Thread: I just got a pair of SVS SB 13 Ultra Sub-woofers

When I read product reviews, I have gotten away from the testing, after all I never sit and listen to a test signal. So I really enjoy reading the real world comments here. They help a great deal.

Even good dealers will suggest only what they sell (usually). My former dealer suggested one big sub rather than two moderate size ones. Getting two was better!

I only have these sub-woofers a short time, so I wanted to post my immediate reaction, but I will follow up of this in the next few weeks.

Everything went better than I thought . I actually got to speak to a real person before ordering, Ed Mullen. I bought the SVS SB-13 Ultra on Friday and got them, FED EX, on Tuesday.

Ed had me write him explaining the purpose of the subs (for movies and other video) and the specific speakers I had. He then wrote me back with incredibly detailed instructions for setting them, up and setting my Krell 707. His settings were different from Krells in a couple of areas (crossovers ) and trying both, his seemed the best! I spoke to him three times setting it up and he clarified some points, but it was a pretty easy thing to do.

If I was using this for audio there are far more detailed instructions, but this was really simple. But I will listen to my Salon II, through the Krell 600i, without a subwoofer.

I had one large sub-woofer, a Thiel S3 for ten years. Simply put, this pair kills it.

I don’t know where to begin. The room, with one sub on each side, is now balanced. The Thiel was pulling everything over to the side.

Movie dialogue is far clearer, the movie, music is so much better. The Thiel was either invisible, when I made the volume low, or dominating. These subs complement the sound. On Superman (1978) I couldn’t believe the difference. I was hearing details that I never remembered hearing before. And when a train went from right to left and heard and felt that. With the Thiels I just got a universal rumble. I put on a few blu-rays just to check it out and I loved the lack of boom, yet it was still forceful. I am impressed. The Yankee and Met broadcasts are a bit better because the center channel was not being drowned out.

Allen,

You ask a lot of questions for someone from New Jersey!!!!!*

From my immediate experience; I would now absolutely recommend 2 moderate size subs rather than one bigger one. There is no question about it. There is something I didn’t know. SVS had you put up each sub and measure to 75 db. Then if you have two subs you lower it to 71 because combined they raise the db. This means the sub does not have to work as hard.

The single sub was NOT seamless; I knew when it was on a working. These are INVISIBLE, really, I don’t hear them at all. But the stereo separation is so much greater than before.

The difference is so great it feels like a different room. I saw parts of Superman (1978) and was blown away with the fact that I was not blown away. These subs gave a deep, clear detailed sound, not a booming bass. Especially when Otis goes underground at the train station.

Saw the Yankees and Mets last night and the baseball sound was NOT improved by the sub-woofers. They need better pitching!





*(a quote from Rosanne Rossanadana from SNL)

Baby, it’s hot outside.

I live on Long Island and for the last ten days we have heat near 100 degrees. It hasn’t gotten THAT much cooler at night, so my house has not cooled off. Yes, I have central air, but it has had a hard time keeping the temperature near 75 degrees. Whew! And the humidity has been awful.

I bring this up because turning on all my stuff (especially, I think the projector) and just sitting in the Home Theatre bring the temperature up to past 80 degrees and it’s uncomfortable. My air conditioner used to bring the temp comfortably down, now when it turns on it says, “I think I can, I think I can.”

We will have this for yet another week!

So my nice review of the SVS sub and Krell Cipher might be a little late.

Naw, I just complaining that it's been so hot here, I can't stand it. It get cooler at about 9 PM but I don;t feel like doing anything then!