RMAF 2016 Show Report
SVS Loudspeakers
Rocky Mountain International Audio Fest & CanJam 2016
RMAF 2016 Show Report By Kemper Holt

  When 13" isn't big enough, 16" should do the trick. SVS unveiled their new pair of subwoofers utilizing a proprietary 16" driver that sports an 8" edge wound voice coil for better control of the cone with less cone flex resulting in improved transient response and lower distortion. Driving these upsized beasts is a 1,500 watt continuous, 5000 watt peak, hybrid amp which mates MOSFET output devices to a Class D design, which should be plenty of horsepower. The Ultra 16 series consists of the sealed box SB-16 Ultra, ($2000), and the ported version PB-16 Ultra ($2599), plus SVS has included some features to make them easier to live with.

Adding a front accessible control panel makes adjustments much easier than leaning over a sub, trying to read upside down the knobs and turning them the way you wanted. OK, if you don't even want to get up from your chair, SVS has a smartphone app that allows you to control the sub from anywhere. The app lets you control the sub's integrated DSP processor and manipulate polarity, room gain, phase alignment, parametric EQ, etc. Gary Yacoubian said he challenged his design team to push the boundaries of innovation and performance, and make a groundbreaking product worthy of being called a reference, I think they did it.

SVS showed a typical, yet affordable, home theater setup using their Prime Towers ($999 per pair), Prime Center ($349), Prime Satellites ($135 each), and Prime Elevations ($200 each). The demo videos included a fascinating short called Cymatics, an ingenious melding of sound, vibrations, art, and electricity (Lightning), which was spellbinding, and just entrancing to watch. Another demo showed an excerpt from Guardians Of the Universe where explosions and shooting rained down upon the room, showcasing the subs gut punching low bass capabilities. I was wearing shorts because Denver's weather was warm, and instead of the stereotypical "my pants leg flapped", I will tell you the hairs on my leg moved as I sat in the front row, the SB-16 Ultra can really move some air, and in piano gloss black, looked gorgeous.

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