SVS has recently expanded their premium subwoofer lineup with two impressive new offerings: the sealed SB17-Ultra R Evolution and the ported PB17-Ultra R Evolution. While this review focuses primarily on the sealed SB17 model, many of the observations apply equally to its ported counterpart. These flagship products represent SVS's most ambitious engineering effort to date, pushing the boundaries of what's possible in home theater bass reproduction. Buy it here!
Founded and headquartered in Youngstown, Ohio, SVS has established itself as a force in the high-performance audio world under the leadership of President and CEO Gary Yacoubian. The company has built its reputation on a foundational philosophy that exceptional audio shouldn't require a second mortgage. This unwavering commitment to delivering reference-quality sound at attainable price points has propelled SVS to become the preeminent subwoofer manufacturer globally and one of the fastest-growing speaker brands in the industry.
What truly distinguishes SVS from many competitors is their direct engagement with customers. The company cultivates meaningful relationships with their owner community through personalized phone support, responsive email and chat assistance, active social media presence, and frequent in-person events. This two-way dialogue informs their product development process, ensuring each new release addresses actual user needs and expectations. The team's authentic passion for audio excellence is evident in everything they create, as well as in the enthusiastic events they organize with retail partners to demonstrate their products' capabilities firsthand.
Let's be clear: unboxing the SB17 is not for the faint of heart. At a substantial 124 pounds, this subwoofer demands respect during the unpacking process. The included instructions suggest sliding the unit out sideways from its packaging—a recommendation that quickly proved impractical in reality. My solution was to simply cut open the top of the box and allow the sides to unfold outward, creating a much more manageable extraction process.
Even after freeing it from its cardboard confines, maneuvering this behemoth presented its own challenges. Relocating it to my theater room required navigating two steps up followed by one step down—a brief but intense workout that reinforced the substantial engineering packed into this sealed enclosure.
Finding the optimal position for any subwoofer is crucial, and the sealed design of the SB17 presents both advantages and considerations. While dual subwoofer configurations often offer greater flexibility in achieving balanced bass response throughout a room, I was working with a single unit, which demanded more careful consideration of placement options.
After methodical experimentation with various positions, I determined that the front left corner of my theater room yielded the most balanced performance. The sealed design of the SB17 offers certain advantages in terms of transient response and musicality, though it does require thoughtful positioning to maximize room gain and minimize potential nulls or standing waves.
The heart of the SB17-Ultra R Evolution is its massive 17-inch driver, engineered with impressive excursion capabilities. With nearly two inches of linear travel (X-Max) and over three inches of total mechanical excursion (X-Mech), this driver can move substantial volumes of air with remarkable precision. But a capable driver is only half the equation in creating exceptional bass performance.
SVS's engineering team developed a sophisticated dual mono amplifier specifically tailored to complement the dual voice coil design of the 17-inch driver. This amplification system incorporates a lightning-fast 295 MHz Analog Devices DSP processor—five times faster than previous generations—that continuously monitors and optimizes performance. This processing power enables the system to extract maximum output from the driver while simultaneously preventing it from exceeding its mechanical limitations under any circumstances. Buy it here!
The result is a virtually bulletproof system that delivers authoritative bass without risk of driver damage, even during the most demanding passages. This sophisticated approach to system management represents a significant advancement over conventional designs that often sacrifice protection for raw output.
One of the most impressive aspects of the SB17 experience is the intuitive yet powerful SVS smartphone app. This well-designed interface provides comprehensive control over all performance parameters, including:
The app transforms what could be an intimidating setup process into an engaging and educational experience. I particularly appreciated the ability to create and save multiple presets for different content types—a feature that allows quick optimization for music listening versus movie playback without tedious readjustment.
The sonic character of the SB17 can be summarized in one word: authoritative. This subwoofer doesn't merely reproduce bass—it recreates the physical sensation of low-frequency events with startling realism. The sealed design favors accuracy and transient response over maximum output at the lowest frequencies, though make no mistake—this subwoofer still plumbs impressive depths.
During action sequences, explosions and impacts register with chest-thumping authority yet remain remarkably controlled. There's none of the one-note boom or overhang that plagues lesser subwoofers. Instead, each bass note starts and stops with precision, maintaining clarity even during complex passages.
More impressive is the SB17's performance with music. Bass lines in acoustic jazz recordings maintain their melodic character and rhythmic integrity rather than devolving into undefined rumble. Which is all to common with many larger subs. Similarly, orchestral recordings benefit from the subwoofer's ability to reproduce the genuine weight and scale of instruments like pipe organs, timpani, and double basses without exaggeration or bloat.
I like to mix a bit of movies and music when I demo subs, it’s rare to find a sub that can sound great with both. The SB17 did fantastic in movies, Interstellar and the first Transformers are some of favorite movies to demo subs with. The scene especially with Ironhide firing the cannons into the ground is a subwoofer ultimate test. It separates the real subs from the rest. The SB17 did great, I can’t even imagine with dual SB17s would sound like.
As for music, I’ve been using a song called Outside from Breakk.away, a little known band that has an awesome sound, great for moderate sub testing duty. Larger subs have trouble staying tight on music like this. The SB17 did well, but it’s always tough for larger subs to keep up with the fast pace set by music, still an overall enjoyable experience.
The impressive performance of the SB17 comes with a corresponding physical presence. This is a substantial piece of equipment that demands adequate space, both physically and acoustically. While two SB17s would theoretically provide more even bass distribution throughout a listening room, the sheer size of these units makes dual implementation practical only in larger spaces.
For most enthusiasts, a single SB17 will likely provide more than sufficient output, especially in rooms under 400 square feet. Those with larger dedicated theaters might consider dual units, though this represents a significant investment both financially and in terms of floor space.
The SVS SB17-Ultra R Evolution stands as a testament to what's possible when engineering excellence meets genuine passion for audio reproduction. This is not merely an incremental improvement over previous generations—it represents a fundamental rethinking of what a premium home subwoofer can achieve.
At its price point, the SB17 faces competition from boutique manufacturers, yet it delivers performance that rivals or exceeds systems costing significantly more. The combination of brute-force capabilities with sophisticated digital management creates a unique listening experience that will satisfy even the most demanding bass enthusiasts.
What's particularly impressive is how the SB17 maintains its composure regardless of content type or playback level. Whether reproducing the subtle atmospheric rumble in a dramatic film scene or the explosive impact of an action sequence, this subwoofer delivers with equal aplomb. This versatility makes it equally suitable for dedicated music listening or home theater applications.
Is the SB17-Ultra R Evolution for everyone? Certainly not. Its size, weight, and cost position it firmly in enthusiast territory. However when comparing other subs in the $2500 price point, the SVS is a huge value. Especially for those seeking reference-quality bass performance without crossing into five-figure price ranges, it represents one of the most compelling options available today. SVS has once again demonstrated why they've earned their reputation as the premier subwoofer manufacturer in the consumer audio space.
For those with the space to accommodate it and a system worthy of matching its capabilities, the SB17-Ultra R Evolution will provide years of seismic enjoyment. Just make sure your foundation is solid—both in terms of your floor joists and your relationship with bass-sensitive neighbors. SVS's engineering team developed a sophisticated dual mono amplifier specifically tailored to complement the dual voice coil design of the 17-inch driver. This amplification system incorporates a lightning-fast 295 MHz Analog Devices DSP processor—five times faster than previous generations—that continuously monitors and optimizes performance. This processing power enables the system to extract maximum output from the driver while simultaneously preventing it from exceeding its mechanical limitations under any circumstances. Buy it here!
