hello people my home is1600 sq ft and my home theater dimensions are exactly 14' by 24' will a svs pb-10 be enough for great bass or should i budget for a pb-12?

bigroy, under your screen name you have "LOTS OF SOUND". If that's any indication, you may want to go with a 12.

It really gets down to a few factors. Does the room seal off? How loud to you like to listen? How prone are you to "upgraditus"?

Roy that all depends on how loud you want to play your sub. My room dimensions are about the same as yours and my PB10-NSD does the job quite nicely. The reason I did NOT go for the PB12 is I did not want to disturb my next door neighbor as she has some age on her. If you like a lot of bass at reference levels then by all means opt for the PB12-NSD as you would not regret it. On the other hand, if you keep things at sane levels :eek: :eek: , then the PB10-NSD would suffice as you could always get another one down the road. :) :)

I would recommend the PB12-NSD and add another one down the road or stretch your budget a few more $$ and grab the PB12-NSD/2 :D

If your room is closed in and has 8' ceilings, you are pushing 2700cf. The PB10 will be adequate, but the 12" will be better. You may have to consider near field placement to get reference levels. Then over all enclosure size does play a more critical roll. Think about your placement options before you decide.

You can see one of my subs in the avatar to the left... It still doesn't satisfy me. My advice in this order:

-If you are any good with tools, save some cash and make a killer DIY sub.

-If you aren't so good with tools and want to buy a sub commercially, the SVS subs are great but you are going to want a lot of power for that room so I would save up for the PB12-NSD/2. You will not regret it and it will be much better than you think.

-If you need a sub now and with those two choices only, get the PB12.




Remember, there is no such thing as too much sub for a room, just a volume knob. ;)

hello people my home is1600 sq ft and my home theater dimensions are exactly 14' by 24' will a svs pb-10 be enough for great bass or should i budget for a pb-12?




thanks for all the info gents will probably be getting pb-12 so ill have extra headroom I really appreciate all the help.

I've got about the same size room as bigroy. Not sure about his ceiling height though. How would dual PB10's compare to getting a single PB12 NSD in a larger room?

Bill3508

hello people my home is1600 sq ft and my home theater dimensions are exactly 14' by 24' will a svs pb-10 be enough for great bass or should i budget for a pb-12?

One thing I have noticed from these forums is that virtually everyone will recommend the PB12 over the PB10 regardless of the size of the listening room and I don't feel that's always a valid assertion...if you want extra headroom for the future it may make sense but, as many reviews on the web will tell you, the PB10 is an incredible performer for a substantially lower price than the 12 and, furthermore, it should absolutely rock a 1600 ft3 room--assuming that is what you meant. My room is ~2000 ft3 with one open wall and the sub pressurizes my room very nicely. Just my 2cents, but the PB10 should be considered in your size room equally as much as the PB12. :)

I've got about the same size room as bigroy. Not sure about his ceiling height though. How would dual PB10's compare to getting a single PB12 NSD in a larger room?

Bill3508

Well two 10's do have higher displacement than one 12 so it should do better than a single sub. Also you have the flexibility of spreading the subs out giving you a more even FR. :)

not all subs have volume nobs!

One thing I have noticed from these forums is that virtually everyone will recommend the PB12 over the PB10 regardless of the size of the listening room and I don't feel that's always a valid assertion...if you want extra headroom for the future it may make sense but, as many reviews on the web will tell you, the PB10 is an incredible performer for a substantially lower price than the 12 and, furthermore, it should absolutely rock a 1600 ft3 room--assuming that is what you meant. My room is ~2000 ft3 with one open wall and the sub pressurizes my room very nicely. Just my 2cents, but the PB10 should be considered in your size room equally as much as the PB12. :)i guess it depends on your listening level, your penchant for ultimate extension, clean reference level performance with limited compresssion, THD and driver stress...some would be satisfied with a pb10 in 2,000ft3, and others may prefer a 3x15 sealed system for that same space... ;)

