PB12-NSD Subwoofer

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PB12-NSD Subwoofer

The PB12-NSD is no longer in stock. For comparable performance, check out the SVS PB-1000 and PB-2000 Pro subwoofers or browse the SVS Outlet store for the best prices you’ll find on all SVS subwoofers.

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PB12-NSD
PB12-NSD

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Overview
Description
Specs
Reviews
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Overview
Description
Specs
Reviews
Back to top

PB12-NSD

The PB12-NSD subwoofer is the ultimate subwoofer over-achiever. It’s room-energizing, pants-flapping bass, for a fraction of the cost of the typical reference subwoofer. SPLs and output also compares with much larger ported box subwoofers but with a greater control and accuracy from the sophisticated Sledge amplifier, overbuilt driver and precisely tuned cabinet.

Quick Specs

  • Driver | 12"
  • Amplifier | 400 watts RMS (800 watts peak)
  • Freq. Response | 18-150 Hz ±3dB
  • Port Size & # | Single 4"
  • Dimension | 20.9" (H) 17.3" (W) 22" (D)
  • Weight | 66lbs
View Full Tech Specs
PB12-NSD Subwoofer Owner’s Manual PB12-NSD Subwoofer Quick Start Guide
Audioholics - Bassaholic Certified Medium Award
Sound & Vision - Top Pick of the Year Award
AVForums - Best Buy Award

Frequency Response / Acoustic Data:

  • 18-150 Hz +/- 3 dB
  • 2-meter ground plane away from reflective structures (quasi-anechoic)

Subwoofer Specs:

  • Cabinet Dimensions: 20.9" (H) x 17.3" (W) x 22"(D)
  • Overall Dimensions: 21.4" (H) x 17.3" (W) x 25.4" (D) (includes feet, grille, amplifier)
  • Weight (unboxed): 66 pounds
  • Shipped Dimensions: 30" (H) x 23" (W) x 27" (D)
  • Shipped Weight: 82 pounds
  • Rigid and braced Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF) cabinet
  • Premium black ash finish
  • Front-firing driver
  • Front-firing 4" high-flow flared port
  • Protective non-resonant steel mesh grille
  • Power cord length: 8 feet

Driver Specs:

  • SVS 12” NSD driver
  • 2” diameter, high-power voice coil with high-temp former
  • Nomex linear roll long-throw spider
  • Low-creep rubber long-throw surround
  • Spider-integrated tinsel leads
  • Aluminum cone and composite dust cap with SVS logo
  • Powder-coated cast aluminum basket
  • Finite Element Analysis (FEA)-optimized motor structure
  • Dual shorting rings and pole extenders to reduce gap induction and distortion
  • Vented pole piece for greater cooling and low noise.
  • Dual high-grade ferrite magnets
  • Pole piece vent for greater cooling, low noise, and reduced air compression

Amplifier Specs:

  • STA-400D Sledge with 400 watts RMS continuous power (800 watts peak dynamic power)
  • High efficiency cool-running Class D switching topology
  • Detachable power cord with main power switch and fuse
  • RoHS compliant, lead-free construction and world-wide safety certifications
  • Auto-On / On switch with "green" standby mode
  • Stereo line-level RCA input/output connections
  • Fully adjustable low pass filter with Disable setting
  • Unfiltered (for daisy-chain) and 80 Hz HPF line level RCA outputs
  • Customized EQ and DSP limiter settings specifically for the PB12-NSD
  • Input impedance - 20 kΩ (unbalanced RCA)
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True to SVS design philosophy, the PB12-NSD obliterates performance expectations for the price with a driver, amplifier, motor and cabinet combination at an all new low price. Equally adaptable for music, home theater, TV and gaming, the PB12-NSD produces amazingly deep and articulate bass with pinpoint accuracy and speed in transients at all drive level.

Potent SVS 12-inch NSD High-Output Driver

Featuring high end materials and rock-solid design, the 12-inch SB12-NSD driver handles every watt of the Sledge amplifier’s power and delivers deep, room-energizing bass and crushing SPLs with pristine clarity and control, even when pushed to the absolute limit.

