PB12-Plus/2 First Impressions

SVSound is a relative newcomer to the home audio arena and has quickly made a name for itself. In the relatively short time they've been in existence they've earned an enviable reputation for building products that deliver exceptionally high value for the price. My experience with the PB12-Plus/2 has shown that reputation is richly deserved. This is one impressively big bang-for-the- buck product.

Founded in 1999 by Ron Stimpson (the "S" in SVSound) and Tom Vodhanel (the "V"), SVSound sold their first products online in 2000. Since then they've offered a broad, ever evolving, spectrum of products, introducing in 2002 their first box-shaped line of subwoofers, of which the PB12-Plus/2 is a member.

Prior to 2002, SVSound focused on cylindrical-shaped products. Looking at the cylindrical-shaped subs, I can't help but wonder if any of SVSound customers had problems with the house cats viewing the things as the mother of all scratching posts!

I'm not sure what impressed me most when I first saw the newly-delivered sub parked in one of my garage bays: the size of the shipping container, that it was delivered on a pallet or the fact that the delivery guy didn 't even want to attempt getting it through the backdoor. It was big and it was definitely not a "lifestyle" sub for the living-space challenged or the faint of heart. Figure 1(right) shows the new arrival with my 8-year old, in the picture for scale.

Unpacking the thing was pretty quick, though: cut the wrap straps, pop off the top of the shipping carton and there it was - the mighty PB12-Plus/2 - wrapped in a big cotton sock! Also included were the usuals: some accessories and a well written, very useful user manual.

Sliding the PB12-Plus/2 out of the base of the carton and onto a 2-wheel hand truck I soon had it located in my main listening room. After the effort expended in getting it up a flight of stairs I decided I could skip going to the gym that day.

SVSound offers the PB12-Plus/2 in a variety of finishes (Black textured, Walnut, Cherry, Maple, Rosewood, and Piano gloss) an especially important option where it comes to a product this size. A word of advice where it comes to maximizing Spousal Acceptance Factor (SAF): minimize the visual impact of a sub this big by taking the time to choose the finish that blends best with the décor of whichever room it is destined for. Better yet, let the Spouse pick out the finish. This move can pay off big time!

The model delivered for review featured a walnut finish that worked well with the décor of the main listening room. So well, in fact, that it eventually merged into the scenery of the room, delivering a surprisingly minimal visual impact. Not bad for something the size of a doghouse.