Just a nice SVS review

faster100

http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volume_9_2/svs-cs-ultra-subwoofers-5-2002.html

good read, and review

Dr. Spec

Great link. I have heard the Ultra - it is amazing.

Dr. Johnson is a legend in the subwoofer reviewer circles. He is very picky about his subs, and his objective measurements are at least as thorough as Tom Nousaine's, maybe more so.

Look for a Doc Johnson review of the SVS B4-Plus coming very soon. He had to establish new measuring benchmarks for all his equipmement because the B4-Plus blew the old ones right out of the water. He had to push it to over 120 dB before distortion started becoming significant.

Anyway, these paraphrased comments should put to bed anyone who has lingering doubts about SVS musicality or accuracy.

Doc

"The sound quality of the SVS CS-Ultra is really quite spectacular. I was presented with very powerful, deep, and magnificently clean sound effects as well as music."

"All my favorite bass buster DVDs came through loud and clear. I don't think there was anything I could not hear or feel that was coming off my DVDs into the SVS."

"The SVS is clean all the way down in frequency, and all the way up in loudness. You cannot ask for more than that."

"Music is wonderful through the SVS as well. Pipe organ is another instrument that needs deep and clean to work, and the SVS could handle all of it."

"It does not take much deep output to add that final touch to the music, and that is what I found with the SVS. So clean, it just fits right in with the rest of a high-performance audio system. I can't get enough of music when it sounds this good."

"If you are in the market for getting a subwoofer that represents one of the all-time great bangs for the buck, with astonishing performance, give the guys at SVS a ring . . . I mean an e-mail. I can't imagine anyone being disappointed in having one or two of them."

izafar

This just makes my wait period more tough. Just talked with SVS guys this morning and they said that PB1-ISD will be shipped today. Have checked my mail many times since then, so far no news of a tracking number

Dr. Spec

Congrats! It should land in a few days. Make sure to calibrate and then let 'er rip!

I think you'll be pretty amazed at the flat, neutral, non-boomy, mid range bass, and the improvement in clean, deep extension over your existing sub. You will be hearing things you didn't know existed on DVDs.

Be sure to post a review after you live with it for a few days!

Doc

izafar

Doc,

I currently have a PSW-250, which really doesn’t cut it for Bass and doesn’t blend with my RTi70. I hope PB1 will blend well with the mains.

I measured the in-room freq response of PSW-250 and found out that there is an 8-db dip at around 47 HZ. I am not sure weather it is due to the sub or room dimensions. The room is 18 by 30 with openings into a kitchen and a small hallway. I suspect that I have to do a lot with the placement of the new sub once it arrives.

Dr. Spec

Probably room induced. You are on the RIGHT track by doing simple in-room sweeps to find the best spot for the sub. This is an often overlooked and very valuable tool.

What resolution (octave fraction) are your sweeps? I like 1/12 octave, but 1/16 works OK in a pinch.

Are you using the RS meter and the commonly available unweighted correction factors?

That's a damn big room. Are you sure a single PB1 will fill it to your needs? It's a damn strong woof, but even a good 12" driver has limits. I play my HT LOUD, so I need a LOT of sub.

Doc

izafar

Doc,

The room is big, but I am more after extension and clean sound then high SPL. My listening preferences are 60% music and 40% movies. I live in an APT, and wouldn’t be able to crank it up anyways.

The measurement was done when sub was placed along the sidewall 4 feet into the room. I have to take these measurements at three other convenient locations in the room, which includes both the front corners and beside the TV on the front wall. Do you have any idea which location to shoot for first? And should I wait for PB1 to arrive, or can I determine the correct placement using PSW250?

I have 20HZ to 80HZ testone mp3 that has 1HZ increment after every 5 seconds. I used a radio shack SPL meter and used the correction values for this SPL meter. The only issue is that correction values are not available at every single HZ value between 20HZ and 80HZ, so I have to use interpolated correction values for the intermediate readings. I also need to break that mps file down to individual 5sec segments to ease the measurement process.

Dr. Spec

Sounds like a great start. I use 1/12 octave 10-100 Hz 10 seconds each.

Placement? Couldn't even guess. Take all measurements at the listening position and know that furniture/couch placement, doors open/closed, etc. can affect readings big time.

Try to use a tripod and mount the mic the same way each time to eliminate this variable.

Feel free to post the curves - I love that stuff.

Doc