Smooth, Low, Accurate and Powerful Bass

Size (although I'm used to it now and like the style)

Relevant Equipment:
Paradigm Reference Studio 40s (Mains & Rear Surrounds)
Paradigm Reference CC (Centre)
Yamaha RX-V995 Receiver

Room Size (35’x12’x7.5’) Sub is placed in the Front Left Corner

Set-up:
The hardest part of the set up was determining the best location for the sub. Once I found it, the rest was very easy. Phase was set at 180 (I used the AVIA Warble tones), and I set the level at +6 over the mains (I have the receiver sub-out set at –14 for movies and –18 for music on a scale of –20 to 0). I have lots of headroom, as the sub amp is only at a notch past ½.

Performance:
Movies:
The very first movie I used to test the sub … Titan A.E. (DTS: Ice Field Chapter). My jaw just hit the floor. Very powerful, tight, clean LOW bass. I had to remove a picture from the wall (it was rattling) and I felt the bass! What really surprised me was that my ears were … well … popping (for a lack of a better word). The sensation can also be described as if I had water in my ears! OK I was excited, now onto the next movie.

Toy Story 2 (1st 10 minutes): My GOD, I thought my condo would collapse. I knew that there was some serious bass here, but never at this level. Matrix (Staple movie test) … I didn’t remember all the bass in the title menus. Dancer in the Dark has some impressive bass lines in the music numbers. Nothing really low, but nice forward upper bass. What impressed me here was the bass level stayed flat when it played through the octaves and I never once thought it was coming from the sub. I turned off the sub to compare and the bass line totally lost its presence. The SVS blends very well with the mains. So well in fact that during the first week, I kept a tissue on the top of the sub to “visually” cue me that it was on.

On other the movies where the bass was not as intense or “in your face” as Titan A.E. or Toy Story, it was the subtle bass (really low stuff) that really made the difference. This is why I bought an SVS … to go low and loud. It’s that lower octave that adds so much to the experience!

Music:
I have a very wide range of musical tastes. I listen to Classic Rock, Alternative, Rap, R&B, Jazz and Blues. First up some of my Rap CDs (definitely a sub tester). Notorious BIG (Dead Wrong Album), Janet Jackson (Velvet Rope), NAS, (I Am) and DMX. Notorious BIG and Janet Jackson, the whole album practically has a bass track in the <25hz area. I did a spectrum analysis on these albums, and most songs go below 20hz. Does this music require critical listening? Definitely not! Fun to listen to? Of course! And the bass just puts a huge smile on my face.

Erica Badu (my favourite R&B artist): Everything handled very well. Listening to the live album is like you’re sitting in the front row. Again this has to do a lot with the Paradigm speakers, but what the SVS added is a very solid bass line that placed itself in the correct spot in the sound stage.

Pink Floyd (Division Bell). Bass Kicks are distinguishable between single and double kicks, the syth that fades in on the first track is at about 30hz, and I never picked this up before.

Patricia Barber (Companions and Modern Cool). Patricia Barber is getting a lot of play time on my system. I was recently exposed to her music, and I love it! A lot of acoustic bass, and very dynamic vocals. The SVS never skipped a beat.

I was originally worried that it would have a hard time keeping up with the Reference 40s. Was I WRONG! The SVS extended their range beautifully and very seamlessly. Everything I through at it, the SVS handled it with ease and impact (when called for).

My music synopsis is that the SVS blends very well with my Paradigm Reference 40s. Non-directional, enveloping, clean and powerful bass that extends to the lower octaves effortlessly. One danger is that you constantly want to turn up the volume :D

The Sub blends perfectly with my speakers, and you can never tell when it’s on. For the first few days, I had a tissue on the top of the sub to visually let me know when it kicked in. With music it never drew attention to itself, but when your couch starts to shake, you know it’s doing it thing.

Am I happy with the sub … YOU BET!! This was the first time I’ve ordered anything from the Internet, let alone from the States and I’m a happy camper. I should also note that I do like the appearance and build quality of the SVS. It’s amazing how quickly you get adjusted to its size

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Quick, accurate thumping bass. Unique and stylish. Customer service, great value for the money...only $50 shipping!

very tall..but a reasonable footprint.

