PB-2000 not impressed

B

bravo79

Audioholic Intern
Hi everyone I'm looking for a sub I have 2 tower klipsch rp8000f speaker with a klipsch klipsch 504c and 2 pioneer bookshelf speakers. And of course a pioneer sw-8 sub. My room is little odd shaped. 14 by 14 which is open to the rest of the basement with 9ft high ceiling. Today I went to the audio store and I listened to 4 different subs.
1-SB2000 sound real nice but It was bottoming out at low hz.
2-PB-2000 sounded little better but not very impressive. It had some inaccurate base at times. And it wasn't as boomy as I thought it will be
3-Klipsch 114sw something it sounded nice
5-klipsch 115 sw which sounded the best but I keep hearing about amp issues.

Online I hear about Rhythmik subs with servo amps. This one RYTHMIK LVX12 is close to the budget. Also FVX15 is a 15 inch one which might be the best of all.

Why PB-2000 wasnt so impressive ? I thought I was going to be very excited to buy it and be happy with it but I was a little disappointed. Any body else felt the same way about it?
 
VonMagnum

VonMagnum

Audioholic Chief
I feel there is subwoofer bias in the modern age of Aquarius! I've been told my Def Tech PF-1500 sub from 1995 is garbage, yet I read reviews like this about the much lauded SVS sub and I have to wonder. I can shake the freaking room with my sub (12'x24'). Sure, it only goes flat to 22Hz, not 18 or 16 or whatever, but geeze.... It's age discrimination I tell you! I'm just plain OLD!!! :eek:
 
Sef_Makaro

Sef_Makaro

Audioholic
Hi everyone I'm looking for a sub I have 2 tower klipsch rp8000f speaker with a klipsch klipsch 504c and 2 pioneer bookshelf speakers. And of course a pioneer sw-8 sub. My room is little odd shaped. 14 by 14 which is open to the rest of the basement with 9ft high ceiling. Today I went to the audio store and I listened to 4 different subs.
1-SB2000 sound real nice but It was bottoming out at low hz.
2-PB-2000 sounded little better but not very impressive. It had some inaccurate base at times. And it wasn't as boomy as I thought it will be
3-Klipsch 114sw something it sounded nice
5-klipsch 115 sw which sounded the best but I keep hearing about amp issues.

Online I hear about Rhythmik subs with servo amps. This one RYTHMIK LVX12 is close to the budget. Also FVX15 is a 15 inch one which might be the best of all.

Why PB-2000 wasnt so impressive ? I thought I was going to be very excited to buy it and be happy with it but I was a little disappointed. Any body else felt the same way about it?
Could it maybe have something to do with the location of the sub?

I have 2 PB-2000 in my 15x19x9 room that opens to the dining room/kitchen/hallway. They seem to do well in that space. Of course I want more because, reasons. But I don’t feel like I’m missing out.
 
B

bravo79

Audioholic Intern
Could it maybe have something to do with the location of the sub?

I have 2 PB-2000 in my 15x19x9 room that opens to the dining room/kitchen/hallway. They seem to do well in that space. Of course I want more because, reasons. But I don’t feel like I’m missing out.
Sorry I forgot to mention that the test was done at the shop not in my house. It was a small room like 10 by 10.
 
Phase 2

Phase 2

Audioholic Chief
Sorry I forgot to mention that the test was done at the shop not in my house. It was a small room like 10 by 10.
They should make Subs like they have in those competition shows for cars and trucks. Where you feel and hear the dude a block away before you even see him...lol if I'm going to pay 2 grand or more for a Sub it better be able to shake the ice cubes in my iced tea..lol
 
