SVS Advice

[ParadigmDawg]

I am not even sure that $50 higher would matter. To get the quality and sound that SVS and HSU produce you would have to pay 2 or 3 times the price.

Just to throw it out there; I am one of the very few that have had a SVS sub in my house and ended up with something else but bang for your buck; they are hard to touch.

Probably. Depends on what you mean by "slightly". $10 or $20 wouldn't bother me, but $50 might.

If you get some free speakers, send some my way. You know since you're a "chick" and don't know anything about stereo's anyway.

 

[Jburns]

Probably. Depends on what you mean by "slightly". $10 or $20 wouldn't bother me, but $50 might.

If you get some free speakers, send some my way. You know since you're a "chick" and don't know anything about stereo's anyway.

Why would $50 make a difference? Do you think they are competitvely priced as it is? From the profit standpoint, do you think they would make more if they raised their prices (which isn't what they are about)? What about shipping? Is that a factor in making online purchases? Your in CA...I'm in FL...doesn't shipping cut into the discount?

You will have your chance at the speakers once I post them on Ebay!! Jk!

 

[Jburns]

I am not even sure that $50 higher would matter. To get the quality and sound that SVS and HSU produce you would have to pay 2 or 3 times the price.

Just to throw it out there; I am one of the very few that have had a SVS sub in my house and ended up with something else but bang for your buck; they are hard to touch.

So do you think people would pay significantly more for products? Why would they price them so low currently?

 

[mazersteven]

Hello- I'm new to the forum. Can anyone offer insight on SVS products? I don't know very much about them and am trying to figure out if they are worth the money.

Thanks!
Jessica

All you have to do is purchase one. Play these scenes from these movies.

War of the Worlds-scene 5
Finding Nemo-scene 25
Master and Commander-cannon blast scene.

Then run to the mirror. Look the that stupid smile on your face. You'll know right then that you purchased the right subwoofer.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

Well if SVS wants to pay me for a marketing analysis...

I believe these ID companies are just in a perfect niche. They have to balance the “figure” that meets the hassle of dealing with an ID company (inability to listen to the product, shipping, wait time, down time incase of repairs) to a price that people are willing to pay to avoid all the hassles. I am a person who needs immediate gratification so I want the product the day I find it. I also want a local dealer that is there when I need them and I am willing to pay for that. SVS offers a sub that is less than half the price as mine that is every bit as good or maybe even better. If their sub was a little smaller and I could pick it up locally then I would have a SVS sub.

So do you think people would pay significantly more for products? Why would they price them so low currently?

 

[Jburns]

Well if SVS wants to pay me for a marketing analysis...

I believe these ID companies are just in a perfect niche. They have to balance the “figure” that meets the hassle of dealing with an ID company (inability to listen to the product, shipping, wait time, down time incase of repairs) to a price that people are willing to pay to avoid all the hassles. I am a person who needs immediate gratification so I want the product the day I find it. I also want a local dealer that is there when I need them and I am willing to pay for that. SVS offers a sub that is less than half the price as mine that is every bit as good or maybe even better. If their sub was a little smaller and I could pick it up locally then I would have a SVS sub.

I'm not getting paid either...lol.

Thanks for the input, that really clears it up for me.

 

[abboudc]

I'm actually working on a project about the company and I can't contact them directly. I unfortunately do not understand anything about subwoofers, so I figured I would turn to you guys. My main goal is to figure out how SVS compares to other brands, quality and pricewise.

Any thoughts?

Others may have a different opinion, but I think they're "average" in their class. Granted, their class is "small internet direct speaker company" and most of the companies that are in business in that space are very good at satisfying their customers. They wouldn't be in business if they weren't. You'll be hard pressed to find a complaint from a customer of Hsu, AV123, SVS, etc on the internet, because they live and die by their reputation, and they know it.

