This supersub is about as good as they get. If it fits your space and budget, get one (or two).
+ PLUS
- MINUS
Dimensions + Weight
47 x 16.6 in; 90 lb
Tube-shaped subs are popular with DIY-ers because they’re easy to construct. Just grab a cylindrical concrete form at Home Depot, slap some ends on it, and you’ve got a nice subwoofer enclosure. But SVS features tube-shaped subs in its line not because they’re easy to build; it’s because the form factor makes them perfect for certain rooms. At 16.6 inches in diameter, the company’s PC-13 Ultra takes up less than half the floor space of its comparable box-shaped sub, the PB-13 Ultra. A PC-13 Ultra can slip almost unnoticed into a corner, while the PB-13 Ultra can slip unnoticed into... well, maybe an aircraft hangar.
The end of the PC-13 Ultra that sits on the floor contains a 13-inch driver so beefed up that it seems like it came off a super-weapon designed to battle the Incredible Hulk. The other end has three ports. SVS includes three foam plugs that you can use to plug one port or all three (or none). A heavy metal grille covers the ports, but it pops off easily for port tweaking.
That big driver is powered by the company’s Sledge STA-1000D amplifier, basically the same 1,000-watt Class D amp found in the SB13-Plus I reviewed in the June/July/August 2011 issue of S+V (read it here). The software is slightly different, though. SVS added three tuning modes: sealed (for all ports plugged), 16 Hz (one port plugged), and 20 Hz (all ports open).
The digital signal processor (DSP) built into the Sledge also provides all sorts of setup and tuning options. Most important is the two-band parametric EQ, which can fix your room’s worst acoustical problems. In my opinion, every serious subwoofer should have this feature. The dual EQs let you choose from 13 center frequencies ranging from 31 to 125 Hz; a boost/ cut range of +3/–12 dB; and a Q (bandwidth) range of 2.0 to 14.4 (or 0.7 to 0.1 octave).
Almost no stereo preamps include subwoofer crossovers, but that’s no problem for PC-13 Ultra owners. The DSP provides a complete crossover, with high- and low-pass filters with adjustable frequency (31 to 125 Hz) and slope (12 or 24 dB/octave). There’s also room-gain compensation, intended to tame overwhelming deep bass. Not only is there a phase control adjustable in 15° increments, but there’s also a delay control for the subwoofer that lets you sync it perfectly with the main speakers.
After my awesome experience with the SB-13 Ultra, I wondered if the advantages of the PC-13 Ultra’s larger enclosure and ported design would yield any noticeable improvement. Let’s find out.
Mr. Butterworth,
It's interesting you only were able to get the -3db point to go down by 1hz between the two vented modes. Based off of some other measurements I have seen on the box model, changing the tune is more significant than that. Did you make sure to change the filter in the menu to the 15hz mode? (Page 25 of the manual). If the HPF was still set at 20hz, I can see how changing the porting would have little effect.
Good Morning, Mr. Brent Butterworth. I would like to thank you for another fine review. I have been waiting for a while to see what you thought about this fine subwoofer and once again your reviews have made it more difficult for me to choose. It's amazing that this sub was able to play a 16hz organ piece tha ist very well know effortlessly. Thank you and i look forward to more great reviews of subwoofers i still want. But so far Hsu Research is still in the lead. Well, at least until i read another fine review by you. Ha,ha,ha. Thank you.
Good Morning once again, Mr. Brent Butterworth. After looking at some of my notes that i use for comparring subwoofers i like the results of the SVSound PC-13 Ultra. Even though some of my choices were Hsu Research UTF-15H, Rythmik Audio FV-15hp, Power Sound Audio XV30, and the Epik "EMPIRE" sub. I do like the design of the sub and it's price. The Hsu Research is still in the lead, but SVS is right behind it. Thank you once again,sir.
@SnowmaNick: I always deactivate all the filters on any audio product I'm measuring, unless I'm measuring the effects of the filters. That said, no one is above making a measurement error. Unfortunately, this review was written four months ago to meet the long lead time of the print edition, and the product has long since been returned, so I have no way to check the settings.
Sorry, forgot for a moment I was reading this on my friend Al's laptop. The above response is from me, not him.
Hi Brent,
I always enjoy reading your reviews. I had a question about the parametric EQ on the SVS. What would be the simplest--but still accurate- way to determine what frequencies to boost or cut? I'm a Mac user if that makes a difference.
Thanks,
Dan
Oooops, sorry Brent. I jumped the gun and asked my question before I saw page two. TrueRTA and Room EQ Wizard are both PC based I believe. So for a Mac guy like me, anything else you'd recommend to measure the sub's response?
Thanks,
Dan
Hi, Dan. Room EQ Wizard works on Macs, too.
After reading your last on-line magazine i notice that the SVSPC-13 Ultra sub made the list of your editors choice awards for 2012. And having seen this sub up close i have now made up my mind on which subs i want for my HomeTheater. SVS PC-13 is on top of my list. 2 please.....
I'm going to keep using the Hsu; like the PC-13 Ultra, it blows away almost all the other subs on the market, so either is suitable for me as a reference.
The Hsu has some practical advantages for me that don't apply if you're going to "set it and forget it" in a normal home theater. It's a little easier to use because it's all standard knobs and switches; no alphanumeric display or menu like in the PC-13 Ultra, so less chance that I might accidentally set something wrong. It's also easier to lift because of the triangular ports near the bottom. And Hsu is only about an hour's drive away for me, so if something goes wrong I can get it fixed immediately.
Good Afternoon, Mr. Brent Butterworth. I would like to thank you for responding to my comments and your very good reviews of subwoofers. Is it possible you'll be reviewing the Rythmik Audio subwoofers sometime in the future? Audioholics has given one sub by Rythmik Audio, the FV-15Hp subwoofer the EXTREME AWARD!!! Thank you,sir and have a great day....
Hi again, mocha. No promises, but it IS possible!
Audioholics does CEA-2010 measurements, which IMHO separates the men from the boys when it comes to subwoofers AND reviewers. Any decent sub can sound great to a reviewer, depending of course on taste, positioning, room acoustics, test material, etc. But you can't fool the microphone.