have owned the PB13 in Canada.

I then replaced my FRX-Rears with 4 Mirage OMR-2's to go to 7.1 (admittedly, no difference that I could perceive).

I also replaced my Denon 2802 with an Integra 9.8 processor. Which was then replaced by an Onkyo 876 AVR. Which at some point was replaced with a Denon 3808 AVR before going to my current Marantz.

I upgraded my front and center Speakers to Mirage OM9's and OMC2, before switching to my Paradigm Signature S2's and C3 in the last couple of years.

I've also owned the Oppo 83 and a Cambridge 640v2 CD player at times.

For amps, I've mainly stuck to the Sunfire, though I did buy a Wyred4Sound MiniCH7 which I owned for a few months before going back to the Sunfire.

At one point I've owned the Velodyne SMS-1, and have used the Minidsp in my system for subwoofer EQ.

Have you performed any previous equipment user reviews on Audioholics forums? If yes, please provide links.

Not on Audioholics unfortunately, but I have done a review of the PB13 Ultra which is linked as a Professional Review on SVS's website, as well as a review of the Paradigm Signature Sub2. I won't link these out of respect to AH as they are on another site.

I've also done two old fashioned "subwoofer shootouts", one at my place and then another at Jakeman's place where we attempted to do the shootout blind (another humbling experience ) after trying as best we could to match the FR's of the subwoofers using a Velodyne SMS-1. Subs involved were the Paradigm Servo 15v2, JL Fathom F113, Velodyne DD18, Axiom EP600, and for fun, two Axiom EP400s.

Last year I got together with a couple of AH members, and lugged my PB13 over to Sputter's place to try it out versus his dual HSU VTF-15Hs and JimP's Funky Waves 12.0 sub (with a AV12H driver).

Needless to say, I'm a bass-a-holic.

Do you have anything else to add that may better qualify you as one of the three candidates?

I'm a bit of a bass freak. Back in late 2008 and early 2009 I wanted to try something different after having owned the PB13 for a little over a year, and got into long email discussions with Ed at SVS about their new SB line up that was coming. I was very, very interested in their SB16 product at the time, but as it sounded like this product was quite aways from coming to market, I decided to try the DIY path which always intrigued me.

What resulted was a humbling, yet incredibly educational experience of building two dual opposed boxes with 4 awesome AV15H drivers from John at Acoustic Elegance. My love for sealed boxes was pretty much born and I'm not sure I'll ever go back!

Bonus (NOT required): Do you have the ability to take basic acoustic measurements (such as using the popular Room EQ Wizard software)?

I own a calibrated Dayton EMM-6 mic (calibrated to 5hz by Cross Spectrum Labs) and a MobilePre USB device. I also own a Galaxy CM-140 mic and a Creative Labs Soundblaster Live USB sound card. You know, for those times where one measuring rig just isn't enough. Actually, it's more for when for some reason the first rig isn't working right (as it wasn't unfortunately with my Paradigm Sub2 review!!).

Below is my last measured in-room response with the AV15H subs and PB13 in sealed mode....

Okay, okay, I smoothed the response a bit.

 

[theJman]

1. Describe your current home theater and music system, listing all equipment, speakers, and subwoofers.

TV: Panasonic TC-P42G25
AVR: Sherwood R-904N
Player: Panasonic DMP-BD85
Satellites: NXG 41
Center: NXG 42
Subwoofer: Simply Sound Audio Rumba 12, XTZ W12.16 and EbenLee ELA-4 (which I co-designed). They aren't used simultaneously of course, I rotate them depending upon my mood.

To an extent this setup -- which I currently use for all my subwoofer reviews -- has been deliberately kept modest, primarily because I wanted to emulate what an "average" user might have. Not necessarily the specific equipment, just the overall capabilities. However, that's about to change; everything but the TV is going to be different (all the upgrades, except the AVR, have already been chosen). It's high time for something better.


2. Describe your evaluation room (size, dimensions, openings), and do you utilize any room treatments (bass traps, absorbers, diffusers, etc.) in that room?

