Customer Reviews: PB13-Ultra

I have owned this sub for about two and a half years. I wanted to Say I am totally impressed as it to this day blows my mind. The raw power this sub put's out is amazing. It's hard to describe without listening for yourself. The price was great the sound even better. I have seen Sub woofers claiming to be this good for 3 to 4 times the cost but they never end up being as good. If you are looking for a sub that is great with movies, music, or any situation then this sub is for you. I just can't write enough great reviews on this sub. SVS you nailed it. Thanks for the SOUND!

Its been a year with the best home sub I have ever owned, so I finally decided to share my experiences and opinions. I've been through many subs, all claiming top of the food chain status, none have delivered on all fronts until the Ultra. If you're reading this and are on the fence, just buy it, everything you read is true. From the customer service to the Ultra itself, its all exactly as promised.
Perhaps the best example of this sub's awesomeness has been the complete 180 my wife has taken since we've gotten the Ultra. Before the consideration was always balancing features with room, fudging some (like size) to gain the initial WAF to buy my latest sub. The Ultra, dwarfing all previous subs I've owned, brought a huge frown to the wife's face one year ago upon delivery. I had kind of stretched the truth when it came to describing the size. It replaced a current sub which I won't name, but it does rhyme with smelodine... Anyhow, the Ultra stuck out about a foot farther than the old one, wife was very concerned about the size. Admittedly it did take a couple months, but once she got her first taste of sub sonic bass and the extra dimension of immersion in the movie it provides, she, not even grudgingly, admits the Ultra is worthy of its place in the corner of the living room. I've twice now caught her just jamming out to tunes when I've been gone and come back unexpectedly. I love it, wife has grown to love it, you will too. Buy it.

As the description states, this sub is all about brutal power and subtle nuance...When I say subtle nuance I mean the kind of nuance achieved with a high end pair of open-back DJ headphones,( plus all the sweet impact that headphones can't provide ) ; The control that this driver possesses is plain ridiculous. Low notes literally come to life. Attack and decay are instantaneous.

The bass put out is not the same as a typical 8" or 10" - the 13U has that "larger than life" sound to it. There's also plenty of midbass slam; Yet no matter how hard I crank it, I don't get that 'headache' I get with typical subs, nothing that forces me to turn it down two songs later.

Even at VERY VERY low volumes, the sub never fails to impress; it sounds as dramatic and responsive as it does at higher levels. Now this property, I haven't seen in any other subwoofer so far.

I was just watching a movie where I could hear rumble of a spaceship landing, around the 35 hz area - I felt the woofer and it barely even moving, yet the output was enveloping and immersive. Now imagine what some muscle flexing could do.

This is about as good a subwoofer gets ; in fact, the 13U is worth a lot more than sticker price. Products that sell in stores obviously face significant overhead costs, and shoppers who buy from online-only retailers are more value-conscious than the rest. Couple that with a company that is an expert on subwoofers, and you've got one heck of a product.

I have not even begun to mess with the settings yet; all I did was place it on the ground. My sub volume is at reference level. Pure audio nirvana at just that!. I'll be calling SVS some day to get tips on tweaking it.

For me the strongest selling point was not the power, it was the bass detail, I'm totally sold at that. I'm not just a happy customer , but a thrilled one as well.

This is the first chance I've had to get back to Ed and Gary since I purchased and set up my SVS PB-13 ultra. The sub is amazing and well worth it's purchase price. Set-up was a breeze and after some fast trial and error, my volume control is set to -10. Brutal and dominating when required, as well as subtle and refined when called for. A special thanks to Ed for our conversations and e-mails. It's always an education talking to Ed. A thanks also to Gary for asking for my feedback about the sub. Frankly, I only purchased this one, because my SVS PB2 plus, purchased in 2004, was destroyed in Hurricane Sandy. Thank you all at SVS.

Wow is right, what an amazing sub. I'd been using two Carver Sunfire True subs on my theater for years and instead of replacing the drivers yet again I decided to upgrade. I was truly blown away with the PB-13 Ultra. Looking forward to many years of great sound. A truly exceptional purchasing experience form SVS as well.

