Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater Dual EP800 vs SVS Ultra 16

Best bass I ever felt was when we stacked/piled about ten powered subs last summer.
You could feel it (extremely gratifying) 300' away.

What were they?

Random subs

They make good subs. Very good company that one.

Just catching up with this thread.

Slim - Excellent write up on your 500. Mojo - your comments are spot on.

Between Ian and Andrew, they really have nailed the sound quality with their line of subs. When we did the under $1000 subwoofer thread 2 years ago, the new EP350 was the one sub that was stunning in its performance.

Even that "little sub" delivered serious bass, with lots of punch. At high levels, its floor was about 22 Hz, but that is PLENTY deep. And unlike the (still very nice) SVS-PC2000, it is, in my experience, impossible to get it to make a "bad sound".

The DSP controlled subs - and we have triple EP800's here (two in the main theater room and one in the basement high end theater) - are capable of hanging with the finest subs available. Stereophile recently raved about the SVS SB-16 Ultra.

We had the Ultra here, and ours was a properly working unit. The EP-800 was superior in every listening test. The only caveat is the Ultra will play a bit louder - but when it does, it is pushing things to the point of audible distortion.

We also have a Powersound Audio V-3601 which almost hangs with the EP800 for music and bests it for home theater. The down side is it is big and ugly. It does not fit with the decor - in fact, it is for sale if anyone wants to drive by and pick it up. PM me for details.

Our subs are the 180 degree switch. I may have to take this up with Ian.

Slim - you are on the right track. I think you would be pleased with an EP800, and reading about your journey is a lot of fun.

Mojo - the problem for Ian is his subs are not designed to win a Data Bass competition, and the magazines don't even give him an honest try.

We probably all need to do a better job representing Ian's products when people are here. We only do it because we love the hobby and appreciate the products. There is nothing in it for us.

Craig,

Funny you mention the PC 2000. That was the first sub I tried on Demo from SVS via my selling dealer. I thought it was a pretty good performer for the money. In fact I liked it better than the Ultra 16, but then again the one I had was not working up to par.

The PC12 Plus and the PC Ultra 13 were better than the PC 2000, less mud, but both of those units failed. For $800 US, the PC 2000 isn't bad. But the EP500 for not much more money is a much higher end piece and certainly built with far more quality in my opinion and it's a flatter more linear sound to it, no accentuated low notes.

I think that one sub of any type is not going to be the winner of both music and HT. You have to choose which direction you want to go or have dedicated rooms for both independently and set up appropriately. I am all music as I rarely watch movies (spend my video time in front of the current events/political cables shows).

Based on what I am hearing, I should probably add the EP800 into the room with the EP500, that might give me the additional low end power and still keep all the drivers in the same lineage for best overall balance. The EP500 will remain in the alcove where it currently sits as my plan is to build it into the bar area by the doors going out to the deck.

Slim

I've been just recently following this thread.

I was wondering if I could get your opinion on a few things?

I've been comparing subs via specifications and reviews to dollars

I can get an axiom ep500 for 1700 Canadian to my door.(and this is before any sales or loyalty discount)

Or I can get a SVS PB-2000 for 1100 (cad) to my door

An PSA 15S is about 1500 (cad) to my door.

An HSU uls-15 is 800 American plus shipping.


In the majority of reviews I've read, all these subwoofers vastly out perform the ep500, yet cost the same or much cheaper. All have intelligent dsp, weigh more, have bigger amps, etc.

I understand many reviews done on axiom are not the v4.

I also like how the manufacturing is done here in Canada.

I'm ready to pull the trigger in 2019 and buy an ep500, but it's extremely hard to ignore what is out there. Many of these companies have a long history of making subwoofers and only subwoofers(initially).

To hear you say the ep800 performed better and sounds better than the svs pb16 ultra is extremely interesting.

With all this said, in your opinion, why is the ep500 superior or on par to the subs mentioned?

I mean, I'm willing to pay extra just because this company has given me amazing customer service and it makes its own stuff in Canada, but I guess what I'm asking for is reassurance in my choice

I also don't want to let my axiom fan boyism to cloud my judgement either lol

Mr. Chesser,

I have used the PC 2000, the PC 12Plus and the PC13 ultra. All performed nicely, but in my opinion the quality control is not good at all as I suffered 4 failures within a 6 month timeframe. SVS is Chinese and my experience with any goods out of China is that you have to be very cautious. The other companies you list I have no knowledge of, but check to see where they are built.

I switched over to Bryston and Axiom as it's built in North America and the build quality is evident the minute you pull it from the boxing. As far as sound goes, I have not heard anything I like more than the Bryston Model T's I own. The Axiom EP500 is not as hit you in the chest powerful as some other subs, but then again, you could opt for the 800 as Craig states as being right up there with the best in the business for output and slam. It all depends on what you are trying to look for.

I'd go with locally made gear at a facility with people who care about what they are building. Not to mention, from what I have learned, they do have a lot of hands on engineering experience.

Slim

Thanks for your input

I concur. As I touched on in my post, your reasons of made in house, and my loyalty to axiom(my m80s are the best speakers I have ever owned), are enough for me

But hearing about your quality issues with svs directly is nice to know.

My father bought 2 pc-2000's and has been running them hot and hard for a year now with no problems. But I still suspect the axiom build quality to be much better

And I'm reminded of that everytime I unbox something new....

Yesterday it was the qs10's and the stands to go with it. Very solid machining on the stands in particular.

Mad Chesser - The reviews on subwoofers would never be permitted with full range speakers.

For example, if all we cared about was MAX SPL for the $$$$ with a speaker, buy a pair of dual 15 inch towers from Cerwin Vega, add a 2000 watt pro amp, and you have state of the art sound, right?

These sub reviews have no listening tests. All they do is measure the max output and report on it. I stopped reading these reviews two years ago, because these guys obsess over 1 dB at 20 Hz.

The two year long subwoofer testing I did with a panel of listeners starting 11 years ago and ending 9 years ago involved hours of blind listening. AFTER the listening, the measurements were taken.

No listening tests are done today, or there are these subwoofer "GTG" parties in which the two favorite "subwoofer guru / company owners" of the guys throwing the party are invited to set up the subwoofers. Amazingly, their subs win each time.

Of the subwoofers you listed, the only one that is "American Made" is the Powersound Audio. It's a good sub, but with a really low WAF rating.

The EP500 is a nice blend of output and refinement. It will shake your floor. It will sound like music. And NOTHING you can do will ever make it overload or distort. That is something that few subs can offer.

Axiom products are for adults. Their subs won't win an SPL contest. What they will do is deliver clean, undistorted bass in a real room. You will never have a moment in a movie where the subwoofer interferes with the performance by "farting" a loud port noise, or bottoming the driver.