SVS 16 ULTRA Series Press Reviews and Ratings

Digital Trends, SB16-Ultra Named 2020 Subwoofer of the Year, See Award
“We’ve had the SB-16 Ultra in our testing chambers for many months now — not because we’re too lazy to move it out, but because we haven’t found anything worthy to take its place. This subwoofer has become our measuring stick, which might actually be unfair to the competition — it’s that good. Offers everything you could want in a subwoofer – high-end power, impressive clarity, precise detail, and good looks too.”

Two Tech Guyz (YouTube), PB16-Ultra, Watch Video
“Incredible that is ported but still exhibits the characteristics of a sealed subwoofer, with control and speed. With the PB16-Ultra, hearing is believing. One of the best sounding subwoofers I’ve ever heard. Blown away by the build and sound quality.”

PanTheOrganizer (YouTube), Dual PB16-Ultra, Watch Video
“Soul-shattering bass. Absolutely outstanding, it completely changed my movie-watching experience. Build quality is flawless and they are massive in sound. They output they delivered is more than anything I ever expected and there’s no reason for me to go to the cinema ever again.”

Dtown (Israel), PB16-Ultra, Read Review
“This subwoofer kept surprising me again and again, he just didn't give in, he was present, contained and accurate. What makes him so good is the fact that his bass is so true, so accurate and fast, with excellent impact capabilities. He knows to be polite and strong, the Ultra 16 does not just come to show a large amount of boomy bass. That’s not the name of the game, but it knows how to play correctly with precision and impressive sound quality. These capabilities are very difficult to get from any other subwoofer.”

EnjoytheMusic, SB16-Ultra, Read Review
“Setting up the SVS subs was easy and fun. I could feel the sub-sonic tones on the surface of my exposed skin, but I could swear I could feel my loose shirt sleeves vibrating against my arms. For those who desire more than a full-frequency range high-end system, spending more than the SVS's very reasonable price makes no sense. Highly recommended.”

Dagogo – SB16-Ultra, Read Review
“I can kick myself for being so stubborn all these years, these decades about my feelings towards subwoofers. It was my long-held contention that subwoofers were the domain of failed speaker designers who just could not get the concept of full-range right. I’m human, I’m fallible, and I was wrong. That’s not to say that there aren’t some speakers that are capable of reproducing the full-range, but at what cost and size? The subwoofer and I are now inseparable. I am re-listening to music relishing those lower registers, appreciating drummers and bassists that much more.”

Sparechange Reviews (Youtube), PB16-Utra – Watch Video
“It can slam you hard in the chest or gently move the hair on your arms. For a subwoofer of this size, it handles transients amazingly, almost like a sealed subwoofer. And at the price, you simply won’t find a better subwoofer performer.

Audio Magazine (Germany), “Recommended Product” Award, SB16-Ultra, Print Only
“The SB16 Ultra trembled the room – powerful, focused and long breath. An enormous amount of power for manageable money.”

 

PositiveFeedback, SB16-Ultra, Read Review
“I could really feel and hear every bit of nuance the artist intended. The bass lines were just endless, and there wasn't a task too large for the SVS SB16-Ultra. Every frequency was played with ease and volume…I wanted to re-watch my entire movie collection to see what I've been missing. This is the missing link to total immersion, where one can both hear and feel the directors' intent. It's obvious SVS has something special here. They've put a ton of care into the design of this subwoofer, from the shipping box, to the sub itself, the app experience, and to the actual product delivered to the end user—a perfect musical experience all packed into one.”

HomeTheaterReview, 2017 Product of the Year, See Award
“Our measurements showed that the output of this sealed sub is comparable to that of many larger ported subs. Brent Butterworth called it "a truly impressive creation that delivers bass reproduction unlike anything else out there," adding that those who love sealed-box designs might consider it "the greatest subwoofer ever made."

DigitalTrends, SB16-Ultra, Read Review
“SB16-Ultra is as much a ballerina as it is a raging bull. It is nimble, quick, smooth, eloquent, detailed, and balanced. Yet it’s also brutally bombastic and explosive at the appropriate times. Best of all, you don’t have to do anything to get that performance — it just does the exact right thing at the exact right time. Never spend more than $2,000 on a subwoofer, and never spend it on anything other than the SVS SB16-Ultra. This is the finest subwoofer you can buy. A 10 out of 10”

HCreview.fr (France), SB16-Ultra, Read Review
“«««««. Really impressive. A true concentration of energy, but with authority and a sense of timing that is amazing for a 16-inch. An iron hand in a velvet glove. More than the simple ability to go down very very low, I commend above all the extreme control of the bass when the box is subjected to such high pressure levels.”

Stereophile, SB16-Ultra, Read Review
“Pitch-perfect, detailed, fast bass, and enough power to function in my large listening room. Reproduced the deepest notes with mass and solidity. No muddying of the clarity and transparency of the highs. The dynamics ranged from soft murmurs to a thunderous rumble. A Class A component if ever there was one.”