My room is 13x17x8. It consists of a 4 foot opening at one end and a 3 foot opening on the opposite side of the room (not directly opposed though). It's carpeted and consists of the typical accoutrements; couch, recliner, coffee table, two end tables and of course the HT setup. There are no acoustical treatments.


3. How long have you been a music and HT aficionado?

Seriously into HT for perhaps the last 5 years. Music? I've been addicted my entire life, and by answering this question I essentially date myself. My love affair with music is, quite literally, 50 years in the making. When I was young there was always music on in my house and in the car whenever we traveled. I have never been without tunes, and I have the tinnitus to prove it. Music is one of the most significant parts of my life, even to this day.


4. What is your level of expertise as it relates to high-end A/V, and in particular, subwoofers?

Depending upon the definition of "high-end A/V" I'm average to above average. For subwoofers, however, I possess considerable knowledge and hands-on experience. Even if you discount all the reviews I've already done I would still rate my expertise as above average, if for no other reason then how integral music has been my entire life (and the mountains of equipment I've purchased to support my habit). Subwoofers in particular have become quite a passion of mine.


5. Have you performed any previous equipment user reviews on Audioholics forums? If yes, please provide links.

All told, perhaps a dozen at this point. The ones that I've posted on Audioholics can be found at the following links:

XTZ W10.16 {start at post 6}
Cadence CSX12 Mark II {start at post 49}
Crystal Acoustics TX-SUB12 {start at post 12}

That's only a subset of what I've done though. The Audioholics forum has a post size limit of just 10K, and doesn't allow editing once you leave the page, which combined tend to make it a bit difficult for someone who is as verbose as I tend to be. Because of that I haven't posted every one of my reviews here. However, you can see all of my recent ones at this link (same user name, theJman).

Were I to be one of the lucky 3 who are given an SB13-Ultra my review would most certainly be here on Audioholics, no matter how many individual posts it took.


6. Do you have anything else to add that may better qualify you as one of the three candidates?

• I consider myself fairly articulate, which enables me to express myself in a manner that's easily understood. When crafting a review it's of paramount importance to be able to properly convey your point, so having a solid grasp of the English language has served me well in that regard.
  
• I have prior experience doing subwoofer evaluations, so I know exactly what to do and how to do it. Given a (relatively) short 2 week time frame to complete the review I think that having previous experience will be critical. There will be no "learning curve" for me.
  
• My testing process is clearly defined, very regimented and already proven; I know what to do and how to do it, so I can quickly and easily make an assessment about any subwoofer submitted to me. It also helps to be detail oriented and observant, both of which are traits I have.
  
• I'm an acoustic suspension junkie! I have always favored clarity and definition above all else, and often that means sealed. If the SB13-Ultra is to acoustic suspension what the PB13-Ultra is to bass reflex -- essentially the top of the heap -- then I'm very intrigued by the possibilities. I can only imagine what an SB12-NSD on steroids would be like, and I definitely want to hear it for myself.
  
• I have a broad knowledge of subwoofers in general. On several forums I created a thread dedicated to budget subwoofers. One example of it can be found here. Maintaining that thread has given me a unique opportunity to gain knowledge about all things related to subwoofer.
  
• I've been involved in the design and engineering of a line of subwoofers from a small ID company named EbenLee Audio. The first in the series was the ELA3, then came the ELA4 and finally the ELA5. Being involved from the ground up has given me a perspective of what goes on "behind the scenes", an understanding that has proven invaluable.

7. Bonus (NOT required): Do you have the ability to take basic acoustic measurements (such as using the popular Room EQ Wizard software)?

I already own the XTZ Room Analyzer II Pro, so I'm able to take measurements. I'm also seriously considering the Omnimic. Depending upon when the SB13-Ultra is ready for evaluation I may have two measurement systems at my disposal.

 

[upallnight312]

Describe your current home theater and music system, listing all equipment, speakers, and subwoofers.

