SV Subwoofers
O WNERS’
G
SVS “Powered Cylinder,
Ultra” (PC-Ultra) ™
UIDE
Contents:
• Page 1 Welcome
• Page 2 About your new SV Subwoofer
• Pages 4- 7 Setup, integration, and calibration
• Page 7- 8 Powered cylinder amp features
• Pages 9 - 11 Parametric equalizer (PEQ)
• Pages 12 - 13 Variable tuning
• Pages 14 - 15 Bass demos
Last update: 27 January 2004
Page 2
SV Subwoofers
Welcome.
From the entire SVS team, congratulations on your pur-
chase of the standard in home theater and music bass!
Your new subwoofer isn’t some generic, mass-produced box built
someplace you can’t even find on a map. It’s made in Ohio (USA),
by home audio enthusiasts... like you. Designed, tested and assembled by hand, while using state of the art automation and materials,
your SVS is without a doubt one of the best investments you’ll ever
make in bringing music and theater home.
What’s more, we’ll help you to set up your sub right, and in no time,
you’ll be giving “demos” of your favorite music, DVDs or digital
music to all your friends and neighbors (we pity them if you live in an
apartment…please, be kind!). This isn’t just a “subwoofer” after all,
it’s a carefully designed audio component carefully tuned in our labs,
by bass authority and “Sub-human”, Tom Vodhanel.
You’re unlikely to have heard, or felt, bass like this before, unless it
was in a top-notch commercial movie theater or high-end (high cost)
audio boutique. Movies and music in your home will never be quite
the same again. That’s a promise.
Already have a question about your sub? You might answer
it by reading this manual; we think you’ll find it more informative
than most. For even more detailed discussion about set-up topics
check out our FAQs page at www.svsubwoofers.com. We touch on
all the key points you need to know, and then some.
Maybe you just want to share a bit of bass news? Or perhaps you
have a story about your SV Subwoofer to share with us? Maybe
something we missed in our website? No matter, feel free to send a
note straight to me: rons@svsubwoofers.com .
It’s not often you can talk to the guys who made your audio components. In this case, we look forward to it.
Ron Stimpson
Co-Founder SVS
SV Subwoofers
Page 3
About your SV Subwoofer
No powered subwoofers look anything like them. And virtually none
work like them either. SV Subwoofers are decidedly different. The best part? You
could have spent much more and still not come close to the same bass performance
our PC-Ultra line gives you. But what makes a subwoofer an SVS?
Quality components, sane prices. You might be surprised at how
inexpensive the components in some not-so-inexpensive subwoofers are. Make no
mistake, we search the world for the best, most cost effective parts (when we don’t
make them ourselves), and meld them into finely tuned designs that define high
performance home theater and music bass. Want woofers, amps, or even binding
posts? We’ve tested and discarded plenty that didn’t meet our tough standards. If
we use it, whatever “it” is, you know it made the grade. We’re proud of the fact
nearly all components for your SVS come right from North America.
Get “tubular”. Typical subs require heavy internal bracing and thick enclosure
walls because they’re boxes. But cylinders can’t flex the way boxes do. Ever
wonder why high pressure tanks are always round? At SVS form follows function,
and fortunately, functional designs can lead to simple, stylish and elegant designs
too. Take one look at our subs and you’ll know this is true.
Stable downward firing woofer. Our slender design is one plus, but we’ve
also taken great lengths to design a downward firing driver. Coupled with our
unique base-plates, which minimize driver reactive forces, you’ll find our subs can
take a tremendous amount of power and remain rock solid. Compliant foam rubber
feet on our innovative base plates allow for stable placement on a variety of
surfaces. No rattling, or buzzing allowed!
Custom low turbulence, tri-port design. When you listen to our trend-
setting ported subs you’ll hear (and feel) bass like never before, with a
exceptionally low noise and distortion. When you experience genuine SVS bass
you’ll know something special went into it. Want deeper performance? Use the
included “port plug” and associated subsonic filter to dip a full 5Hz lower in your
sub’s “tune”, in just a matter of seconds.
Stylish, and understated. From the simple top grill, to the elegant base-plate,
you’ll be amazed at how easy it is to lose your sub in a corner. SVS’s are big, but
this is one of those times size does matter. There are hundreds of brands of “black
box” subs out there. Fortunately, you didn’t just unpack one.