Sledge STA-400D Amplifier

Effortless power with smooth and precise signal processing for accuracy and clarity at all drive level, the PB12-NSD’s STA-400D amplifier is conservatively rated at 400 watts RMS, 800 watts peak power and effortlessly delivers massive amounts of current to the motor and driver to create convincing cinematic and musical bass you can hear and feel at the most important moments. With digital bass management features and flexible set up options normally reserved for more expensive subwoofers, the Sledge amplifier makes it easy to optimize with any equipment in any room set-up

DSP for Fine-Tuning In-Room Performance

Internal Digital Signal Processing (DSP) allows for easy integration into rooms of all shapes and sizes as well as with all different models and brands of speakers.

Optimized Cabinet Design

The PB12-NSD features a front-firing 4” high-flow port with inner/outer port flares for extremely powerful and controlled output with palpable slam. The 21x17x22 cabinet is substantial but not over-sized and features a protective steel mesh grille and comes in a premium black ash wood grain finish for a handsome look that fits most room décor.

Press Reviews

Read Full Reviews Here

User Reviews

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Customer Reviews
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Filter Reviews:
J
12/27/2013
Jeff

Despite a few issues, I'm very happy

Despite a few issues, I'm very happy with my SVS sound system, which includes a pair of the PB12-NSD and the SBS-02. Details are below. PB12-NSD --------- I love the bass slam, and PB12-NSD's ability to hit 19 Hz. I have re-listened to a lot of my music albums, and discovering all the bass that I've been missing. The PB12-NSD subwoofer produces flat output and doesn't exaggerate the mid-to-high bass frequencies like many common subwoofers do. The output is very tight, not muddy. Where the PB12-NSD really shines is the low and ultra-low bass frequencies. Every time I listen to my sound system, I smile. SVS representatives responded quickly to my inquiries. When their subwoofer interconnects were not available for purchase, SVS even suggested an alternate vendor, which indicates they look out for you and not just their bottom-line. However, there are points of critique: - My two subwoofers both arrived with various holes in the boxes, even going through the double-boxing. The shipping was a big concern, and could have caused damage to the subwoofers. (This may be the shipper at fault.) - My two subwoofers do not auto-wake at the same time. That is to say, one requires higher dB to wake up than the other. This suggests sensitivity or calibration differences between the two units. I expect them to wake at the same output level. - When I made the purchase of two PB12-NSD subwoofers, there was no automatic pair-discount pricing. But when asked about it, SVS made an adjustment, and so it worked out well in the end. - It was a whole month from the time I purchased my subwoofers to the time they were delivered. This was not expected. The repeated delays were not known ahead of time and was communicated only in a reactive manner. As a result, I was on a business trip when the delivery took place. Not good. SBS-02 ------ These pair of bookshelves sound very sharp and are loud enough to fill modestly large rooms in a residential home. I use these in place of towers, and have no regrets with this decision. The highs and midrange are clear. Female vocals come out crisp. Misc ---- I also purchased a pair of speaker stands, which I had to return once I realized it wasn't for me. The return process was simple and without hassle. Again, this shows SVS's customer-first approach. Summary ------- Despite a few issues, I recommend SVS and would buy from them again.

PB12-NSD
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C
12/05/2013
Claymation

Superior performance and service

Moved to a new home with a 20'x 20' family room with high ceilings. Ditched my 50" Monitor for a 90" and needed to upgrade my subs for the larger space. I first ordered dual PB 1000s which were excellent for music but we couldn't "feel" the low frequency effects watching movies. Called SVS and was told the 10" subs weren't able to move enough air in the large space so upgraded to dual PB-12NSDs. Easy,no hassle exchange and Wow! Real theater experience! These subs rock. Blend very nicely with my B&W speakers. That and I got an unsolicited email from SVS that they had dropped the price and since I was within the 60 day price gaurantee I got the difference refunded. Only downside are the grills. They are heavy,metal and very easy to pull off. Good looking but not kid friendly. Had to drop one star for the cabinet design but the performance is easily 5 star.

PB12-NSD
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S
10/24/2013
StephenBrodeur

Just as advertised, flat ...

