In this review, we will be comparing PC-2000 and Gravis I, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from SVS and Sonus faber. 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 Sonus faber Gravis I 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 Sonus faber Gravis I have a single woofer setup however the SVS PC-2000's woofer is 12-inch whereas the Sonus faber Gravis I features a 8-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
PC-2000 has a frequency range of 16-260 Hz whereas Gravis I has a frequency range of 30-120 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 16Hz, the PC-2000 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Gravis I's min frequency of 30Hz.
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
The SVS PC-2000 has a Bass Reflex type cabinet. Bass Reflex type subwoofers (aka Ported, Vented or Reflex Port) have enclosures that uses a port, hole or vent cut into the cabinet. Ported designs are generally more efficient than the Sealed designs. On the other hand the Sonus faber Gravis I have Acoustic Suspension type enclosure. 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 SVS PC-2000's and Sonus faber Gravis I'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 Sonus faber Gravis I has external dimensions of 337.0 x 286.0 x 340.0mm (13-1/4inch x 11-1/4inch x 13-3/8inch).
SVS PC-2000 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 136mm wider, 535mm taller and 82mm deeper than Sonus faber Gravis I.
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 Sonus faber Gravis I is approximately 972.4cm2 / 150.7inch2. The PC-2000 requires 83% more surface area than the Gravis I 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 SVS PC-2000 weighs 22.70kg / 49.9lbs and the Sonus faber Gravis I weighs 14.55kg / 32lbs. This makes the PC-2000 56% heavier than the Gravis I.
Here is a comparison of how PC-2000 and Gravis I's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
 Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
16 Hz
vs
30 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
260 Hz
vs
120 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Price per pair* |
750USD
vs
999USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Height |
337mm
vs
872mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
972cm2
vs
1780cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
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 PC-2000 needs about 83% more floor area. SVS PC-2000 stands 82mm further into the room. SVS PC-2000 is 535mm taller.
| General |
SVS PC-2000 |
Sonus faber Gravis I |
| Brand |
SVS |
Sonus faber |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
500 watts |
150 watts |
| Frequency Response |
16-260 Hz |
30-120 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
500-watt RMS |
150-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
1100-watt RMS |
n/a |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
12" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminum |
Treated Paper |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
872.0mm (34.3") |
337.0mm (13.3") |
| Width |
422.0mm (16.6") |
286.0mm (11.3") |
| Depth |
422.0mm (16.6") |
340.0mm (13.4") |
| Weight |
22.70kg (49.9lbs) |
14.55kg (32lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Piano Black,Matte White |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
2 Yr/3 Yr registered |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
2 Yr/3 Yr registered |
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 30Hz. 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 150W RMS, about 5.2dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | A | SVS PC-2000 moves more air: 12" against 8" is 2.25x the cone area, not the 1.5x 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; Sonus faber Gravis I 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. |
| Driver placement | depends | SVS PC-2000 fires front and Sonus faber Gravis I fires down. 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 | Sonus faber Gravis I is about 79% 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 2 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 $999, about 25% less. |
A SVS PC-2000 B Sonus faber Gravis I
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 Sonus faber Gravis I 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, Sonus faber Gravis I is usually the easier one to make sound right. If placement is the constraint - a corner, behind a sofa, under a desk - Sonus faber Gravis I 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.