For those on a mid-range budget looking for a high-quality subwoofer for their home theater system, the SVS PB-2000 and SVS SB-2000 are two options worthy of consideration. CAUTION: While still not top-tier pricing, these are still not cheap. They are also aimed for listening pleasure and not critical listening. For a cheaper alternative, we recommend checking out the Logitech Z623 instead. And audio-pros looking for a subwoofer for their music-production studio might want to have a look at KRKS8.4.
In summary, the SVS PB-2000 and SVS SB-2000 both offer very good value for money. The impressive build quality and compact form make them a great choice, especially for smaller to mid-sized rooms (for which they are suited best). The SB-2000 is the smaller and less expensive of the two and gives you a more compact sound. The SVS PB-2000 gives you more power but also takes up more space.
Have you ever noticed that there often tends to be quite the opposite opinions about a speaker?
I can understand this for more "personal taste" kinda products like clothing, for example.
But for engineering products like speakers? Personal tastes and preferences probably still play a role. But shouldn't it be less?
Why is it that we can't set a universal metric for sound quality?
First time I asked this question to myself has been a pivotal day.
Because it turns out that in the mid 90's, Electrical Engineer PhD Floyd Toole came up with a method called Spinorama. This is exactly what he accomplished with this. Turns out that his book Sound Reproduction is like the bible of audiophiles.
Put it simply, Spinorama is a set of measurements that gives a comprehensive overview of a speaker's performance from various angles.
It allows you to compare the performances of different speakers before even laying your ears hands on them.
Isn't that amazing?
This is why Spinorama was apparently groundbreaking news for audio industry. Hence in the mid-late 2010's, most brands and magazines began publishing Spinorama measurements, despite the challenges of making such measurements.
Fortunately, now we have the Spinorama data for a bunch of quite popular speakers. Pierre Aubert put all this untidy data together and put it into https://www.spinorama.org/. This is a stunning source. Pretty valuable stuff from him right there.
All good up to this point.
Now there comes a caveat.
Since the sound speakers propagate are in the form of omnidirectional waves, all measurements are obtained in anechoic or semi-anechoic chambers (a super-quiet room where soundwaves don't bounce back, here's how different that room sounds [a mind blowing time-adjusted video]).
This is a problem because it means that Spinorama alone, unfortunately, won't give us all we need. Placement and reflections play an equally important role there too.
This is why most A-class brands (like SVS, Bang & Olufsen, etc) often come up with room correction features, adjusted either manually or automatically. The EQ adapts itself to the placement (room, corner, center, etc) for a better (deeper and more accurate) sound. Which is great.
Additionally they often emphasize the importance of placement, here is an example: https://www.svsound.com/blogs/subwoofer-setup-and-tuning/75365187-the-art-of-subwoofer-placement
Anyways...
The source code under Pierre Aubert's work is licensed under GPL (General public license). He didn't perform any of the measurements himself, and instead he compiled all of them into one place, so that makes sense.
At this point, I thought that if there was a tool that combined both the Spinorama with the room acoustics data, it'd be extremely useful.
Unfortunately, it turns out that there wasn't any.
This is where I stepped in and partnered with an Acoustics and Audio Engineering PhD in order to achieve this.
We combined Spinorama data with room acoustics and came up with Soundton. A very simple, 2D online tool that allows you to:
- Reveal optimal speaker positions in a room,
- Test with real speakers from real brands,
- Compare different speakers and different positions in the room.
It can be very valuable for the vast majority.
The colormap provides you the locations with the best (green) and worst (red) listening experience.
It works the best with subwoofers since Soundton processes low frequency response waves only.
- Soundton is going to be, say, 80% accurate. Not 100%.
- Because, other parameters such as the age/materials of the building, furniture/windows in place also have an impact on room acoustics.
- If you want absolutely the most detailed room analysis, then what you need is an acoustics consultant. Mind you that's going to require deep pockets and patience though... assuming you find the right person and they get the job done.
Anyways...
Design
A black, matte-grain vinyl finish is the staple design on both subwoofers. Both also come with a removable metal grille.
A bright blue LED lights up when the subwoofer is turned on. This can't be turned off and might be a little too bright for some. But it does add a mild futuristic touch to the otherwise conservative look that can be appealing.
The primary differences between the two boxes are:
- The size and weight.
- The SVS SB-2000 is sealed while the PB-2000 is ported.
SVS SB-2000
The SVS SB-2000 is sized just right enough to enclose the driver and amp. It weighs in at 35lbs. The size to performance ratio is impressive, making a strong case in point for those looking for powerful bass without overkill in smaller spaces.
SVS PB-2000
The SVS PB-2000, on the other hand, comes with a front-firing port. This makes it easier to place. And gives it a lot more power and deeper bass. Even though the rest of the components are similar to its sibling, the added materials in the construction make it heavier (it weighs in at 66lbs).
SVS also has a Speaker System Builder where you may choose from pre-selected systems or custom build your own by selecting any combination of SVS speakers and subwoofers.
Sound
When it comes to subwoofers, the sound is only as good as where you place it in the room. Bass frequencies are technically non-directional, but placing them randomly will not get you optimal results.
As aforementioned, the SVS PB-2000 is the better bet for this due to its ported design. It is also considerably more powerful (see specs below).
That being said, the SVS SB-2000's slick, compact size and more restrained volume gives it its own set of advantages in this regard. The 12-inch high-output driver seems tuned optimally to its 500-watt RMS amplifier to give you a good, clean balance between bass response and power.
Specs:
SVS SB-2000
Dimensions: 14.6″ (H) x 14.2″ (W) x 15.4″ (D)
Weight: 34.8 lbs.
Frequency Response: 19-220 Hz ±3 dB
SVS PB-2000
Dimensions: 20.9″ (H) 17.3″ (W) 23.2″ (D)
Weight: 65.6 lbs.
Frequency Response: 17-260 Hz ±3 dB
Connectivity
Back panels on both subwoofers include an array of controls and connections. These include volume, Low Pass Filter, phase, and stereo-level inputs and outputs connecting to your devices and speakers. In addition to a socket for a detachable power cord and on/off switch.
Find the perfect subwoofer for your speakers using the SVS Subwoofer Matching Tool.
Price
The SVS SB-2000 is available at $699, and the SVS PB-2000 for $799 (please check your local dealers for offers).
Verdict
In conclusion, this is how the SVS PB-2000 and SVS SB-2000 stack up against each other:
- Design: Tie. But the SVS SB-2000 is more compact.
- Sound: The SVS PB-2000 is more powerful and the SVS SB-2000 more restrained.
- Connectivity: Tie.
- Price: The SVS SB-2000 costs lesser.