We should take a leaf out of our US cousins book when it comes to purchasing AV, they demand quality, value and service, over here we seem to want to sacrifice the value to get good quality and service
Too right.
I have frequently looked at SVS web site and been sorely tempted but apart from having to use voltage transformers I would be worried about the cost and time involved if it needed a repair under warranty so I always take the easy option and buy Welsh.
As Steve said - they sort out the voltage - just plug in and go
If anything did go wrong with the sub then it's unlikey that you would have to send back the whole thing. Just the faulty component (as most of you seem to be aware, there customer service is excellent - they'll guide you every step of the way if the driver/amp needed to be replaced).
I was pondering for weeks whether I should take the risk of buying an SVS. But after reading literally hundreds of reviews from hugely satisfied SVS owners, many an email back and forth from the guys who actually built and designed the sub (always fast replies) and many a shop demo of Yamaha, Kef, M&K, Rel (Q150, Q200, Q400) I decided that it was worth going for. And I'm so glad I did.
The most expensive sub I demo'ed was the Rel Q400E. What do they go for now -- something like £850? (I think they used to be a grand(?)). Well, my 20-39PCi, with shipping, duty, VAT etc came to about £630 (it'll be cheaper now due to the arrival of the PC+) and, IMHO, would eat the Q400E for breakfast.
I wouldn't mind betting that many more members actually own a REL though and quite a few are very happy with them for a variety of reasons. The three that you mentioned are all large whereas many do not have room for such a beast or in my case do not want a front firing sub as they don't mix well with young kids.
SVS are downfiring, stable (bottom heavy) and well protected (it's hard to even see the driver, let alone touch it).
Yes I'm sure there are many satisfied Rel owners - as always, it's about personal preference as many people do not want a sub the size of an SVS in their front room - it's unfortunate that small enclosures are the bane of good bass.