William Lemmerhirt

William Lemmerhirt

Audioholic Overlord
I feel there is subwoofer bias in the modern age of Aquarius! I've been told my Def Tech PF-1500 sub from 1995 is garbage, yet I read reviews like this about the much lauded SVS sub and I have to wonder. I can shake the freaking room with my sub (12'x24'). Sure, it only goes flat to 22Hz, not 18 or 16 or whatever, but geeze.... It's age discrimination I tell you! I'm just plain OLD!!! :eek:
Lol! Don’t forget your pf1500 is carefully set up and integrate very nicely into your room/system VS a store demonstration. He also mentioned bottoming out the SB2k. Well that to me says whoever was running the demo is a moron. Considering the dsp in it, and that it’s sealed, bottoming is almost impossible. It’s part of why in home trials are so important.
FWIW, I spent some time reading about the pf1500. I found many great reviews and user comments etc. but I also found many reports of guys saying after they upgraded/updated, they’d never go back.
Sooooo, alls I’m saying is maybe it’s time for the 45 day free trial???
 
William Lemmerhirt

William Lemmerhirt

Audioholic Overlord
Could it maybe have something to do with the location of the sub?

I have 2 PB-2000 in my 15x19x9 room that opens to the dining room/kitchen/hallway. They seem to do well in that space. Of course I want more because, reasons. But I don’t feel like I’m missing out.
Store demo if I deciphered correctly.

Nm. Saw it was in shop.
 
S

shadyJ

Speaker of the House
Staff member
Hi everyone I'm looking for a sub I have 2 tower klipsch rp8000f speaker with a klipsch klipsch 504c and 2 pioneer bookshelf speakers. And of course a pioneer sw-8 sub. My room is little odd shaped. 14 by 14 which is open to the rest of the basement with 9ft high ceiling. Today I went to the audio store and I listened to 4 different subs.
1-SB2000 sound real nice but It was bottoming out at low hz.
2-PB-2000 sounded little better but not very impressive. It had some inaccurate base at times. And it wasn't as boomy as I thought it will be
3-Klipsch 114sw something it sounded nice
5-klipsch 115 sw which sounded the best but I keep hearing about amp issues.

Online I hear about Rhythmik subs with servo amps. This one RYTHMIK LVX12 is close to the budget. Also FVX15 is a 15 inch one which might be the best of all.

Why PB-2000 wasnt so impressive ? I thought I was going to be very excited to buy it and be happy with it but I was a little disappointed. Any body else felt the same way about it?
The SVS PB subs aren't meant to blow you out of your seat. They are more about accuracy and clean deep bass output. The PB-2000 would have deeper bass output than the Klipsch subs and cleaner deep bass. The thing about really deep bass below about 25 Hz or so is that it is subtle and not 'chest-pounding' like the kind of bass you might hear at a club or concert. This is what the SVS subs are really good at, high-fidelity. They maintain accuracy up to their highest drive levels. If you want the chest-pounding bass, well that stuff is more like mid-bass, stuff at 60 Hz and above, and the SVS 2000 series wouldn't take that range any better than the Klipsch subs. I would guess that the Klipsch 15" would have an advantage over the SVS 12"s here. So these subwoofers have different performance goals.

The Rythmik 12" subs aren't likely to have any performance advantage over the SVS 12"s. The FVX15 would no doubt be a good sub, but it would not be my first choice in the realm of high performance 15"s. I would sooner look at Hsu's 15"s, the Rythmik FV15HP, the Paradigm Defiance X15, or the Monoprice Monolith 15" THX Ultra.
 
B

bravo79

Audioholic Intern
Sorry guys for the confusion it was store demo. I did notice that the guy set the gain to max on the sb 2000. When he set the gain on the pb 2000 I told him the bass is distorted and I think he should set it to half Then he did that.
 
