Customer Reviews: SB12-NSD

The SB12-NSD exceeded my expectations. It is a very tight,dynamic sub that solved my problems with boomy bass caused by bass reflex speakers(Tekton Lore S, Definitive Technology) and room reflections.Thanks to this purchase I do not need to spend money for the room treatment. The shipping was super fast. The SVS customer service is superb. I do highly recommend this product.

Sup Audio dudes. Well been wanting to update my home theater for some time now, got some decent (with-in my budget) towers, and needed some extra bass to complete the lacking low frequency from my towers. Did a lot of research on subwoofers in general, because i was kind of a novice in the department of sound and still am for the most part, Just less of a dumb-@ss now lol, anyways long story long, people really got off on svs subs, and most importantly their customer service which sold me on them, and now i can contest to that. Great knowledge, and they sound like they really care. Finally the sub. Great sub, Crazy sound for its size and very precise. I actually updated this sup to the ultra for a little more headroom for the size room i was trying to pressurize. but for the money, guys if ya got a small medium size room cant go wrong. Actually kinda crazy for updating, I got to overdue everything. might of been happier with two of these, insted of one ultra

I finally decided to upgrade my old Velodyne F-1000 sub I've had for 10 years or so. Wow, what a difference. This sub is almost the same size but has a 12 inch driver and a much larger amp. I have it mated to B&W 603 S3 fronts and 601 S3 rears and a B&W center. My front end is a Marantz SR 7007 receiver. Needless to say, it's a match made in heaven. It is fast, accurate, refined, and rattles my room (320 sf) without sounding boomy or thumpy. The sub made my speakers sound even cleaner and very smooth. The piano finish is beautiful and it is pleasing to the eye vs. a behemoth in the corner. At first I thought I should have bought the SB13 but it was way out of my budget and I was worried it would be overwhelming. The more I hear the SB12, the more I know I made the right decision. Besides, I can add another in the future if needed. This is low profile and passes the WAF easily. One of the smartest purchases of my life. Well done SVS.

I am 2 days into the "evaluation period" for this subwoofer, and THERE'S NO WAY I'M SENDING IT BACK. SVS has created a brilliant product here. The SB12-NSD was positioned in a difficult location in a difficult room, and from the first moment it has performed flawlessly and blends beautifully with my Mirage Omnisats. The control of musical bass notes is superb, easily surpassing the performance of many notable full-range speakers I have owned. I am rediscovering a lifetime of music with the fresh perspective of a fully fleshed-out, clean and deep low end. I just tried the sub with a few favorite action movie scenes, and it handled everything with no fuss. The quickness of the driver brings more realism to sound effects. I will have to do more "testing" to get a complete picture of the SB12-NDS's capabilities with home theater. I'm thankful that SVS has brought their technology and expertise to products at a price point the average person can afford. The SB12-NSD will enhance all our entertainment activities.

I have to say that I was skeptical at first about all the SVS reviews I was reading online. I used to have a HSU VTF-III M3 and decided to "downsize" due to the wife factor. I initially order the Aperion Bravus II D12 and liked it but didn't love it. In my quest to find something more compact, I tried the SuperCube, B&W and Axiom. When stumbled upon the SVS SB12-NSD, I wasn't convinced because of the price factor. How good can a $679 (gloss black) sub be? Well, the old say "don't judge a book by its cover" kicked me in the chest the moment I plugged in the SB-12 NSD. It's downright awesome. Cost is phenomenal value. Couldn't recommend the sub enough to anyone looking for performance that rivals HSU with the footprint of a compact sub and the beauty of a glossy black grand piano. Bravo SVS, bravo.

This sub is outstanding.Over the years I owned about five subs and I think this outperforms all of them.It blends perfect with my Spendors.It is a true bargain that blows away the competition.If you are looking for some real nice bass look no further.Thanks SVS for this great product.

