Subwoofers

Ready For Tomorrow, Flying Panda?
I kicked things off with my usual round of infrasonic Blu-ray liveners: the opening credits sequence of Edge of Tomorrow; the 'skadoosh' scene in Kung Fu Panda; the catalyst bomb in Ready Player One; and the drum dance in House of Flying Daggers. The SB-1000 Pro demonstrated all the key SVS attributes such as depth, slam and sheer output. However, what was really surprising was that all this powerful low-end energy was being generated by a tiny black cube. This sub might be designed for smaller spaces, but that doesn't mean it's only fit for your dinky games den. It's more than suitable for movie night in larger environments.

Sealed models generally tend to offer a faster response and better driver control when compared to their ported siblings, and the SB-1000 Pro is no exception. In the opening of The Greatest Showman (4K BD) – a fantastic test of stop-start LFE – the enthusiastic circus crowd stamped their feet in unison, and the effect made me feel like the bleachers could collapse at any second.

Later on the film's star-crossed lovers sing while swinging around the Big Top on trapeze cables and ropes, and there's a perfectly timed low-end thump as counterweights smash into the circus floor. The SB-1000 Pro snapped into action with relish.

Such speed from a subwoofer is always welcome, but let's be honest – if you've got a home cinema then at some point you're going to want to blow something up. The Outpost on Amazon Prime Video provides such opportunities in spades, with a battle that takes up the second half of the film. The awesome 5.1 mix erupts into a barrage of big bass moments, and each is unique to its specific sound effect.

There's small weapons fire, machine guns, big 50-calibres, grenades and RPGs. These low-end hits are all subtly different. The SVS SB-1000 Pro renders these carefully designed bass signatures with nuance, but does so with a visceral energy. By the end I actually felt shellshocked.

Having previously reviewed the SVS SB-2000 Pro [HCC #309], I found myself wondering whether that mid-range model (available for £900) justifies its price premium over the SB-1000 Pro. Both use a single, front-firing 12in driver and have identical sets of features, although the SB-2000 Pro is slightly larger and has more amplifier grunt. As a result it can go a tiny bit deeper with greater output but, depending on the size of your room, it becomes hard to justify the additional cost when the SB-1000 Pro is this good.

King Of The Bargain Bassmakers
Ultimately this subwoofer represents the very essence of what SVS does so well – it's solidly built, offers some attractive finishes, and boasts high-end features that include a really useful Bluetooth control app. More importantly it has bass extension and power to spare, and manages to plumb the depths with a cabinet barely bigger than the driver itself. Once you factor in the price, the SB-1000 Pro becomes irresistible, and is now the budget sub to beat.

HCC Verdict

SVS SB-1000 Pro

Price: From £550 
www.svsound.com

We say: Small but perfectly formed, this powerful sealed sub delivers deep bass from minimal space. Add in the Bluetooth control app, and at this price it's hard to resist.

Overall: 5/5

Specifications

DRIVE UNITS: 1 x 12in fibre composite woofer ENCLOSURE: Sealed FREQUENCY RESPONSE (CLAIMED): 20Hz-270Hz (+/-3dB) ONBOARD POWER (CLAIMED): 325W (820W peak) Sledge Class D amp REMOTE CONTROL: No. Bluetooth app instead DIMENSIONS: 342(h) x 330(w) x 375(d)mm WEIGHT: 11.1kg

FEATURES: Low-level stereo phono input; LFE phono input; low-level stereo phono output; stereo speaker-level inputs; 12V trigger; SVS Bluetooth app with three-band parametric EQ; crossover and phase control; Movie, Music and Custom presets; Intelligent Control Interface; Analogue Devices Audio 56-bit DSP; supports SVS SoundPath wireless audio adapter