Sef_Makaro

Sef_Makaro

Audioholic
Sorry guys for the confusion it was store demo. I did notice that the guy set the gain to max on the sb 2000. When he set the gain on the pb 2000 I told him the bass is distorted and I think he should set it to half Then he did that.
I just can’t read apparently, you clearly stated you went to an audio store and listened to subs”
 
D

Danzilla31

Audioholic Spartan
Sorry guys for the confusion it was store demo. I did notice that the guy set the gain to max on the sb 2000. When he set the gain on the pb 2000 I told him the bass is distorted and I think he should set it to half Then he did that.
Like Shady said SVS isn't trying to make them loud or boomy

They are all about accuracy and pure undistorted sweet clean bass

But in regards to power my first upgrade was dual PB 2000's

They never lacked in power. And I have a 8500 cubic feet of room to move air in.

What impressed me is they were so powerful yet things didn't rattle things weren't boomy you just heard stunning bass.

High quality subs just sound different then the lower end models I'd been used to due to there accuracy and low distortion

Once my ears adjusted I was hooked and upgraded to dual 4000's. They are awesome but once again they are not boomy or make everything rattle they hit so HARD tho. But when they do they hit so so CLEAN.

So a few points from my humble experience.

You may not be used to hearing subs like these so an in home trial might be important

In store demos are poor places to truly audition poorly setup on equipment different then yours in rooms not always optimal. Once again in home trial might be needed

You might like subs that give you that punch in the chest feeling like PSA or bigger 15 like hsu or Rhythmik or the Rhythmik 18's can provide. The SVS are no slouches in that area but that's not there specialty. But when properly setup in a system they will still get you there. But you need to in home trial them before you'll know

Final point I don't care how good the sub is unless we're talking something super expensive if you really want to get blown away by any sub you really need duals. Not just for smoothing the response across more seats but it just gets people that kick ass feeling I think they are looking for at least for home theater in my opinion.

The common theme in all my points was in home trial. With 45 days to audition them what do you have to lose?

This klipsch 15's are a good sub for the price tho. Although they can't go as deep or perform quiet as good as the HSU and SVS and Rhythmik subs etc etc can they do pretty well. But they do have good midrange punch which is why you might have liked them
 
D

Danzilla31

Audioholic Spartan
I feel there is subwoofer bias in the modern age of Aquarius! I've been told my Def Tech PF-1500 sub from 1995 is garbage, yet I read reviews like this about the much lauded SVS sub and I have to wonder. I can shake the freaking room with my sub (12'x24'). Sure, it only goes flat to 22Hz, not 18 or 16 or whatever, but geeze.... It's age discrimination I tell you! I'm just plain OLD!!! :eek:
Hey my man don't you also run def tech powered towers in your setup? I could have sworn you said you have them when you spoke in other threads about your setup.

If so as badass as your sub is its getting a lottoff backup from your towers hell that's like having multiple subs all over the room

No doubt your sub is capable but I can't but wonder if having those towers if you do have them pair up with that sub definetly is a factor in the bass awesomeness in that room.

Just curious is all
 
D

Danzilla31

Audioholic Spartan
Hi everyone I'm looking for a sub I have 2 tower klipsch rp8000f speaker with a klipsch klipsch 504c and 2 pioneer bookshelf speakers. And of course a pioneer sw-8 sub. My room is little odd shaped. 14 by 14 which is open to the rest of the basement with 9ft high ceiling. Today I went to the audio store and I listened to 4 different subs.
1-SB2000 sound real nice but It was bottoming out at low hz.
2-PB-2000 sounded little better but not very impressive. It had some inaccurate base at times. And it wasn't as boomy as I thought it will be
3-Klipsch 114sw something it sounded nice
5-klipsch 115 sw which sounded the best but I keep hearing about amp issues.

Online I hear about Rhythmik subs with servo amps. This one RYTHMIK LVX12 is close to the budget. Also FVX15 is a 15 inch one which might be the best of all.

Why PB-2000 wasnt so impressive ? I thought I was going to be very excited to buy it and be happy with it but I was a little disappointed. Any body else felt the same way about it?
Oh hey congrats on the Klipsch 8000f speakers I have those too and I friggin love mine. Hope your enjoying yours
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
Sorry guys for the confusion it was store demo. I did notice that the guy set the gain to max on the sb 2000. When he set the gain on the pb 2000 I told him the bass is distorted and I think he should set it to half Then he did that.
That tells me right there this demo was full of flaws.
 