When compared with Hsu, AV123, etc, which i consider their class:
1. Customer experience, i would say slightly below average. They don't really have any advantage over any of the other companies listed. AV123 and Hsu offer their own forums for users to discuss products, which SVS does not offer. It is easy enough to order their products, and they generally ship very quickly. But so do their competitors.

2. Bang for the buck i would say above average. Performance per dollar they're slightly ahead of AV123, and even to slightly ahead of Hsu. They're also the only ones that i know of that offer "upgrades" where they'll put out a new woofer a year later and offer it as an option.

3. Build quality i would say average. They have better build quality than Hsu, but i think the finishes on AV123 are nicer. Others may have a different preference. As far as "high grade furniture quality" i beg to differ, having bought both a PC-Ultra and a Plus/2 in Oak. The oak cabinet is nicer than MDF furniture you get at Target, but its nowhere near quality wood furniture grade like something you'd get at Ethan Allen. The fabric Ultra is ok and what you'd expect it to be, but it could have been finished much better at the seams. The base also had some issues with the finish consistency.

They have a big fan base because of #2. They offer a good product at a great price. They're the Honda of subs....Hsu is Toyota and AV123 is Nissan. You really can't go wrong with any of them, but each of them has their fans for various reasons.

 

[Audioholics]

Are you asking all the right questions?

I'd ask some additional questions... For example:

• How many people would feel comfortable returning, say, a 190 pound subwoofer that arrives in a crate and takes up over 8 cubic feet in size?<br>
  
• What exactly are the return shipping/insurance costs and how does that play into the return policies and implied money back guarantee statements on subwoofers?<br>
  
• Is there a psychological issue involved in returning a product of this size and associated return shipping/insurance costs (which are not paid by the manufacturer)?

Just my $0.02 to make this a bit more interesting...

These questions would apply to any internet direct company, but are particularly relevant to subwoofer companies (especially manufacturers of large subwoofers) as their products are a bit more involved (to put it generously) to return.

 

[gene]

Internet direct brands typically offer the best performance (build quality and sound) when it comes to speakers and subwoofers.

You need to qualify this statement perhaps by first stating its your opinion, and secondly perhaps stating "for the price". I can count more speaker brands that don't sell direct in two hands that offer far better products then most internet direct brands but they usually cost more than the internet direct brands.

 

[no. 5]

You need to qualify this statement perhaps by first stating its your opinion, and secondly perhaps stating "for the price". I can count more speaker brands that don't sell direct in two hands that offer far better products then most internet direct brands but they usually cost more than the internet direct brands.

I don’t want to sound like a kiss up here , but yeah, ID brands (and SVS by extension) although providing good ‘bang for the buck’ are not the last word in performance.

 

[Davemcc]

As an owner of both SVS and HSU subs, I probably have something to add to your project.

So basically there is no more of a risk in purchasing internet only products as opposed to something from a bricks and mortar shop?

Well, there are risks and I've learned that it pays to make very sure what you want before ordering online and make sure of the company's return policy. When you shop locally, you know that the the piece you pick out is the one you're leaving with, but I think people might be more likely to keep something purchased online they don't really want because of the hassle of returning it. Don't ask why I say that. I try to buy locally when possible, even for a few dollars more.

So with SVS, you really get more bang for your buck is basically what I'm trying to figure out. Do members of the forum go by opinions of other members in regards to purchasing products, or is there also a "consumer reports" of online speakers so you know how they rank?

I had not heard of either SVS or HSU before finding this site, so yes, the opinions of forum members heavily weighted my decision on both subs, but I also checked out other online reviews and looked at what was available locally before taking the leap of faith in ordering online. Bang for buck, I don't think I could locally source an equivalent for either in their price range.

Ok, so how then do you compare other online only products against SVS? For example, HSU? Are there publications, be it online or in print, that help with comparison shopping?

Once you've reviewed the specs and read the review, sometimes its still a big old gamble, sometimes its the deal of the moment that carries the day.

I guess that's my big thing with online, you just never know if you are paying for garbage. But, in building up their reputation, it's easy to make the decision to purchase SVS.