• Display = Samsung PN58B550, wall mounted
• AVR = Yamaha RX-V665
• Speakers = (2)Sapphire Audio ST1 towers, Sapphire Audio SC2, (4)Sapphire Audio SBS wall mounted.
• Sub = EMPtek 1010i
• Source = HTPC w/AMD 6570 GPU, Hauppauge 2250 tuner, bluray drive, Win 7 with ArcSoft TMT
• Control = Logitech Harmony 890 and Lenovo N5902
• Power = APC S10
• All wiring is in wall (including power bridge to display) and gear is racked in neighboring room.

The Media Room is 12x16x9 with a 7x6 opening into a room in the rear that is 10x8x9. There is also a diagonal doorway (7x3) in the rear left corner opening to a long hallway. The room has crown molding, a large area rug over hardwood floors and plush furniture, but aside from these functional absorbers/diffusers no dedicated treatments.

How long have you been a music and HT aficionado?

I’ve been into HT for about 7 years, slowly building my system.

What is your level of expertise as it relates to high-end A/V, and in particular, subwoofers?

I would rate myself as being above average when it comes to A/V gear. I can set up and roughly dial in a system without assistance. I can follow directions and consider myself to be technically capable (I work in IT)

Have you performed any previous equipment user reviews on Audioholics forums? If yes, please provide links.

I don’t recall directly reviewing any equipment on Audioholics.

Do you have anything else to add that may better qualify you as one of the three candidates?

I waited nearly 7 years to get a sub into my system, having just gotten a great deal along with wife approval 2 months ago. I noticed a marked improvement once it was integrated, but was slightly underwhelmed. I want to be wowed by a sub, and I think this would be great opportunity to have my socks rocked off by bass.

Bonus (NOT required): Do you have the ability to take basic acoustic measurements (such as using the popular Room EQ Wizard software)?

Yes I would be able to take measurements using any software package provided.

 

[gene]

Guys;

This was a hard decision as there were so many great entries here.

The Top 3 Picks we decided on were:

• Adam
• Eugovector
• PBC

If for any reason any of the above 3 cannot participate in this contest, then we also selected the following two runner ups:

• theJMAN
• Internetmin

Adam, Eugovector and PBC please email (gds@audioholics.com) me all of your contact info including (Full name, forum name, mailing address, email address, phone# etc) and I will put you in touch with the folks at SVS to move forward with this.

Thank you everyone for participating as you're paving the way for future contests to be structured like this with SVS and other manufacturers as well.

 

[billy p]

Hey Steve(PBC) congrats man...I am available if you need any help moving that thing around....

Regards, Bill..

 

[pbc]

Guys;

This was a hard decision as there were so many great entries here.

The Top 3 Picks we decided on were:

• Adam
• Eugovector
• PBC

If for any reason any of the above 3 cannot participate in this contest, then we also selected the following two runner ups:

• theJMAN
• Internetmin

Adam, Eugovector and PBC please email (gds@audioholics.com) me all of your contact info including (Full name, forum name, mailing address, email address, phone# etc) and I will put you in touch with the folks at SVS to move forward with this.

Thank you everyone for participating as you're paving the way for future contests to be structured like this with SVS and other manufacturers as well.

Thanks Gene! Can't wait to get my hands on this guy!

Hey Steve(PBC) congrats man...I am available if you need any help moving that thing around....

Regards, Bill..

Hey Bill, I don't think I've ever had a sub as "small" as this in my room, I doubt it will be has hard as it was to get the PB13 up and down Jim's basement stairs!

Sorry about putting "JimP" instead of BillyP in my post up above, when I realized what I did after rereading it I couldn't edit the post!

 

[Adam]

Thanks, Gene!

The contest mentions written reviews and anonymity. Would video reviews be acceptable? Or pictures in a written review? If I do a video and/or use images, anonymity would be hard to maintain, and I expect that's the same for the other two guys, too. However, I think that videos and/or images could convey a lot of good info to the other members here.

I agree that votes should be based on what's written and not who wrote it, but I think that people here would do that anyway.

 

[scott911]

good luck reviewers -- it'll be really interesting to see the different approached that are bound to be taken.

