New SVS "Plus 12.3" driver

jcPanny

jcPanny

Audioholic Ninja
SVS Plus drivers

In a couple reviews, I have read that the newer plus drivers are much closer in performance to the Ultra than the first generation plus.
 
Z

zonomorph

Enthusiast
I imagine that this means we'll be hearing about an updated Ultra driver in the near future.
 
S

silversurfer

Senior Audioholic
Is this the first woofer made in-house for SVS? Are they no longer going to use TC-Sounds?
 
B

Berty52

Audioholic Intern
Here is what Ron said on another forum:

Guys,

There sure isn't much that gets by you!

Sorry for the slight delay on the announcement, had some last minute web related issues to smooth out (thanks for feedback from those like Eli who got drivers for beta testing and comparisons).

We'll keep close tabs on production but I expect we'll do something totally nuts to celebrate this event like lose some money!

The tentative plan (as production ramps up starting next week) is to offer Plus owners of yore a limited time to get the Plus 12.3 woofer as a replacement/swapout for $99 each plus shipping. OEM retail price on this driver for warranty valuation is $300 so you can rest assured no one is going to make a dime on this side promotion.

With our new in-house fabrication capability we have a vested interest in keeping the lines running so we can slip what we need aside for you terminal ugraders out there. We're not even going to ask for the "old" 12.2 Plus woofers back (keep them as spares, DIY project fodder, whatever). Give us a few days to do a bit more forecasting and you'll soon see a special page up that'll allow only registered Plus sub customers (PC+ or any PB Plus sub) to update their subs for a pittance.

We phased this great new SVS Ohio built Plus 12.3 woofer in quietly (so much for stereotypes eh?) as we typically do, but there's not much point in keeping the good stuff to ourselves now.

Expect more news about emerging models, whole new woofer lines and updates in the weeks ahead. MTS-01 speaker updates and even some exciting news on totally new fronts will be leaking out once we feel any given news has at least achieved semi-solid state.

More reviews, more product, better stuff and every effort to hold the line on prices while we do it. You aren't surprised. Only the competition woke up unenthused this Good Friday.

Have a great weekend and fire away if there are other questions.

Ron
SVS
 
I

Ilkka

Audioholic
jcPanny said:
In a couple reviews, I have read that the newer plus drivers are much closer in performance to the Ultra than the first generation plus.
There are no reviews of these dB12.3 drivers yet. The reviews you have seen were still using the "old" dB12.2 driver, which is very close to Ultra performance wise. Of course there are also yet older dB12.1 and dB12 (very old) drivers. :)
 
I

Ilkka

Audioholic
silversurfer said:
Is this the first woofer made in-house for SVS? Are they no longer going to use TC-Sounds?
Don't know about other new drivers, but at least these new dB12.3's are made in-house for example for better QC.
 
S

silversurfer

Senior Audioholic
So the DB12.3 is not really related to the DB12.2, correct?

It looks as though they have gone away from the aluminum cone as well.

Someone correct me as well, black anodizing does not really help with cooling in a dark enclosure, right?
 
j_garcia

j_garcia

Audioholic Jedi
Black anodizing really does nothing for the aluminum except a little corrosion resistance and cool looks :)
 
S

silversurfer

Senior Audioholic
j_garcia said:
Black anodizing really does nothing for the aluminum except a little corrosion resistance and cool looks :)
That's what I thought too. Their marketing sometimes is not exactly truthful:
"Looking close, you'll see little touches like elegant black anodized finish that helps dissipate heat......"
 
I

Ilkka

Audioholic
silversurfer said:
So the DB12.3 is not really related to the DB12.2, correct?
Of course it is related, but it's not like its brother. Maybe like 2nd cousin. ;)
It looks as though they have gone away from the aluminum cone as well.
Nope. It still has a aluminum cone.

"Black anodized high drade aluminum cone diaphragm with inverted aluminum dustcap"

Someone correct me as well, black anodizing does not really help with cooling in a dark enclosure, right?
There is a small difference. I have seen tests done to thermos bottles, and there were measurable differences between bare aluminium and black anodized models. Not a major thing, but every small detail counts. dB12.2 was a really difficult driver to improve.
 
