SVS Launches New 17-Ultra R|Evolution Subwoofer Series

Gary Yacoubian, SVS President, told StereoNET:

SVS is a restless company. We are never satisfied with making modest improvements just for the sake of launching a new product. 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.

To ensure the stable transfer of electromagnetic current from the dual mono-amplifier to the 25KG toroidal ferrite magnet motor, SVS had to design a brand-new eight-inch dual voice coil made of copper-clad aluminium voice coil wire. This allows for the best properties of both elements to be combined, resulting in ideal thermal capacity and magnetic field strength.

The new high-excursion 17-inch driver in the subwoofer uses a glass fibre composite cone, a long-throw catenary SBR rubber surround and that 25KG toroidal ferrite electromagnetic motor that is able to generate massive sound pressure levels (SPL) below the threshold of human hearing.

A unique dual mono-block STA-2800D Class-D amplifier design with MOSFET output stage is powering all that. Each of the amplifiers drives one of the dual voice coils to double the power into the motor, with eight 60-amp 200-volt MOSFETs delivering high current for reference-level output.

The internal power supply had to be just as beefy to provide enough power. The 17-Ultra R|Evolution subwoofers have an onboard AV line conditioner with power factor correction to stabilise the incoming voltage, correct waveform distortions, and eliminate interference. This enables the subwoofers to remain impervious to voltage fluctuations while optimising signal quality. 

Many subwoofers don’t come with DSPs, but SVS has integrated a 295MHz Analog Devices DSP into the subwoofers to manage the functions of the amplifier, stabilise AC voltage delivery, and manage a multi-point thermal and current monitoring system. Thanks to advanced digital audio processing and 120dB Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) DACs, there's also greater headroom and lower noise. 

For ease of use, the SVS smartphone app has controls for volume, low-pass filter, phase, polarity, six parametric equalisers, room gain compensation, power management settings, and even port tuning for the PB17-Ultra R|Evolution ported cabinet model. There’s also the new Auto EQ Room Correction, which applies equalisation filters, capitalises on available room gain, and optimises in-room frequency response for the best performance. 

The two 17-Ultra R|Evolution subwoofers will come in Piano Gloss Black and Premium Black Oak Wood Veneer finishes. 

The SB17-Ultra R|Evolution sealed cabinet model will retail for £3,250, while the PB17-Ultra R|Evolution ported cabinet model will sell for £3,750. Both models will be available from late October 2024 onwards.

For more information visit SVS