Dual SB16-Ultra
Dual SB16-Ultra
The SB16-Ultra is a sealed box powered subwoofer with a massive 16-inch Ultra driver featuring an 8-inch edge wound voice coil, a stunningly powerful 1,500 watts continuous, 5,000+ watts peak power Sledge amplifier with fully discrete MOSFET output and an innovative subwoofer control and DSP smartphone app with custom presets for precision tuning. Running dual subwoofers smooths bass response throughout the listening area, enhances low frequency output and depth, reduces localization and provides other acoustic benefits over a single subwoofer.
Dual SB16-Ultra
Product Overview
One Subwoofer to Rule Them All. Introducing the SB16-Ultra.
An unrelenting passion for awesome bass performance and engineering perfection guided every aspect of the SB16-Ultra subwoofer’s design. Groundbreaking technology, rigorous design and extreme testing in real world and laboratory environments allowed SVS to achieve massive output levels, extreme low frequency extension, near-perfect frequency response accuracy, and pinpoint transient response. The culmination of all SVS design advancements, SB16-Ultra represents the greatest leap forward in performance and innovation since the inception of subwoofers.
Quick Specs
- Driver | 16"
- Amplifier | 1500 watts RMS (5000+ watts peak)
- Freq. Response | 16-460 Hz ±3dB
- Dimension | 20" (H) 19.5" (W) 20.1" (D)
Ohio-based AV professionals provide customer support, product recommendations and set-up advice for every component in your system, 7 days a week, before and after you own SVS.
1-877-626-5623 | Live Chat
User Reviews
Tony M. Reviews the SB16-Ultra
"Incredible bass. Soft and gentle when you want it. If you want to shake the building, it will do that also."- Tony M.
Press Reviews
Soundstage Reviews SB16-Ultra Subwoofer
“One of the biggest, baddest, best sealed-box subwoofers you can buy. Includes a modern feature set to ease installation, has output capability to spare for ...
Home Theater Forum Reviews SB16-Ultra Subwoofer
“Flat in-room response down to 15Hz. Bullet-proof construction, which goes far beyond any consumer driver I’m aware of, from any manufacturer. Not once have ...
Digital Trends names SB16-Ultra "2020 Subwoofer of the Year"
“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 wor...
Enjoy the Music Reviews the SB16-Ultra Subwoofer
“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 ...
Dagogo Reviews the SB16-Ultra Subwoofer
"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 ...
Stereophile Names SB16-Ultra as a Class A "Recommended Component for 2018"
Stereophile magazine, the leading voice for audiophiles in the U.S., recently announced its “Recommended Components” for 2018 and honored the SVS SB16-Ultra ...
SB16-Ultra Subwoofer Receives Audio Magazine's "Recommended Product" Award (Germany)
"The SB16 Ultra trembled the room – powerful, focused and long breath. An enormous amount of power for manageable money."
SB16-Ultra Subwoofer named "Best Subwoofer You Can Buy" by Digital Trends
"It’s our favorite subwoofer ever, built to excel in any and all circumstances. Offers everything you could want in a subwoofer – high-end power, impressive...
Positive Feedback Reviews the SB16-Ultra
"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-U...
Stereoplay (Germany) Reviews the SB16-Ultra Subwoofer
"They’re one of the few speakers that do everything well…rare combination of good sound quality and affordability. Great treble response, smooth mid-range a...
The SB16-Ultra Receives AVTech Media's Best Subwoofer 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 des...
Sterophile Reviews the SB16-Ultra Subwoofer
"Pitch-perfect, detailed, fast bass, and enough power to function in my large listening room. Reproduced the deepest notes with mass and solidity. No muddyin...
SB16-Ultra earns 2017 CE Pro BEST (Best Electronics Systems Technologies) Award
Home Cinema Choice Reviews the 16-Ultra Series Subwoofers
"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-bodi...