One thing I have noticed from these forums is that virtually everyone will recommend the PB12 over the PB10 regardless of the size of the listening room and I don't feel that's always a valid assertion...if you want extra headroom for the future it may make sense but, as many reviews on the web will tell you, the PB10 is an incredible performer for a substantially lower price than the 12 and, furthermore, it should absolutely rock a 1600 ft3 room--assuming that is what you meant. My room is ~2000 ft3 with one open wall and the sub pressurizes my room very nicely. Just my 2cents, but the PB10 should be considered in your size room equally as much as the PB12. :)
Interesting as I had a long talk w/Erik at SVS and he summed it up this way: The PB10-NSD is going to do basically everything the PB12-NSD will do w/ the EXCEPTION that the PB12 is going to give you more of it. In other words, the PB10 is not your "typical" 10 "powered sub as I have found that out for myself. Decided to get the PB10 because of what I call a "NAF"-Neighbor Acceptance Factor. That is, the PB12 would probably be fine by me BUT not sure about my next door neighbor. Although it is true, the PB10 could also cause problems in this respect at least it will be easier to contain than the PB12. Besides, the OP could always get a 2nd PB10 and he would really be rocking. :) :)

at least it will be easier to contain than the PB12.

Easier said than done. It is not easy containing low frequency sound waves. Too bad you have neighbors that can influence your purchasing process. And I thought dealing with my wife was bad.

Interesting as I had a long talk w/Erik at SVS and he summed it up this way: The PB10-NSD is going to do basically everything the PB12-NSD will do w/ the EXCEPTION that the PB12 is going to give you more of it. In other words, the PB10 is not your "typical" 10 "powered sub as I have found that out for myself. Decided to get the PB10 because of what I call a "NAF"-Neighbor Acceptance Factor. That is, the PB12 would probably be fine by me BUT not sure about my next door neighbor. Although it is true, the PB10 could also cause problems in this respect at least it will be easier to contain than the PB12. Besides, the OP could always get a 2nd PB10 and he would really be rocking. :) :)
According to SVS website, the 12 has 2 Hz deeper externsion than the 10. Does it matter and will it make a difference, only real experiments in your room can tell. For the additional headroom, I would go for the 12.

Easier said than done. It is not easy containing low frequency sound waves. Too bad you have neighbors that can influence your purchasing process. And I thought dealing with my wife was bad.
You are correct there ride regarding containing LFE sound waves. Like you, at (1) time or another I had to deal with the WAF-but not any longer. :D :D I must say I am liking it!!!! My neighbor is a bit elderly and do NOT want to get on her bad side. Unfortunately, my mobile home is real close to hers. This is one reason why I opted for the PB10 as opposed to the PB12. However, got my PB10 on a B-stock and saved some money. So far, have not regretted that decision at all. I also have (2) Acoustic Research subs that do an excellent job and all three blend quite well.

According to SVS website, the 12 has 2 Hz deeper externsion than the 10. Does it matter and will it make a difference, only real experiments in your room can tell. For the additional headroom, I would go for the 12.
You are correct. The PB12 has a bigger driver, bigger cabinet, and can move more air which translates to better performance. The port size is even bigger. For my application I opted for the PB10 because as I mentioned it is NOT an average 10" powered sub. If it was, I would have gotten the PB12. The OP has a room very closely to what I have and the PB10 does an excellent job. If I had not had gotten such a great deal on my PB10 (B-stock) AND had no concerns with respect to my neighbor, then no doubt I would have gotten the PB12 or a Hsu VTF3.2. I do agree, however, that the OP would probably be happier w/the PB12-NSD. For me it was a no brainer if you know what I mean. :) :)

One thing I have noticed from these forums is that virtually everyone will recommend the PB12 over the PB10 regardless of the size of the listening room and I don't feel that's always a valid assertion...if you want extra headroom for the future it may make sense but, as many reviews on the web will tell you, the PB10 is an incredible performer for a substantially lower price than the 12 and, furthermore, it should absolutely rock a 1600 ft3 room--assuming that is what you meant. My room is ~2000 ft3 with one open wall and the sub pressurizes my room very nicely. Just my 2cents, but the PB10 should be considered in your size room equally as much as the PB12. :)
agree 100% with this. not everyone listens at reference levels, and for that size room the PB-10 is more than enough sub. my room is bigger than that and opens up to another room, and i can never listen above -15 with my PB-10 calibrated flat with my mains. for a living room system in a townhouse, it is more then enough bass.

