One could argue that it’s silly to make a subwoofer look nice. Most subs get shoved into out-of-the-way places where even the most exotic wenge veneer, doused in seven coats of hand-rubbed lacquer and applied to gracefully arcing side panels, won’t really look any better than the cheapest black vinyl wrap glued over a plain rectangular box.
Those who find ugliness a virtue in subwoofers will love SVS’ new $769 PB12-NSD, which is about as plain as subwoofers get.
Form doesn’t merely follow function in this sub. In the PB12-NSD, function is dragging form on a long rope down a gravel road. I must have reviewed close to 500 subwoofers by now, and this one’s the most unadorned ever to pass through my living room. The sole stylish touch is the curved, perforated metal front grille.
A lot of people must like the no-nonsense design of the PB12-NSD, because SVS has just re-released it in an updated version. (Incidentally, SVS was known for building speakers in its own Ohio factory, but the revised PB12-NSD is built in China.) It has a new, improved 12-inch aluminum-cone driver, and a 400-watt variant of the 1,000-watt Sledge amplifier found on the SB13-Plus.
The amp has knobs for volume, phase, and crossover frequency, but they’re not really knobs — they’re digital encoders that control the amp’s digital signal processor (DSP). It has stereo line in and line out jacks, plus another set of line out jacks that provide a high-passed signal with the bass filtered out so that it can’t damage or overdrive the satellite speakers. The high-passed line out jacks will come in handy for audiophiles who use the PB12-NSD with a stereo preamp that lacks a subwoofer output.
Not much more to say, except that the $769 includes shipping. For a 66-pound sub, that’s a substantial savings.
Good Morning Mr. Brent Butterworth. I enjoyed this review. I have noticed that you have compared this subwoofer to The Hsu Research VTF-15H subwoofer. In fact, in other reviews i notice that The Hsu Research VTF-15H is compared often. Because of this i may have made up my mind about which subwoofer i want in the future. My choice was Rythmik F-25, SVS PC-13 Ultra and the The mighty Definitve Technology "TRINITY" Super Cube. But based on price alone the VTF-15H is what i'm leaning towards.. I love it's bass frenquency of 16hz!!! That is incredible!!! Plus i also like the look. I feel with this subwoofer all my movies will sound amazing. I currently have two PARADIGM PW-2200. I love thoses subwoofers and they have served me well. A very good friend who starting her own HomeTheater wishes to buy my subs. Once again thank you for the good review. And thank you for helping me make up my mind. Have a great day. Mocha6ft3.
Hi, Mocha. Glad you liked the review! I have to point one thing out - my reasons for choosing a product as a reference standard are complicated. Although the VTF-15H is worthy of comparison to anything on the market, it's not necessarily the best sub I've ever tested. But for my purposes, it's an ideal reference sub. There are so many ways to set it up (sealed, 1 port, 2 ports, two EQ modes, adjustable Q) that it can fairly be compared with practically any other midsize-and-up sub on the market. Yet it doesn't have all sorts of digital EQ modes or room correction that I might accidentally leave switched on. Also, Hsu was kind enough to loan it to me long-term - and Hsu is only about 60 miles from my house, so if any problems arise with the sub I can get them solved fast. Last, those ports make great handles, so the VTF-15H is easy to pick up for such a large, heavy sub. When you reconfigure your system every few days, these things matter!
Mr. Butterworth, I see that Hsu and SVS garner the sort of raves about their subwoofers that are rarely seen being earned by the other manufacturers, except for their super high priced exotic products. So what do these two scrappy companies know that, say, NHT, doesn't?
@Harbir: NHT used to be that scrappy little company and maybe they are now again. They started small, got bought by International Jensen, which got bought by Audiovox, and is now back in private hands under the leadership of one of the original founders. (I think I have that timeline right.) And they've made really good subs - the U2 comes to mind.
But yeah, Hsu and SVS seem to have an edge when it comes to delivering high performance subwoofers at low cost. I guess it's because both companies have specialized in subwoofers for a long time. Of course, Velodyne has focused on subs for even longer, but I think Hsu and SVS' direct sales model gives them more incentive to get their manufacturing costs down. People who buy through independent A/V dealers are not as price-conscious as Internet shoppers.
Mr. Butterworth:
I was fwd this link article from AVSForums as I was deciding on my current sub-woofer (Martin Logan's Dynamo series 700 sub (10")). I got my first true HT system through Magnolia Audio/Video and got a packaged deal (tv, speakers, blu, etc...). Everything I researched I got, but I had forgotten that subs are something of a speciality. And although ML makes subs, I know their forte is their speakers. I smiled when I read your article as I have the same setup: ML Electro-Motion Series ESLs from my front left, right, along with the C2 center.
So my research is pointing to getting 2 subs for a smoother response and a deeper base, and instead of getting another ML Dynamo 700, I was looking at either a pair of Outlaw LFM-1 EXs or a pair of these you're reviewing (SVS PB12-NSDs). I like the sealed versions and the look of the Outlaw (similar to the ML Dynamo). Any thoughts on the Outlaw compared to the SVS?
Thanks,
newbie HTS afficionado
I have just returned from completing cedia boot camp and have decided to buy two subwoofers instead of one. I had plans on buying the svs pb12 plus but have now decided to buy 2 subs for around the same price. I just read your reviews on the svs pb12 nsd and it appears that you thought it was a great subwoofer for the price. I am just wondering why you did not certify and recommend it. I have been a fan of sound and vision and a loyal reader for many years now. I have always trusted your reviews and any input you can give me will be greatly appreciated.
@jaramill: Sorry, I have no experience with the Outlaw subs, so I can't say anything about them.
@zachary: Good move getting two subs! I have to admit that while the "Certified and Recommended" thing has become a fixture of the print magazine, we haven't been vigilant about applying it on the web-only reviews. Please consider the PB-12 NSD Certified and Recommended. I wouldn't have the slightest hesitation about recommending it.
Why no Rythmik reviews??