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SVS SB-2000 Pro vs SB-3000 Subwoofer Review

trl

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@hardisj, in case you still have a SB-3000 around, any chance to listen to it closely and look for background noise, please? Just rename the attached .zip to .m4a and listen how noise starts at sec. # 6 of the recording (recorded with an iPhone from 4-5 inches away from the driver's cone).

When switching between sound profiles in the SVS app, sometimes the noise disappears for couple of secs, but after that it gets back. Of course, using the power switch from back is easier to check for such noise.

Thank you!

L.E.: Looks like @Prolix and @Steve Dallas had the same issues too: hiss noise and pitch whining noise. On my SB-3000 the hiss noise ir at arouns 2300 Hz, while the pitch noise only appears random and is lower in amplitude than the hiss.
 

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Matias

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I also bought an SB-3000 and I can hear a faint high pitched noise coming from the plate amp behind it, but it is very low level, I really need a silent room and ear close to the sub to hear it. No big deal in my opinion.
 

trl

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I'm pretty sure that a low-pass filter (e.g.: 1...2mH serialised with the driver and 2...5uF parallel to the driver) would lower this hiss.

I mention that initially I haven't placed my ear to the driver to check for noise, instead I've heard the noise while moving around close to the subwoofer during the night. It was powered ON, because I forgot to power it OFF "thanks" to the missing LED from front (SB-1000 and SB-2000 have this LED).

However, SVS recommended me to try other subs as well, if I'm really annoyed by this hiss noise: "If you are sensitive to the sound and can hear it at the primary listening position, you may want to consider dual SB-2000 Pro or an SB-4000 - both of which use different amplifier platforms".

Now I'm still doing measurements and playing around with it's settings to find the best match to make it pretty linear across 20...200 Hz, but when I'll finish testing I'll draw a line and see if this hiss is still a real problem or not.

Thanks!
 

Chromatischism

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I, too, appreciate Erin's diligence but I hope we can get to the bottom of the discrepancy.

It takes a large 15" driver vented sub like the Rythmik FV15HP to do 107 dB at 20 Hz, so something isn't right.

I hope no one buys these assuming they are going to get that kind of output in a small sealed cube. They will be disappointed.
 

trl

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I think it's more around 93...94 dB @20Hz if I check Erin and Audioholics measurements, right?

SVS%20SB-2000%20Pro%20vs%20SB-3000%20FR.png

Erin's measurements


image

Audioholics's measurements


Indeed, the CEA-2010 measurements look differently:

Maximum%20SPL%20%28dB%29%20per%20CEA-2010-A%20%282-meter%20Ground%20Plane%29.png

Maybe Erin can provide a better answer, as I feel like the way we interpret these measurements is not clear enough. Thanks!
 
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trl

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On a side note, the way my SB-2000 acts in my living room is way different than in an anechoic rooms. There is a few dB bump at around 25 Hz, so applying a PEQ at around 25 Hz does a great job. For some, even the Room compensation @ 25 Hz would help, but not in my case, due to an odd decrease in freqs between 40...50 Hz.

Worth mentioning that my sub is not in the corner, but 1 m in front of the speakers, somewhere on a side, firing 90 degrees at right.

So in a real room, REW measurements will be very handy.
 

Persik

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Is SB3000 hiss a common issue? I was planning to get one, but don't want to be annoyed by some hiss...
 

trl

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Appearantly yes, but this may not be audible from your listening position if the distance is > 1.5 m. I've only heard it after I moved my sub with 90 degrees - lateral firing), while my listening position was almost 1.5 m from the sub (and approx. 2.5 m from the front stereo speakers).

I wouldn't return my sub due to this hiss, but I am considering it as being a lowlight...at least technically speaking. I really think you should get one if you really want a SB-3000. If the hiss will be audible from your listening position (your room should be really quiet for that), then you may return it, but I really think it will be a keeper.

Few folks here said the same thing about SB-2000, I will look it up in couple of weeks (I have a friend with two of these).
 

groovybassist

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I just returned an SB3000 due to the hiss and a tweeting noise that could be heard when within 18” or so of the sub, even when bass heavy content was being played. Admittedly it wasn’t audible at the listening position, but I wasn’t comfortable with that level of self-noise from a product at this price point.

Two thumbs up for dealing with SVS though - initial shipping was quick, they were very responsive to my concerns and the return was handled quickly, with no hassle whatsoever.
 