The first thing that brought me to SVS was the reviews I read from multiple sites/ sources. I never had the opportunity to demo this Sub so it was blind faith when I purchased it.... And I'm glad I did! What an incredible sub. Crystal clear and tight. I am using it with Definitive Technology UIW BPA's, UIW 64 in ceiling surround and a DI 5.5 for center. I am running a Yamaha RX A 820 and this sub is the final piece of the puzzle. The customer service from SVS is top notch! Rapid responses to multiple emails from me. Once I realized how professional these guys were I felt very comfortable making the purchase. If you are deciding between a SVS and any other brand I encourage you to go with the SVS, you won't be disappointed. I am 100% convinced there is not a better sub on the market for $649. I also purchased a 15 ft subwoofer cable from them and it is extremely high quality too!

Very pleased with the SB12-NSD. Looks great and sounds even better. I'm running it in a 5.1 system matched with Kef R500/R200/R100 speakers and a Pioneer Elite SC-61 A/V Reciever. The SB12 in piano black match the high $$ Kefs perfectly. Build quality is equally impressive. If you're not sure that you need a sub...you probably do. Movies are simply a whole new experience now. Even music that I thought wouldn't be helped much with a sub sounds better with the sub on. Setup was a snap and placement was easy, but that probably has as much to do with the room as anything. Shipping was very fast...and FREE! Don't see that much anymore. It was hard for me to order a speaker without first having a listen. Fortunately, this turned out to be one of the better entertainment purchases I've ever made. I'm no HT expert, but after looking at several other offerings on line, I believe I got great value for my money and an incredible subwoofer. Highly recommended!

Prompt and courteous email response to a question prior to purchase.
SB12-NSD received on-time in excellent double-box package and in good condition. By the way, what, if anything, does NSD stand for? Just curious.
Pioneer SC-1222-k receiver, Polk RTI A9 speakers, CSI A6 center, no surrounds. SVS's Merlin recommended SB13-Plus but that was beyond my budget.
I am NOT an audiophile. No sound pressure meter to check SPL.
After Pioneer MCACC automatic calibration of speakers, I overrode the speaker size to "small" as SVS suggests (should the center be "small" as well as the fronts?)
I also changed the Pioneer AVR sub setting from "yes" to "plus". Not sure about that - any thoughts will be appreciated.
I am very concerned about not disturbing the neighbor so
gain on sub is set half-way ("12 o'clock").
Bass sounds tight on music. No boominess or mushiness. Very pleasing.
Adds a dimension to movies especially those with LFE.
Like it a lot. When the neighbor goes on vacation, I will crank it a little just to see what it's really capable of.

I am running this sub in a 1400 cubic foot room with Wharfedale Opus 1 towers and a NAD C372 integrated amp. I have tried several ported subs from other manufacturers in this room, and the results were not great. The sealed design of the SB12-NSD produces nice tight bass. It is very musical and never sounds strained. It is also capable of shaking the room at the low end of its frequency range. Very impressive. The piano gloss finish is a nice touch.

A fantastic match for my 100W bi-amped Fostex NX5A studio monitors, with great definition and tightness for both music mixdown and listening. Often, one must trade off accuracy vs. musicality in a monitor system; not so with the NSD. Great dynamic range: sounds good at levels I can still converse over in my office, fantastic when turned up to 'Friday afternoon' levels. Completely free of boom and resonance (unless the music adds it). Light years better than the Cambridge SoundWorks powered sub that it replaced (and better looking, too). I've not heard a compact, under-$1,200 competitor that can touch it.

Paired with Audioengine A5+ in my master bedroom. About 2400 ft^3 and REALLY shakes the room. LOVE this sub. Replaced a B&W ASW 2000 that statistically reached lower, but no where near the subtlety and, when called upon, "thump" that this provides. Buying a new house in the next few months at which point this will go into a larger room. At that point, I will see if it remains sized appropriately and upgrade if necessary. Wife loves the look too. Get it, you won't regret the decision. I fretted for a while, and chose this over HSU and Outlaw - I won.