The SB16-Ultra Receives the Soundstage Reviewers Choice Award
"Incredibly dynamic and slamming. Explosions thundered, then rolled through the room and I was able to feel each concussive shockwave. Energized my space wit...
AVS Forum Reviews the SB16-Ultra
"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 frequenc...
Audioholics Reviews the SB16-Ultra Subwoofer
"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 touc...
Residential Systems Reviews the SB16-Ultra Subwoofer
"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 f...
Home Theater Shack Reviews the SB16-Ultra
"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-Ultr...
SB16-Ultra and PB16-Ultra Subwoofers receive Sound & Vision's Top Pick of the Year Award
"Competes with top-performing subs costing twice or more their price. The kinetic energy reached deafening reference listening levels…I’m surprised it didn’...
Frequency Response / Acoustic Data:
* Frequency response graph does not denote maximum output capability- 16-460 Hz +/- 3 dB
- Roll-off slope specifically optimized to take maximum advantage of available room gain.
- 2-meter ground plane away from reflective structures (quasi-anechoic).
Subwoofer Specs:
- Black Oak and Piano Gloss Black finish options
- Protective non-resonant steel mesh grille
- Front-firing 16" driver
- Rear-mounted amplifier
- Screw-in rubber feet
- Robust Medium Density Fiberboard(MDF) cabinet construction
- Cabinet Dimensions: 20" (H) x 19.5" (W) x 20.1" (D) (without grille)
- Cabinet Dimensions (with grille): 20” (H) X 19.5” (W) X 22.9” (D)
- Shipped Dimensions: 24.9" H X 25.1" W X 30.3" D
- Weight (unboxed): 122 pounds
- Shipped Weight: 145.9 pounds
Driver Specs:
- SVS 16” Ultra-series driver
- Powder-coated cast aluminum basket
- Four high-grade ferrite magnets
- Finite Element Analysis (FEA)-optimized motor structure
- Dual shorting rings reduce gap induction and lower distortion
- Extended pole piece improves heat sink and thermal management properties
- 8” diameter, high-power edge wound voice coil
- 78mm peak to peak Xmech excursion (65mm Xmax)
- Upgraded Nomex spider for improved linearity and driver control at extreme drive levels
- Dual 24-strand copper and Nomex composite high-temperature leads provide a pristine electrical connection from the amplifier to the voice coil
- Premium glass fiber laminated dustcap and reinforced composite cone sub-structure ensure a light, ridged, and neutral radiating surface
- Low-creep rubber long-throw surround for excellent durability and longevity
Amplifier Specs:
- Sledge STA-1500D DSP amplifier
- 1,500 watts RMS continuous (5,000+ watts peak dynamic)
- Efficient and cool-running Class D topology
- High resolution 50Mhz Analog Devices Audio DSP with double precision 56bit filtering is most advanced subwoofer processor available for perfect audio reproduction
- Active PFC (Power Factor Correction) ensures the cleanest 1500W output regardless of your home mains supply
- XLR and RCA stereo input/output with ultra-wide input voltage for consumer and professional audio applications
- Convenient front-mounted display with subwoofer controls and 8 digit LED display
- Groundbreaking Subwoofer Control and Bass Management Smartphone App for Apple and Android Devices
- IR Remote Control
- Three user adjustable parametric EQs
- Continuously variable volume/gain control
- Continuously variable (0-180 degrees) phase control
- Continuously variable (30-200 Hz) 6, 12, 18, or 24 dB/octave low pass filter frequency with disable/LFE setting
- Main power rocker switch
- Auto-On / On / Trigger Controls
- 3-12V trigger with 1/8” (3.5 mm) TRS mini-jack input
- Green standby mode with > 0.5 watts consumption
- Input impedance 22kohm (RCA)/ 22kohm (XLR).
- RoHS compliant, lead-free construction and world-wide safety certifications
- Detachable power cord
Masterful Engineering. 3 Game-Changing Subwoofer Innovations.