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Persik

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The hiss from my sb3000 sounds like a white noise, that cannot be heard from 2’ in a quiet room. My previous sub which was ~10 times less powerful and of the lower quality (Polk PS10) produced even higher volume hiss. I would be surprised if there are subwoofers that have no such noise at all, but my experience is limited to these two models.
 

Chromatischism

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The hiss from my sb3000 sounds like a white noise, that cannot be heard from 2’ in a quiet room. My previous sub which was ~10 times less powerful and of the lower quality (Polk PS10) produced even higher volume hiss. I would be surprised if there are subwoofers that have no such noise at all, but my experience is limited to these two models.
My Rythmiks have all been silent (6 of them in my houses so far over 6 years time). It is likely because they don't use SpeakerPower or ICEpower amps, but either a Class H or Class D Hypex depending on model.
 

Spkrdctr

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Why would anyone care if they can hear hiss at 8 inches from a sub? Is anyone listening 8 inches from a sub? Everyone realizes that as soon as sound is played the hiss is not a factor in listening? It is not audible at all by anyone. Many on this great site get way, way too far down in the rabbit hole as to what is important in equipment. I recommend keeping buying choices to audibility. If it is not audible in a music/movie listening scenario, who cares? For example, people can get sunburned. To keep it from burning you, you stay out of long term exposure of the sun. Now, does having the sun shining outside if you are in abuilding affect your skin where you can possibly get burned? No. So, it becomes a matter of taking one set of circumstances and applying theories, ideas and ruminations about it that do not apply. This happens all the time in audio. Don't worry about hiss 6 inches from a sub if it takes you that close to hear any hiss. Just saying....... keep it real guys!
 

Persik

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Why would anyone care if they can hear hiss at 8 inches from a sub? Is anyone listening 8 inches from a sub? Everyone realizes that as soon as sound is played the hiss is not a factor in listening? It is not audible at all by anyone. Many on this great site get way, way too far down in the rabbit hole as to what is important in equipment. I recommend keeping buying choices to audibility. If it is not audible in a music/movie listening scenario, who cares? For example, people can get sunburned. To keep it from burning you, you stay out of long term exposure of the sun. Now, does having the sun shining outside if you are in abuilding affect your skin where you can possibly get burned? No. So, it becomes a matter of taking one set of circumstances and applying theories, ideas and ruminations about it that do not apply. This happens all the time in audio. Don't worry about hiss 6 inches from a sub if it takes you that close to hear any hiss. Just saying....... keep it real guys!

I concur, never listened to sub hiss after initial installation. BTW, SVS sound isolation feet for sub, have done magic to reduce vibrations transferred to the floor and consequent rattling of nearby items in the room.
 

Jimbo1960

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I just bought a pair of the SB-3000 subs. I was really enjoying them until this morning. I used the remote app to turn on the left sub first. I heard the power click and then a hissing noise. I then turned the right sub on and experienced the same hissing noise. I was sitting a good 12 feet away. I am 61 years old and worked at a job that was not kind to my hearing. I got up closer to each sub and could clearly hear the noise. To me it almost had an oscillating sound to it. My listening room was quiet at the time, except for my Synology NAS. The NAS has one noisy hard drive.

I am torn as to whether to keep them or not. I can't think of any other subwoofer with an app that works so I can have them hooked up to a home theater preamp and an audio preamp. I can easily switch between the two from the app. I wonder if the SB-4000 has the issue. I do not really want to spend the extra money, but I should not hear the hiss from 12 feet away.
 

Kal Rubinson

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I think it was there the whole time, but it was the first time I had them on in a quiet room.
I'd call SVS. I have a pair of SB-3000 in the front of my listening room and, even with my ear to the front grille, neither makes any audible noise.
 

Pdxwayne

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I just bought a pair of the SB-3000 subs. I was really enjoying them until this morning. I used the remote app to turn on the left sub first. I heard the power click and then a hissing noise. I then turned the right sub on and experienced the same hissing noise. I was sitting a good 12 feet away. I am 61 years old and worked at a job that was not kind to my hearing. I got up closer to each sub and could clearly hear the noise. To me it almost had an oscillating sound to it. My listening room was quiet at the time, except for my Synology NAS. The NAS has one noisy hard drive.

I am torn as to whether to keep them or not. I can't think of any other subwoofer with an app that works so I can have them hooked up to a home theater preamp and an audio preamp. I can easily switch between the two from the app. I wonder if the SB-4000 has the issue. I do not really want to spend the extra money, but I should not hear the hiss from 12 feet away.
Are the subs connected to AVR? Do you hear hiss if nothing is connected to them?
 
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