The beauty of sites like this is that forum members will quickly put to the test any lies or exaggerated claims about a product. If the uncensored opinions of a broad user base match the reviews' conclusions, it's probably a safe bet, in my opinion.

Would you still purchase their products if they raised their prices slightly?

That depends. Changes in price affect the entire value equation when compared against competitors. Even SVS has to mind its position in the market. Rather than get the SVS I wanted, I downgraded to fit my budget's comfort zone. If the SVS were even more expensive, I might have two HSU's or an Axiom and an HSU, etc.

Do you think they are competitvely priced as it is? From the profit standpoint, do you think they would make more if they raised their prices (which isn't what they are about)?

They are very competitive in their market, but raising prices drastically changes the products in direct competition. If they feel they can compete in higher brackets with current or future products, have at it. I read your question as "would they be more profitable if they traded market share for profitability?" That's the million dollar question in marketing.

 

[Buckeye_Nut]

Probably. Depends on what you mean by "slightly". $10 or $20 wouldn't bother me, but $50 might.

50?



Sorry, but that struck me as funny. I was just trying to imagine how small a purchase must be to make $50 a difference maker. The only things that came to mind were much, much smaller than a sub purchase. IE.... like buying a pair of running shoes.

 

[Buckeye_Nut]

I'll share my subwoofer shopping experience which is relevant to the above discussion. I scoured the brick & mortars for subwoofers before deciding to purchase online from SVS.

First of all, I set a 'tentative' budget of <$1,500. I thought surely I could find a subwoofer that wowed me within my budget. After demoing several, I soon learned the task was much more difficult than expected. Throughout my sub shopping journey, it seemed that most subs that impressed me were in the >$3,000 price range. (very frustrating indeed, because I didn't want to spend that much!!)

The only sub I found that I wanted to buy close to my stated budget retailed for $2,000 at that time. I thought to myself, surely a subwoofer exists within my budget that I'll like. I was on the verge of expanding my budget when I decided to research the web. During that process, I stumbled onto SVS as well as several other internet brands. I used anonymous $2,000 SUB "X" as my benchmark, because it was the sub that wowed me closest to my price range. (albeit in a 'smallish' sound room)

After researching internet brands, I took the leap of faith and purchased the PB12/Plus2. All I can say is WOW..... It's in a different league, as it should be. After all, there is a lot more to the Plus2 compared to the anonymous SUB X so it should be no surprise. On paper, it was more impressive in every way, and the only way to find out if it was a paper tiger or the real thing........ was to take the leap of faith to find out for myself.

Let me make this clear, I'm not trying to knock SUB X, because the sub I used as my benchmark is an excellent sub!! I'm only trying to demonstrate how you can buy more sub for the same $$ through internet brands. The plus2 is apples to oranges compared to X, and it still cost $650 less!!

While it's true I dont own the SVS plus, now that I've had extensive experience with the SVS brand and the Plus2, it's my opinion that the SVS Plus and "X" are probably relative equals......... only the SVS plus can be shipped for <$1,000!!

In summary.... yes, there are many great subwoofers to be found at brick and mortars............. just be prepared to pay significantly more for similar performance compared to what you can buy from an internet brand. Granted, if you're shopping for a sub in over $5,000 price range, what I say might not easily apply. However, in the <$2000 price range, it certainly does!!

my 2 cents

 

[ParadigmDawg]

Yep Buckeye; it seems like there is a big jump in price between the everyday, average subs that are in the 500 buck range and the truly good subs that are 2500-3000 bucks. That is the niche that the ID companies fill.

 

[Seth=L]

I don't think there is much better value for subs than internet direct or building you own subs outside the used market.

 

[Jburns]

I have learned that this is an involved process and that you really have to know what you are looking for online. Ok, so how long is the timeframe of researching and picking out the sub that you want?