AVTech Media (UK), SB16-Ultra Earns Best Subwoofer 2017/18, See Award
For an authoritative and largescale sub-bass experience to accompany your movies, SVS’s mightily impressive SB16-Ultra is an essential audition. A newly designed 16-in bass driver, claiming a massive 3.7-in excursion, is partnered with a 1500W Sledge DSP amplifier, and the result is a thrilling combination of slam, speed, and precisions, with a low-frequency extension that unearths the deepest soundtrack details.”

Stereoplay (Germany), SB16-Ultra, Read Review
“It’s the mother of all subwoofers, the impact of the 16-Ultra is brutal. Excellent attack and precision with no rivals. Rarely has there ever been bass this deep and clean.”

TONEAudio, SB16-Ultra, View Review
“Whether you are working with a pair of mini-monitors, your favorite panels, or massive floorstanders, the SB16-Ultra delivers stunning bass performance…You’ll feel it in your stomach, you’ll feel it in your soul. All this, with major support and it adds up to an Exceptional Value Award in our book. Highly recommended.”

CE Pro BEST Award, SB16-Ultra, View Award

EFTM.com.au (Australian), PB16-Ultra, Read Review
“It was magnificent. Not just the incredible output, but the PB16’s ability to deliver it in a way that makes it makes it overwhelming without being overwhelming. Intense, but never to the point of discomfort. Raw power, and an ability to be – for lack of a better word – delicate. Mind-blowing performance and experiencing it is something you’ll never forget.”

AVNirvana, SB16-Ultra Subwoofer, Read Review
“This sub is insanely good… and two of them? Off the charts! I can’t speak highly enough of the sub’s integration offerings and taking the subs beyond reference levels isn’t a problem (I was never able to reach a breaking point). The crossover from subwoofers to speakers was undetectable, blending with a seamless grace that truly picky enthusiasts would appreciate. Super clean bass that thunders with precision.”

European Imaging and Sound Association (EISA) Award – Best Home Theatre Subwoofer
PB16-Ultra, View Award
“Summing up what makes this subwoofer such an impressive performer requires just two words: size and power. Whether it’s the huge cabinet (with three mighty high-flow ports), the monstrous 16in driver or the 1.5kW Class-D amplifier, nothing about this SVS woofer is shy or retiring. Yet with movie sound mixes or music, it matches its room-filling presence with poise, control and exquisite lows. Setup is aided by onboard parametric EQ, with smartphone app operation making access and user adjustment an absolute breeze. A concrete fist inside a velvet glove, the PB16-Ultra is a subwoofer fit for the finest of home theatres.”

HemmaBio (Sweden), SB16-Ultra & PB16-Ultra, Print Only
“One of the most potent, versatile and wonderfully terror-inducing bass solutions we’ve had the pleasure of testing. Touches you by putting a steady but friendly hand on your chest and shoving it, completely in tune with the music, the v8-engine, the speeding flock of wild horses or whatever you’ve chosen to play. Rightly configured and adjusted the SVS Ultra Subwoofers are the difference between fiction and reality and should therefore be highest up on your priority list for your home cinema.”

Subwoofer101, Dual PB16-Ultra, Read Review
“As close to real life as I’ve ever heard. For an ultimate home theater, a pair of PB-16 Ultras deliver a wall of bass that remains comfortable while exhilarating. A little scary, sure, but incredibly fun! This is what a home theater Mega-Subwoofer should be!”   

AVForums, SB16-Ultra (Highly Recommended Award), Read Review
“The ability to handle bass moments with both power and dexterity is what really impressed but the SB16-Ultra also managed to deliver incredibly low frequencies without distorting. It was a highly accomplished performance that showed how effective SVS's efforts have been in delivering a sealed subwoofer that can hold its own against ported boxes. It's was like the subwoofer equivalent of Muhammad Ali, producing the low frequency sledge hammer punch of the best ported subwoofers but with the fast footwork of the best sealed boxes. Tight, powerful, natural and fast, this subwoofer delivers on all levels.”  

Soundstage, SB16-Ultra (Reviewers Choice Award), Read Review
“Incredibly dynamic and slamming. Explosions thundered, then rolled through the room and I was able to feel each concussive shockwave. Energized my space with super-deep, articulate bass. A true reference-quality subwoofer.”

HomeCinemaChoice, SB16 & PB16-Ultra Review (HCC Best Buy Award), Read review
“Fear-inducing SPLs. Bass that you feel as well as hear. Delicious weight and scale, without a trace of distortion…beauty of its tone to bathe in…a full-bodied experience. It’s jaw on the floor stuff.”

Residential Systems, SB16-Ultra Subwoofer, Read Review
“No matter the material I threw at it, the sub delivered bass that was massive yet tight and lightning fast. Had no problem energizing the air in my large family room, producing tactile bass that hammered my chest, and delivering next-level bass realism, letting you feel the soundtrack and experience the action more deeply. The SB16-Ultra is a force multiplier, improving the performance of any system you add it to. I give it my highest recommendation.”

