svs sb 4000 review

The SVS Sound company, which chose Youngstown, Ohio (USA) for its headquarters, was founded in 1998. The company produces a wide range of speaker systems, cables, and devices for wireless audio, but they did not bring fame to SVS Sound. 

The company began its history with the production of subwoofers, which quickly glorified the brand due to the relatively low cost of high-end products. On this approach SVS Sound created its own corporate philosophy: quality was ensured by production in the States and advanced engineering using modern technologies, and an affordable price was obtained due to a distribution system that was new at that time - subwoofers were sold to customers directly via the Internet, bypassing intermediaries. And now that the company is no longer relying solely on subwoofers, when it has greatly expanded production, turning from a local American brand into a global speaker manufacturer, subwoofers still occupy a solid share of the SVS Sound lineup. 

Today the company produces 5 lines of subwoofers, starting with the 1000 series and so on up to the 4000 series and the top-of-the-line Ultra. The older series models are even superficially similar, sharing design and technology, although the top-end Ultra subwoofers are still slightly larger, more powerful, and equipped with larger diameter drivers.

It is easy to guess by the name that the hero of our review SVS SB-4000 belongs to the fourth series of subwoofers from the company, which is one step below the top Ultra line in the hierarchy. The SVS SB 4000 subwoofer is made in a closed-type case, along with it, the series includes two bass-reflex "subwoofers" PB-4000 and PC-4000, the latter is distinguished by the original shape of the cabinet, made in the form of a cylindrical tower.    svs sb 4000 review

 In addition to excellent performance and luxurious settings, the 4000 series subwoofers are distinguished by another innovation: the now fashionable theme of “digitization” of everything at SVSgot to the control of subwoofers - you can connect to them via Bluetooth, gaining access to all settings. Of course, for retrogrades or special situations, manufacturers have retained the old-fashioned methods of adjustments using a keypad and remote control.

The SVS SB 4000 subwoofer cannot be called miniature, it is brutal, but beautiful in its own way: a figured metal grill, rounded corners of the cabinet, a control panel with a display located in an elegant cutout at the transition of the facade to the top panel. The finish of the cabinet is available in two finishes: black ash with a pronounced textured pattern or black piano lacquer, but both finishes have premium quality and external gloss. Lacquer, however, will cost a little more. The subwoofer cabinet is made of double-thickness MDF and additionally reinforced with numerous ties, preventing the occurrence of resonances. Specially designed legs made of elastomer absorb the residual vibrations of the cabinet well, at the same time protecting the subwoofer from external vibrations.

Built into the subwoofer is the Sledge STA-1200D amplifier, which is controlled by Analog Devices' smart sound processor that enhances the subwoofer's performance with multiple control circuits and a greatly expanded list of settings. 

The advantages of the amplifier are built not only on the processor, but the circuit also uses an energy-efficient switching power supply, the so-called D-class, and a cascade assembled on discrete MOSFET transistors, characterized by a very high output current. As a result, the amplifier delivers 1.2 kW continuous and up to 4.2 kW peak power. Integrated power correction and ground isolation circuits work in the amplifier akin to a mains air conditioner, protecting against fluctuations in input voltage and current, and leveling noise that can come along the ground line from other electrical appliances.

The SVS SB 4000 is also state-of-the-art, with everything optimized to reproduce deep bass with minimal distortion and maximum sound pressure. The total weight of the driver, whose diameter is 343 mm, is 19.5 kg, of which 17 kg falls on the motor with two huge ferrite magnets. The voice coil with a diameter of 76 mm is wound in 8 layers with a flat aluminum cable. The composite diffuser on a parabolic suspension has a more than impressive linear stroke - 52 mm. As a result, the driver can reproduce the bass, climbing below 20 Hz, and at the same time reaching an enviable sound pressure level for a home subwoofer - 126.8 dB (when installed in the corner).

The patch panel located on the back of the subwoofer carries line inputs and outputs, as well as a trigger input. Both unbalanced (RCA) and balanced (XLR) signal connectors are available. One of the RCA inputs is labeled LFE, leading the signal to bypass the built-in low-pass filters. There are no rotary knobs or switches on the back, all adjustments are left to the front control panel, remote control or wireless Bluetooth app, and the SVS SB-4000 setup methods are listed here in ascending order of convenience. The fastest and most intuitive method is the SVS App, which runs on any gadgets running on iOS or Android operating systems.

The settings of the SVS SB 4000, or rather their abundance, deserve special mention. Volume from -60 to 0 dB is adjustable with a duty cycle of 1 dB. In the low-pass characteristics, you can choose not only the cutoff frequency (from 30 to 200 Hz in 1 Hz steps), but also the slope (6, 12, 18 or 24 dB / octave). The phase is adjustable with an accuracy of 1 degree, the polarity is switched. A parametric equalizer allows you to correct room resonances for several independent frequencies, also by setting a positive or negative response amplitude and quality factor. 

RGC (Room Gain Compensation) function turns on the high-pass filter, cutting off the very bottom of the bass range. This feature can come in handy if the room is too small and the bottom bass becomes too much in it, giving neither control nor intelligibility. 

In this case, the user can select the cutoff frequency (25, 31, or 40 Hz) and the slope of the roll-off (6 or 12 dB/octave). In addition to the above, the SVS SB-4000 has two preinstalled Music/Movie playback programs and memory for user settings. Such detailed adjustments will allow you to match the “voice” of the subwoofer with almost any acoustics and set up a good bass in any room.