One of these groundbreaking innovations would’ve been enough to make the 16-Ultra Series an engineering tour-de-force, but the combination of 3 subwoofer firsts propels the SVS SB16-Ultra into the pantheon of all-time great audio products.
Massive New 16-inch SVS Ultra Driver with Unprecedented 8-inch Edge Wound Voice Coil.
When designing the biggest and most formidable driver ever used in an SVS subwoofer, it was of utmost importance to meet or exceed the same supreme standards of control and accuracy as every other subwoofer SVS manufactures. One huge advancement that allows the SB16-Ultra to handle the crushing force of a 16-inch driver is the 8-inch edge wound voice coil, the largest ever deployed in a consumer subwoofer. This innovation ensures ultra-low distortion, efficient heat dissipation, exceptional linearity and nearly zero power compression. By nature, larger drivers are more difficult to control, but the unprecedented voice coil design ensures accuracy in frequency response and speed in transients without ever sounding boomy.
Pushing the driver are four massive, dedicated toroidal ferrite magnets that unleash a staggering 78mm peak to peak excursion and the highest levels of motor force and palpable SPLs. The light and rigid 16-inch Ultra driver cone consists of a premium fiberglass resin composite with optimal stiffness to mass ratio to maximize movement of air and sonic energy without ever distorting or losing control.
Stunningly Powerful, New Sledge Amplifier with Fully Discrete MOSFET Output and 1,500 Watts Continuous, 5,000+ Watts Peak Power.
Conservatively rated at 1,500 watts continuous, 5,000+ watts peak power, the SB16-Ultra Sledge STA-1500D amplifier’s 64 Amp 200-Volt MOSFETs are the sonic muscle behind arguably the most powerful and highest fidelity subwoofer amplifier ever developed. Discrete MOSFET output results in superior handling and tighter control of the immense amplifier power and represents a major upgrade over the integrated circuits found in nearly all other Class D subwoofers.
Effortless power must be harnessed to ensure refined behavior and pristine output at the most demanding drive levels. To achieve this, the SB16-Ultra subwoofer uses the audio industry’s most advanced 50 Mhz Analog Devices Audio DSP with 56bit filtering to handle the nearly limitless power, only unleashing the perfect amount of low frequency energy at just the right time.
Innovative New Smartphone App for Subwoofer DSP and Control.
Compatible with Apple® and Android® platforms, the innovative SB16-Ultra smartphone app unleashes the full depth, force and nuance of the world’s finest subwoofer. The groundbreaking SVS subwoofer app controls all DSP functions and conveniently stores custom presets. It’s the easiest way ever to fine tune bass surpassing 16Hz at reference volumes from the comfort of your favorite seat.
For added convenience, 2-way feedback shows updates in real time on both the app and subwoofer interface and Bluetooth connectivity allows adjustments to be made even when the subwoofer is not in sight. Control is also available via IR remote and an intuitive front panel display.
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Acoustically Inert, Rigidly Braced Cabinet
A subwoofer capable of creating such extreme levels of sonic energy requires an equally robust cabinet design. The SB16-Ultra is built with a double thick MDF front baffle and rigid internal bracing to support the massive drive unit and to ensure an acoustically inert environment. The highly reinforced internal design eliminates any chance of coloration or resonance from the cabinet, even when the deepest low frequencies are played at reference sound pressure levels.
Sound Expert Videos
Anatomy of an SVS Subwoofer Driver
Comparing Ported vs. Sealed Subwoofers for Home Theater
Why Go Dual: Benefits and Placement of Multiple Subwoofers
5 Performance Attributes of a World Class Subwoofer
Enter your speakers and the SVS Subwoofer Matching Tool will recommend suitable subwoofer matches as well as crossover frequency and low pass filter settings.
Personal SVS speaker and subwoofer system builder. Choose from preset home theater surround sound set-ups like 5.1, or custom build your own.