Gary,

Just wanted to let you know that The PB13-Ultra that I purchased a few years ago WORKS. What I mean by works is, we live in a former Church that we converted to our house. When I had a sound study done during construction, I was told that I would need at least four subwoofers spaced throughout the room. Of course, my wife would not go along with the aesthetics that accompany four subs in our living room/kitchen/family room/play room. I took a chance on the SVS PB Ultra and I do not need another sub. This thing rocks! Whether we have a party with 120 people dancing or are watching a great movie, the sub still continues to impress me. The room that I speak of is 2000 sq ft and 30,000 cubic feet. One sub. It definitely works!

All I can say is WOW!!! Its controlled, loud and digs really deep!!!

I bought this subwoofer as an upgrade to a PC12-NSD. The PC12 is a great sub, but you know how it is...once you get a taste, you want the ultimate.

I wanted a sub that would deliver reference level AND quality in my 2500 cubic foot room. As numerous customer and professional reviews will attest, the PB13 will deliver on both counts. I thought the PC12 was a powerful sub, and by all rights it is; however, the PB13 takes it to a whole different level. We're talking about a sub that can give you a whole body massage and not break a sweat. This is by far the costliest piece in my HT, and I can say that I've not had a bit of buyers remorse since I purchased it. The fact that it's covered by a 5 year warranty and that support is just a click away for live chat or a phone call away? Well that's just icing on the cake.

bought this to replace my 7 year old pc-ultra 12 which now got retired to my theater in basement. this sub isn't cheap so it took me 6 months to talk myself into the upgrade. the sound simply amazed me. the bass is so much tighter and alot of the boomy bass is now clear. there is plenty of output for even the harcore bassheads. i have it tuned at 16hz and love it. my only desire now is to purchase one more so i have one on each side of my paradigm speakers. the customer service before and during were amazing! also after when i set it up. my driver was two hours late picking up speaker and ed called and asked them to stay and wait for my driver. a top rate speaker and a top rate company i will never buy another sub in my life unless it's from svsound!

In one word EXCELLENT I have never heard bass so loud,low and clean. It has a flat in room response with a little peak at about 22hz. I managed to integrate it with my speakers perfectly using rew. The build quality throughout is exceptional. My only complaint is regarding the uk customer service. I bought this sub without trying it as the dealer was hundreds of miles away. I knew the sub was big but when it arrived it was massive. I contacted the dealer and enquired as to whether I could exchange it for dual svs sb12 units under the 45 day home trial. They told me the home trial did not count in the uk but if I arranged transport and they were happy with the condition they would consider an exchange. I asked if they could arrange transport and I pay them but they refused,transport for me would cost hundreds due to weight size and value of the sub. So now I am left with a sub that I like but I would sacrifice some bottom end output for the extension of dual sb12 units. I guess I shall have to save up to buy them. So a warning to uk customers, you don't get the same rights as you would in America and check the dimensions before you buy. The bottom line is that the pb13 ultra is amazing it goes loud,low and does it cleanly but personally I would prefer the extension of a sealed box.

This is my second SVS Subwoofer I also have the PB12/2 plus. Now I have a second PB13 Ultra. I needed some expert help to get them to play nice together, I got all of the help I needed to tame these savage beasts. I have a dedicated home theater that was already full of bass that you can feel. My friends are beside themselves to hear and feel such powerful bass it makes your pant legs flap in the breeze. The customer service at SVS is like nowhere else, they are experts at their craft and are always willing to help solve even the smallest issues. They give sound advice and they know exactly what they are talking about. I live in southeast CT anyone that would like to audition these SVS beasts can reach me at rodnator@ct.metrocast.net and arrange a GTG.

this sub is incedible. brutal power and subtle nuance. just like the description says. I've had a few subs, including one that's often compared to the ultra, and the ultra is just a better all around product. worth every penny. now to save up for another one.......

All I have to say is: you will never regret getting this sub!! This thing is incredible! I live in a very old 3 story house with a basement (the sub is in the basement). I knocked over a stack of quarters on a desk on the 2nd floor, and still could shake the vibrations on the 3rd floor. There is no better sub for the money! SVS, thank you so much for making a quality sub at an affordable price!

Fist up let me say just WOWWWWWWWWWW!!!"HANDS DOWN" the best subwoofer i've ever hear in my all life, the sound quality it's just out of this World!!! before bought it i was doing a lot of research in the internet to make sure i get the best subwoofer available in the market for the money, and DEF IT'S THE BEST SUBWOOFER IN THE MARKET FOR THE MONEY!! it's worth every single penny SVS it's asking for it, The ULTRA it's TOP OF THE LINE ON PERFORMANCE and it's worth easily 5,000$ dollars HIGH END subwoofer PERIOD!!

