Powerful. This newer SVS has 400 watts continuous. This sub is in an open concept room of 3100 cub. ft. Over the years I tried a JBL PB10 in there as well as a Sunfire SDS 10, each sucked in this big room. Also the wife wouldn't go for 2 subs. I shopped for used & new subs, saw the SVS on sale for $499 delivered at IQ Home Ent. Looks like SVS only makes these around Christmas & they are “discontinued” other times. $500 was above my budget but the 5 yr warranty & things I read about the SVS were impressive so I went for it. An audioholics review said “The SVS PB12-NSD receives the Audioholics Bassoholic Large Room rating, which means that this sub is recommended as maintaining adequate headroom in rooms or spaces of between 3k - 5k cub ft &/or for users who usually listen at moderate to high vol levels.” Note that IG Home Entertainment was great, I would buy from them again! I have bought some used speakers before but no way I would spend that kind of money on a older “powered sub” without warranty. Looked at the 350 watt HSU VTF-2 MK5. It's better than my SVS, but at $539 & $77 shipping plus tax, it was way higher than the SVS. HSU only has a 2 year warranty on the electronics. Received the SVS sub promptly & it was packed up securely. I tried 4 different sub placements & thankfully the best one was the one the wife liked the best. kind of midway on a long wall. To determine the best area I used the auto setup on my receiver w/microphone & wrote down the db setting that appeared on my tv display on each of the four areas. The db setting on the mid wall showed the sub produced the highest output there. Early on the bass was kind of boomy, I suspected the hard feet on the sub were vibrating against my hard floor. I saw SVS was peddling a $50 iso system for this issue. I poor boyed it & put my hard sub feet on top of some small pieces of thick foam rubber that I had & instantly the bass was perfectly super firm although slightly subdued. If you look at the output dial on my SVS (assume it was 0-10), I probably have it set at about 7. I think I have the sub/receiver set at zero db (the auto setup had it at about -5db LOL), while some of my other speakers (auto setup) are +6db. Needless to say the SVS provides kick axx, perfectly firm bass in this application. Couldn't be happier with the SVS, once I isolated the hard feet from my hard floor. Value rating 5 stars

The ported box is large and this beast of a sub weighs 66 lbs!

Hello, let me first say that while I'm not an "audiophile snob" I do understand the difference between very good and very bad sound quality. I've written a couple reviews on here about different subs and a small receiver this review will be for the PC-12NSD . Buying "blind" so to speak ..or should I say "deaf" is a somewhat risky move with all of todays junk out there. This turned out not to be one of those "mistakes' I'm sure if your reading these and other reviews on products you already know SVS has a very good product and customer service due to there large following of supporters. I will not reitterate what has already been said about SVS subs. I'm just going to tell you that if your on the fence and thinking should I go with SVS or HSU or the MFW-15 , Rythmik..or ED the online marketplace for high quality subs is pretty good right now. The reason I went with the SVS is due to customer service and support which really states they stand behind there product. Not to mention the value . Any of the above mentioned e-tailers will provide you with a very good sub. (The cylinder version seemed to fit exactly where I wanted it ) This along with the price for low distortion low frequency which = excellent SQ is why I went with SVS. With all the in home trial periods available you could actually buy most if not all the subs your debating on and go with the one that fits you best , price , size , SQ. I'm very happy with my PC-12 and will only "upgrade" when I have a much larger room to fill ( or maybe just add another PC-12 )

this is for the pc version cylinder sub.ok i reviewed svs for 4 years looking at this site for refrence.finally on my birthday i ordered this beast.the heck with wife factor i wanted ground shaking bass, tight with music too easy to set up,and a bargain. all that plus more this is a man sub built for bass. it brought music and movies to life.i believe in getting bang for the buck. word of advice for the wife factor i have samsung blu-ray player that streams netflix and pandora internet radio.with pandora its free and u can custimize your play with the type of songs ,artists or genre great wife factor. and order blu-rays with netflix. i hope this review helps you consider this sub just in case you have a wife like the rest of us. live long and prosper.

