SVS PB12-Plus/2 20 Hz tune (dB12.1)

[Ilkka]

Manufacturer: SVSound
Model: PB12-Plus/2
Provided by: JaniH
Manufacturer link: SVSound - Box Subwoofers
Price: $1199 (black), $1399 (wood veneer) (dB12.1 woofers not available anymore)

Manufacturer specs:
Proprietary TC-Sound 12" high output woofers
SVS designed, full-featured 900 watt BASH (R) digital switching amp
Premium finishes ship with on board Parametric EQ (PEQ)
Built-in, flush-mount amp configuration
Down-firing woofers with distinctive SVS integrated base-plate
Compliant floor mounts, ultra low center of gravity
Three tuned, patented 4" high-flow flared porting (in and out)
Assembled and tested by SVS in its Ohio factory
Extra heavy-duty detachable 8 foot power cord
6 wood-finishes
Selectable 16Hz, 20Hz or 25Hz extension with included port plugs
Size: 48 cm wide, 67 cm tall and 71 cm deep.
Weight: 64 kg
Frequency Response: +/- 3dB to 20hz anechoic
3 years warranty

Configuration as tested:
Phase: 0 degrees
Tuning frequency: 20 Hz (one port plug)
Subsonic filter: 20 Hz
Orientation: Standard down-firing, ports facing left
This unit has dB12.1 woofers

[Ilkka]

+/- 3 dB points: 18 Hz - 110 Hz

[Ilkka]

[Ilkka]

The shape of the frequency response becomes a bit better when plugging one of the ports, though there is still some excessive deep bass output. There is around 5 Hz more extension due to this operation. The maximum deep bass output will get higher at the expense of mid/upper bass output. The deep bass output is still clearly limited by the port area (2x4"). THD stays quite low close to the tuning frequency, though rising quite a lot in the upper bass range at the highest output levels; luckily it’s mainly 2nd order. Group delay stays low down to 30 Hz, but grows rapidly below. Spectral decay shows a lot of ringing around the tuning frequency. Spectral contamination test shows high output capability with lower than average overall distortion, though a little bit worse than with the 25 Hz tune.

+ Good extension
+ High overall maximum output capability
+ Low overall distortion
+ Overall price/performance ratio

- Shape of the frequency response
- High deep bass output compression
- High upper bass distortion at high output levels
- High deep bass group delay and ringing around the tuning frequency

[tpaxadpom]

Ilkka,
do you recall subwoofer build date? Mine was built in 2004. I e-mailed SVS to find out what version of woofers I have. Ed from SVS responded almost right away. According to him all PB12-Plus/2 subs were built with 12.2 woofers.

[tpaxadpom]

an update to the previous post. I confirmed that my unit has db12.1 drivers.

[Ilkka]

tpaxadpom wrote:

Ilkka,
do you recall subwoofer build date? Mine was built in 2004. I e-mailed SVS to find out what version of woofers I have. Ed from SVS responded almost right away. According to him all PB12-Plus/2 subs were built with 12.2 woofers.

This particular subwoofer was also built in 2004. IIRC the driver upgrade was made around January 2005.

tpaxadpom wrote:

an update to the previous post. I confirmed that my unit has db12.1 drivers.

Sounds correct.