World class power. Our North American-built amps are spec’d to a level of fit
and finish, plus a collection of features and power, practically unheard of at this
price. And SVS starts with efficient subwoofer designs which don’t require
equalization to go low and flat. This way our amps can be dedicated to
reproducing bass, not making up for a lack of enclosure space (the bane of clean,
deep bass). As a result, we don’t require the megawatts some subs do, instead
running cool and reliable in our vented enclosures. These digital hybrid amps run
so cool, we can even dispense with old-fashioned “cooling fins”!
Page 4
SV Subwoofers
Setup, calibrating and integration
W
hat’s to know?
pretty darn easy. There are a few key things to get right though, if you
want to get the most out of your sub…
U
npacking.
way), but take time to carefully unpack your sub. Set the box and other
protective shipping coverings aside, just in case you need to return the sub
for any reason. Be sure you don’t throw out the soda can shaped foam
pieces. They’re your foam “port plugs” for custom sub tuning!
L
ocation.
setting up your subwoofer. So, where to put it?
can, and avoid putting your sub where it might adjoin large open areas
Studies have shown that the deepest and flattest bass response is typically
attained when a subwoofer is placed within a few feet of one of your home
theater’s corners. The upright configuration of SV Subwoofers makes this
easy. Whether you put the sub in front or to the rear of your seating area
makes surprisingly little difference. Deep home theater bass, like that
from Dolby Digital (DD) “5.1 channel” DVDs and Laserdiscs is nondirectional. You can’t tell where it is coming from, even though you can
hear, and feel it.
H
ook-up
new sub. Usually, a simple mono, shielded 75 Ohm A/V RCA type cable
(a.) is used to take the subwoofer output of your DD/DTS surround sound
receiver
need to “split” the signal going to the PC-Ultra. You can feed either one
of the two amp inputs, it doesn’t matter, right or left.
They say it’s ALL about location right? It’s the same with
(see fig. 1).
(b.)
and feed the low-level input of the sub’s amp. There is no
Well, first of all, setting up an SV Subwoofer is
You’re probably eager to fire up your sub (we’re the same
Go for a corner
There are a variety of ways to configure your
if you
.
NOTE: Stop now if you aren’t
!
TOTALLY familiar with your receiver’s
manual. Ensure all power to your
equipment is off when making these connections. Also, be certain your power outlet can
handle a minimum of 600 watts. (Use of
(a.)
“convenience outlets” on receivers are not
recommended for your SVS.)
Fig. 1
(b.)
DD/DTS Processor/Receiver
(Subwoofer “Out”)
SV Subwoofers
Page 5
More Setup, calibrating and integration
If you are running a pair of SVS’s (Fig. 2), you will need to use a standard “Y” cable adapter (c.) The best adaptor to use for this task has one
male RCA connection and two female RCA outputs. (Radio Shack ®
stocks them.) From the “Y” cable you can run a standard 75 Ohm signal
cable (d.) to each sub thus “splitting” the Low Frequency Effects (LFE)
and other bass signals from your receiver, thus feeding both subwoofers.
NOTE: Now is a good time to select if
!
you want “ON” (always on) or “AUTO
ON” which turns your sub on only when a bass
signal is present.
(d.)
“Y” cable/splitter from
receiver
(c.)
DD/DTS Processor/Receiver
Fig. 2
“
C
alibration”
configuration of your home theater sound system. Fortunately, adjusting
channel balance (that’s all “calibration” really is) is as easy to do as it is
important. The first order of business is making sure your DD/DTS
surround sound system is set up properly. We recommend you consult
your audio/video receiver (or processor) manual to refresh on the procedures to do this. Generally, this requires ensuring the receiver’s test
tones, or a special test disk (like
the same volume from each of your system’s full range speakers. That’s
left, center, right, left surround and right surround speakers, and of
course the subwoofer (more on sub level in a second). Skip now to
Page 7 (“
sub’s amp, and come back to calibration.
T
hings to check as you get ready to calibrate your system:
•
PC-Ultra: Amp Features
A
re your speakers set correct to the correct “size”?
ceiver/processor might allow you to indicate if your speakers are “Small”
or “Large”. Selecting the size accordingly will ensure bass goes to most
It isn’t only for tech minded folks, it’s
Video Essentials or Avia
(Subwoofer “Out”)
key
to a proper
) plays back at
”) if you aren’t familiar with your
Your re-
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