Sub upgrade opinions

ryanosaur

ryanosaur

Audioholic Overlord
There are both Rythmik and PSA reviews on data-bass.com as well as Outlaw....altho the PSA reviews are older models.
As are the Rythmiks, as I recall. Been over a year or so since I looked... Is he still doing stuff these days?
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
As are the Rythmiks, as I recall. Been over a year or so since I looked... Is he still doing stuff these days?
I don't follow there much on a regular basis, but seems there are newish reviews when I do look. I think he has a real life/job that gets in the way as does weather etc.
 
ryanosaur

ryanosaur

Audioholic Overlord
I don't follow there much on a regular basis, but seems there are newish reviews when I do look. I think he has a real life/job that gets in the way as does weather etc.
Whaaaaaaaaaaat?!??!!!!!!

:p
 
Timforhifi

Timforhifi

Full Audioholic
Svs was once a great company but now they are a big business. Reminds me a lot of velodyne. Not bad but overpriced.

Psa subs are a great step up and you’ll be impressed. I recently sold my Rythmik fv18 subs to see if two psa 1512df would be enough. I miss the super deep 10-12hz output but from 20-100hz the psa are great.

svs is really a Chinese company now. The boys in Ohio were bought out awhile back. I’d return those stinky cables from Chi-na. Haha
 
S

shadyJ

Speaker of the House
Staff member
Svs was once a great company but now they are a big business. Reminds me a lot of velodyne. Not bad but overpriced.

Psa subs are a great step up and you’ll be impressed. I recently sold my Rythmik fv18 subs to see if two psa 1512df would be enough. I miss the super deep 10-12hz output but from 20-100hz the psa are great.

svs is really a Chinese company now. The boys in Ohio were bought out awhile back. I’d return those stinky cables from Chi-na. Haha
I think SVS is a better company than they were when under ownership from the boys in Ohio. They aren't winning an SPL drag race against some competitors but there is more to audio products than sheer output. They make subs that people want, and for that, they have been rewarded with a marketshare that is much larger than any of their competitors. SVS was bought out because it was a failing company under control from the 'boys in Ohio,' and that has been turned around massively.
 
mazersteven

mazersteven

Audioholic Warlord
There is also a difference in Engineering/Design and Marketing.
If I'm correct most of SVS's products today were Engineered/Designed under old Management.
New Management has the Financial backing the Old Management didn't. And there is the Marketing
 
Timforhifi

Timforhifi

Full Audioholic
Svs is a great company for people getting good equipment. I think it’s gear that everyone should try and a great entry level product.

to be fair though I haven’t tried any of their newer subs. I owned pb12+2, pc12+, pb13ultra, pb1000, pb2000 and sb13. They were all fine but I found products that sounded better with more spl for less or equal money.

As far as their speakers they are nice as well. Speakers are a personal choice though, svs ultra weren’t my favorite but comparable to Klipsch.
 
K

Kleinst

Senior Audioholic
Svs was once a great company but now they are a big business. Reminds me a lot of velodyne. Not bad but overpriced.

Psa subs are a great step up and you’ll be impressed. I recently sold my Rythmik fv18 subs to see if two psa 1512df would be enough. I miss the super deep 10-12hz output but from 20-100hz the psa are great.

svs is really a Chinese company now. The boys in Ohio were bought out awhile back. I’d return those stinky cables from Chi-na. Haha

Curious, if you could do it again would you have stuck with Rythmik or feel that PSA is a step up for coparable models? I have one Rythmik F15HP and am not getting rid of it. But If I add a new sub, would be looking at those two brands so good to hear from someone who has had both.
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
There is also a difference in Engineering/Design and Marketing.
If I'm correct most of SVS's products today were Engineered/Designed under old Management.
New Management has the Financial backing the Old Management didn't. And there is the Marketing
I was looking thru the about us section at SVS....the list is now heavy with marketing/sales folk. I do wonder how strong the financials are in light of covid, tho.
 
Timforhifi

Timforhifi

Full Audioholic
I’ve had a bunch of subs over the years.
Psa has been xv15, xv15se, xv30, xv30fse, xs30, v1811 and now v1512df

Rythmik I’ve had Fv15hp, lv12r, fv18pc and f25

jtr was just cap2400

Hsu vtf3.5 and vtf15

epik empire and epik conquest

deep sea sound mariana

elemental design was a 15” but can’t remember model now.

Seaton submersive hp as well

I did buy two jtr cap 4000 that my wife said hell no and I had to store in storage unit till sold. Never got to hear them.

I like these new psa but I’d obviously rather have Rythmik fv18 pc. So I think I’ll be trading these in for psa tv18ipal. Nice low tune high spl. I was trying to see if something cheaper would make me happy and these have done well.

I also listed all the svs I’ve owned in earlier post. To me pb13ultra was best svs but a few steps below psa xv30fse and Rythmik Fv15hp. Pb1000 was ok but similar to $200 Polk or Jbl on amazon. Pb2000 was a step below Hsu vtf3.5. Pb12+ was a step below xv15se. As far as spl, sq and how it pressurized room. Pb3000 has good numbers though and looks comparable to vtf15 and psa v1512.
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
I’ve had a bunch of subs over the years.
Psa has been xv15, xv15se, xv30, xv30fse, xs30, v1811 and now v1512df

Rythmik I’ve had Fv15hp, lv12r, fv18pc and f25

jtr was just cap2400

Hsu vtf3.5 and vtf15

epik empire and epik conquest

deep sea sound mariana

elemental design was a 15” but can’t remember model now.