S

silversurfer

Senior Audioholic
Ilkka said:
Of course it is related, but it's not like its brother. Maybe like 2nd cousin. ;)
But if redesigned from the ground up, still related? No biggie. :)
Ilkka said:
Nope. It still has a aluminum cone.

"Black anodized high drade aluminum cone diaphragm with inverted aluminum dustcap".
Ahh, I missed that. Thanks.

Ilkka said:
There is a small difference. I have seen tests done to thermos bottles, and there were measurable differences between bare aluminium and black anodized models. Not a major thing, but every small detail counts. dB12.2 was a really difficult driver to improve.
Really? In a dark room?
 
I

Ilkka

Audioholic
silversurfer said:
But if redesigned from the ground up, still related? No biggie. :)
You should ask more specific details from SVS. :)

Really? In a dark room?
Yes, really. I don't know if the room was lit or not, probably was.
 
MacManNM

MacManNM

Banned
Black anodizing can help dissipate heat substantially. It also will increase the strength of the material. Ask any Corvair or VW owner that has replaced the stock Aluminum oil pan with an anodized one. Or you can ask a laser jock that deals with IR lasers (like me).
 
S

silversurfer

Senior Audioholic
MacManNM said:
Black anodizing can help dissipate heat substantially. It also will increase the strength of the material. Ask any Corvair or VW owner that has replaced the stock Aluminum oil pan with an anodized one. Or you can ask a laser jock that deals with IR lasers (like me).
Thanks guys! Interesting info. I thought for dissapating heat, the color of the item only came into play when exposed to light.

BTW, Happy Birthday!
 
D

Drewb

Audiophyte
Looks like a nice upgrade. Unfortunately most of that write-up really seemed immature and should have focused on the new product istead of worrying about what the competition is or isn't doing.
 
j_garcia

j_garcia

Audioholic Jedi
MacManNM said:
Black anodizing can help dissipate heat substantially. It also will increase the strength of the material. Ask any Corvair or VW owner that has replaced the stock Aluminum oil pan with an anodized one. Or you can ask a laser jock that deals with IR lasers (like me).
Standard anodizing is a chemically applied finish, it does absolutely nothing to improve strength of the material becase there is no significant change in the material when the finish is applied. It will improve the strength as well as corrosion and wear resistance of the surface of the part, and that's it. The maximum thickness of the applied finish is .001. Hard anodizing may go a little further because it actually penetrates the surface of the material.

I'm not sure I agree that black will help something shed heat either, but I'm open to hear a good arguement for how it does.
 
MacManNM

MacManNM

Banned
j_garcia said:
Standard anodizing is a chemically applied finish, it does absolutely nothing to improve strength of the material becase there is no significant change in the material when the finish is applied. It will improve the strength as well as corrosion and wear resistance of the surface of the part, and that's it. The maximum thickness of the applied finish is .001. Hard anodizing may go a little further because it actually penetrates the surface of the material.

I'm not sure I agree that black will help something shed heat either, but I'm open to hear a good arguement for how it does.
Its not the color its the composition, conduction increases. Anodizing has the same effect as shot peening steel, it makes it harder, so technicaly its stronger.
 
Sheep

Sheep

Audioholic Warlord
Quite a popular look for subwoofers these days.





:)

SheepStar
 
j_garcia

j_garcia

Audioholic Jedi
MacManNM said:
Its not the color its the composition, conduction increases. Anodizing has the same effect as shot peening steel, it makes it harder, so technicaly its stronger.
?? Shot peening is a physical change in the material and anodizing is not, so I don't see how that can happen. It is an electrochemical surface finish only, it isn't like heat treating. Adding .002 total of a chemical to the surface will NOT make the part any stronger.

MIL-A-8625F, Anodize/Chromic & Sulfuric says nothing about strengthening parts, nor does anodizing.org: http://www.anodizing.org/benefits.html

With radiant heat, black will absorb heat, not help dissipate it. Take a look at most heat sinks. The vast majority of the ones I've seen are not black, they are clear or bare, and I've seen them in every color that you can dye anodizing, so I doubt that the black anodizing is an effective improvement in heat dissipation. Heat within the driver is mostly dissipated through the frame anyway, so most of the heat that the cone will receive will likely be radiant, not directly conducted.

Sorry, don't mean to argue, just trying to help provide the right info.

Sure is a nice looking driver though.
 
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