[Freo-1]

Been reading up on this subwoofer, and it seems like a great buy for a high end audio system that occasionally gets used for HT applications.  It seems like a much better buy than the JL Audio subs in the same price range.
Any one own this or heard one?  The reviews on this all very positive.

[medium jim]

http://www.svsound.com/subwoofers/sealed-box/sb13-ultra

Jim

[jackman]

Freo - That's a cool looking sub but I'd think about two of these for around the same price.  Also from SVS and sealed.  The driver looks a lot like a Peerless XLS 12".  I think it is a Peerless.

http://www.svsound.com/subwoofers/sealed-box/sb12-nsd

[Freo-1]

The driver on the 13" inch sub is a custom made unit, and it is massive.  It weighs in at over 50 lbs. 
 
Good suggestion on going two subs route.  There is some debate about getting one high end sub vs. two more modest subs.  The thing about getting one high end unit is that it gives one a built in excuse to get a second unit down the track.   

[srb]

The 13" SB13-Ultra is a real subwoofer.  The 12" SB12-NSD is a 35 lb. toy.  My little 8" subwoofers weigh 32 lbs. 

Seriously though, if you did get two SB13-Ultras, you would be getting two "more modest" subs for less than the price of one high end sub ($3000/pair vs $3900 for one JL Audio f113).

Steve

[Freo-1]

Thanks, Steve. That was my thinking as well.
 
Here is a picture of the driver in this puppy:
 

[Freo-1]

So, has anyone heard or own one of these?  Just trying to get some real world feedback.

[JonnyFive]

I have a SB-13, and admittedly, my only other comparison with good subs is the PC-12+ that I traded up from.  I wish I had a better vocabulary to describe how pleased I am with the SB13.  The PC-12+ was powerful, but the SB-13 is powerful and incredibly articulate/musical. Rather than being generous in my opinion for any great qualities of a product, I am extremely critical if I detect anything at all I don't like.  There is nothing I don't like about the SB13, and I couldn't ask for more for either movies or music.  Without properly treating my room (which I can't do), I can't see spending more on a sub (once again, for me.  I'm not saying there aren't better subs out there). 

The plan is to get a second one of the SB13's (once I can figure out where to put it) and call er quits for subwoofers.  I've been happy with my purchase and SVS's customer service.  This ranks up there with my all time "best buys."  -Jon

[jackman]

Very cool, Johnny.   Isn't the PC12+ a big ported design?  How much I the difference do you attribute to sealed versus ported?  I'm looking for a new sub and the SB13 is very tempting.  It is a monster but I'm glad to hear it is refined for music as well.

Cheers

Jack

[rollo]

The SVS subs are VG. Check out the subs from www.bgcorp.com The BGX SB12 or smaller BGX-S6B. Designed for in wall use but can be used as a free standing unit if desired. The Sub amp BGX-A2 with built in crossover as well.
    Heard them recently with B&G LS 800 speakers [ modified to be dipoles] and to my ears the deepest most accurate tone of bass I ever heard. ever. Not a dealer for B&G.


charles

[Freo-1]

I have a SB-13, and admittedly, my only other comparison with good subs is the PC-12+ that I traded up from.  I wish I had a better vocabulary to describe how pleased I am with the SB13.  The PC-12+ was powerful, but the SB-13 is powerful and incredibly articulate/musical. Rather than being generous in my opinion for any great qualities of a product, I am extremely critical if I detect anything at all I don't like.  There is nothing I don't like about the SB13, and I couldn't ask for more for either movies or music.  Without properly treating my room (which I can't do), I can't see spending more on a sub (once again, for me.  I'm not saying there aren't better subs out there). 

The plan is to get a second one of the SB13's (once I can figure out where to put it) and call er quits for subwoofers.  I've been happy with my purchase and SVS's customer service.  This ranks up there with my all time "best buys."  -Jon

Thanks!  This is the kind of feedback I was looking for.  How easy was it to set up?  Any tips on setup?