User Reviews | Press Reviews
- Reviews
- Questions
USMassive, beautiful subs that look
Massive, beautiful subs that look and sound great! My only complaint is with shipping. Both R&L and FedEx are the weak links in your business. They do not represent SVS well at all. I’d suggest looking at other freight carriers because those two companies are horribly unreliable and lack customer service. The subs and SVS’s customer service, however, are stellar!
USMostly Happy
After 4 months of ownership here are my thoughts: Build quality: Extremely rigid MDF cabinet/enclosure (very important for sealed subs). The application of the real black oak veneer is among the best I have seen (nice smooth contours and clean edges w/no bubbles), and is a match for the real oak veneers used by Polk Audio and many others. The 16" driver is very high quality and very robust in its design. The cone is extremely rigid and using a foam rubber surround is a great choice (stitching the surround to the cone would be a nice improvement though). The insanely large voice coil and former no doubt allows this 16" driver to operate at peak levels in a sealed configuration without overheating (largest voice coil I've ever seen). The front display is a great addition and makes on the fly adjustments quick and easy (especially if you are using a programmable remote, like the Logitech Harmony Elite and not the app). I prefer using my Harmony Elite to control everything. The adjustable parametric EQ within the app is a must for initial set-up using REW (outstanding fearure). The massive 1,500/5,000 watt Sledge amplifier does not overheat and go into protection mode when pushed extremely hard (something I was worried about). I was plagued by this problem with Monolith's THX 15" subs, so this speaks volumes about efficiency and design. Performance: I use my theater room for everything (music, movies & video games) and overall these two SB16s are up to the task, but do have their limitations. Room EQ Wizard and a calibrated microphone was used to EQ out any dips after my Yamaha RX-A3080 finished its YPAO calibration. Dual subs really do make this process easier, as their summed response helps flatten everything out. For music you should definitely be able to get these subs dialed in where you want them. Bass is super tight and clear for the low frequency ranges in most music genres (I listen to mostly rock). The absence of any farting/port noise is a welcome addition (coming from ported subs). For movies these subs can be great, but a lot of time and effort will go into calibration. You also need to understand that these are not going to have the dB capabilities of ported subs (especially below 40 Hz). You may find yourself turning up the level in your receiver or the gain on the amplifier to produce dB levels closer to the ported counterparts (especially if you are used to high end ported subs). This will no doubt lead you to the main issue with these SB16s-Ultras which is over-excursion, or specifically maxing out the suspension. Sealed subs have a very hard time properly controlling the driver at sub 30 Hz levels (especially if it is a prolonged low freq rumble played at high SPL). This is because cone excursion in sealed subs quadruples with each successively deeper octave at the same sound pressure level. So cone excursion is 4X higher at 40 Hz than at 80 Hz (same SPL). Cone excursion is 16X higher at 20 Hz than at 80 Hz (same SPL). Eventually you just run out of clean/linear woofer stroke and begin maxing out the suspension (spider & surround) and can start bottoming out the former on the motor assembly (creating popping noise). If you can't come to terms with this fact you will end up damaging the drivers in the long run. SVS is good about replacing drivers, but a better solution would be to educate people on having realistic expectations. Dual PB16-Ultras would have been the better choice here, but I was led to believe the SB16-Ultras had more bottom end than they actually do. Too late now I guess. I ended up setting Room Gain Compensation (RGC) within the SB16's settings at 31 Hz with a slope of 12 dB per octave. This high pass filter will help save your SB16s if you are pushing them hard in a theater environment. You should also leave the level alone within your receiver after it has run its proprietary configuration (YPAO, Audyssey etc..). You can't expect these to perform like a similarly sized ported sub.
USWaiting for neighbors to complain
These things are beasts. I have just added them to my system and though the 300s were a goo addition, upgrading to the SB16 Ultras has improved my theatre experience greatly. I most definitely recommend them to anyone with the funds and appreciation of a quality audio experience.
