Subwoofers

The 'first to the quay' race sequence from Ready Player One (4K Blu-ray) required the PB-3000 to do a lot of heavy lifting, some of it subtle, some of it not. Even smaller details, such as the Delorean being assembled, benefited from the scale of the sub's output. It was adept at finding soundtrack elements and imbuing them with perceptible but delicate weight.

The chaotic, multi-vehicle rampage that ensues was a riot of bassy blasts and tones across the low-frequency range; the lightcycle engine showcased a smoother sound than the throaty roar of the monster truck, which slammed into competitor cars with delicious, punchy thunks. Wrecking balls cracked into the asphalt, with a little bounce to the effect.

As Parzival slides his car under a truck, the bass in the soundmix gives way to calm so the audience is focused on the tinkle of the coins he's pausing to collect. Here the PB-3000 wasn't quite able to stop on a dime, if you'll pardon the pun. The SB-3000 handled this brief soundtrack nuance better.

But then came King Kong, throwing his weight around, and the PB-3000 sounded utterly huge. The ape's fists pounded the race track and his growls flattened my face, and I whooped in delight.

Perhaps the best way to describe the difference this ported subwoofer brings over the SB-3000 is that it adds an extra layer to the low-end, a bonus slice of bass that's always tangible, if not always the most obvious element of the mix. And it's a trait that's replicated across a wide range of material.

In Blade Runner 2049 (4K Blu-ray), Hans Zimmer's score menaced and throbbed, and it felt as if low frequencies were pervading every part of the room. With Baby Driver (4K Blu-ray), the PB-3000 had less to do, but I could still sense its presence in almost every scene.

Keen again to test its stopping power, I switched to music and the 3D – The Catalogue Blu-ray by Kraftwerk (and its delightful Atmos mixes). The repetitive half-beat kick drums during Trans Europe Express were a bit overbearing, a touch flabby when you'd expect them to be skin tight (even with the sub's Music Preset in play). Here the app came in handy, as a quick level adjustment resulted in a better balance between sub and speakers.

It also sounded more in control with the tighter rhythms of Kraftwerk's Techno Pop.

Made For Movies
Perhaps you wouldn't invest in the PB-3000 if your playlist involves a lot of music material. First and foremost, this is a bassmaker for movies, designed to really do justice to sub-30Hz LFE effects. It's about delivering a performance that majors on size, depth and purity of output.

The PB-3000 does this with consummate ease, and the difference it brings to movie mixes, compared to the SB-3000, is more apparent than the £300 price gap between them. It's worrying large, and the styling is far from catwalk, but buyers are unlikely to care.

HCC Verdict

SVS PB-3000

Price: £1,550
www.svsound.com

We say: Some might prefer the tighter edge of a sealed sub, but this largescale home cinema-centric woofer counters with a step-up in scale and weight. Big and bold.

Overall: 5/5

Specification

Drivers: 1 x 13in high-excursion woofer
Enclosure: Twin front-ported
Frequency Response (Claimed): 16Hz-260Hz (+/-3dB)
Onboard Power (Claimed): 800W RMS (2,500W peak) Sledge Class D amp
Remote Control: No. Bluetooth app instead
Dimensions (Without Grille): 557(h) x 465(w) x 596(d)mm
Weight: 37.3kg

Features: Low-level stereo phono input; LFE phono input; low-level stereo phono output; 12V trigger; SVS Bluetooth app with three-band parametric EQ; crossover and phase control; Movie, Music and Custom presets; steel mesh grille; Intelligent Control Interface; Analog Devices Audio 56-bit DSP