doc which one is better?

Airplay355

im definitlely in the market for a subwoofer. all my bass is currently coming from rti70s and u all know how thats not much. today i talked to someone and demoed this subwoofer http://www.earthquakesound.com/supernova10.htm i could get tht earthquake sub for $550, the same price as a 20-39 pci. i was origionally going to get the pci sub but im not sure now, the guy at the stereo place thought that the earthquake sub would be better. his trust was in the magazine reviews. he said if svs had a quality product why wouldnt they want to sell it in stores? they could make more money that way, are they afraid of the competition? i didnt have an answer. now i think i would like the svs more but i dont have the subwoofer knowledge to chose. which sub is better? what are the advantages and disadvantages? please help me because i want a sub bad and i dont know which one to buy.

i wasnt really sure if i liked the earthquake sub, but i dont think i got a really fair demo. it was in an odd room and with dvd's i havent watched before.

btw...its the $840 sub on the link. i didnt notice there were two subs on that link, sorry

what is ultimately holding me back is the fact that i can't demo an svs. i dont know if i will like it's sound or if it will be enough for me. it will be a blind leap and thats alittle scary when it concerns $550. what do you think? will the svs wipe the floor with the earthquake? are they evenly matched? or will the earthquake be better. they are the same price so thats not an issue, and neither is size, i dont care how big the enclosure is.

anyone with subwoofer knowledge please reply.

gatemplin

Afraid of the competition? Can't demo a svs? You get 45 days to demo the SVS, plus the hundreds of owner testimonials on various forums. I dont own one but would if I could afford it right now.

Dr. Spec

The Earthquake Supernova 10 is a Carver Sunfire clone. It falls under the micro-sub category.

Unfortunately, it lacks the amp power and EQ of the Sunfire, and this combined with the small enclosure volume yields a quick roll-off. You can see the posted curve starts to really roll-off quickly at about 35 Hz and is about 15 dB down at 20 Hz.

Tom Nousaine has not tested that model for 10% THD limited SPL at various frequencies. But the Sunfire (arguably a better subwoofer) exhibits extremely high THD at low frequencies, which is a trademark of a micro-sub which uses EQ to extend the FR. Some people do not find harmonics of the fundamental to be objectionable, and they obviously contribute to overall output, nevertheless, low THD is a hallmark of a great subwoofer design and a superior woofer.

I can virtually assure you the SVS will play cleaner, deeper, flatter, and louder. Whether or not you like the sound of accurate bass is another story entirely.

SVS does not sell in stores to eliminate the middle man and mark-up. Period. They are not afraid of anyone or any brand and actively seek out reviewers who OBJECTIVELY test and measure the subs (like Nousaine and Doc Johnson).

You have 45 days to return the SVS if you don't like it. Why don't you buy both and return the loser before the end of the billing cycle on the credit card so you have no out of pocket expense.

Give the SVS sound a few weeks if you are accustomed to inaccurate or non-existent deep bass. If it doesn't obliviate the Earthquake after 45 days of trial listening, I'll pay for the return shipping myself, up to $35.

Doc

Airplay355

damn doc you are right. i completely forgot about this sub being a micro sub, like the sunfires.

im definitely going to get the svs 20-39pci and then take it to the stereo place and blow away the tiny earthquake.

the earthquake sounded strained, and didnt seem to rumble the floor and my stomach until it was 3/4 of the volume, and by then it drowned out all the other sound.

thank you for the help and the reassurance. i doubt i will be bugging you for the $20 to send it back but thank you for the offer.

the only bass i am accustumed to is the bass from my former rti150s...and honestly i liked that better then the bass from the earthquake.

faster100

How many reviews has Doc given "us" about SVS? how many happy people on this very board with SVS's ? I doubt many people will have specific thoughts on the Earthquake, unless they have demo'd it.. I am postive Doc would reccomend the SVS regardless, Did you think about the Pb1-isd for 550.00 I have it and it pure out works great!! hands down..

I think their has been plenty of talk and reviews to make this question an easy one... Alot of audio stores will say the very thing your rep told you.. Do you really think they will reccomend a sub they 1. don't sell and 2. never heard? I think not

I'm not being harsh here.. Just alot of people ask these very questions and get the same similiar answers. In the end its your money if your worried about SVS, get another brand.. what we tell you wont make you feel anybetter then what you have heard.



SVS is a class A company, Class AA subs what else is there???




edit: i took so long to write this its alittle out of place now. but you get the idea



Good luck in your search

Airplay355

i did think about the pb1isd but i was under the impression that it was comparable in performance to the 25-31 pci. i thought pb subs were alittle more expensive because of their enclosure design. thats why i decided on the 20-39 pci, that and the fact that it seems to be the best blend of extension and spl in the pci line.

was i wrong in thinking the pb1isd won't perform as well as the 20-39 pci?

faster100

[opps

Airplay355

oops?

faster100

I double posted... :rolleyes:

Airplay355

oh well, **** happens, thanks for the input faster....do u know if the psb1isd is comparable to the 25-31 or the 20-39? is there anything u dont like about your svs?

Dr. Spec

You would be hard pressed to hear the differences between these four subs:

25-31 PCi (25 Hz tune)
PB1-ISD (22 Hz tune)
"22-31" PCi (a 25-31 PCi with a factory 22 Hz tune)
20-39 PCi (20 Hz tune)

They all employ the same driver, vent size, and amplifier.

The PB1-ISD and the "22-31" PCi will sound the most similar, since they have the same tune point.

The 20-39 PCi will troll the lowest, but it probably won't be obvious on most program material. And the 25-31 PCi will play the loudest by a small margin (maybe 1.0-1.5 dB) due to its slightly higher tune point.

The cylinders are a bit less expensive to manufacture, so they offer a slightly higher performance/$$ ratio. And they have a smaller footprint. The box is more traditional, and a box design is important to many prospective buyers.

Since they will all offer very similar performance, I think aesthetics and personal preferences will probably influence your final decision the most.

My 1st choice among these would be the 20-39, though - as you stated, it is the best mix of extension and SPL. It will troll very deep in-room, to about 17 Hz. And I always liked the look of the cylinder, personally.

Dr. Spec

Also, the Earthquake will undoubtedly have a large midrange hump at around 40-45 Hz to make it seem as if it has tons of bass.

The SVS will be extremely flat through this region and will sound quite different than the Earthquake. That is why the SVS blends so beautifully with speaks like the RTi70; it has a very neutral mid-bass and no boom.

The uninformed will point out the neutral mid bass of the SVS as weak or anemic, but you will know better and realize it is simply accuracy. And when true deep bass presents itself in the soundtrack, the Earthquake will turn into an "earthquiver" and the SVS will really strut its stuff, digging down to the absolute lowest octaves with clean authority.

If you demo the two, bring some DVD stuff that is strong in the 20-30 Hz region and wipe up the floor with the nova10. Then bring some music and show what accurate and neutral mid bass sounds like instead of bloated boom.

Airplay355

good idea. thanks doc, the 20-39 pci it is, since i also prefer the cylinder design. i can't wait to get it. ill probably have to wait until around christmas but oh well its worth the wait!