future-proofing is fine. but recommending someone a $1K dual 12" driver deep-freezer size sub when they're asking about a $429 sub? i guess its easy when you're spending someone else's money. :eek:

OTOH, not everyone wants or needs to restrain their system. I acknowledge that the PB10 is an overachiever (not in a negative context), it does have its limitations. Looking at the driver, I believe it is more a Plus than it is an NSD. If you don't need to pump it up, the 10 is adequate. If you want higher SPL and/or lower tuning, then the 12 would be a better fit. Near field placement can help overcome the 10s short comings. If budget or space does not permit, get the 10. If you don't have these constraints, look at the 12. As has been mentioned, you can get a 10 now and add a second later. The OP just needs to decide how much he wants from the sub and how much he is willing to spend.

In a 1600cu ft room a single well designed ported like a PB10 should be correct.This of course for normal and above average SPL.

It is however better to buy a subwoofer with extra headroom,in this case the 12" vesrion will move more air for the same stroke.Always good to have headroom and in audio this headroom equals less distortion,compression and overall better sound quality.

I would go for the larger sub,not because you will use its max output.Because the headroom it will have over the smaller unit puts less stress on the sub.

Note very compact sealed subs like the SB12,are very easy to blend in and sound cleaner at first when compared with a PB10,they will roll off when pushed and not offer the very deep bass(under 25hz)at high SPL like a larger ported sub(of a similar price).

FTI. Per the OP, he has a 1600sf house, but his HT is 14'x24'. He doesn't state if it is closed or if it has 8' ceilings, but given these assumptions, he does have a 2688cf room.

One thing I have noticed from these forums is that virtually everyone will recommend the PB12 over the PB10 regardless of the size of the listening room and I don't feel that's always a valid assertion...if you want extra headroom for the future it may make sense but, as many reviews on the web will tell you, the PB10 is an incredible performer for a substantially lower price than the 12 and, furthermore, it should absolutely rock a 1600 ft3 room--assuming that is what you meant. My room is ~2000 ft3 with one open wall and the sub pressurizes my room very nicely. Just my 2cents, but the PB10 should be considered in your size room equally as much as the PB12. :)

I agree. The 12 has a bit more output but the 10 offers the best bang for the buck, which is probably the reasons for it's high popularity. Plus, unlike the 12, it has a die cast basket and it is one of the best built drivers anywhere near it's price class, that I have ever seen.

Ian

I agree. The 12 has a bit more output but the 10 offers the best bang for the buck, which is probably the reasons for it's high popularity. Plus, unlike the 12, it has a die cast basket and it is one of the best built drivers anywhere near it's price class, that I have ever seen.

Ian

I agree with the price comment and it's why I made the choice that I did. Also, if you are consistently listening to reference level in a room that's less than 2000 ft3 you'll have to be content to feel infrasonic bass b/c you won't hear anything else in a few years. I love to crank it, but once I calibrated my system to a reference of 75db in my ~2000 ft3 room, I can't get anywhere near that and even approximate a reasonable listening level. Guess that goes to show you what some good speakers in addition to a sub can give you (including adding quality-sounding bass around and over the crossover point of 80hz).

As for saving the neighbors from the PB12, I don't think mine would be convinced--my neighbors on the OPPOSITE side of the house from my listening room (and a fair distance away) commented how much they like my new PB10 the other day... :D

What you want to be careful of is movies that have subwoofer effects at a seemingly predictable level, but they throw in a scene that's +10 to +15dB hot that you're not expecting and ruin your night. The Lion King "enhanced 5.1" track comes to mind... the beginning of scene 6 is a perfect example.

Also movies that are hot in the subsonic and you don't notice that your woofer is losing control. Black Hawk Down Irene scene is the first one that comes to mind. War of the Worlds might make you think you're sub is OK, but its soundtrack has alot of hidden subsonic material in it.

I always say bigger is better with HT. I'd go DIY if you have any type of building skills since you can get much more sub for your $$