SVS Customer Service - Personal Experience

dorokusai

I recently aquired a SVS PB2-ISD. After I lugged the monster into the house, and started to run calibration and demo's....I hear an awful sound. One of which I was actually familiar with....from my expedition to Grimster74's house for a PB2+ demo ages ago. In the course of the demo's, we blew a port out....same thing happened to me.

When the subwoofer is under load, a very loud rattling/crackling noise comes from the subwoofer. Grim's was at high volume, mine was at any volume. I recall him doing some troubleshooting with Ron/Erik of SVS and it turned out to be a de-laminating port.

Upon investigation, what should I find....but a de-laminating lower port. I stuffed an SVS foam plug in it, and reset the tune and it subsequently ran just perfect.

I contacted SVS CS that evening(Sat.), and bright and early on Monday received an email from Erik @ SVS. I had explained the aforementioned port problem, which is a known issue with a few of the subs. He was immediately on the ball, asked a couple questions, and by the COB next day....whole new set of ports(3) in the mail.

The de-lamination of the port is caused by an adhesive problem on the inside layer of the port. It's black paint, but it doesn't adhere to the surface very well. The paint layer is a very thin, but rigid enough that it rattles or flaps due to the sound pressure. It's real obvious if you look into the tube, that there is an issue.

UPS delivered them on Wednesday, the install was as simple as it gets, and we are back in business.

The new port does not have a painted surface inside, but looks like it's impregnated or dyed black.

SVS CS has lived up to it's stellar reputation of taking care of business immediately. I even got a T-Shirt for the inconvenience.

This is definetly one of the best investments I have made in a long time, and to be taken care of like a family member, makes my pants wiggle.

P.S. I don't know what the spots are, but they cannot be removed. I guess it could have been a flaw from the start, but it worked perfectly for the previous owner. If there is going to be a failure, believe me, I'll bring out the best or worst in a piece of gear real quick. Why mess around eh?

dorokusai

Old SVS.

dorokusai

New SVS.

goingganzo

do you have any other pics of the port? was it hard to replace. when i made my ports i used pvc cemet to glew the ends to the pvc tube. and siliconed them in so they wont leak

dorokusai

Gonzo - Sure, I'll take another. Easy replacement.

It's not a leaking problem however, just a paint issue on the inside. The ports are very rigid in construction.

dorokusai

A peek inside, while replacement was going on...quick, call FOX news.

dorokusai

Old Port, Exterior.

audiobliss

wow...that's great service....never heard a story like that about SVS.....very encouraging, though......

VR3

Mark, how large is your room?

I wouldnt mind having a PB2 ISD in my room! LoL

dorokusai

Trey - I don't know, it works just fine.

Dr. Spec

I'm glad this was a used sub; SVS wouldn't have let a defective port leave the factory.

I'm thinking plastic vents might not be a bad idea as a running upgrade for all the units.....

I'm glad your port change was a POC, because changing the ports in a PB12-Ultra/2 would be a PITA because they pass through a brace in the center of the subwoofer and would require dissassembly. That's probably why they are plastic all the way through. IIRC.

Grimster74

I'm just glad we experienced it together Doro. It took me a total of one night to narrow my issue down, just glad it was easy to figure out what the noise was beings you've heard it before. The good news is, I've never had a problem since then. What will you be doing with the old SVS Mark. My brother-in-law is interested in one.

Emlyn

Originally posted by Grimster74
What will you be doing with the old SVS Mark. My brother-in-law is interested in one.

Too late!

Mark and I swapped because I needed smaller and he wanted larger. Looks like Mark blew his little dog out of its bed.

Glad SVS stepped up and corrected the problem, Mark. I think the warranty goes for another two years. I was surprised to find the tubing could be defective, having assumed solid black PVC tubing would have been used for an application like this. I can't think of how painting the inside of a cardboard tube could be more cost effective. The PB2-ISD above was from the first production run of this model last year. It seems from the different materials used in the replacement parts provided that the materials problem with the first tubes used has been addressed. I'd guess that SVS would have covered this problem even if the warranty had expired.

dorokusai

Doc - I consider myself lucky then, ha! The new ports were actually longer than the old, perhaps it was an upgrade at the same time....little extra tuning?

Rob - As soon as I heard it your head began floating around in my head like Jombi from the Pee Wee Herman show......MAAAAARK you have blown a port you dumbasssssss.

Mark - I agree, they are so top notch I would suspect they would take care of anybody who was an SVS customer. Easy fix. I'm just tickled this worked out so well for the both of us, thanks for the swap man.

gatemplin

The new ports were actually longer than the old, perhaps it was an upgrade at the same time....little extra tuning?

Yes, your tuning frequencies will all be lower now, unless the diameter is also larger.

madmax

Originally posted by dorokusai
P.S. I don't know what the spots are, but they cannot be removed.

I think we all know what those spots are...

madmax

jdhdiggs

Originally posted by madmax
I think we all know what those spots are...

madmax

Probably just the rest of the port starting to de-lam, but them Doro did seem awfully excited....