No "boominess"
Great amp power
You can feel it, but it does not hurt your ears
Built solid
Good overall look
Great owners manuel
Easy to set-up
Recessed amp (allows user to put in tight spaces)
Front Firing

HEAVY & LARGE (but I can deal with that for the bass I get)

WOW! That is the first thing I think of when I asked about my new SVS PB12-NSD (please note this is the new PB12NSD that is front firing). It is by far the best sounding sub for the price. I interviewed four other subs before settling on the SVS. I tried out the following: Velodyne DLS-3750R, Klipsch RW-10d, Definitive Technology SuperCube I, and Aperion Intimus S-12. Hands down the SVS had better kick, power, and near as boomy as the Aperion and Velodyne. The Klipsch was decent but it did not hit as low nor could you feel the bass like you can with the SVS. The Def Tech was just a good as the SVS and maybe a tiny bit better because of its size. It is much smaller than the SVS but then again it should sound that good for being a sub well over $1000 in price.
Last night I watched U-571 and in some parts the bass is so low that you can not hear it but you can feel it. That is when you know the sub is working right. The other subs other than the DEF Tech could not produce those levels. Once the other subs hit about 30hrz they really backed off where the SVS backed off around 23hrz.

I have researched and researched subs and this is by far the best in its price class. I read review after review and compared it to the Outlaw sub and HSU and I could not ignore the reviews of the SVS so I went that route and am so pleased.

If you are looking for a great sounding sub and a great price go with the SVS you will not be disappointed.

Similar Products Used:

Velodyne DLS-3750R, Klipsch RW-10d, Definitive Technology SuperCube I, and Aperion Intimus S-12

No "boominess"
AMP has plenty of power. I only have mine turned up to 4.5 when you can go to 10
Front ported (allows flexability in locations)
Can FEEL the bass
Ease of setting up
Great manual to help in setting up
Good warranty and return policy
Great value for the money
Built strong and durable

Heavy
Big in size
You have to pay shipping on returns
Can't hear it in a store

I have to say is WOW! I have been researching subs for the past 3 months and the SVS PB12-NSD has found a home. (Please note that I have the new PB12-NSD with new BASH Amp and Front Firing Design) After trying a Velodyne DLS-3750R, Klipsch RW-10d, Definitive Technology SuperCube I (a $1000 plus in price sub), and finally an Aperion Audio Intimus S-12, the SVS blew all others away. Of course with the Def Tech it was a close call, but when I factored in the price of the sub the SVS won hands down. I mainly use my sub for Home Theater and it works nicely. I actually could have gone with the PB10-NSD but I wanted to make sure I had plenty of bass if I ever needed to move into a bigger room.
This sub is one that you can hear but more over you can feel. When it goes below the 30hz that is when you can feel it moving the furniture, walls, and your own body. The first movie I played was Pearl Harbor and the scene of the attack. The explosions are incredible. You feel you like you are right there in the middle of the attack.
The manual is excellent, set-up easy, some adjustments are needed as with any sub, the look is great, although note that this sub is heavy and big, but the sound is so worth it. The pacing material it was sent in was great. It was double boxed and I received it in three days. The Aperion Sub was cosmetically damaged and it took one week to receive, however the returns department was excellent. The SVS has much better sound and not as boomy as all the other subs I tried except the Def Tech which sounded great but again very pricey.
If looking for a sub for your HT system, stop looking and give this SVS a try. Has a great warranty, great return policy if you do not like it, and great reputation. Take it from me that has tried many out in stores and the ones listed above that I took home the SVS out performed them all but the high end Def Tech. I did debate between an Outlaw, HSU, and SVS but after looking a other reviews I decided on the SVS and have no regrets on that choice. Happy shopping.

Similar Products Used:

Velodyne DLS-3750R,
Klipsch RW-10d,
Definitive Technology SuperCube I (a $1000 plus in price sub)
Aperion Audio Intimus S-12
Boston

Loud and clear (to an untrained ear, at least), price for performance, straightforward setup

WAF, Big box in a small room is awkward at first, but the sound more than makes up for that!

Well, add another fan to the list! I can't go into exactly how low it goes or anything specific because I don't have the trained ear that most on this site seem to have. What I can tell you is this is my first subwoofer purchase and I am completely satisfied with what I paid for it. This thing rocks the house! The hardest part about buying this sub is that it is only sold on the internet. I know they have a money-back policy, but who wants to pay $60 to return something. Well, if you can get over the size of the cabinet, you probably won't ever return this beast! It keeps up with the faster beats of the music that I listen to, and at night when I put on a movie, it impresses me even more. One movie that I don't see mentioned very often (or a series of movies for that matter) is Jurassic Park. My cat and dog were freaked out over the dinosaurs that stomped through our living room. I will say that others mentioning the Wife Approval Factor (WAF) being low rings true. My wife is impressed by the sound, but the box is enormous. She lives with it and we are planning to buy a larger home soon, so it will hopefully have a dedicated theater room where it won't look out of place.