[Freo-1]

Well, decided to pull the trigger and get one.  It should be here Tuesday.  The write ups on this are all very positive.  It seems like it may be the single best overall sub available for music and movies in small to moderate size rooms.  Should integrate very well with the Cary and Tyler speakers.  The group over at HT Shack really seems to love it. 

[DS-21]

The 13" SB13-Ultra is a real subwoofer.  The 12" SB12-NSD is a 35 lb. toy.  My little 8" subwoofers weigh 32 lbs. 

That's one of the more ill-informed comments I've seen on this forum. And considering there's a circle dedicated to wires, the bar is not exactly set at a high level.

For some rational perspective, here's how the SB12-NSD actually performs: http://www.data-bass.com/data?page=system&id=80

It is limited down low by the size of the cabinet, but unlike the typical crude bass pump (JL Audio, etc.) note that it has smooth response to 200Hz and beyond. For people who care about music rather than boom, what separates subs is generally not their performance down low, but their performance at the top of their passband and in the octave or so where they overlap with the mains.

Furthermore, here's what four of those Peerless XLS12 drivers in a vented box do: http://www.hometheater.com/content/way-down-deep-i-genelec-hts6

The SB13, I'd expect, is an excellent sub. But any single-sub system is going to be low-fidelity in an actual room, so hopefully whoever buys one picks up their second, third, and possibly fourth one soon.

[medium jim]

Guys, too much of this stuff is subjective, please check what you write before hitting the post button.

Thanks,
Jim

[JohnR]

That's one of the more ill-informed comments I've seen on this forum.

He was joking As in, winkie at the end of the sentence, very next sentence starts with "Seriously though"...

[medium jim]

He was joking As in, winkie at the end of the sentence, very next sentence starts with "Seriously though"...

John, when people sparse things out, it becomes more confusing and what may be innocent, doesn't end up that way.   Damn, Emoticon's, I will never get the hang of them

Jim

[DS-21]

He was joking As in, winkie at the end of the sentence, very next sentence starts with "Seriously though"...

The fact that a spectacularly ill-informed comment may or may not have been in jest does not make me want to change one word of my above post.

[srb]

The fact that a spectacularly ill-informed comment may or may not have been in jest does not make me want to change one word of my above post.

I would expect nothing less from one of the AudioCircle Ten.

Steve

[neekomax]

I would expect nothing less from one of the AudioCircle Ten.

Steve

The Audio Circle Ten? Whassat?

[jackman]

That's one of the more ill-informed comments I've seen on this forum. And considering there's a circle dedicated to wires, the bar is not exactly set at a high level.

For some rational perspective, here's how the SB12-NSD actually performs: http://www.data-bass.com/data?page=system&id=80

It is limited down low by the size of the cabinet, but unlike the typical crude bass pump (JL Audio, etc.) note that it has smooth response to 200Hz and beyond. For people who care about music rather than boom, what separates subs is generally not their performance down low, but their performance at the top of their passband and in the octave or so where they overlap with the mains.

Furthermore, here's what four of those Peerless XLS12 drivers in a vented box do: http://www.hometheater.com/content/way-down-deep-i-genelec-hts6

The SB13, I'd expect, is an excellent sub. But any single-sub system is going to be low-fidelity in an actual room, so hopefully whoever buys one picks up their second, third, and possibly fourth one soon.

Great post. I bet a pair of the smaller SVS "toy" subs would sound better than a single monster sub in a music oriented system, in average size rooms. 

For HT, I enjoy overkill and don't mind when the booms are bigger thab the real thing.  For music, it's a different t matter.  My subs use the Peerless XXLS drivers and they sound great for music and they play high enough to allow for easy integration. 

For a HT system, I'd be willing to give up some "musicality" for boom that would knock pictures off the walls of my neighbor's house.  That Genelec sub looks like it can do both but $10k is more than I can spend for a sub.  I wonder how it would stack up versus ten SVS smaller subs.