I've had my SB12-NSD for about a month now and couldn't be happier. I've matched it to my Magnepan MMG's and Emotiva XPA-2 amplifier and the trio are producing the sound I was looking for. Nice low tones that are tight and keep pace with the fast MMG's. The sound from the SB12-NSD is subtle yet noticeable and truly accentuates the higher hz range of the MMG's.

Service from SVS was exceptional as advertised. Excellent feedback on the order status and prompt delivery. Wouldn't hesitate to recommend them again.

FYI for other MMG users, I've settled in on 90hz crossover setting - seems to be the optimum balance....

I have owned this subwoofer for about three weeks and I am very impressed with its sound quality and its ability to integrate with my very small satellite speakers (Energy Take Classic). The sound is very solid and deep and even though I have seen the limiter light come on I would never have known it except by seeing the light on the back of the sub. This is being used in a smallish room approximately 1700sq ft and is more than I could ever want for this room. Now I am looking to replace the subwoofer I have in my main theater with another SVS product. This company has great communication and answered all my emails promptly and courteously. Will definitely buy from again.

A knock against internet based companies is that you miss out on customer service since you are not making the purchase face to face, there is not a real live person accessible that will address any potential concerns or problems. Or that is the knock anyway. Ironic isn't it that I have found that SVS has provided a level of customer service that is rarely if ever matched "face-to-face."

When I had a question about if this sub would work with my receiver immediately my email was responded to with a picture of the back of my receiver and a detailed explanation with answers to my question. When this mighty sub arrived (in secure great double boxed packaging by the way) and I couldn't get it to work properly, SVS customer service (thanks Ed!) spent the time on the phone to walk me through the steps to trouble shoot what the problem might be. Turns out it in fact the problem was with the receiver. I returned and exchanged the receiver (after telling the big box "face-to-face boys" how to trouble shoot the receiver ito determine what the problem is, thanks to my recent instruction with SVS) I returned with a replacement receiver and the sub worked perfectly. Man it sounds great.

The short of it is the sub and the people at SVS are the real deal. A more than satisfied customer here in New York.

My relationship with this subwoofer is now about 24 hours, and I am completely satisfied and amazed by its accuracy and resolve. My audio setup is a bit different than most, however. Its used in an apartment bedroom, computer setup for near field listening. My gear is Rotel stereo seperates with Monitor Audio RX2's on stands, and it had been quite a road finding a subwoofer that can blend it with the rest of the system. A JBL, and two Velodyne's later, I decided to give SVS a try, and like every other review before, total satisfication.

Being in an apartment, I will probably never come close to max SPL or explore this subs dynamic headroom, but it is very apparent, by the way this thing sounds at low volume, its got some current. What amazes me, however, is the subs ability to sound detailed, tight and smooth at low volumes. For too many years I have struggled with matching a subwoofer with the rest of the audio chain, and the SVS was my solution.

With the SVS Bill of Rights, including the 45 day in home trial, I suggest you give this little SB12-NSD a try. You can't go wrong. This sub is very linear, very accurate, very adjustable, and looks good too with its simplicity. I am sure once I truely dive in with setting it up right with the help of my brother this weekend, and a little break-in, I will probably want to come back and rate it 6 stars.

Completely agree with all the earlier positive reviews. While I have my sub in a medium large room, and open to the kitchen through a very short hallway, this sub does a awesome job. I bought this sub for 3 factors. 1. Value (taking into account overall quality, trial period, and unmatched warranty). 2. Quality in both construction and sound. 3. Frequency response / accuracy in respect to size. No other sub on the market at this price point even touches the SB12NSD in any of the above categories. I read countless reviews and debated for weeks if not months about what to buy. I know I made the right choice. Sure, I could've spent less, but I would've also gotten less. If I had a larger space with more placement options I would've probably opted for the PB12NSD, because it has slightly more extension and can go louder for not a whole lot more $ than the SB12NSD. Both are amazing values. If you need a smaller sub get the SB, if you have some space flexibility, get the PB. You can't go wrong either way. If you have smaller satellites, like I currently do, this sub EASILY handles upper bass notes while sounding tight and accurate but not sounding localized ; I'm talking 110hz crossover point. As long as the sub is placed near the front speakers, you're good to go. I've been in the mid-hi / hi-end audio hobby for over 15 years. This is the 4th sub I've owned and my first SVS. I can readily say that this won't be my last. As great as this sub is, it only makes me wonder how much more amazing the larger more expensive SVS subs can possibly be. Wow!