Thank you very much SVS to builded a high end subwoofer at a affordable price, i'm so happy with this beats, the customer services it's awesome

Performance 100%

Feature 100%

Build Quality 100%

Value 200%

Serious BASS NO REGRETS

Stharling Toribio

New York

I've just bought the PB13-Ultra Piano Black 3 weeks ago. Good God does this thing hit F^%#'n hard and super clean! It's worth the $$$ for sure. As the saying goes..."You get what you pay for" and you are getting more than your money's worth with the PB13. In fact, I'll be getting another one in the summer. I love 'BASS'!. I work for 'BASS'!. And I live for 'BASS'! Thank God there's BASS and manual cars!! Last but not least, their customer service support is top notch.

Hi.

I purchased my PB13-Ultra in May of 2010 with the 750W BASH amp. The results in my system left me with reservations about the level of clean output not really measuring up to all of the glowing reviews, but I never contacted SVS because I wasn't sure if my own expectations were reasonable and I could get pretty good results tweaking the filter settings and limiting playback levels to what I'd consider to be moderately high.

Then one day Gary the company president reached out to me and asked me how I liked my sub. With my explanation of my results he was sure that something was wrong and correctable. He told me that Ed, the Director of Technology and Customer Relations, would contact me, and sure enough, Ed did contact me the following morning.

Ed, as well as Gary, demonstrated an A++ commitment to customer satisfaction and their product, and knew there was something that could be done for me to acheive 5-star performance and satisfaction. Ed expertly guided us through a detailed discussion and trouble-shooting procedure to figure out how the PB13-Ultra was configured in my system and what could explain results anything less than exemplary. Ed recommended that we replace my amp under waranty in case it might be defective, and by that time the Sledge STA-1000D was available.

Without really knowing what could have been wrong with the 750W BASH amp, all I can say is that Ed's recommendation to replace it with the Sledge STA-1000D amp was spot on and now I've got 5-Star Low end in my system!!

And what's even better than the SVS product is the people behind it!! With 5-Star certainty I can tell anyone that they couldn't go wrong choosing SVS. The people behind this company wouldn't let you get away with that even if you tried!

Joel

First off I would like to thank Ed Mullen for talking with me for about a week about the sub. When it arrived he walked me through every step of the set with my receiver and sub...
Thanks, Ed!!!

Ok, onto the incredible sub!!!
The PB-13 Ultra is the best sounding sub I have ever heard. When I read all the reviews about how deep it would go I thought maybe people were exaggerating a little. We'll I was wrong this sub is everything you read and more. When I first put Cloverfield in the Bluray player and turned it up I could not believe how the couch was shaking. I know Cloverfield is not that great of a movie, but just try watching it again with the SVS PB13-Ultra. I have had many people come and listen to this "MONSTER" and they are amazed at the sound. My wife and I just look at each other when we watch movies because of all the deep clean bass.... It almost makes your nerves bad because how intense all the movies are now... lol

Oh, and the customer service is top notch.

Let me just start off by saying....WOW to the PB13ultra.

I purchased a Klipsch sw 311 subwoofer to replace my aging Sunfire on Jan 10 2012. The SW311 ($1600.00)
sat in the box while i was finishing my surround system installation in the man cave. During this time i started researching SW311 on the net, the reviews i found were so so. While reading these reviews i kept hearing about this PB13 ultra, at this time i never heard of this sub.

I first Googled the PB13 ultra and that took me to SVS site and i read the reviews there first. Then i started reading the reviews at all the other AV sites, The reviews blew me away. A lot of them were funny, owners of this sub (PB13) were talking like it was the second coming of Jesus Christ. At this point i had to have one.

The SW311 went back to the store with out ever being powered up, i lied to the salesmen about why i was returning it. Jan 30 2012 was the arrival of my PB13 Ultra, all i did was plug it in, hook up my rca cable from my Integra 50.3 and push it in the corner. I started playing rap music that has a lot of bass in it, i could hear a few of the studs in the wall vibrating. In the corner where the sub sits i had to run some drywall screws through the sheet rock for 2 studs and put extra nails in the trim. I slide the Ultra back in the corner and this thing rocks my entire house (2000 sq ft single). I don't even stay in the cave while playing music, i go to different rooms on different floors just listening to how hard this sub hits. I love it, i havn't even adjusted any of the many settings yet. This sub is awesome for music, video games and movies. Movies that i already have seen are totally different with this sub. I put in Transformers and then We were soldiers, all i coulds say was WOW.