USIntegrated perfectly into my soundsystem/
Integrated perfectly into my soundsystem/ theater. 5star will recommend. Martin cam
USDual SB16 Ultras = Amazing
I have been on the fence about ordering the 16 Ultras for a while now. I had a pair of Rp-112sw Klipsch subs that I was very pleased with, but I always felt that their musicality was lacking even though they packed a pretty good punch. So this year I figured I’d treat myself and ordered 2 SB16 Ultras. Holy hell. It took me a while to get them to sit in the mix accurately since audussey calibrations brings too much boom and not enough actual low end suppprt to the existing midrange drivers. The control and accuracy of these subs is a substantial improvement over the Klipsch in every way. Especially in direct mode from my maranta where they really shine. The bass now actually sits IN the music and not in front or behind it and when you turn it up or down it makes the music fuller as opposed to just making the bass louder. These in excess of what I was expecting and I couldn’t be happier. My neighborhood, not so much.....
User Reviews | Press Reviews
Soundstage Reviews SB16-Ultra Subwoofer
“One of the biggest, baddest, best sealed-box subwoofers you can buy. Includes a modern feature set to ease installation, has output capability to spare for all but the largest spaces,...
Home Theater Forum Reviews SB16-Ultra Subwoofer
“Flat in-room response down to 15Hz. Bullet-proof construction, which goes far beyond any consumer driver I’m aware of, from any manufacturer. Not once have they demonstrated inability to easily handle...
Digital Trends names SB16-Ultra "2020 Subwoofer of the Year"
“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...
Enjoy the Music Reviews the SB16-Ultra Subwoofer
“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...
Dagogo Reviews the SB16-Ultra Subwoofer
"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...
Stereophile Names SB16-Ultra as a Class A "Recommended Component for 2018"
Stereophile magazine, the leading voice for audiophiles in the U.S., recently announced its “Recommended Components” for 2018 and honored the SVS SB16-Ultra with its highest “Class A” ranking for subwoofers....
SB16-Ultra Subwoofer Receives Audio Magazine's "Recommended Product" Award (Germany)
"The SB16 Ultra trembled the room – powerful, focused and long breath. An enormous amount of power for manageable money."
SB16-Ultra Subwoofer named "Best Subwoofer You Can Buy" by Digital Trends
"It’s our favorite subwoofer ever, built to excel in any and all circumstances. Offers everything you could want in a subwoofer – high-end power, impressive clarity, precise detail, and good...
Positive Feedback Reviews the SB16-Ultra
"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....
Stereoplay (Germany) Reviews the SB16-Ultra Subwoofer
"They’re one of the few speakers that do everything well…rare combination of good sound quality and affordability. Great treble response, smooth mid-range and deep accurate bass makes them a great...
The SB16-Ultra Receives AVTech Media's Best Subwoofer 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,...
Sterophile Reviews the SB16-Ultra Subwoofer
"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...
SB16-Ultra earns 2017 CE Pro BEST (Best Electronics Systems Technologies) Award
Home Cinema Choice Reviews the 16-Ultra Series Subwoofers
"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 SB16-Ultra Receives the Soundstage Reviewers Choice Award
"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...
AVS Forum Reviews the SB16-Ultra
"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...
Audioholics Reviews the SB16-Ultra Subwoofer
"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...
Residential Systems Reviews the SB16-Ultra Subwoofer
"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...
Home Theater Shack Reviews the SB16-Ultra
"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...
SB16-Ultra and PB16-Ultra Subwoofers receive Sound & Vision's Top Pick of the Year Award
"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...
PCWorld.com Reviews the SB16-Ultra Subwoofer
"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."
HomeTheaterReview.com Reviews the SB16-Ultra Subwoofer
"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...
SB16-Ultra Receives 2017 CES Innovations Award
SB16-Ultra receives 2017 CES Innovations Award and coveted “Best of Innovations” honor for being the top high performance audio or video product -CES 2016
AV Nirvana Reviews the SB16-Ultra Subwoofer
"This sub is insanely good… and two of them? Off the charts! I can’t speak highly enough of the sub’s integration offerings, especially when used with software such as Room...
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