SVS Goes Big With Its New 17 Inch Ultra Series Subwoofer

While the past few years for SVS have involved some pretty outstanding audiophile speakers, today, the company reminded the world that it still makes some really big bang-for-the-buck subwoofers as well. The new SVS 17 inch Ultra Revolution series includes both a ported and a sealed option equipped with a massive 17 inch driver.

In high-end audiophile terms, the $3k asking price of the ported ($2.5k for the sealed) still falls on the less expensive side of the hobby (the company now even makes a killer floorstander for $5k a pair). But anyone who stands in the center of one of their demo room at any audio show will know, the design team has put a lot of time an effort into making the bass deep, but also controlled and tight. Ultimately for a two channel system, one for each stereo side is preferred, but undoubtably plenty surround sound setups could benefit from the low end effect the beast of a single speaker is able to provide.

New feature set for the includes the obvious SVS 17 inch glass fiber composite cone, dual 8 inch voice coils, new DSP and ability for audio eq room correction available via the SVS app. More details in the press release below:

“SVS Launches 17-Ultra R|Evolution Subwoofers – A Quantum Leap Forward in Subwoofer Design.

The ultimate reference standard for subwoofer performance and innovation is here. With a symphony of unprecedented advancements to the driver, amplifier, DSP, and new auto EQ room correction, SVS 17-Ultra R|Evolution unleashes breathtaking low frequencies with massive impact, musicality, and pinpoint control.

October 1, 2024 – Youngstown, OH – SVS, leading manufacturer of high-performance speakers, subwoofers, and accessories, proudly announces a new flagship subwoofer series, 17-Ultra R|Evolution. A complete reimagining of subwoofer design for the Ohio-based audio brand, innovations abound in the new series making it the most powerful, sophisticated, and user-friendly SVS subwoofers ever introduced to the consumer market.

Starting with the driver, it was a ground-up process engineering the largest, most formidable driver ever deployed in an SVS subwoofer. To ensure stable transfer of electro-magnetic current from the dual mono-amplifier to the 55lb toroidal ferrite magnet motor, SVS designed the first ever dual eight-inch voice coil resulting in effortless output with exacting control over the 17-inch driver. Copper clad aluminum voice coil wire combines the best properties of both elements, yielding ideal thermal capacity and magnetic field strength in the motor.

An all new high-excursion SVS 17-inch driver features a glass fiber composite cone, long-throw catenary SBR rubber surround, and toroidal ferrite electromagnetic motor round out the driver design. This combination generates massive sound pressure levels well below the threshold of human hearing (15Hz for SB17-Ultra and 12Hz for PB17-Ultra) with frequency response accuracy and acoustic linearity.

Generating the sonic muscle behind the most powerful and highest fidelity SVS subwoofers ever is a unique dual mono-block STA-2800D Class-D amplifier with MOSFET output stage. Each amplifier drives one of the dual voice coils to increase the power into the motor while asserting pinpoint control and maximizing output potential. Eight 60 Amp 200 Volt MOSFETs deliver extreme high current for reference-level output with maximum efficiency.

Given the amplifier’s output potential, SVS designers needed an equally capable power supply to accommodate the limits of a typical 15-amp home AC circuit.17-Ultra R|Evolution subwoofers have an answer for this too. An onboard AC line conditioner with power factor correction stabilizes the incoming voltage, corrects waveform distortions, and eliminates electromagnetic and radio interference. By doing so, it continuously optimizes signal quality while ensuring the subwoofers remain impervious to voltage fluctuations.

While DSP remains absent from many subwoofers in the market, SVS integrated the most sophisticated DSP ever to optimize all aspects of performance and usability. The 295MHz Analog Devices DSP orchestrates every function of the amplifier to shape in-room response and stabilize AC voltage delivery while managing a multi-point thermal and current monitoring system for optimal performance and efficiency. In addition, advanced digital audio processing and DACs (Digital-to-Analog Converters) with 120 dB Signal-to-Noise Ratio provide greater headroom, lower noise, and pristine fidelity.

Calibration of the 17-Ultra R|Evolution series is managed via the most comprehensive subwoofer control smartphone app available. The SVS app features controls for volume, low pass filter, phase, polarity, six parametric equalizers, room gain compensation, port tuning (PB17-Ultra R|Evolution only), power management settings, and more. There are also three convenient memory presets for fast and easy system adjustments to match your listening preferences.

Also new to the 17-Ultra R|Evolution subwoofers is the intuitive Auto EQ Subwoofer Room Correction. Using the SVS app and the built-in microphone on a user’s smartphone, the feature applies equalization filters, capitalizes on available room gain, and optimizes in-room frequency response at main listening positions for optimal in-room performance. The simple process requires just a few steps and achieves pristine fidelity by resolving all the acoustic issues caused by your room in a few easy steps. Auto EQ Subwoofer Room Correction will be available via an over-the-air app and firmware update coming soon.

“SVS is a restless company. We are never satisfied with making modest improvements just for the sake of launching a new product,” said Gary Yacoubian, SVS President. “That restlessness is what fueled the top to bottom advancements of our flagship 17-Ultra R|Evolution subwoofers. Literally every part of the ecosystem was reimagined to achieve an unprecedented level of low frequency performance and world class user experience. They truly represent a quantum leap forward in subwoofer design and I could not be prouder of what our team accomplished.”

Details and U.S. pricing are below, both models are now shipping in the US.

• SB17-Ultra R|Evolution – sealed cabinet – $2,499.99
• PB17-Ultra R|Evolution – ported cabinet – $2,999.99

Finish options include Piano Gloss Black and Premium Black Oak Wood Veneer finishes.

All SVS products are backed by a five-year unconditional warranty, 45-day in-home trial, fast and free shipping, expert lifetime support, SoundPoints loyalty program, and all the guarantees of the SVS Customer Bill of Rights.

For more information, please visit www.svsound.com  or follow SVS on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Pinterest, or X(Twitter).”

You can also check out the team from SVS on The Occasional Podcast from S10E8, where they bust a few audiophile myths and discuss what went into producing the new flagship floorstander. Available on iTunes and Spotify as well.