H

Hokies83

Audioholic
Yea I was put off at first on my Hsu vtf 15h because it was not as “ boomy “ as my previous psw505,
But after listening for awhile i see the Hsu filling the room with clean bass and not being a boomy mess that the psw505 was.
 
Last edited:
VonMagnum

VonMagnum

Audioholic Chief
Hey my man don't you also run def tech powered towers in your setup? I could have sworn you said you have them when you spoke in other threads about your setup.
No. I run PSB T45s in the front L/C/R, PSB B15 for front heights, side surround, side surround #2, PSB S50 for top middle, PSB X1T for rear surround and PSB CS500 for rear height. The only Def Tech is the subwoofer. I do have a pair of Def Tech BP2 surrounds I use in an exercise room (they used to be the surround speakers when I used the Carver AL-IIIs as the mains (Energy brand center) at my old house. I did try them in the front with the Def Tech sub, though for awhile (before I got the AL-IIIs in).

If so as badass as your sub is its getting a lottoff backup from your towers hell that's like having multiple subs all over the room
I have the T45s (which can play to 35Hz) set to SMALL at 80Hz.

No doubt your sub is capable but I can't but wonder if having those towers if you do have them pair up with that sub definetly is a factor in the bass awesomeness in that room.
No, it's all the Powerfield sub. The bathroom is the really crazy spot, it's something like 10dB louder in there than in the main room at the lowest frequencies (turns the room into a little sub box).

As for the comments on "doesn't rattle", rattling is a result of the walls, furniture, etc. responding to high levels of excitation. If the SVS sub isn't rattling anything, either the room is well damped or it's not putting out high levels. I do run my subwoofer +4dB higher than the mains (more bass just sounds/feels better), but that's not what I'd call excessive (I'll turn it up even more for some bass anemic recordings).
 
D

Danzilla31

Audioholic Spartan
No. I run PSB T45s in the front L/C/R, PSB B15 for front heights, side surround, side surround #2, PSB S50 for top middle, PSB X1T for rear surround and PSB CS500 for rear height. The only Def Tech is the subwoofer. I do have a pair of Def Tech BP2 surrounds I use in an exercise room (they used to be the surround speakers when I used the Carver AL-IIIs as the mains (Energy brand center) at my old house. I did try them in the front with the Def Tech sub, though for awhile (before I got the AL-IIIs in).



I have the T45s (which can play to 35Hz) set to SMALL at 80Hz.



No, it's all the Powerfield sub. The bathroom is the really crazy spot, it's something like 10dB louder in there than in the main room at the lowest frequencies (turns the room into a little sub box).

As for the comments on "doesn't rattle", rattling is a result of the walls, furniture, etc. responding to high levels of excitation. If the SVS sub isn't rattling anything, either the room is well damped or it's not putting out high levels. I do run my subwoofer +4dB higher than the mains (more bass just sounds/feels better),but that's not what I'd call excessive (I'll turn it up even more for some bass anemic recordings).
Okay that's cool to know couldve swore you ran all def tech towers must've mixed you up with another poster

Yeah def tech has good midbass punch on all there subs. Going low is just a matter of preference but it doesn't give the effect most people think it will

I think I might be miscommunicating something on my subs. Although things don't rattle the room definetly gets excited.

I always have to adjust every picture in my entire house after a good listen. They knock stuff off shelves and walls as well. My All time fave thing they did was one day I really cut them loose and I thought something was breaking on them. I went over and realized the frame in the house was actually moaning and flexing. Plus I love the tingle all over my body with that feel in your chest and gut when they hit hard. Feels like your breath gets taken away. They just aren't boomy. I've come to hate that boomy sound my old subs did.

To each his own that's the fun thing about this hobby for sure we all got stuff we love it's what makes it so interesting :)
 
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