SVS 1000 Subwoofer Line Gets Pro Upgrade
SVS has been slowly upgrading their subwoofer lines in recent years. Now it is time for the 1000 line to get a refresh. The new 1000 Pro subwoofers have new drivers, new amps, new capabilities, and, in one case, a new price point. I spoke with Gary Yacoubian, the CEO of SVS, and got the scoop on these new subwoofers. You can read on any website the new features of the 1000 Pro series, but let’s break down the things that buyers should really care about.
Complete Redesign
SVS doesn’t refresh a line just to give you buyers remorse. Mr. Yacoubian was quite honest in our conversation. They redesigned every aspect of the 1000 line for the Pro upgrade. New amp, new driver, and a completely new design for the ported version.
SVS always offers ported and sealed versions of their subwoofers, and the new 1000 Pro line is no different. The SB-1000 Pro is the sealed version, the PB-1000 Pro is the ported. Both sport a 12″ woofer (the previous ported version had a 10″ driver), a new 325-watt Sledge amp, app control, a three-band parametric EQ, and the legendary build quality of SVS.
The ported PB-1000 Pro in particular is completely different. Not only does it have a bigger driver, but dual ports. These ports can be plugged (one or both) to tune the response. A great option that has never been available at this price point for SVS.
Everyone Gets 20Hz!
In the old 1000 line, the SB-1000 had a -3dB point at around 24hz. Great performance, yes, but it technically didn’t hit 20hz anachoically. The new SB-1000 Pro remedies that with the help of the new Sledge amp and redesigned driver. Now every sub in SVS’s line is rated to 20Hz or lower at -3dB.
Speaker Level Inputs
The new 1000 Pro series are the only subwoofers left in the SVS line that still sport speaker-level inputs. Usually, when we see speaker-level inputs, we also assume that the sub can use its internal crossover to apply a high-pass filter to the signal. That is not the case here. This connection simply lets the subwoofer detect the lowest frequencies. The speakers will still get a full-range signal.
Mr. Yacoubian explained that they wanted to have one line within their offerings with speaker-level inputs. The 1000 Pro series is the only line with these inputs. They see these being used by users with smaller rooms or in two-channel systems with gear that might not have subwoofer outputs.
DSP Functionality
Mr. Yacoubian was particularly proud of the new amplifier. It has a ton of power, yes, but the other functionality was what really excited him. The 50MHz Analog Devices DSP allows SVS to fine-tune the performance of the subs. He was clear that the DSP wasn’t a panacea. It can’t increase output or extension, but it can tweak the performance at a very granular level to maximize performance.
Bi-Directional Feedback
Again, the amp is a big part of the 1000 Pro upgrade. It has Bluetooth connectivity which allows app control. This a great if you are trying to dial in your subwoofer’s performance by adjusting the phase, volume, or even crossover slope. The neat thing is that it has bi-directional feedback. That means that any change you make on the app will be reflected on the amplifier. If you manually make an adjustment at the amplifier, the app will update.
Finish Options
One question I had for Mr. Yacoubian was about finishing options. The smaller SB-1000 Pro still sports the less expensive vinyl black ash finish as well as the more expensive gloss white or black options. The larger PB-1000 Pro only has the vinyl black ash available. Gary explained it was because customers overwhelmingly bought the black ash finish at this price point.
Trade-Ins and Upgrades
Did you recently buy a sub from the 1000 line? Maybe for Christmas? If your purchase was fairly recent, SVS will swap it out for the new one and they pay shipping both ways. Did you buy one within the last year? They’ll swap it out, but you pay for shipping. Not sure where you fall? Give them a call! They’ll help you out!
If you are wondering if the 1000 line will get a 1000 Pro upgrade kit like the 4000 series, the answer is no. Mr. Yacoubian explained that the 1000 and 2000 lines will NOT be getting upgrade kits. He said that the cost associated wouldn’t make sense to the customer. They would be better off just upgrading to the new subs. Fair enough.
Price
Lastly, we have to address price. The old SB-1000 and PB-1000 subwoofers started at $500 (technically $499.99) with the gloss finishes costing $100 more. The SB-1000 Pro keeps this price but the PB-1000 Pro costs $600. With the larger driver, better performance, stronger amp, many more control options, port tuning…it makes sense.
Conclusion
The 1000 Pro line may be SVS’s introductory line, but it promises features and performance expected of subwoofers many times its price. I asked Gary Yacoubian, CEO of SVS why they included all the features (particularly the EQ and app control) in their entry-level 1000 Pro line. They could have skipped them and maybe saved some money. His answer, “Every SVS customer is an SVS Customer…We don’t leave anyone behind.”