Worked exactly like expected. I was going to get the SB-13plus but didn't because the American Cherry finish currently offered on the plus wouldn't match my decor. Instead I grabbed two of these.

Due to their diminutive size and relative lightness, setting these up was a snap. The "piano black" finish might not actually quite match the gorgeous luster of a true grand piano, but I like it. While reflective, it wasn't so reflective that it causes problems when I'm running my projector with the lights off.

The bass is accurate and quick. With two subs, I can't comment on the maximum SPL of them. To put it simply, my ears hurt too much before I can get the limiters on the subs to kick in. They're set up in a 20x15 room that's fully open in the back to a kitchen and dining room. Not the best room for bass, but two 12's don't seem to mind. The big plus, too, is that the bass is very even throughout the room.

I will say that running the "Mass Effect 3:Take Earth Back" trailer through them was a giddy experience. The 3:32 minute trailer has both musical (synth) bass and monstrous (alien ships/explosions) bass in it. It's fun when your flatware starts shaking in your kitchen. Running music through them has been enlightening. My old subwoofer sounds limp compared to what these can do.

The only thing these really lack is power in the infrasonic frequency range. Yes, they'll make the ground shake, but they can't massage my organs like a ported 13-15" monster can. On the bright side, though, these didn't make me want to toss my cookies.

I received my SB12 about 2 weeks ago and have been completely blown away. I was nervous given the size of our room (20 foot ceilings) that there wouldn't be enough output given some user reviews and comments. After 2 weeks I have no idea what people are talking about. I have the gain at about 25% and this thing is LOUD. It is also incredibly accurate. Based on everything I've read I think I prefer a "musical" sub and the SB12 fits that to a T. I also got the piano black finish and it is beautiful. This sits in our living room and looks like a nice piece of furniture instead of an ugly box.

This little sub blew away my expectations. I was nervous it wouldn't be big enough for my modest Ht. wow was I wrong. I have owned a 20-36cs+ in a 12x12 room and this little sub comes VERY close to its output in my new 13x17x8 room which opens into a kitchen.

Thanks for all the quick replies from svs helping me make this decision...I was gone from subs for 6 years and now I am back in the svs family and they treat me like I never left. Cants say enough about SVS!!

This thing may be quite diminutive in stature, but it certainly doesn't hold back. Sure it may not be the loudest sub on the planet, it is a sealed design after all. It still gets plenty loud for most people and further it is incredibly tight, controlled, and very musical. Now, all I have to do is get a few objects to stop vibrating when this thing hits.

The SB12-NSD has lived up to my expectations and more! After having this in my possession for a few months now, and ran it through its paces with both music and movies, i have been absolutely thrilled with its performance in my roughly 17x15 room. It hits hard and sounds great. Perfect purchase to complete my system. Thanks again for the recommendation to purchase this model. The glossy black finish looks great and clean like a fine grand piano.

I've had this sub a little over a year. It arrived when promised, double-boxed in very sturdy materials. Set-up easy easy and I was able to get a pretty good placement with minimal moving it around the room and adjusting the phase control.

My listening preferences are weighted 60-40 toward musical accuracy vs. cinematic rumbling. Accordingly, this 12-incher has surpassed my expectations. It is tight, clean and musical. It does especially well on string bass in jazz recordings.

WAF required that I not put something huge and boxy in the living room and this relatively compact cabinet provided a lot of placement options. The quality of craftsmanship is high -- the joints on the rounded corners are seamless all the way around and I love the curved metal grill. I use it with Energy Veritas 2.2 speakers, which will go down to a legitimate 35 hz on their own. But the bass from the SB-12 NSD has more detail, not to mention much more depth.