 

[Adam]

Thanks, Gene!

The contest mentions written reviews and anonymity. Would video reviews be acceptable? Or pictures in a written review? If I do a video and/or use images, anonymity would be hard to maintain, and I expect that's the same for the other two guys, too. However, I think that videos and/or images could convey a lot of good info to the other members here.

I agree that votes should be based on what's written and not who wrote it, but I think that people here would do that anyway.

Hi, Gene. Any thoughts on this? I'm not trying to change the contest rules. I just want the three of us to know what is acceptable. Thanks!

 

[picture_shooter]

Hi Gene,

Thanks for posting and giving someone the opportunity to test this svs out.

But one question; why did you choose between the top three people that already owns a SVS sub?

to do a comparison?

Guys;

This was a hard decision as there were so many great entries here.

The Top 3 Picks we decided on were:

• Adam
• Eugovector
• PBC

If for any reason any of the above 3 cannot participate in this contest, then we also selected the following two runner ups:

• theJMAN
• Internetmin

Adam, Eugovector and PBC please email (gds@audioholics.com) me all of your contact info including (Full name, forum name, mailing address, email address, phone# etc) and I will put you in touch with the folks at SVS to move forward with this.

Thank you everyone for participating as you're paving the way for future contests to be structured like this with SVS and other manufacturers as well.

 

[gene]

The contest mentions written reviews and anonymity. Would video reviews be acceptable? Or pictures in a written review? If I do a video and/or use images, anonymity would be hard to maintain, and I expect that's the same for the other two guys, too. However, I think that videos and/or images could convey a lot of good info to the other members here.

I agree that votes should be based on what's written and not who wrote it, but I think that people here would do that anyway.

Sure you can upload video reviews on Youtube and embed them into the dedicated forum I will setup for this. Just make sure you also provide a text review that accompanies the video review.

Guys, I am thinking of letting each reviewer post their own review, as it saves us a ton of work on our end of uploading the tons of images that the reviewers will likely be supplementing their reviews with. 2 of the 3 reviewers in this contest suggested that our forum readers would know the identity of the reviewers even if we posted them anonymously.

 

[Marshall_Guthrie]

Gene,

I agree. I think that we're all going to make mention of our current systems in comparison to the new SVS, so it's going to be pretty obvious for anyone who cares which review is which. I'm good giving up my anonymity; I'm pretty realistic about my chances to win a free sub, and am more interested in just being given the opportunity to give a good early review. If that's good with you and the other reviewers, I vote we just post as ourselves.

Do you have a timeline that you'd like to see the reviews posted by? I know my unit has been shipped.

 

[gene]

Gene,

I agree. I think that we're all going to make mention of our current systems in comparison to the new SVS, so it's going to be pretty obvious for anyone who cares which review is which. I'm good giving up my anonymity; I'm pretty realistic about my chances to win a free sub, and am more interested in just being given the opportunity to give a good early review. If that's good with you and the other reviewers, I vote we just post as ourselves.

Do you have a timeline that you'd like to see the reviews posted by? I know my unit has been shipped.

excellent so all 3 of you basically agree. I will start a thread for you guys to post your reviews in a few weeks. that way everyone has a chance to start formulating their opinions and putting them to paper or in this case a text editor

 

[Junior19]

Is there any timeframe from SVS on when these will be available for purchase? Im in need of a product just like this one, and if the reviews go well, as I would assume they would given their past history with their other products, I would be very much in the market for one (most likely two haha) in the next few months. Thanks

 

[Marshall_Guthrie]

I'd ping SVS directly. They might be able to tell you.

Is there any timeframe from SVS on when these will be available for purchase? Im in need of a product just like this one, and if the reviews go well, as I would assume they would given their past history with their other products, I would be very much in the market for one (most likely two haha) in the next few months. Thanks

 

[gene]

Review Update

One of the samples being delivered to "PBC" has been delayed by FEDEX. So I just wanted to let everyone know to hold off on publishing their reviews until I create a dedicated thread for it. I will set the date for 2 weeks after everyone received their samples. thanks.