New sub help 500$ to spend (blackfriday)

[John Brandon]

Hi All,

I have 500.00 to spend on a new subwoofer. I am looking at the svs pb 1000 which is currently 499.99 and the outlaw lfm-1plus which is onsale for 499.99 shipped right now. Which would you snag up? It is a medium sized room and watch movies about 75% of the time and play games 25% of the time.

 

[Pyrrho]

I would go with the SVS (in part because of very good experience with that brand), but either one is likely a very good choice at that price. So I expect that you will be happy no matter which one you choose.

 

[fuzz092888]

SVS for sure. Better CS and warranty than outlaw, and probably a little more accurate as well.

 

[afterlife2]

PB1000 I love mine and it's plenty in a med size room. If you can wait like I did SVS has outlet sale for $450. It's Incredible. The Outlaw is $600 and if you plan for a large space them get the Outlaw...YOu can't go wrong with either one though. Let us know what you get and ENJOY IT!

 

[ImcLoud]

If you can stretch it a little I would go with the vtf2, my favorite for the money... and a good deal more sub than the pb1000

 

[afterlife2]

Don't listen to Imcloud he works for HSU.

 

[ImcLoud]

this is true, if I sell one more sub I get a free hand puppet to stroke my ego.... yah my ego, thats it, but it is such a soft puppet... just one more sub...lol

 

[shadyJ]

I would go for the Outlaw (or the Hsu). It will be a substantially higher performer than the PB1000. More output, deeper extension, and likely higher sound quality. A lot of these guys telling you to get the SVS just like the brand, but they are not telling you to get the better subwoofer.

 

[fuzz092888]

I would go for the Outlaw (or the Hsu). It will be a substantially higher performer than the PB1000. More output, deeper extension, and likely higher sound quality. A lot of these guys telling you to get the SVS just like the brand, but they are not telling you to get the better subwoofer.

As someone who's owned an outlaw sub my opinion doesn't fall under the above.

 

[shadyJ]

As someone who's owned an outlaw sub my opinion doesn't fall under the above.

So what was so bad about it that causes you to advocate for what on paper promises to be a lesser performing sub?

 

[fuzz092888]

So what was so bad about it that causes you to advocate for what on paper promises to be a lesser performing sub?

In what way, other than possibly raw output, is it a lesser performer than the LFM-1 plus? The LFM-1 Plus should have less output than the EX and possibly slightly worse distortion measurements, which would put it right on par with the SVS on paper. With performance being similar the superior customer service and warranty of SVS would give it the nod.

Measurements for the PB1000
SVS PB-1000 Subwoofer Review - Reference Home Theater

Performance of the Plus can be reasonably extrapolated from the EX measurements
Data-Bass

I fail to see how it is such a "lesser" sub on paper and this is without my own subjective listening impressions of the LFM-1 EX.

 

[Alex2507]

Check the Classifieds here at AH. rnatali is selling a couple of subs. If I had the room they would both be here by now.

 

[shadyJ]

I don't think that the Plus will have worse distortion measurements than the EX, if anything, better. I believe it is using the same driver, and that driver will not be pulling off as much excursion which the EX will put it through, so it should stay cleaner. Outlaw claims that the Plus performs similar to the EX except 4 dB down, although I wouldn't guess that would hold across the board. There is no question that the LFM Plus driver will be a higher performer than the PB1000, it has 30% more cone area and almost certainly greater xmax. Sure the Plus would have more output, but, from looking at that THD chart in the PB1000 review, I think it will stay a lot cleaner for the same output sweeps as well.

 

[fuzz092888]

I don't think that the Plus will have worse distortion measurements than the EX, if anything, better. I believe it is using the same driver, and that driver will not be pulling off as much excursion which the EX will put it through, so it should stay cleaner. Outlaw claims that the Plus performs similar to the EX except 4 dB down, although I wouldn't guess that would hold across the board. There is no question that the LFM Plus driver will be a higher performer than the PB1000, it has 30% more cone area and almost certainly greater xmax. Sure the Plus would have more output, but, from looking at that THD chart in the PB1000 review, I think it will stay a lot cleaner for the same output sweeps as well.

I would still go with the SVS for a few reasons. First is that, except at the highest volume levels, the two subs will have very similar performance (under 100db from 20-100hz) and odds are very good that any differences probably won't be terribly audible or may not be audible at all. Second, and probably more important, SVS has the no hassle return policy with shipping paid both ways, a better warranty policy and much much better customer service. So for similar money and similar performance on paper with a small caveat, the SVS is the no brainer choice. Especially since he could send it back at no cost to himself if he doesn't like it and pick up the Plus instead.

 

[Pyrrho]

I would still go with the SVS for a few reasons. First is that, except at the highest volume levels, the two subs will have very similar performance (under 100db from 20-100hz) and odds are very good that any differences probably won't be terribly audible or may not be audible at all. Second, and probably more important, SVS has the no hassle return policy with shipping paid both ways, a better warranty policy and much much better customer service. So for similar money and similar performance on paper with a small caveat, the SVS is the no brainer choice. Especially since he could send it back at no cost to himself if he doesn't like it and pick up the Plus instead.

Here is another review's measurements of the SVS:

Review: SVS PB-1000 subwoofer Measurements | Sound & Vision

That is a great subwoofer for its price of $500.

 

[shadyJ]

I would still go with the SVS for a few reasons. First is that, except at the highest volume levels, the two subs will have very similar performance (under 100db from 20-100hz) and odds are very good that any differences probably won't be terribly audible or may not be audible at all. Second, and probably more important, SVS has the no hassle return policy with shipping paid both ways, a better warranty policy and much much better customer service. So for similar money and similar performance on paper with a small caveat, the SVS is the no brainer choice. Especially since he could send it back at no cost to himself if he doesn't like it and pick up the Plus instead.

So you are saying 100 dB is good enough for anyone, and any more headroom than that is irrelevant? That is crazy. Headroom matters, especially in bass, because our ears are less sensitive to those frequencies. I would cry if I were limited to 100 dB. As far as CS goes, Outlaw's isn't bad that I have ever heard of. I don't have much experience with them, but everytime I emailed them I received a same day reply. As for shipping and returns, why not just buy the sub that you are more likely to keep? Also, if you bought the PB1000 now and returned it later, he wouldn't get nearly as good deal on the Outlaw later because the sale ends in a couple days and the price goes back up by about $150. At the current sale the Outlaw is a tremendous value.

 

[fuzz092888]

So you are saying 100 dB is good enough for anyone, and any more headroom than that is irrelevant? That is crazy. Headroom matters, especially in bass, because our ears are less sensitive to those frequencies. I would cry if I were limited to 100 dB. As far as CS goes, Outlaw's isn't bad that I have ever heard of. I don't have much experience with them, but everytime I emailed them I received a same day reply. As for shipping and returns, why not just buy the sub that you are more likely to keep? Also, if you bought the PB1000 now and returned it later, he wouldn't get nearly as good deal on the Outlaw later because the sale ends in a couple days and the price goes back up by about $150. At the current sale the Outlaw is a tremendous value.

Thanks for putting words in my mouth. With that, I'll end my conversation with you.

If the OP comes back, let us know what you end up and good luck with whichever you get.

 

[shadyJ]

Here is another review's measurements of the SVS:

Review: SVS PB-1000 subwoofer Measurements | Sound & Vision

That is a great subwoofer for its price of $500.

That review is nonsense, just look at those measurements and compare them to S&V's measurements for other SVS subs. Either the PB1000 is some kind on wonder sub or all of SVS's higher end subs are awful, if you were to trust S&V.