Audio aficionados have long considered bass the foundational element in any audio setup. If the bass isn’t right, then your music and movies won’t sound right. Having a great sub can make or break your entire audio setup.
I’ve been planning on assembling a series of articles on “best subwoofers” so I found the timing quite providential when the folks at SVS sound approached me to see if I’d be interested in taking one of their subwoofer models for a spin. We went back and forth on which SVS model would be the best fit and likewise discussed the number of subwoofers.
Finally, we decided on a pair of SVS SB13-Ultra subwoofers to test in what would amount to a 2.2 and 7.2 setup. The SB13-Ultras are a sealed design weighing in at almost 100lbs each. They just arrived yesterday and I decided I was going to post some initial pics and impressions as I’m preparing for a final, full review that I hope to publish in late June or in July.
My review pair of Ultra subs came via FedEx and the cartons has some minor dings associated with the shipping.
The top of the cartons were sealed with an inspection sticker that indicated that they had been checked just prior to shipment. A label included the name of the inspector and the date of the inspection–a nice touch.
Unpacking heavy speakers or subs follows the same basic logic: you open the bottom of the bos first and then flip the Bo’s upright and lift the box up to expose the contents. SVS does a nice job of telling you right on the outside of the box what to do.
Once you open the bottom you again get additional, clear instructions–another nice touch that can help out audio newbies or someone dealing with a very heavy package for the first time.
The SVS SB13-Ultra subwoofers were very well packaged. They are double boxed. There was also ample padding and any distress on the outer or even the inner box would easily be mitigated from affecting the subs themselves.
The height difference between my Revel B15 sub and the SB13-Ultra subs is subtle, but they feel smaller and psychologically look like they take up much less space.
In addition to the SB13-Ultra subs, SVS also sent me a pair of their SoundPath interconnects.
I run all balanced (XLR) cabling to my sub. I’m going to try out the SoundPath cables in my testing. At first glance, the cables seen to be of really great quality. I never would have considered SVS as a place to get cables from.
I’ll be setting up the SVS SB13-Ultra subs this weekend. From time to time I’m planning to post periodic updates as I lead up to my full review.
