In this review, we will be comparing Varro DS1000-BG and SB-1000 Pro, 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 Varro DS1000-BG and SVS SB-1000 Pro 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.
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Drivers
The efficiency of a subwoofer is directly proportional to the total radiating are squared hence the woofer quantity and diameter.ELAC Varro DS1000-BG and SVS SB-1000 Pro have a totally different setup: the ELAC Varro DS1000-BG features 2 x 10-inch drivers whereas the SB-1000 Pro features 1 x 12-inch drivers.
Frequency Response
Varro DS1000-BG has a frequency range of 18-150 Hz whereas SB-1000 Pro has a frequency range of 20-270 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 18Hz, the Varro DS1000-BG can go slightly deeper then the SB-1000 Pro's min frequency of 20Hz.
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
Cabinet Type
Both ELAC Varro DS1000-BG and SVS SB-1000 Pro have Acoustic Suspension type cabinets. Acoustic Suspension aka Sealed type subwoofers have enclosures that are sealed hence no ports or holes exists on the cabinet. Sealed designs helps to provide more accurate and tight bass responses compared to ported designs.
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 Varro DS1000-BG's and SVS SB-1000 Pro's external dimensions. ELAC Varro DS1000-BG has external dimensions of 372.0 x 431.0 x 372.0mm (14-5/8inch x 16-15/16inch x 14-5/8inch) whereas SVS SB-1000 Pro has external dimensions of 343.0 x 331.0 x 402.0mm (13-1/2inch x 13inch x 15-13/16inch).
SVS SB-1000 Pro is 100mm narrower and 29mm shorter than ELAC Varro DS1000-BG but it is also 30mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of ELAC Varro DS1000-BG and SVS SB-1000 Pro in scale.
Comparison image of ELAC Varro DS1000-BG and SVS SB-1000 Pro Size and External Dimensions
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 Varro DS1000-BG is approximately 1603.3cm2 / 248.5inch2 and base area of the SVS SB-1000 Pro is approximately 1330.6cm2 / 206.2inch2. The Varro DS1000-BG requires 20% more surface area than the SB-1000 Pro which gives it a small disadvantage 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 Varro DS1000-BG weighs 32.45kg / 71.4lbs and the SVS SB-1000 Pro weighs 11.82kg / 26lbs. This makes the Varro DS1000-BG 175% heavier than the SB-1000 Pro.
Here is a comparison of how Varro DS1000-BG and SB-1000 Pro's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
What's in the Box of ELAC Varro DS1000-BG?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Varro DS1000-BG:
- 2 Grilles
- Power Cord
- 4 Spikes
What's in the Box of SVS SB-1000 Pro?
Here are the items that come with the SB-1000 Pro:
- Powered subwoofer
- Grille
- 6-feet AC power cord
- Quick Start Guide
- Brochure
- SVS Support Information
 Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
| Low Frequency Response |
18 Hz
vs
20 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Ethernet Connection |
Yes
vs
No
|
High quality streaming over Ethernet |
| Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
10 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
270 Hz
vs
150 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
343mm
vs
372mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1330cm2
vs
1603cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
600USD
vs
2499USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
ELAC Varro DS1000-BG |
SVS SB-1000 Pro |
| Brand |
ELAC |
SVS |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
1000 watts |
325 watts |
| Frequency Response |
18-150 Hz |
20-270 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
1000-watt RMS |
325-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
2000-watt RMS |
820-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
10" |
12" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminum |
Fiber-composite |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
front |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
372.0mm (14.6") |
343.0mm (13.5") |
| Width |
431.0mm (17") |
331.0mm (13") |
| Depth |
372.0mm (14.6") |
402.0mm (15.8") |
| Weight |
32.45kg (71.4lbs) |
11.82kg (26lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Finish |
MDF |
n/a |
| Available Colors |
Gloss Black |
Black,White |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| USB Port |
USB-A port for firmware updates |
n/a |
| Ethernet Port |
Yes |
n/a |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
1 year |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
1 year |
5 Years |
Different price classes - ELAC Varro DS1000-BG costs roughly 4.2x what SVS SB-1000 Pro does. Before paying it, read the note below about two smaller subwoofers.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass depth | evenly matched | Effectively the same reach (18Hz vs 20Hz). |
| Amplifier power | A | ELAC Varro DS1000-BG has the bigger amplifier - 1000W against 325W RMS, about 4.9dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | A | ELAC Varro DS1000-BG moves more air: 2 x 10" against 12" is 1.39x the cone area, not the 1.18x the diameters suggest. More area means the same output with less excursion, and less distortion with it. |
| Enclosure | evenly matched | Both are sealed designs, so they roll off in much the same way. |
| Setup and tuning | evenly matched | The same tuning tools on both (room correction, onboard DSP and app control). |
| Driver placement | depends | ELAC Varro DS1000-BG fires side and SVS SB-1000 Pro fires front. A down-firing driver is more forgiving of a grille-less look and of a hard floor; a front-firing one is the safer choice on a thick carpet or a suspended timber floor. |
| Cabinet size | depends | SVS SB-1000 Pro is about 23% 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 SB-1000 Pro 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 SB-1000 Pro costs less - $600 against $2,499, about 76% less. |
A ELAC Varro DS1000-BG B SVS SB-1000 Pro
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?
ELAC Varro DS1000-BG is ahead, but on only 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 4.2x the price. SVS SB-1000 Pro is the sensible buy unless your room is large enough to need the extra. Two small subwoofers beat one big one in most rooms - a pair evens out the room modes in a way no single box can, whatever its specs. At $600 each, two SVS SB-1000 Pro cost about $1,200 against $2,499 for one of the other, which is worth a thought.
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.