SVS PB12Plus, BW ASW675 or REL STRATA 5

[io4]

Hello. I need help.

After a long time reading and searching i've decide to buy one of these subs. It's not easy to hear in Madrid a REL or a SVS, you guess...

The question is: Are they actually three comparable ones? (watts, freq response, spl...) some vendors thinks that a REL is top quality despite of its 150 watts... (could I set some day the SVS to maximum power?)

My listening room is bigger than 5500 cubic ft. and my budget can reach these three subs. Are they the best choice? I like music very much, from Metallica or Depeche Mode, to Verdi Operas, Wagner overtures, Beethoven pieces... almost everything (everything good) but i enjoy with my kids listening the soundtracks of action and cartoon movies very loud.

Which is really the sub i need?

I'll apreciate yur help.

[ufitsy]

Big room big box, look at one of the larger SVS ported SVS subs, only because you have a large room.

[russ.will]

How much do any of these subs cost in Spain?

Russell

[Knyght_byte]

given the size of the room i'd recommend the SVS PB12 over the REL Strata 5 having owned both.
dunno the B&W so no comparison available there from me....

the Strata 5 i found lovely with music and tbh dont find my PB12/Plus does anything more really in quality, it simply goes a bit lower and can go louder due to more headroom....but not better as it were.......however with movies the PB12/Plus definitely beats the Strata 5 i owned in to submission.....this is in a room around 17x12ft by mebbe 9 or 10ft high...

[kbfern]

I would think that in a room of your size that you may need two subs to fill the room with bass.

I would recomend that you e-mail SVS directly giving them room size and your listening requirements and they will give an honest view as to which SVS sub or subs will fit your requirements.

You will find svs have an excellent customer service reputation and should respond within a few hours.They will not try to oversell you into subs that are beyond what is required for your needs.

[Ian J]

I think that you can exclude the B&W ASW675 as it isn't in the same league as the much bigger SVS sub and it's main selling point is it's size not it's performance.

[io4]

In Spain, the prices are

BW ASW675.........1150€
REL STRATA 5.......1500€
SVS PB12 PLUS.....1700€ (from Netherlands distributor in Europe)

So someone can explain to me why a 150W REL is comparable with the 525W PB12 PLUS? I accept that BW plays in other league, but there is a big difference in power. Does SVS and REL use the same measure standards to write their product spec sheets? can i apply some metric to evaluate not only the power but freq response, etc? Is the SVS unquestionably better than the british?

Regards. Manuel.

[kbfern]

the price for the PB12+ sounds very expensive at 1700 euro = approx £1200.Here in the Uk it costs between £800-£875 depending on finish.

If you do not have a distributor in Spain SVS should be prepared to sell one to you direct at a much better price.

Alternatively contact av sales who may be prepared to ship one to you from the UK.

Not familiar with the REL but I think its a sealed sub woofer and therefore needs much less power than a vented sub which the SVS is.

[Timbo21]

Originally Posted by io4

So someone can explain to me why a 150W REL is comparable with the 525W PB12 PLUS?

Well, quite frankly it's not. I have owned a Strata 5, and now own an SVS cylinder, which is about the same as a PB12 plus, except the PB12 is a box.

I feel Rel are wrong to call the Strata 5 a "subwoofer". It should really be called a "bass box". When I moved to SVS I realised I had been missing at least a whole octave of bass . SVS really do produce good amounts of sub bass, at a high level with a lot less distortion than the Strata 5. The Strata doesn't exactly sound distorted - at moderate levels anyway - it's just when you switch to the SVS you realise how much cleaner the bass is, and more detailed, with much greater extension. Quite frankly I was embarassed at how much I had paid for the Rel. Rel really have done a great marketing job persuading everyone their subs are so "Hi-Fi", and that the meagre 150W doesn't matter, "it's current that counts" they say . Well, this isn't true, the 150W will not be enough for you. Now, if the Strata 5 cost £500 (about 750 euros) I would say it's worth considering if you have a small room, and if you want a small box. Otherwise stear clear of it. Salesman in shops love them, because they're no doubt making a tidy sum on them. Don't consider it. It's a fart in a tin compared to the bass of the SVS.

HTH,

T.

[io4]

Thank you very much, Timbo. It's clear to me now.

Look at this (1699€ in veneer)
http://www.svsound.be/PB12Plus.aspx

Hey! That's right Kbfern: 975 gbp (1439€ approx)www.subsonicsounds.co.uk/html/pb12plus.htm

[kbfern]

i04

The SVS subs are available at special rates to av forum members so you can buy the PB12+ For £800-£875 delivered Uk.How much extra they would charge to ship to Spain I don't know.

I would contact Alistair at av sales and ask how much,let him know you are a member of the forum so you get your discount.

Otherwise contact SVS in the U.S. and see what they will charge you to ship to you direct.You will have to pay vat & import charges ontop of the price they quote but it should still work out at less than buying from the scandinavian supplier.As long as SVS don't have a distributor in Spain they will probably be prepared to deal with you directly.

Don't worry about dealing direct as before av sales were appointed UK sole agent everyone who bought an svs sub (and there are quite a few) had to do it on a personal import from SVS in America and no one to my knowledge had any problems.