Audioholics, SB16-Ultra Subwoofer, Read Review
“Tight and natural sounding. The SVS SB16-Ultra was capable of subtlety but also brought grandeur when asked. Hit hard when it needed to and had a soft touch in those moments when less-is-more. It never strained at any volume, no matter how loud I cranked it. At times beautiful and other times thunderous. A top-notch subwoofer.”

Z Reviews, PB16-Ultra Subwoofer, Watch video
“This is the scariest subwoofer I’ve ever played with. I am not able to go to the limit on this subwoofer. It makes the fur on my arms stand up”.

Widescreen Review, SB16-Ultra Subwoofer, Print only
“Spending 2.5-3 times more money won’t guarantee better performance. A single SB16-Utra sounds better than any single $4000 subwoofer. I can’t over-state how good the SB16-Ultra sounds, makes me want to use every possible over-the-top adjective, and on top of the sound quality, it plays so loudly and so cleanly. Very strong bass that drives performance to you-are-there levels with more dynamic impact leading to a more visceral and exciting (adrenaline?) listening experience.”

HomeTheaterForum, SB16-Ultra Subwoofer, Read Review
"Instead of bass that booms, it's bass that hits, and it hits hard. Deep and authoritative, the SB16-Ultra can flex its ample muscle and deliver impressively clean output and very high sound pressure levels and it has features and aesthetics that are unmatched. Betters the competition in every way."

AVSForum, PB16-Ultra Subwoofer, Read Review
“The power and depth of the bass this sub produces makes AV experiences more visceral. There was never an instance where the demands of what I listened to exceeded what the PB16-Utra could deliver. The best-performing, highest-impact sub I’ve heard.”

ReferenceHomeTheater, PB16-Ultra Subwoofer, Read Review
“Hearing, or feeling, subsonic notes is a treat and I thank SVS for engineering and producing a subwoofer that is capable of doing this while maintaining quality sound with low distortion. Bravo! A monster of a sub. Incredible depth and detail and perfect for intense, bone crushing bass. Competes with subwoofers costing much more.”

AV-Online (Hungary), SB16-Ultra Subwoofer, Read Review
“Extraordinary. Hit the air like a hammer. The sounds grabbed us with two hands and dragged us into the middle of the action. The most outstanding subwoofer for combining power and high precision ever.”

AreaDVD (Germany), PB16-Ultra and SB16-Ultra Subwoofer, Read Review
“No compromises. The 16-Ultra subwoofers shine with unparalleled bass force and inexhaustible power reserves. Undoubtedly some of the best subwoofers in the world, regardless of price.”

HomeTheaterShack, SB16-Ultra Subwoofer, Read Review
“SVS has outdone themselves. This is a 'move the bar' type of product. It does everything exceptionally well, never revealing a single weakness. The 16-Ultra subwoofers expertly blends precision and power into one cohesive package, remaining composed at all times. Makes everything sound good.”

TheMasterSwitch, PB16-Ultra Subwoofer, Read Review
“Within minutes of testing it for the first time, we loved it unconditionally. Watching a movie through a 5.1 system, or listening to music, is revelatory and is some of the best fun we’ve had with a piece of audio equipment. The PB16-Ultra is the single best home subwoofer available today.”

ReferenceHomeTheater, SB16-Ultra Subwoofer, Read Review

“The SB16-Ultra presents a soundstage that didn’t exist before… a fantastic performer and one of the best built and best sounding subs you can find…more than enough power, integrates flawlessly with speakers and provides phenomenal bass for movies and music.”

 

HomeTheaterReview.com, SB16-Ultra Subwoofer, Read Review

“I've heard almost all of the top subwoofers currently on the market. The SB16-Ultra sounds like none of them. It's almost in a whole different category of low-frequency sound. May well be the best subwoofer ever made.”

 

PCWorld.com, SB16-Ultra Subwoofer, Read Review
“Reproduced rippling, subterranean bass notes that go from audible to sensory…it will embarrass the audio systems in many commercial movie theaters…The best subwoofer I’ve heard.”

 

Sound & Vision, SB16 & PB16-Ultra Subwoofers “Top Picks of the Year Awards”, Read Review
“Competes with top-performing subs costing twice or more their price. The kinetic energy reached deafening reference listening levels…I’m surprised it didn’t set off the Earthquake Detection System…My jaw was stuck ajar—man, I love good bass! Very Highly Recommended.”

 

Audioholics, PB16-Ultra Subwoofer, “Bassaholic Extreme Award” “2016 Product of the Year Award”, Read Review
“SVS has taken clean deep bass to another level…the cleanest and loudest bass in such a deep frequency that can be physically generated. I can’t think of any subwoofer that has this degree of sophistication…the PB16-Ultra pushes the envelope in every respect.”

CES Innovations “Best of Innovations 2017” Award, See Award
2017 Best of Innovations: High Performance Home Audio-Video

 

AVSForum, SB16-Ultra - Read Review

“It feels like a major earthquake is occurring…You can push the driver to legitimately scary excursion levels, seemingly on the edge of what’s mechanically possible...Listening with no EQ, and there’s little motivation to do anything.”