SB12 - Plus
Small Box Sub, 12" Plus Woofer.
There's some good reasons we waited to introduce our first truly small sub. Chief among them? It's really difficult to make a really worthy small sub. Few on the market are both affordable and good (and there are plenty which are both very expensive, yet still not genuine subwoofers).
When the SB12-Plus was conceived, we resolved that no small sub from SVS would be anything but the best of its kind in this size and price class. Expect this new SVS to compare favorably to other small subs out there costing 2-3 times as much.
We think you'll be glad you waited for this. Finally, a really compact sub that's good enough to be called an "SVS". The SB12-Plus, comes in five attractive and practical finishes... and more features than you can shake a stick at.
Start with just the front of this new sub. While the basic black vinyl finish uses our standard chrome steel grill retainers, all other finishes use nothing at al!. Or so it seems. Notice the clean face on our signature oak, maple, piano gloss and new rosenut finishes? Hidden under the surface of these hand-worked cabinets are small "neo" magnets that hold fast to your grill simply by placing it there. A quick "thunk" (as the magnets engage) and it's on. Simple, elegant, and the sort of unexpected feature people have come to expect from SVS. The grill itself even has soft rubber grommets affixed to ensure quiet, resonance-free operation, even at high sound pressure levels.
Dig deeper and you'll see our exclusive Ohio-built Plus 12.3 long throw woofer, and a new 425 watt amp that's the new affordable mark on the wall. With parametric EQ (PEQ), room compensation control, full crossover (defeatable), variable phase, balanced inputs, anodized finish and detachable power cord, you might well wonder if we left out anything at all.
Certainly performance wasn't left out. While any "micro" subwoofer is inherently a bit of a compromise, from the standpoint of physics... this small subwoofer is so flat, so deep and so powerful you might even question why bigger subs exist. It keeps the legendarily neutral and balanced SVS sound with flat response rare in any sub of any size, or cost.
So, if you can "afford" one of our bigger subs... from the standpoint of the larger floor space requirement ... by all means, consider something of a similar price class, such as the PB12-Plus, or even one that's less expensive like the (large) new PB12-NSD.
If you need room rattling power, the ultimate depth, AND want a small footprint too? Then our exclusive space-saving Powered Cylinder subs should be on your short list to evaluate. Few brands will be honest about this point: "size matters" ... with subwoofers. Even if perfectly designed, no truly small sub like the SB12-Plus will compete with an equally well-designed large subwoofer (particularly if it's one of our super-efficient vented subwoofers such as those mentioned just above). Physics is an unforgiving master.
But as we know, small is, well, BIG in many audio fans' homes. Many have long clamored for an SVS sub that's small enough to slip by their "significant other", or be the perfect bass source for smaller venues like bedrooms or office audio systems. And frankly, even for long-time audio nuts like us at SVS, there's something undeniably cool about a diminutive sub, like this one, filling even mid-sized rooms with low bass that's accurate, deep, and with enough guts to keep you planted to your seat.
Get a big SVS sub if you find one that fits your lifestyle. But get the SB12-Plus if big bass has got to be small to make it into your audio system, and home. Big or small, box or cylinder, now we have you covered no matter what. Small isn't the compromise it once was, now that the SB12-Plus is here.
Pricing: (ZAR)
| Black Vinyl | R 9,830.70 |
| Piano Gloss Black | R 11,431.05 |
| Oak | R 11,431.05 |
| Rosenut | R 11,431.05 |
| (Prices include VAT) |
Listen to the experts! The SB12-Plus went toe to toe with some very large competitors and more than held its own.
"... a small but very well engineered subwoofer.... the SVS was very impressive."
» Ken Pohlmann, Sound and Vision Magazine.
To read the review click here »
Features: (Click on the links below for details)
|
|
Box Subwoofer SB12-Plus Features: The Plus 12.3 WooferNot quite sure where your sub's parts come from? How about a small factory in rural Ohio? The SVS SB12-Plus is another example of a component set we're quite proud to highlight, in detail. Other brands would rather you not look deep into their woofers or amps. We have parts like this out in our showroom. If a sub's brain is the amplifier, then the heart must be the woofer. The third generation Plus woofer (which we call the Plus 12.3) runs counter to virtually every trend in the industry: It's made by us, it's made in our Ohio factory, and we released it when we were good and ready, knowing full well that its predecessor was already unmatched in this price class. Oh, and it's expensive to make, when you sell factory direct you can afford to put in better stuff. More than ever, this new woofer rivals its more expensive Ultra brother, taking the Plus legacy and upping the ante in every performance aspect a bit more. But a world-class woofer is only part of the picture. Using other high performance parts like our robust, hand-finished hardwood construction on the cabinet, and a famed Canadian-built BASH amp with 425 watts ... you get performance that's good enough to embarrass subwoofer twice its size. 