Are there incentives within each brand that would influence you to choose one over the other...if similar in quality? Free shipping? Bundling discounts? Where you might actually sacrifice what you want in order to save some money?

 

[Buckeye_Nut]

Are there incentives within each brand that would influence you to choose one over the other...if similar in quality? Free shipping? Bundling discounts? Where you might actually sacrifice what you want in order to save some money?

Things I looked for......... A solid beefy construction, plenty of available headroom to handle even the most demanding movie segments, and effortlessly capable of hitting the deepest of notes. Pure physics dictates how low a sub can go, and there is no substitute for the "beefy" construction necessary to accomplish those ends. For a sub to do it's job well, it literally needs to be built like a tank.

Free shipping?? For me, that means little. Shipping cost is a minimal factor when looking at the total cost.

Bundling?? Just how many subwoofers do you plan to buy? Most people use only 1 or 2 in their HT, and that's not nearly enough to warrant a bulk discount.

Sacrifices?? Some will sacrifice performance due to space restrictions requiring them to buy a smaller sub than they may otherwise like to purchase.

 

[Jburns]

Things I looked for......... A solid beefy construction, plenty of available headroom to handle even the most demanding movie segments, and effortlessly capable of hitting the deepest of notes. Pure physics dictates how low a sub can go, and there is no substitute for the "beefy" construction necessary to accomplish those ends. For a sub to do it's job well, it literally needs to be built like a tank.

Free shipping?? For me, that means little. Shipping cost is a minimal factor when looking at the total cost.

Bundling?? Just how many subwoofers do you plan to buy? Most people use only 1 or 2 in their HT, and that's not nearly enough to warrant a bulk discount.

Sacrifices?? Some will sacrifice performance due to space restrictions requiring them to buy a smaller sub than they may otherwise like to purchase.

Lol...I meant bundling in terms of wires or anything else that you need to go with it. Do you need anything else or do you just take it out of the box/crate and plug it in? There aren't additional things you need? (I'm a girl and have just started to understand this stuff with everyone's help!!)

 

[Davemcc]

I took about a month to finally order the PB12-Plus. I lusted after the PB12-Plus/2 for weeks (knowing full well that it was way too much for my needs) before deciding on the Plus, which is still more than I need, but I just wanted it. My actual needs could have been met with a much smaller, less expensive sub. Don't discount the emotional aspect of buying subwoofers.

With the HSU, I wanted to try out the Ventriloquist system, but it's fairly pricey. I caught a package deal that actually caused me to upgrade the sub. There was no package on the STF-1. There was a special with the STF-2 that was sold out, so I upgraded to the STF-3. It cost me a lot more money than I wanted, but I got a lot more sub in the process as well. I know it's kind of screwy, but I don't mind having another decent sub around.

 

[Buckeye_Nut]

Lol...I meant bundling in terms of wires or anything else that you need to go with it. Do you need anything else or do you just take it out of the box/crate and plug it in? There aren't additional things you need? (I'm a girl and have just started to understand this stuff with everyone's help!!)

Not much...... The only thing you really need is a single cable to connect to your receiver, and you can buy one from SVS for practically nothing. There are a few accessory's some will buy, but they're minimal in cost. IE... SPL meter, calibration disc.

Most people dont go much beyond a basic setup. Bass trapping and addressing the finer details of the treatment of room acoustics and detailed calibration are subjects few care to address thoroughly. Room calibration and acoustic treatment is considered as an entirely different subject. In fact, there are libraries on that subject alone!! LOL

The most valuable service (one provided by all internet brand companies that I am aware of in spades) is technical assistance. They're all exceptional at providing any technical support necessary to provide the information needed to aid a novice in the positioning and setup of their new subwoofer purchase.

For your next school project (once this one is finished), you should dive into the subject of room acoustics, treatment, and calibration It'll make your head spin because the more you learn about the subject, the more confusing it gets, and the dumber you feel about the subject!!

I've learned just enough in these past few years to feel really dumb when it comes to those discussions. "laugh"