SVS SB-2000 Pro subwoofer review
SVS, from the Ohio city of Youngstown, is a relatively young firm that was created in 1998 and is primarily youthful, with a workforce consisting of people in their thirties and forties, which is unusual in the hi-fi industry.
Although SVS's product line includes traditional speakers, the company is most known for its development of widely available subwoofers - the entire range focuses on hi-fi as well as a home cinema.
There are five subwoofer product lines available; the second most economical is the 2000 Pro, which, like most others, has three variants. Each series represents a common technology, and the individual models differ primarily in design.
For example, in the 2000 Pro series, one model is a closed subwoofer (SB-2000 Pro - "S" as "sealed"), one model has a bass reflex box (PB-2000 Pro - "P" as "ported"), and one model has the unusual but in modern interiors appearance of a vertical cylinder (PC-2000 Pro - "P" as "ported" and "C" as "cylinder").
In the context of similar devices, the subwoofer's shape is unsurprising - the width and height of ordinary-looking baffles are determined by a powerful speaker mounted in the front.
Ordinary shapes adorn the rounded horizontal margins. The entire subwoofer is supported by pointed legs, but SVS also offers optional SoundPath legs, which are large rubber pads that provide better separation from the ground.
The surface of the baffles is in an artificial dark ash decor, which seems a touch "American," but if you want a surface in a "more European" standard, a glossy surface in white or black is available for a modest cost.
If you want a less visually stunning appearance, the subwoofer has a huge grille with a strong construction that should ensure operation without unpleasant resonances.
A rectangular board containing all electronics is installed in the back panel. On the outside, there are two input cinches (the right one can be used as a pure LFE input) and two output cinches, allowing you to chain subwoofers, for example. A wireless surcharge module can also be used to feed the signal to the SB-2000 Pro.
In addition to the power socket with a huge rocker switch, there are six buttons and a number of LEDs if you choose to set the subwoofer manually rather than using a convenient app that links your phone or tablet to the subwoofer through Bluetooth.
The application itself is fairly useful and fast, though you may have to enter commands twice (for example, switching the saved profile did not take place numerous times, etc.) - this may be related to the Bluetooth interface, but it is not an issue in practice.
Inside the damped baffle constructed of MDF profiles, you'll discover components made of SVS that are somewhat thick - this applies to both the 12-inch converter and the amplifier module.
For full control of the transducer even at high acoustic pressure, the loudspeaker employs a very well-dimensioned double circular ferrite magnet.
The diaphragm is coupled to a massive rubber hinge with parabolic geometry, allowing for a very noticeable swing. The membrane is made of aluminum, and the center dust dome is made of composite. The voice coil includes two layers to improve reaction accuracy.
Sledge STA-550D is the name of the amplifier module, and the number in the name relates to the nominal power, which is 550 Watts. Peak performance, according to SVS, can reach up to three times this amount.
The design is completely discrete, is based on MOS-FETs (with a specification of 25 A / 600 V), and provides Class D power via the switching power supply.
What SVS does not build (but does program) is a built-in DSP module that operates on a 50 MHz clock and uses an Analog Audio Devices chip. Because of its power, it can process a signal with a bit depth of 56. SVS denotes the frequency range of the SB-2000 Pro, which is 19 - 240 Hz (+/- 3 dB).
The subwoofer itself is a decent piece of technology, measuring 37.2 cm in height, 36 cm in width, and 39.5 cm in depth. It weighs a reasonable 17.5 kg.