My wife looks at me like im crazy, but she understands. All i can say if your reading this, get one asap.....

I have been an SVS fan for many years now. It started with the PB2-PLUS. Purchased it in 2003. Fantastic sub from a stellar company. In 7 years not one problem, and I played it hard. Real hard.
Then in 2010 upgraded to the PB13 ULTRA. This monster was too big for my location at the time, so I sold it and purchased the PC13 ULTRA. Aewsome bass in a small foot print. No doubt about it. But...

...I know they say the difference from the Cylinder to the Box is more a measured one, but I feel the Box definitely has more something...

...So now I am back. This time I went back to the PB13 ULTRA. Room or no room this is the sub for me. Now You are probably wondering why the fuss. Well, I missed that "something" the PB13 ULTRA has. It just "feels" better to me. You get the same mid bass "slam" with cylinder, but the Box just feels better way, way down low. More effortless I would say. Really, overall is just sounds better to me.

That extra bit of power you get with the new Sledge Amps really shines when played hard. I was not expecting much with the increase from 750 watts to 1000 watts, but it really "IS" noticable. Especially at higher then reference levels. Another great thing about the new amps is the flexiblity you get with all the settings. More of wjat we had and then some more. Everthing you need to get you going is at your finger tips.

This sub is one wicked beast. It is subtle and then out of nowhere raises it's head and brings the thunder. This sub handles nuance better then any I have heard. The detail it reproduces it just stunning. Acoustic music is so much better with the ULTRA's driver. And ofcourse your movies and assorted big bass music will delight you and make you grin that silly grin that you reserved for those lone listening sessions.

So rest assured that when you make the plunge to the depths that the PB13 ULTRA will take you to, you will be in good hands.

These guys know their stuff. They make outstanding products. And, they back these products up like no one I have ever dealt with. Period.
They will be there for you before purchase, during your purchase and long after your purchase has completed.

So do not hesitate once you have your budget in order. You will not be dissapointed here.

Every once in a while you run into a company and product that is shockingly good. If you are thinking about buying this sub, don't hesitate. It is everything the other reviews indicate and one of the the finest pieces of audio gear I've owned. In addition, the SVS organization is first class with absolutely the best customer service.

I have been enjoying SVS products for more than a decade. My Krell subwoofer experienced technical difficulties and in the interim, I purchased a PB 13 Ultra. Mated with a Krell processor, Krell Theater amp and Magneplanar surround speakers, the SVS compliments the system in a dramatic way. Its capabilities are Krell-like and its workmanship is superb. The people at SVS are gentelmen to deal with. A rare combination in this day and age.

I asked my wife when we bought our first house if I could put speakers in the wall and buy a really nice sub. She said sure. She didn't ask how big it was. So when she saw the thing she thought it was kind of an ugly end table. Now she is truly a believer is quality home theater sound. She loves the hard hitting clean bass. If I could find another location in my living room to add another PB13, it would be on the truck for delivery.

I have upgraded to the Sledge amp when my BASH one died. The customer service was great and even responded on a Saturday. If you have any doubts about the quality of this product, the quality of the customer service, or the quality of SVS just put those doubts to rest. They are unfounded.

There are plenty of technical reviews so I'll keep mine short and just say that the pb13 ultra is far and away the best purchase I have made for home theater over the last 10 years. The improvement in sound is truly astounding. SVS customer service is second to none.

I wish that I could give this sub 6 stars. The PB-13 Ultra is the best sounding sub I have ever heard. The sound quality is deep and clean. You may understand what I mean when I say that you can "feel" the bass. This sub is, without question, the best investment I have made in my home theater. I truly cannot imagine any product, at any price, sounding better. Everytime I show off my theater to someone new, it is always the sub that just blows them away. Am I happy and satisfied with my purchase? Absolutely!!! Once again, six stars !!