Listening to the SVS SB 4000 subwoofer took place on the territory of Simple Distribution in a 5.1 home theater system with OSD monitor line acoustics, where S85 models were used on all front channels, and S84s were on the rear channels. We wrote about this audio system in a recent review, but then more attention was paid to acoustics, and now our main subject of interest is an active subwoofer.

 Whether you're watching a blockbuster movie or listening to your favorite music, the SB-4000 brings out the full range of frequencies with stunning clarity and depth

The SVS SB 4000 has a deep, smooth, and superbly fast bass, although, of course, the smoothness of the subwoofer sound in this case is purely a matter of tuning. And, in principle, thanks to the mentioned flexibility of adjustments, the owner can get from the SVS SB-4000 that bass sound balance that suits him. But if we do not talk about balance, we need to talk about speed, it is she who allows the subwoofer to work out the low-frequency sound relief so thoroughly. 

Moreover, this exact bass “timing” is preserved throughout the entire operating range from infra-lows and further to frequencies where other speakers of the audio system take over. Therefore, the bass of the SB-4000 merge so smoothly and imperceptibly with the voices of the monitors - a very positive quality of the DC, which we have already emphasized in the corresponding test review of OSD acoustics. The subwoofer and monitors end up with the same sonic mentality - crisp detail and precise attack.

However, in addition to the intelligibility of low-frequency sound, the SB-4000 creates a very natural bass picture, always choosing the right tone and articulation. Like a skilled trainer, the subwoofer commands the lower frequencies what they should be, and they unquestioningly obey. This combination of solid bass foundation and legible low-frequency pattern is unwittingly captivating, no matter what the audio system is playing at the moment, the soundtrack of a movie or a music track.

We tested the subwoofer with a selection of materials from the DTS Demo v22 (2018) disc and here is our verdict: music is the SB-4000 's strong point in general, here it is simply gorgeous and is impossible to find fault with its clean bass and filigree control. But the movie "Sub" is very good. In the battle episodes of the movie "Sea Battle," the bass was epic, powerfully practicing shots and strikes. Equally impressive were the fragments of road racing in The Fast and the Furious, replete with all sorts of collisions and the juicy roar of engines. 

Only sometimes at the most climactic moments, it seems that the lower bass of the SVS Subwoofer SB 4000 could is a little more grandiose, producing a kind of rumbling "B-U-U-U-M" that resonates with trepidation throughout the body. Probably, the “closed” breed of the subwoofer played its role here, which makes him a convinced neat man who does not want to embellish the bass for the sake of greater showiness. It is known that a well-designed bass reflex can provide more aggressive lower bass, and those who like this more “theatrical” reproduction should take a closer look at the brother of the tested device, the SVS PB-4000 subwoofer.

Measurements were taken with parametric EQ disabled and room compensation disabled. The SVS SB 4000 subwoofer showed a uniform frequency response, and the sensitivity began to decline clearly only at frequencies below 30 Hz, which is rather unusual for closed-type acoustic systems. With the maximum bandwidth of the low-pass filter (with a cutoff of 200 Hz), we got a frequency range of 23 - 192 Hz (± 3 dB).

Conclusion

The SVS SB 4000 subwoofer is equipped and made to the highest standard: a 1200 W MOSFET switching amplifier, a powerful 343 mm speaker weighing almost 20 kilos, a massive closed-type cabinet, a high-quality finish, a built-in sound processor with a huge number of settings, and Bluetooth wireless control option. The subwoofer reproduces extremely convincing bass: deep and clear, energetic in movies, and natural in music. 

Looking at the capabilities and design of the SVS SB 4000, its price no longer seems expensive. Well, maybe, for complete happiness, someone will lack high-level inputs and outputs for the faster pairing of a subwoofer with acoustics in triphones (in a system without a sound processor). On the other hand, flexible sound adjustments SVS SB-4000 will still allow you to customize it for almost any room and acoustics.

Pros And Cons SVS SB 4000

Pros 

Tight, controlled bass, flexible setup with remote and app, PEQ to tailor the sound to your room

Clean, tight bass for every type of content, Build quality, Power consumption, Looks great (piano gloss FTW)

Cons

You will need to schedule a friend to help move it 

Product Link:

You Can Buy One oAt from Amazon Here:

Dual SB 4000 (Premium Black Ash): https://amzn.to/3Ls4SKZ

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svs sb 4000 vs sb13 ultra

Some Key  Features SVS SB 4000

The SVS SB-4000 subwoofer is a high-performance subwoofer designed for home theater and music systems. It is equipped with several features that make it stand out:

1500W RMS, 5000W Peak Power Amplifier: Delivers powerful and accurate bass.

12" Ultra Driver: High-excursion driver with aluminum cone and dual ferrite magnets for high output and low distortion.

Advanced DSP Control: Allows for precise tuning and control of the subwoofer for optimal performance in any room.

Adjustable Parametric EQ and Crossover: Allows for customizable frequency response and integration with the main speakers.

App Control: SVS Subwoofer DSP app for convenient control and customization from a smartphone or tablet.

High-grade Components: High-quality components ensure reliable performance and long-lasting durability.

Sleek Design: The SB-4000 has a sleek, high-quality finish that blends in well with any décor.