Just as advertised, flat response all the way down to 18Hz. Set my Emotiva LFE crossover at 150Hz, and the sound is seamless. Keeps up with my Martin Logan Scripts, without interfering with their legendary soundstage. Only down side: It's big! But, ported subs need that volume to hit those awesome lows. So far, nothing's overdriven it, not even Tony Stark's house falling into the Pacific. Can't wait to hear some more SVS product.

PB12-NSD
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T
12/15/2012
ThomasHuppert

Note the 4 star rating ...

Note the 4 star rating versus the 5 given by everyone else. This is a lengthy review but I wanted to explain why I gave the NSDs 4 stars instead of 5. If you aren't interested in the details, you can just skip to the last 2 paragraphs for the gist of this review. I've got a 3600 cu ft room where one side partially opens into the rest of the house. Carpet over concrete slab. Difficult room to pressurize. My critical listening is 90% movies. Quality, but not high end, speakers and receiver. Volume can get quite loud-near reference level. I was looking to replace a 2001(?) 12" Velodyne that was distorting as I pushed it too hard trying to fill the space with the higher demands of Bluray and its enhanced, lossless audio. Besides distorting, the Velodyne's output below 30 hz, while there, was dropping off too quickly for today's soundtracks. Read the terrific professional and user reviews of SVS. Spoke with Jack and Eli who both thought a 12 Plus would be the answer. I have always liked the benefits of multiple subs, and when I broached the idea of dual NSDs at roughly the same price they both preferred that idea. That's the route I went. They went into the front corners of my large room where I know dual subs provide pretty smooth response throughout the room. I integrated them into my system but wasn't happy with the results and didn't think they lived up to the hype. I saw 2 main problems. First, though they covered the ultra-low bass below 30 hz, they weren't hitting with the impact I was expecting. After speaking with Ed at SVS re the design of the subs limiter (much of which went way over my head) I was convinced these subs are pretty bulletproof. I admit that when listening to movies I prefer a sound where the low end is boosted above truly balanced levels. I increased the LFE output by 6-7 dbs and achieved the desired results in pressurizing the room with with visceral, feel-in- the-chest, shake- the-furniture type of low end I was looking for. The second disappointment I encountered in my initial setup was what I perceived to be a weak response in the low-upper bass of roughly 40-60hz. I came to realize that this is simply a reflection of SVS goal to produce subs with extremely flat frequency responses. Many might say that flat frequency responses in a sub might not be as ideal as they are throughout the midrange and treble. Most subs have a small but significant boost in the 40-60 hz range. This provides a "presence" or "heft" to both music and, especially, the critical low-bass range in films. The flat response designed and achieved by SVS is more accurate and truer overall, but I guess I'll never be accused of being a purist because I prefer that boosted presence in the 40-60 hz range. I solved that by integrating the Velodyne into my system at a slightly lower-than-balanced gain, thus allowing the Velodyne to provide a bit of 40-60hz boost while not interfering with the otherwise excellent performance of the NSDs. Sorry for the long review. In conclusion, the PB 12 NSDs are excellent subs, especially at their price range. Don't think any one else can compete at that price. They hit hard and low without sounding "one-note-ish" at all. They have excellent engineering and build quality. They can be pushed hard without producing bad sounds or damaging the unit. (I run them hard-tickling the limiter but not allowing the limiter to remain lit. Considering this, I probably should have gone with two Pluses but there was a price difference to consider.) I am very happy with their performance and probably should have given them a 5 star rating. The only reason I didn't is my personal preference for a bit more presence in the 40-60 hz response. The only other problem I have is that one of the subs, when pushed hard, will vibrate the top half of the metal grill loose from its grommets/eyeholes. And I agree with all the other reviews in that, after speaking with Ed, Eli, and Jack, I've found that the guys down there are great to work with. They really seem to care about their customers.

PB12-NSD
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M
01/19/2012
MarshallPeterson

I purchased this product ...

I purchased this product about two years ago, but am unable to set it where one can hear/feel base without a severe rattle. ...***[SVS Response]*** ...HI Marshall, thank you for bringing this issue to our attention. I am very sorry to hear that you are having problems with your PB12-NSD. Our Customer Service team is always on hand to assist with these matters and will be contacting you immediately to help get this resolved... -Eli, SVSound

PB12-NSD
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