I've had the 20-39PC for about 2 months now. I bought it without an audition based on a multitude of glowing reviews and I have to say that I absolutely love it. I'm not very proficient with the calibrations yet, but this thing really adds a kick ass factor to anything you listen to.

PS: Ed, aren't you tainting the reviews yourself? At least the folks that are reviewing the 20-30PC are owners for chrissakes.

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First woof I've ever owned

difficult to hide? (who cares)

This subwoofer will make you discover sounds in your DVD and CD collection that you never knew existed. I found that I was always increasing the treble settings on my receiver before I got this sub. Not any more! The bass is so clean and natural it actually improved the clarity and highs on my system that the boomy little AR was covering up. The SVS only reproduces what it's supposed to. It does it with no fuss, no artificial coloration, no distortion. It is like a soldier who sits quietly waiting for duty, it responds with deadly quickness and accuracy! Best investment I have ever made!!!

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AR-112 (stepping stone to HT)

powerful, clean, tight bass

none at all

If you're looking for serious low frequency performance at an affordable price, i'd highly recommend getting at least one of these gems. Not only do they sound incredible, they're aesthetically pleasing and blend seamlessly into my Stereo-Home Theater system. These beauties perform like no other subwoofer i've ever heard.

Packaging: meticulously packed with bubble wrap in 2 boxes.
Connection: it doesn't get easier that this!
Value: a bargain for the bass you get.
Performance: if 6 out of 5 was an option, i'd check it :-)

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Technics A/V receiver and Surround processor
Denon CD player
JVC DVD player
Audio Control Eq

Rich,deep,precise,accurate bass that I have never heard before. HT outstanding, Musically, outstanding

Absolutely NONE

The sub was calibrated +6dbs over the main speakers as Tom V suggested from SVS. I poped in Saving Private Ryan in DTS, and the explosions shooked the house, the floors, and thumped my chest with force. Calibrated at 81dbs, I was peaking 104dbs with the explosions. U-571 was even better. The biggest smile came over my face. The sub never strains, never bottomed out and I think it laughed at me asking me,"Is that all you got?" For HT this is the sub for you.

Musically, I threw anything from Metallica, Najee, various rap and R&B to classical, and it never missed a beat. I use the Denon AVR 3300 with the sub only, and all the speakers to small (Klipsch Reference all around), and this sub blends in and fills in the missing holes in my system. You can tell a huge difference when turning the sub off while listening to the same music. BIG DIFFERENCE. Any type of music, and the precision, and accuracy is just amazing with the SVS sub.

Listening to music and watching DVD's has turned into a passion and has given me a whole new experience.

I spent a little more on this sub than I wanted to, but this sub is worth $1000.00 more than what I payed. I highly recommend anyone in the MKT for a sub check out the SVS home page at svsubwoofers.com.

Thanks again SVS and the gang, great sub and well worth the wait

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None.

I am amazed at how good this subwoofer sounds. I ordered it without ever hearing it, based on reviews at www.hometheaterforum.com. The bass the sub produces is unbelievably clean, but at the same time quite powerful. I listen to my DVDs at -5DB, and this sub still managed to rattle the candles completely off my TV while playing the T-Rex attack from Jurassic Park. My girlfriend couldn't understand why I wanted to spend $750 on a sub, but now she does!

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Awesome bass. Strong, detailed, fast, and effortless. Customer Service to die for.

Only AV equipmnet I've bought without auditioning first. Shippers mishandle big boxes like crazy - mine amongst them (but their packaging did it's job)

I'd been wanting a subwoofer for some time, but was conflicted between saving money and always wondering if I could have done better, or spending wayyyy too much for one speaker and always imagining the dollar bills when looking/listening. Then I happened across all the rave reviews about the SVS line, and decided I might just manage to have the best of both.

It did take a small leap of faith - not having heard them before placing my order, but I was willing to chance the return shipping charges. And the testimonials sure couldn't be beat.

You'll see words better than mine describing the results. All I can add is that it was exactly what I was looking for. Before this, I would have thought I'd have to pay twice what I did for this kind of performance.

Thank you, Tom and Ron.