Similar Products Used:

None

Clarity. Ability to handle loud volumes. Nice solid cainet construction.

May be a bit heavy for some to move around. It is big: 23"H x 18"W x 20"D maybe a problem for smaller rooms and may also decrease WAF.

This review is for the PB12-ISD. As far as I know, it is essentially the PB1-ISD renamed. If memory serves, I read about them renaming their subs somewhere on their website. I had previously owned only one other subwoofer. It was a JBL PB-12. It was wonderful. It added a whole new dimension to my movies & music. Despite some negative reviews on this website, I never had any problems with mine & I was quite happy with it. A couple of weeks ago I found myself in need of a new subwoofer as my 10-month old daughter had gotten behind the subwoofer and pulled out the subwoofer cable while the subwoofer was on. Needless to say, I learned that this was a bad thing. The sub made a loud buzz and all the PB-12 does now is make crackling sounds. After alot of research, I decided I needed to give SV subwoofers a try. I've heard nothing but good reviews about them on every forum I've visited. However, I had to admit that I was somewhat skeptical about their performance. Since they're an internet only company, you can't exactly audition them before you buy them. Also, I wondered if it were really possible for a subwoofer this affordable to perform like a sub costing hundreds or thousands more??? I've read some tests and reviews on various forums and sites that seem to think so. I personally have not listened to any subwoofer costing in the thousands, but I can say that this subwoofer without a doubt, is nothing short of awesome. At first I wondered why they sounded so different from my old sub, then I realized that this is what bass should sound like. The bass is far more defined than my old sub. The old one just made loud deep "thuds". This sub has far more clarity to it. It can be played very loud with no hint of straining. I don't know how loud as I lack the tools to measure, but it fills my 23x15 living room with a 2-story ceiling just fine. Extreme levels of bass from some 5.1-soundtracks made my old sub whimper. This sub just asks for more. Example: Try the opening scend to Star Wars Episode II. The scene opens with this ship coming across the screen with some intense bass. The old JBL had to be turned down as it couldn't handle that much bass. The SVS handled it with authority. This thing can rumble when you want it too, but it sounds good with music too. For me, the $650 I spent(shipping to Texas included) was money well spent on a replacement subwoofer. Even my wife could tell how much better the new sub sounds. That says alot considering she thinks all speakers sound "fine". It feels solidly built. Nothing rattles when played loudly and the thing is heavy for most people. It's like 78lbs. or so. I believe this was a great purchase for me and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this sub to anyone looking for some incredible bass that won't break the bank.

Similar Products Used:

JBL PB-12

This box looks great and its kid proof ultra low bass pounds unreal for music too

the only weakness is if you dont go order it right now from a site :-)

The SVS PB1-ISD is by far the best subwoofer that your money can buy and trust me I have tested many subwoofers in the past and have also have built my own subs. using special software. the low bass is unreal that is mainly the reason why i bought it I heard great reviews and had to check it out for my self its mind blowing the whole family loves it! yes everyone 3 kids wife & my self perfact for movie theater bass and blasting music

Great value for $$'s Powerful bass (butt shaking category) Relatively low bass Great customer service by Tom V and SVS Prompt shipment and delivery of Subwoofer

A little boomy at times, but can largely be controlled

This is actually an updated review for the PB2-ISD subwoofer that I received and reviewed approximately one-week ago. Please again note that I am reviewing (re-reviewing) the PB2-ISD subwoofer here as there is no separate section in Audio Review for an evaluation of this specific model of subwoofer. After having used the subwoofer for about a week, and learning more about its operation, I think that more and more it is an excellent value for the money. I have revisited and relistened to some of the other subwoofers that I was considering purchasing such as the REL Strata(??)and Stadium III's, B&W ASW 750, Velomax 1200, Klipsch RSW's (all woofer sizes), etc. and find that this subwoofer is at least as good, if not better, than most of the aforementioned subs, except for the $3,000.00 REL Stadium III. (The REL Stadium III is not any more dynamic or powerful, but does have a bit tighter, cleaner and faster bass response than does the SVS. However, again, the REL Stadium III is a $3k subwoofer so this is not really an appropriate comparison.) Other than the REL Stadium III, these other subwoofers were no more pleasing to the ear or more effective in producing bass levels than was the SVS. In some cases, these more expensive subwoofers were a bit weak, in my humble opinion. The SVS remains a very powerful bass producing sub. The bass easily can shake a room and goes reasonably low enough to capture almost all of the low bass sound tracks that exists on DVD, etc. When I first set up the subwoofer, it had a tendency to get "boomy" with bass heavy movie DVD soundtracks. Fortunately, I have been able to largely (but not quite completely)cure this tendency by moving the subwoofer more towards the side of the room (away from the corner), and to reduce the gain/volume somewhat when playing bass heavy movies/HT DVD's. By the way, even with the reduction in gain/volume, the reduced subwoofer setting still allows for plenty of bass production and will result in ample room shake, etc. when called upon to do so. Also, it should be clearly noted that the customer service recently received from Tom V of SVS Subwoofers when dealing with the boominess issue has been absolutely first rate. Tom has promptly and comprehensively responded to all of my inquiries in a largely successful effort to reduce the boominess issue. I greatly appreciate this high level of customer service. It should be a good lesson for us all. All in all, I believe that the PB2-ISD subwoofer is a terrific value for the money. Is it the best subwoofer out there? No. However, I have listened to a number of subwoofers and have discovered that I would have to pay at least $3k to exceed the quality of this subwoofer. Moreover, I suspect that there are other $3k subwoofers out there that are not as good as the SVS.