If you're chasing high decibels and SPLs, as many sub owners are, you probably should look elsewhere. Although this sub will get loud enough and low enough to shake my den on certain DVDs, it can't compete with much bigger ported boxes. But that's not what I was looking for.

If you want slam in your movies, very accurate, detailed bass in your music, more than adequate power and a nice-looking cabinet that isn't the size of a small refrigerator, you can't beat this sub.

My only quibble is that I would have liked a wood-grain finish option to better match it with my speakers. I don't mind the textured finish and it's very durable. But I would have gladly paid more to get a black oak or ash-type finish.

Look no further this sub is incredible.

A friend of mine swears by SVS subwoofers (who has on older SVS sub). At first I was skeptical because I've never had a chance to listen to one first. However, after reading excellent reviews on the forums and you get a 45 day trial or your money back, why not.

This sub puts out accurate clean bass that I've never heard from a sub before. A great choice for either home theater or music. Now I know why SVS offers a trial period because they know you are not going to send it back.

Other thoughts...fast delivery, quality build, quality sound and would be a 1500+ sub if it was sold at a retail store. Why not buy factory direct and get more for your money.

Great Sub, especially for the money, delivery on time, product packed with care, sound is what was promised.

I added this sub to my current SVS setup and have been thrilled ever since. It has been quoted elsewhere as the sub, that "make's your neighbors hate you, and your friends envious." This is all true. This sub is so impressive that it even won my wife over, who is the most frugal and anti-audophile on the planet. Even she agrees that this sub simply belongs in our home theater. Go for it, you won't regret it.

I have the SB12 Plus, and it is the best subwoofer in the universe. I researched for weeks before making my decision on which product to buy, and I feel I could not have chosen any better. The sound is so very clean and undistorted at any volume, the unit is so well constructed, and my rosewood model is beautiful! I could not be happier, and recommend this subwoofer to everyone who will listen. Oh, and the price was incredibly low compared to other products -- much higher quality for a lower price.

I have wanted to own an SVS sub for nearly a decade but just didn't have the chance to build my dream home theater. In 2010, I finally got that chance and selected this sub based on great company reputation and being the fact this was the most affordable sub. After emailing SVS, they assured me that my smaller room volume would be very well served by this sub. They were absolutely correct and using the Audissey automatic calibration feature on my receiver, the set up was a breeze! My SB12-NSD sits nearly hidden in the corner yet any movie with a deep bass sound track is brought to life. I have my receiver set to "night mode" all the time but still I have to be careful to keep the volume down when my daughter is sleeping.

My only advice for anyone considering ANY SV Sub - make sure your HT room is well insulated from bass sound so you can get maximum enjoyment at near-reference volumes for movies. This is also a great musical sub with tight bass and relatively compact size to fit in your main living areas.

I really don't write reviews on products, But this one really deserved it. Look no further if you are looking for a tight clean sound, no distortion and that can keep up with the bigger ones. This is the one for you. My only regret is not getting a second one.

Incredible sub! I did a ton of research, both online at home theater forums and in person listening to some bigger name brands like Polk Audio, Energy, JBL and even got to listen to an Elemental Design Audio sub. After considering the quality associated with SVS, the fact that fellow audiophiles hold SVS in the highest regard and that it was started by S and V after they met on Home Theater Forum, I decided to go with the SB12-NSD before ever listening to it.
First, it's heavy, solid, well constructed, and looks great! I could not ask for SVS to have put more quality into this sub, it's perfected sealed subwoofer construction.
Second, frequency response is as flat as the chart they post indicates. It sounds phenomenal in any room because of this and requires much less positional adjustment to get a great full sound. (Most subwoofers require you to place them in very specific positions in room corners so that the less accentuated frequencies get a little geometric boost in audibility, but the SB12-NSD absolutely does not.)
Third, this subwoofer has more detail and articulation across the range of lower frequencies than I previously thought possible. I'm a stickler for non-boomy subwoofers and this SVS sub made my musician ears jump up and down and cheer! Amazing musicality I've never heard in any sub before.
All around perfect sealed sub for mid-large rooms. Outperforms subs priced >$1500 easily. Great value! This or the larger SB13-PLUS are the very high standard bars for sealed subs.