Love my pb13 ultra even more then I thought I would! Owned the Epik Empire prior and this SVS simply destroys it in every way. Customer service and communication from the day I hit the submit order button has been 110%. The black piano gloss finish matches my Energy Veritas speakers perfectly. You can't go wrong here folks, take the plunge and don't look back! Thanks SVS for making my HT finally come to life. It is a plug and play as well as providing you with all the tweaking settings your heart desires. Two big thumbs up! Wish I made this purchase sooner. :)

For film viewing in a surround environment this is one awesome sub. Even better is the support that the company provides, and that they stand behind their product in every way. When my amp failed I received a replacement and it was quite simple to swap out the old one for new and the turn around was quick. The sub is sonically seemless and works beautifully with my Audigy-based processor for setup. Since viewing is but a small part of the overall home theater experience, having the PB13-Ultra really makes the sonics complete the "picture".

This is my first SVS sub! To say the least it is pretty wicked. The deep sounds are impressive and with it sitting on the 2nd floor in our media room, it definately shakes the place. I use Integra DHC 80.3 to drive the sub. When we were installing and using the THX mixer on the Integra, we didn't like the level of the sub. It was too low, so we turned it up and blew the wall light that was hanging on the same side of the room. It was funny to see it! I have to have the lights completely off while the sub is on.....You guys did a great job designing and building the Ultra 13

I purchased the PB13 Ultra a few years ago. Back then it came with the BASH amp. I upgraded to the SLEDGE amp over a year ago. I have owned a few subs over the years and with the PB13 Ultra I will have no more upgrades in the Subwoofer category. What a great sub. Great output, great with music, clean lines and well built.Customer Service is also excellent. Overall a 5 star purchase enough to "rock" the house.

Enjoyed the subwoofers from day 1. Excellent installation instructions and helpful and courteous assistance from your sales and support staff. Not a single problem and incredible results. Thank you and I’ll certainly refer anyone in the market to your company.

It’s been a couple years and I literally haven’t even had to look at them or the documentation since I installed them. We stacked them and placed them in the location recommended by your staff during the sales process. I installed and balanced them myself and drive them with a Pioneer Pro-Elite receiver. Amazing results.

I have had many subs since the early 80s,and the PB13-ULTRA is by far the best I have ever heard. I am filling about 2400sq. ft.
When watching a movie you can literaly feel the sonic pressure in the room!!!!
Everything about this product was top notch, from the sales, the shipping, and the packing of the unit itself, it was second to none.
If you are serious about home theater YOU HAVE TO HAVE THIS SUB!
I am going back and watching all my old movies, that is the difference this sub makes.
You will not be disappointed, it is an outstanding PRODUCT!!!!!

Terry T.
Knoxville, Iowa

This unit is awesome. It is larger and heavier than I expected, so be sure you have the room. But the sounds quality and the ability to tune this baby is phenomenal. You go loud and it just just goes up clean with none of the bad after effects found in other subs.

Great workmanship!

Joe C

I have owned my Ultra for 2 and half years now. I had owned 3 decent subs prior to getting the Ultra but was always tweaking trying to find that just right mix of tone and slam. I used REW and other methods to achieve the best sound but was not satisfied.

Finally I bought the PB13 Ultra, set it up using REW and only needed the 1 filter to tame a 34hz peak in my room.

I have not had to touch it since. The Ultra fits my needs perfectly and believe it or not it disappears in the room and just works perfectly.

SVS customer service is top notch. I was considering the Ultra and another sub, I contacted the other company and after several attempts and no responses I contacted SVS on the weekend. I think it was Ed who responded on a Sunday night answering all my questions and offering to spend time on the phone. That was I needed and pulled the trigger never looking back.

I will say that the old saying cry once or cry twice could not be more true than in subs. I should have bought the SVS Ultra PB13 first and saved money and time.

I use 20hz tuning in my 2800 cf room with a 1400 cf opening into another room and measured 18hz flat.

Could not be happier with my Ultra.

I have recently received my new PB13 Ultra with Sledge in gloss black. I must say that this unit is the finest subwoofer I have ever auditioned after listening to many expensive subwoofers in the high end market. The smoothness and refined power is absolutely incredible. The build quality is prime. The 13 Ultra can be played at very low levels late into the evening without compromising sonic fidelity. The lowest frequencies can be heard cleanly even at the lowest volume levels, a testimony to the high level of quality put into this unit. When run harder the 13 Ultra can produce sound pressure to shake the couch and cause mild asphyxiation to the chest cavity while producing absolutely no artifact or forcing the walls of the room to distort. Simply put this is not a toy but a "loaded gun" even under moderate load.

If I were to win the lottery, this is the only item in my system that will not be replaced.

Great job SVSound!

George P.
Vancouver, Canada

Customer Reviews: Dual PB13-Ultra