I'm thinking of buying a subwoofer. Which one is better, the SVS SB17 or the XTZ 3x12?

[sysfc6]

I'm thinking of buying a subwoofer. Which is better, the SVS SB17 or the XTZ 3x12?
Could you help me compare them? Thanks. I'm looking for a subwoofer that delivers authentic sound reproduction. I use it for both home theater and Hi-Fi, so when watching movies, I want a visceral, punch-in-the-chest experience, and when listening to music, I want true-to-life reproduction without any coloration. Please help me choose. Thanks,

orz

 

[TLS Guy]

I'm thinking of buying a subwoofer. Which is better, the SVS SB17 or the XTZ 3x12?
Could you help me compare them? Thanks. I'm looking for a subwoofer that delivers authentic sound reproduction. I use it for both home theater and Hi-Fi, so when watching movies, I want a visceral, punch-in-the-chest experience, and when listening to music, I want true-to-life reproduction without any coloration. Please help me choose. Thanks,

orz

Sorry about the late reply. The SVS sub is a small sealed unit for domestic harmony. It stats rolling off at around 30 Hz. SVS do make some really good subs though. The XTZ 3x12 is an all out beast of a sub, but only you can decide what your needs really are.

 

[Eppie]

I'm thinking of buying a subwoofer. Which is better, the SVS SB17 or the XTZ 3x12?
Could you help me compare them? Thanks. I'm looking for a subwoofer that delivers authentic sound reproduction. I use it for both home theater and Hi-Fi, so when watching movies, I want a visceral, punch-in-the-chest experience, and when listening to music, I want true-to-life reproduction without any coloration. Please help me choose. Thanks,

orz

With SVS, try and look at the ported, not sealed, models. Sealed is generally used when space is a primary concern but ported will perform better and generally have lower bass extension.

TLS Guy has also mentioned often that the chest pounding bass comes mostly from the mid bass above the subwooder crossover frequency. The subwoofer will provide those deep rumbly sound effects but the mid bass punch comes from your main speakers. I would still recommend a good subwoofer, though. Good clean deep bass can do a lot to improve the overall sound quality of a system. I definitely noticed the improvement when I upgraded from a cheap Klipsch to SVS.

 

[TLS Guy]

With SVS, try and look at the ported, not sealed, models. Sealed is generally used when space is a primary concern but ported will perform better and generally have lower bass extension.

TLS Guy has also mentioned often that the chest pounding bass comes mostly from the mid bass above the subwooder crossover frequency. The subwoofer will provide those deep rumbly sound effects but the mid bass punch comes from your main speakers. I would still recommend a good subwoofer, though. Good clean deep bass can do a lot to improve the overall sound quality of a system. I definitely noticed the improvement when I upgraded from a cheap Klipsch to SVS.

I agree. SVS is a good bet, as they have such good customer service, which these days counts for a lot, and is far too rare.