In this review, we will be comparing DS123 and PB-1000, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from ELAC and SVS. Being Powered subwoofers, they both have built-in amplifiers so you don't need an external power amp or an integrated amp to power them. Let's have a brief look at the main features of ELAC DS123 and SVS PB-1000 first before getting into our more detailed comparison.
The sections below take each area in turn: driver and amplifier, frequency response, physical size and connectivity.
Drivers
The efficiency of a subwoofer is directly proportional to the total radiating are squared hence the woofer quantity and diameter.Both ELAC DS123and SVS PB-1000 have a single woofer setup however the ELAC DS123's woofer is 12-inch whereas the SVS PB-1000 features a 10-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
DS123 has a frequency range of 28-150 Hz whereas PB-1000 has a frequency range of 19-270 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 19Hz, the PB-1000 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the DS123's min frequency of 28Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Subwoofer class in our database.
Low Frequency
Subwoofer Speakers
High Frequency
Subwoofer Speakers
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare ELAC DS123's and SVS PB-1000's external dimensions. ELAC DS123 has external dimensions of 374.7 x 360.4 x 446.1mm () whereas SVS PB-1000 has external dimensions of 480.0 x 381.0 x 532.0mm (18-7/8 x 15 x 20-15/16inch).
SVS PB-1000 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 20.6mm wider, 105.3mm taller and 85.9mm deeper than ELAC DS123.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the ELAC DS123 is approximately 1607.7cm2 / 249.2inch2 and base area of the SVS PB-1000 is approximately 2026.9cm2 / 314.2inch2. The DS123 requires 21% less surface area than the PB-1000 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a subwoofer may become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often to find the optimal positioning, also known as 'Subwoofer Crawling'. The ELAC DS123 weighs 13.70kg / 30.1lbs and the SVS PB-1000 weighs 20.91kg / 46lbs. This makes the PB-1000 53% heavier than the DS123.
Here is a comparison of how DS123 and PB-1000's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
 Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
10 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Height |
374mm
vs
480mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1607cm2
vs
2026cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| Low Frequency Response |
19 Hz
vs
28 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
270 Hz
vs
150 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Price per pair* |
499USD
vs
599USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
Size, drawn to scale
Both subwoofers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same floor and pushed back to the same wall, so the bigger one visibly takes more of the room.
SVS PB-1000 needs about 26% more floor area. SVS PB-1000 stands 86mm further into the room. SVS PB-1000 is 105mm taller.
| General |
ELAC DS123 |
SVS PB-1000 |
| Brand |
ELAC |
SVS |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Frequency Response |
28-150 Hz |
19-270 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
200-watt RMS |
300-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
400-watt RMS |
n/a |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
12" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
Fiber-composite |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
50-160 Hz and 80 Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
374.7mm (14.8") |
480.0mm (18.9") |
| Width |
360.4mm (14.2") |
381.0mm (15") |
| Depth |
446.1mm (17.6") |
532.0mm (20.9") |
| Weight |
13.70kg (30.1lbs) |
20.91kg (46lbs) |
| Enclosure |
|
Bass Reflex |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
1 Year |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
1 Year |
5 Years |
A sealed subwoofer against a ported one. That is the most consequential line on this page: it decides how the bass rolls off, how it behaves in a small room, and how much output you get for the size of the box.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass depth | B | SVS PB-1000 goes deeper - 19Hz against 28Hz. Under 20Hz is felt more than heard - the bottom of a pipe organ and the bottom of a film mix. |
| Amplifier power | B | SVS PB-1000 has the bigger amplifier - 300W against 200W RMS, about 1.8dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | A | ELAC DS123 moves more air: 12" against 10" is 1.44x the cone area, not the 1.2x the diameters suggest. More area means the same output with less excursion, and less distortion with it. |
| Enclosure | depends | ELAC DS123 is sealed - a sealed box rolls off gently and is usually the easier one to integrate in a small or awkward room; SVS PB-1000 is ported - a ported box gives more output low down for its size, at the cost of a steeper roll-off below tuning. Neither is better in the abstract; ported tends to suit films and sealed tends to suit music, and both generalisations have exceptions. |
| Cabinet size | depends | ELAC DS123 is about 38% smaller by volume. In a subwoofer that is a real trade rather than a preference: box volume is how you get output low down without a bigger amplifier. |
| Warranty | B | SVS PB-1000 carries 5 years on parts against 1 years. A subwoofer amplifier works harder than anything else in the system, so this is not a throwaway line. |
| Price | B | SVS PB-1000 costs less - $499 against $599, about 17% less. |
A ELAC DS123 B SVS PB-1000
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both subwoofers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
SVS PB-1000 is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take ELAC DS123 if one of the "depends" rows describes your room. Films or music? If this is mainly a home cinema, SVS PB-1000 will hit harder for the money; if it is mainly for music in a normal-sized room, ELAC DS123 is usually the easier one to make sound right. If placement is the constraint - a corner, behind a sofa, under a desk - ELAC DS123 is the one that will actually go there, and a well-placed small subwoofer beats a badly-placed big one every time.
One thing outweighs everything above: where the subwoofer stands. Room modes can add or remove 10dB or more at a given seat, which is far larger than any difference on this page. Before spending more, try the sub in two or three positions - the crawl test, where you put it in the listening seat and crawl the room to find where the bass sounds best, costs nothing and usually beats an upgrade.