Similar Products Used:

Yamaha YST 100 KLH

--Powerful bass --Reasonably low frequency production --Enhances the listening experience --Good value --Great fun

--Some boominess when listening to bass heavy home theater --Good, but not great, low frequency capabilities

I just recently purchased and received the SVS PB2-ISD subwoofer. I am including my review of the PB2-ISD here as there is no separate site location for me to include a review of the PB2-ISD subwoofers. After placing the subwoofer in the only usable corner of my enclosed carpeted 10 x 10 ft. room, calibrating the subwoofer to approximately 76 decibals via a radioshack SPL meter, and using the subwoofer, my initial comments are as follows: The subwoofer is reasonably fast and very, very powerful and puts out a great amount of bass. When called upon to do so, this subwoofer can really emit the SPL's and thereby pressurize and shake up a room. I have never experienced anything quite like it. It is truly amazing. I have heard things and have enjoyed movies in ways that I never believed I could experience. It has been alot of fun! I am operating the subwoofer with two of the three ports plugged and the filter set to 16HZ. I do not think that the gain/volume is set at more than 20% or so. Crossover is disabled. Phase is set at 180 degrees. I have reduced the bass level on my Sony DA 333ES receiver by 5 db. LFE is flat at 0db. [I am using the subwoofer with Klipsch RF 5 main speakers; a Klipsch RC7 center speaker and Klipsch RS7 surrounds.] However, all in all I do not consider the bass being produced to be exceptionally "subsonic" in nature. This subwoofer produces bass that goes reasonably low, but I have on rare occasions heard lower subwoofer bass levels (i.e., the B&W ASW 750; although the B&W subwoofer retails for $1,600, almost 2x the cost of the SVS subwoofer. Also, please note that the B&W sub did not necessarily produce the tightest, fastest or cleanest bass that I have ever experienced). The only real negative issue that I am experiencing with the SVS PB2-ISD subwoofer is that of a greater degree of "boominess" than I prefer with some home theater (but not music). It is not awful, but it definitely exists and detracts somewhat from the overall HT/movie listening experience. The boominess also makes the bass seem a bit more directional than I prefer. I suspect that some of this boominess is due to the small room in which the subwoofer is located, along with the sonic tendencies of corner placement (although I do not have any placement alternatives in the room whatsoever). Yet, I have definitely heard tighter, cleaner bass with some other subwoofers than is currently being generated by the SVS sub when listening to bass heavy movies. (I listen to HT/movies 90% of the time; music 10%.) In fact, I have experienced tighter, cleaner bass with previous (but much less powerful) subwoofers in the exact same corner room location as is this one. I am hoping that perhaps additional experimentation, changing settings, etc. might help reduce the more bass heavy HT/movie related boominess that I have thus far experienced with the SVS. Please note, however, that music has been pleasant to listen to with tight, clean and reasonably fast bass. All in all, the SVS subwoofer has enhanced my listening experience. I am generally enjoying the product.

Similar Products Used:

--Yamaha YST SW 100 (OK overall, decent power, good at low to moderate levels, slightly boomy, but sometimes bottoms out with extremely bass heavy movies) --KLH Bassbite II (don't laugh; this very inexpensive little subwoofer produces very clean, tight and fast bass; but severely lacks power which unfortunately renders it somewhat ineffective overall)