Customer Reviews: Dual SB12-NSD

The dual SB12's generate a solid field of articulate bass in my 3200 cf family room. Sometimes I think the dual speakers might be an overkill, but then I realize the speakers virtually eliminate the nulls. They're handsome and blend nicely into the decorum. I seriously considered HSU and Rythmik, and I'm satisfied with the SB12's size and performance. Unfortunately, I felt that I had to subtract a star due to a faulty amplifer. But the problem was quickly and pleasantly resolved by SVS customer service. Overall, this has been a positive (and fun) experience.

I don't normally write reviews, but this product deserves some words. I was previously using a PL-200 Sub, which I thought lacked substance and was very sloppy once I upgraded to higher end B&W speakers. Previously this sub sounded ok, but with great speakers in place, it sounded so mis-matched.

After communicating in great lengths with the SVS technical support, which involved giving room details, speaker details, receiver details, they decided the Dual SB12's was the best solution. We spent over 30 minutes on the phone, and I never felt rushed along to make a decision.

Currently I only have one powered while waiting for my new Denon AVR-4520 to arrive. All I can is WOW . . . it blows me away. The frequency differences is so distinct now! Before my previous subwoofer just provided a "boom" this sub is extremely musical and every note is clear. Even though much smaller then my previous subwoofer physically, this one is much louder and clearer. Everyone watching movies can feel the notes in their chest during intense movies.

All I can say is, I LOVE IT! I can't wait to power up the 2nd subwoofer, and be blown away again.

Great product, worth ever penny if you enjoy movies and music.

From customer service, delivery, and performance, you can't go wrong!

SVS Made me a very happy customer!

I purchased dual SVS SB12-NSD subs both because of the nice savings getting 2 and the fact that I was never satisfied with the performance of my former sub from another manufacture. I continue to be impressed by the preformance of these little subs my preference is weighted toward music however HT is also important and these don't disappoint. I don't understand all of the technical details however these subs just seem to sound more natural adding incredible low end clarity and punch while still blending seamlessly with main speakers, which is exactly what I have been searching for.

I did a lot of research before selecting SVS for my sub upgrade and warranty and customer care was important factor as well. My research payed off already; Jack Gilvey with SVS Customer Service provided great advice about optimizing my setup replying to a couple of my emails over the weekend this was not expected but much appreciated – Thanks!

I started with a single SB12-NDS but soon realized I needed a second one for more even sound distribution in my living room. One sub was great: deep, nuanced, subtle bass; very tight; very musical with plenty of rumble for movies. Enough to suit my taste. Two worked better than one. Bass is unbelievably clean and textured. These subs are LOUD. I had space and location issues with my room decor, and these subs fit my needs perfectly. I have a medium to high end system. It has never sounded better.

I originally purchased a single SB12, which I was so pleased with the sound quality, that I pulled the trigger on a second one.

These subs definitely live up to the hype, and benefits of running dual subs are many. The boost in output and frequency response from the second sub is significant and was much more than I expected.

Quality fit & finish, a wonderful performer for music, movies, gaming, and all backed by a very nice warranty.

Nice, attractive compact boxes. Ridiculous SPL. Extremely good musicality. What's not to like? I actually returned a PC12-NSD for lack of spousal approval, and I figured that the dual SB12's were my best chance at matching the output of my departed PC. Well, lo and behold - I actually like the way these breathe better. I'm talking about massive low end that makes movies pop, along with a rich, musical feel for the the 80% of the time I don't have a movie going. Between the quality of the product and the top notch service, SVS can count on me as a customer as long as they're in business.