When you start out to better a design as good as the second generation SVS Plus woofer, you have your hands full. The "old" woofer (called the dB12.2 in house and used in all Plus subs till late February 2006) was already the industry leader at this price point. Typically rivaling drivers costing 2-3X as much, it was compact, reasonably good looking, with excellent durability and off-the-map performance exceeded only by our own Ultra woofers. Make an even better Plus woofer, and keep the price the same? It was a very tough task that might never have happened. It took over 2 years of developmental work and experimentation with emerging materials and design, all put through a gauntlet of extreme testing in our R/D labs. Every "old" performance chart was dissected; some beta-testers got into the feedback loop; rare failed second generation woofers were put under the knife too. 
It wasn't easy, or cheap, but our development team came up with a clean sheet of paper design that looks better, works better, and is more durable than the last Plus woofer. Looking close, you'll see little touches like elegant black anodized finish that helps dissipate heat, evidence of special spider tooling which keeps that critical part aligned, with much more. This is a woofer that'll keep its composure in anything from subtle, to extreme use. Even less obvious, state of the art adhesives are expertly used in small batch building runs to maintain quality unlike anything we've ever done. Rather than sub-contract this bread-and-butter component, all the custom design and assembly was done in-house, where production will continue. In a day when whole product lines, whole brands, are routinely sent to lowest cost bidders overseas, your Plus woofer once again bucks the trend. While our entry level NSD drivers remain the high-performance budget choice in big SVS subs like the new PB12-NSD, if you prefer a small sub and can afford to step up a bit to the SB12-Plus, you will get more "bang for the buck" than previously possible in this size and price. Once again we can say, affordable performance doesn't get any better than this. What sort of driver does your old subwoofer have? Features:
|
425 Watt RMS Built-In BASH Amplifier |
|
Yet another high output full-featured digital switching amp born our of the partnership between SVS and Indigo Manufacturing, one of the most capable and largest original equipment manufacturers in the world. Built in Canada to exacting standards seldom seen in this price class, its rugged, clean layout and construction serves as a perfect complement to SVS Powered Boxes. Quite literally, thousands of man-hours are expended dialing in performance that perfectly matches the SB12-Plus woofer and its enclosure. As always, we even made sure our own logo graced this amp as a reminder that no other subwoofer manufacturer has it. And since you can only get one on your SVS, you won't see them floating around the various "do it yourself" e-tailers either. Isn't it nice to know your amp was made just for your sub? Don't let the conservative real-world power rating deceive you. Given our latest US-built drivers and the rugged SVS box designs, the SVS SB12-Plus can embarrass other subwoofers touting thousands of watts. |
 |
Features:
Variable crossover (with bypass), defeat-able auto-on, variable phase, variable subsonic, Parametric EQ, high-level and low-level inputs, detachable power cord, and LOADS of power! This is one amp you can count on to provide years of accurate, deep and powerful bass. Get the BASH advantage on your SVS now. More on BASH®BASH® is a proven class of amplification, answering the market needs for efficiency without compromising sound quality. BASH® is a patented "High Efficiency Linear Amplifier" circuit topology that has taken the best of Class D and Class AB and created a new Class of its own. By combining a fast response power converter with a linear amplifier, BASH® is able to maintain both class AB sonic performance and class D efficiency. 
BASH® can produce high power levels without cost penalties typically associated with conventiaaaonal amplifier designs. A linear amplifier rated at 100 Watts should be able to deliver 20 Watts continuously. If the same amplifier is to play musical transients that are 10dB louder than its rated power, the amplifier must be able to deliver 1000 watts dynamically. To deliver such dynamic power would require the internal power supply rails to be 300% higher, and the resulting power dissipated at 20 watts output to be 350% higher resulting in increases to heat sinks, power transformer, bulk capacitors, output devices and ultimately increases the cost. BASH® provides customers new solutions, opens new markets, offers greater flexibility, and ultimately reduces the cost of amplification. To read more on BASH® technology click here » |
|
Flush-mount Amp Configuration |
What makes the SB12-Plus so unique? Well, besides the fact it’s packed with components normally only found in subs costing thousands more, is the fact SVS sweats little details like mounting its amp flush, safe and secure in one of the nicest looking and best built box subwoofer in the world. Could we have slapped the amp, surface mounted into a square edged vinyl wrapped (or faux wood finish) box made for a few dollars?? Yes, we could have -- but didn't. The advantages of a subwoofer box, with the convenience of an “all in one”, built-in amp, and small. That’s the SB12-Plus…proudly built in Ohio with the best quality domestic and imported components , and only available at SVS. |
Simple, elegant, removeable, synthetic rubber floor isolation points |
|