Seaton submersive hp as well

I did buy two jtr cap 4000 that my wife said hell no and I had to store in storage unit till sold. Never got to hear them.

I like these new psa but I’d obviously rather have Rythmik fv18 pc. So I think I’ll be trading these in for psa tv18ipal. Nice low tune high spl. I was trying to see if something cheaper would make me happy and these have done well.

I also listed all the svs I’ve owned in earlier post. To me pb13ultra was best svs but a few steps below psa xv30fse and Rythmik Fv15hp. Pb1000 was ok but similar to $200 Polk or Jbl on amazon. Pb2000 was a step below Hsu vtf3.5. Pb12+ was a step below xv15se. As far as spl, sq and how it pressurized room. Pb3000 has good numbers though and looks comparable to vtf15 and psa v1512.
Why have you had so many subs? Just curious and don't mind the expense?
 
T

txbonds

Full Audioholic
I’ve had a bunch of subs over the years.
Psa has been xv15, xv15se, xv30, xv30fse, xs30, v1811 and now v1512df

Rythmik I’ve had Fv15hp, lv12r, fv18pc and f25

jtr was just cap2400

Hsu vtf3.5 and vtf15

epik empire and epik conquest

deep sea sound mariana

elemental design was a 15” but can’t remember model now.

Seaton submersive hp as well

I did buy two jtr cap 4000 that my wife said hell no and I had to store in storage unit till sold. Never got to hear them.

I like these new psa but I’d obviously rather have Rythmik fv18 pc. So I think I’ll be trading these in for psa tv18ipal. Nice low tune high spl. I was trying to see if something cheaper would make me happy and these have done well.

I also listed all the svs I’ve owned in earlier post. To me pb13ultra was best svs but a few steps below psa xv30fse and Rythmik Fv15hp. Pb1000 was ok but similar to $200 Polk or Jbl on amazon. Pb2000 was a step below Hsu vtf3.5. Pb12+ was a step below xv15se. As far as spl, sq and how it pressurized room. Pb3000 has good numbers though and looks comparable to vtf15 and psa v1512.
So you’ve been happy with the PSA 1512DF? I’ve looked at it, the regular 1512, the outlaw 13 and the rhythmik 15 models. Thinking about options over the PC2000 and like idea of models with XLR.
 
K

Kleinst

Senior Audioholic
Highly recommend the ryhthmik

you said you have had a seaton submersive. One for sale a few hours from me but I’m 100% TV/Home Theater so I’m feeling ported is better for me. But those do have a 4000wpc peak or something like that so might have good power in a sealed box with 2 15s. Interesting at least. Curious your experience with that one
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
Highly recommend the ryhthmik

you said you have had a seaton submersive. One for sale a few hours from me but I’m 100% TV/Home Theater so I’m feeling ported is better for me. But those do have a 4000wpc peak or something like that so might have good power in a sealed box with 2 15s. Interesting at least. Curious your experience with that one
No experience but that was the first sub I really lusted for. Ended up going the Epik Empire route instead.
 
Timforhifi

Timforhifi

Full Audioholic
I had a bunch of subs over that 10-12 year stretch, didn’t mind the expense to play with different ones.

seaton was fun and dug really deep but not with a lot of spl. If you play in the 100-105db max range it’ll be awesome. For movies only I’d go with ported like Fv15hp, fv18pc from Rythmik. Or jtr cap 2400. Or psa15-18” ported subs. Most of the psa don’t dig below 16hz with much authority though. The same can be said for hsu, great from 20hz and up.

Svs pb4000 looks nice but is really no better then Fv15hp. I wouldn’t worry about xlr unless I was running long runs over 50’.
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
I had a bunch of subs over that 10-12 year stretch, didn’t mind the expense to play with different ones.

seaton was fun and dug really deep but not with a lot of spl. If you play in the 100-105db max range it’ll be awesome. For movies only I’d go with ported like Fv15hp, fv18pc from Rythmik. Or jtr cap 2400. Or psa15-18” ported subs. Most of the psa don’t dig below 16hz with much authority though. The same can be said for hsu, great from 20hz and up.

Svs pb4000 looks nice but is really no better then Fv15hp. I wouldn’t worry about xlr unless I was running long runs over 50’.
I think the dual opposed format is good, but you still need multiples....
 
T

txbonds

Full Audioholic
On the Audioholics CEA 2010 subwoofer test data chart, How does the frequency response figure in? Most subs have measured output well below what the frequency range indicates. Trying to figure out how best to compare subs from the chart. Also, how do you make allowance for two of one sub versus the single measurements? And, I'm assuming a second sub would not add anything to the lower measurements, it would only increase the output on the currently measured outputs? ie: a second sub won't make it suddenly have 10hz output if a single one doesn't right? Thanks.
 
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S

shadyJ

Speaker of the House
Staff member
On the Audioholics CEA 2010 subwoofer test data chart, How does the frequency response figure in? Most subs have measured output well below what the frequency range indicates. Trying to figure out how best to compare subs from the chart. Also, how do you make allowance for two of one sub versus the single measurements? And, I'm assuming a second sub would not add anything to the lower measurements, it would only increase the output on the currently measured outputs? ie: a second sub won't make it suddenly have 10hz output if a single one doesn't right? Thanks.
Any sub can produce output below the stated frequency range, but it would be too low and too distortion laden to matter. Consider the specified frequency range to be the range of useful output.

Correct that multiples of a single sub doesn't really increase extension. It just make the sub system louder. Doubling up on a sub increases the loudness by 6dB. Running multiples can increase extension on certain sealed subs, but that only really works if you have the EQ abilities to adapt the response to the room.
 
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