In this review, we will be comparing PC-2000 and DS153, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from SVS and ELAC. 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 SVS PC-2000 and ELAC DS153 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 SVS PC-2000and ELAC DS153 have a single woofer setup however the SVS PC-2000's woofer is 12-inch whereas the ELAC DS153 features a 15-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
PC-2000 has a frequency range of 16-260 Hz whereas DS153 has a frequency range of 20-150 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 16Hz, the PC-2000 can go slightly deeper then the DS153'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
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 SVS PC-2000's and ELAC DS153's external dimensions. SVS PC-2000 has external dimensions of 872.0 x 422.0 x 422.0mm (34-5/16 x 16-5/8 x 16-5/8inch) whereas ELAC DS153 has external dimensions of 485.8 x 469.9 x 552.5mm ().
SVS PC-2000 is 47.9mm narrower and 130.5mm less deeper than ELAC DS153 but it is also 386.2mm taller.
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 SVS PC-2000 is approximately 1780.8cm2 / 276.0inch2 and base area of the ELAC DS153 is approximately 2596.2cm2 / 402.4inch2. The PC-2000 requires 31% less surface area than the DS153 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 SVS PC-2000 weighs 22.70kg / 49.9lbs and the ELAC DS153 weighs 25.10kg / 55.2lbs. This makes the DS153 11% heavier than the PC-2000.
Here is a comparison of how PC-2000 and DS153's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
 Low Frequency Response |
16 Hz
vs
20 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
260 Hz
vs
150 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Base Surface Area |
1780cm2
vs
2596cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
750USD
vs
949USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| Woofer Size |
15 inches
vs
12 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Height |
485mm
vs
872mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
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.
ELAC DS153 needs about 46% more floor area. ELAC DS153 stands 131mm further into the room. SVS PC-2000 is 386mm taller.
| General |
SVS PC-2000 |
ELAC DS153 |
| Brand |
SVS |
ELAC |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Frequency Response |
16-260 Hz |
20-150 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
500-watt RMS |
300-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
1100-watt RMS |
600-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
12" |
15" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminum |
|
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
872.0mm (34.3") |
485.8mm (19.1") |
| Width |
422.0mm (16.6") |
469.9mm (18.5") |
| Depth |
422.0mm (16.6") |
552.5mm (21.8") |
| Weight |
22.70kg (49.9lbs) |
25.10kg (55.2lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
|
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
1 Year |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
1 Year |
A ported subwoofer against a sealed 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 | A | SVS PC-2000 goes deeper - 16Hz against 20Hz. Under 20Hz is felt more than heard - the bottom of a pipe organ and the bottom of a film mix. |
| Amplifier power | A | SVS PC-2000 has the bigger amplifier - 500W against 300W RMS, about 2.2dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | B | ELAC DS153 moves more air: 15" against 12" is 1.56x the cone area, not the 1.25x the diameters suggest. More area means the same output with less excursion, and less distortion with it. |
| Enclosure | depends | SVS PC-2000 is ported - a ported box gives more output low down for its size, at the cost of a steeper roll-off below tuning; ELAC DS153 is sealed - a sealed box rolls off gently and is usually the easier one to integrate in a small or awkward room. 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 DS153 is about 19% 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 | A | SVS PC-2000 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 | A | SVS PC-2000 costs less - $750 against $949, about 21% less. |
A SVS PC-2000 B ELAC DS153
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 PC-2000 is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take ELAC DS153 if one of the "depends" rows describes your room. Films or music? If this is mainly a home cinema, SVS PC-2000 will hit harder for the money; if it is mainly for music in a normal-sized room, ELAC DS153 is usually the easier one to make sound right.
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.