No matter how your rock rolls, or how low your organ goes, the shockwaves emanating from that high efficiency woofer propagate out from an enclosure on the floor. If it's not made well it'll buzz and bounce and rattle. Not this one. It's heavy, and every panel cut using computer controlled machines. When you're in the midst of your favorite action movie scene you might wonder if such a stylish, modern looking enclosure can can really move your home theater (without moving around itself). Fortunately for SVS customers, all the drama will be on screen, and all around you in gut pounding, accurate bass. Your subwoofer will serenely be belting it out at all the right moments. Rock solid. Utterly unflappable. Form follows function at SVS. (NOTE: SB12-Plus not available in white. Image at right used for illustration purposes only). Another example of thinking like that? How about something simple, like putting our drivers in with 1" thick baffles with steel t-nut retainers and custom rubber gaskets to keep it solid. Its low center of gravity and an inherently well-protected woofer mean years of rock-solid performance. Bass that goes this low, starts there too. But maybe you have a hard floor and it's time to setup your sub? You won't find hard plastic feet that might vibrate on your SVS sub. Instead the default mounting configuration is a set of compliant synthetic rubber cone feet perfectly suited for wood, vinyl or tile flooring. The same setup works just as well on thickly padded and carpeted floors too. |
|
Optimize in-room frequency response with built-in room compensation |
|
 |
Some of our subwoofers offer variable tuning (which changes how low they can go). This sub is different. Because it's small, we expect many customers will want the option to install it in small rooms. Small rooms are actually quite advantageous in producing deep bass. So much so that a deep running small sub like this might actually get too much of a good thing. Known as "room gain" most rooms support a phenomenon that actually increases the effects of deep bass. The lower you go below 25Hz the greater this effect can be. Again it's generally considered a good thing, room gain. But if your room is on the smaller side, (say 1,400 cubic foot [ft3] range) it's best to roll the deepest response of the sub just a bit before the sub would do it otherwise. This tool serves to keep frequency response flat and powerful even below 20Hz using your room's natural acoustics, and helps keep the amp running cool and clean as well. The bigger the room, the less this compensation is needed. Up to 2,400ft3 rooms the medium setting will tend to work best, and over 2,400ft3 the "Large" setting with the least subsonic filtering. Customers in this class are best served by more than one SB12-Plus or one of our larger more efficient subwoofers however. Each room is different, but matching your room's deep bass character with your subwoofer now is a twist of a knob away. |
Hand-finished cabinets |
|
|
Thousands of hours go into optimizing the materials, finish, custom tooling, and layout of every SVS, box or cylinder. Using state of the art computer assisted design (CAD) and our relentless regimen of simulations and extensive real-world measurements, no other manufacturer makes a more robust and acoustically inert enclosure than SVS. Using up to 1" medium density fiberboard (MDF) core baffles with extremely high grade clear real wood veneers and signature rounded corners, our SB12-Plus panels are meticulously machined with procedures reserved for the best high end cabinetry. Hand assembled, and finished with a multi-step process that's an SVS secret. With one of four stunning wood finishes, luxurious piano gloss black, or light textured black vinyl, this is as much fine furniture for your home theater or music room as it is a subwoofer! |
 |
Colors to fit nearly any decor |
|
|
|
|
Some companies give you few, if any choices on colors for your subwoofers. With the PB13-Ultra we give you two stunningly beautiful imported natural wood finishes, plus immaculate "piano gloss", or tough and practical beauty in our industry-leading USA made fine textured black. Select yours at the time of purchase and we'll have one on the way quickly. |
|
Multiple extension design |
Multiple depth or "extension" options allow you to easily create "lower than low" bass in seconds, with just a flip of a switch and use of specially designed foam plugs which are included with each sub. As it is, the PB13-Ultra is configured to run exceptionally strong down to 20Hz and even lower (with all three ports firing). This is already far deeper than most subwoofers on the market, and since typical rooms will "gain" deep bass in this region, the standard "out of box setting" will provide strong response to around 15Hz with the preferred corner placement. This is extreme bass. Clean and powerful audio this deep is already exceptional and verges on the point of "subsonic" sound (which is that point where the ear is less an influence on your senses, yet you can still "feel" the bass). Above this point is where nearly all music and movie bass is centered, no matter if you are watching DVD's or listening to CD's or other forms of music. It also is the most efficient mode for the PB13-Ultra , with amazing "sound pressure level" capacity, and incredible accuracy to the source material at all sound pressure levels, low or loud, even in larger rooms. Want deeper still? If you are willing to give up a few decibels in SPL capacity above 20Hz (and the PB13-Ultra has more "headroom" than most folks will use), then insert one, or even two port plugs, click over the subsonic filter knob to the corresponding 15Hz or 10Hz position and you are ready to move your home. Most users would experience strong output to around 15Hz with good placement in a typical room with a 20Hz setup. This is the sort of sound that's literally frightening when done with clean power and low distortion. |
Frequency response charts |
 |
|
Note: In-room extension, with corner placement, will typically yield 3-5Hz greater linear extension than indicated. Results will vary based on room size, seat distance from your SVS sub, and subwoofer location in the room. |
