Can a 17in sealed sub with several kilowatts of power be a REvolution in LFE power and sonic detail? Richard Stevenson puts his back into the review of the SVS SB17.
SVS has earned a reputation for delivering subwoofers that combine brute force with practical engineering. Maybe not the most festooned with features or options, but very strong where it counts most: delivering subterranean bass. The mighty SB17 Ultra-REvolution sits squarely within that philosophy. Positioned between the brand’s ultra-compact sealed models and the giant units with bass ports big enough for nesting badgers, this model has been developed for projects where footprint, output and cost are all at play. The latter is interesting because before I had seen the RRP, I’d have guessed another 40% or so on its £3,350 retail ticket price. The build, fit and finish are all top-notch premium subwooferery.
At the heart of the SB17 Ultra-R is a bespoke 17in long-throw driver drawing on SVS’s experience with ultra-rigid composite cones and massive motor structures. The aim is to ensure the sub output stays clean even at ASBO-inducing pressure levels. Powering the driver is a Sledgeseries amplifier rated at 2800W RMS. Yes RMS, not ‘peak’. Peak is 6kW.
No surprise then that the DSP has sophisticated limiting to stop the driver unexpectedly departing from its own mortal coil. The cabinet uses heavy-gauge MDF with extensive internal bracing to control resonances, all wrapped in one of two finishes that suit high-end media rooms. Our sample came in the stealthy black oak veneer and full gloss noir is available at the same price. Feet are iso-elastomer cones that garner mass-induced traction on hard floors and carpets alike – as you will immediately find out when you try to move the Ultra R Evo. At 75kg, it is precisely the same weight as this reviewer, making it 50/50 as to who or what was in control of room placement. Gravity mostly.
Almost a third of the weight is the driver’s motor assembly alone, featuring an 8in diameter voice coil and magnet that could probably levitate a small car. Thankfully, the sealed design means placement should be a little more forgiving than a ported bass beast of similar stature. Connectivity is straightforward, with twin line-level RCA and twin balanced XLR inputs, with complementary outputs for loop-throughs on every input.
There is a 12V trigger, IR input and a USB port for the SVS SoundPath wireless adapter. Rather funkily, there is a crisp little LED display on the rear, which you can handily invert to read upside down while bent over the main unit. This offers some top-line functionality to get you started. All other twiddling comes courtesy of Bluetooth connection to the SVS App. Volume, low-pass, phase, polarity, gain and some tuning modes are standard fare, with six adjustable parametric EQ settings. There is no onboard controller integration or EQ measurement and auto-correction system, so to effectively deploy the PEQ, you would need to be running something like REW software on a laptop with a calibrated mic.
THE RIGHT PHILOSOPHY
SVS’s philosophy here is that most modern AVRs and cinema processors that are likely affluent enough to partner this sort of sub are already going to boast sophisticated bass management and, most likely, the option of full bass EQ through the likes of Dirac Live, Audyssesy MultEQ XT32, or ARC. Fair point. Omitting an EQ system and the relevant licenses also helps keep the REvo’s RRP down to a level where many brands would be offering 12-inch/1-1.5kW subs, underlining this bad boy’s rather fine value chops. Given its impressive output on the first test run, you will likely not need two of them either, unless the installation room is truly cavernous. Much like TVs default to an in-store demo mode with every setting set to 11 of the box, our SB17 Ultra-REvo delivered real-world explosive impact and all the subtlety of binge-watching Expendables movies. Huge LF waves that shake the entire room, the room next door and your neighbour’s three doors down the street are impressive and fun – for a very short period of time. Diving into the app then… The dark-themed app opens with a large Home/Volume screen, providing instant access to several preset PEQs (Movie, Music, Custom and Default), as well as a dropdown list of additional settings.
These range comprehensively from the basics to the display settings of the rear LED panel and Room Gain Compensation. It’s logical and well thought out; the big digital volume display looks great and the gain slider is nicely touch-responsive. Trimmed, dialled, phase corrected, levels set and positioned off-centre of the front wall (that was where it landed when I ran out of fight), the REvo turns from a blunt piledriver into a fast, sophisticated LFE monster that won’t shy away from RP22 reference SPLs of around 115dB in-room.
Performance
Ooof, it is seriously potent! It loves big movies, big action and huge effects, and manages to move a lot of air while retaining detail and note separation. That gives the effects superb texture and a greater sense of realism. Yet it can also be remarkably delicate and subtle. It adds low-frequency reinforcement to even lighter music with smoothness and warmth, and a potent slam to pop and dance that you can very much feel. Having listened to a few ported SVS subs in the past, the REvo is something quite different; just as potent, but tighter and equally as good with musical engagement and detail as it is delivering gizzard-wobbling LFE with epic movies. For mid to large AV installations, the SVS SB- 17 Ultra REvolution offers a winning combination of build quality, all-round performance and exceptional bang for the customer’s hard-earned buck. Care with placement and set-up is a must, particularly if you are not using any third-party auto-correction, but put in the time and the sonic rewards are great. The SB17 is one of the best ‘big’ subs I have had the pleasure to review, if not move.
