In this review, we will be comparing SB-2000 and Alpha S10, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from SVS and PSB. 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 SB-2000 and PSB Alpha S10 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 SB-2000and PSB Alpha S10 have a single woofer setup however the SVS SB-2000's woofer is 12-inch whereas the PSB Alpha S10 features a 10-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
SB-2000 has a frequency range of 19-220 Hz whereas Alpha S10 has a frequency range of 28-150 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 19Hz, the SB-2000 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Alpha S10'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
Cabinet Type
The SVS SB-2000 has a Acoustic Suspension type cabinet. 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. On the other hand the PSB Alpha S10 have Bass Reflex type enclosure. 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.
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 SB-2000's and PSB Alpha S10's external dimensions. SVS SB-2000 has external dimensions of 372.0 x 362.0 x 478.0mm (14-5/8 x 14-1/4 x 18-13/16inch) whereas PSB Alpha S10 has external dimensions of 358.0 x 358.0 x 472.0mm (14-1/16 x 14-1/16 x 18-9/16inch).
SVS SB-2000 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 4mm wider, 14mm taller and 6mm deeper than PSB Alpha S10.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of SVS SB-2000 and PSB Alpha S10 in scale.
Comparison image of SVS SB-2000 and PSB Alpha S10 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 SVS SB-2000 is approximately 1730.4cm2 / 268.2inch2 and base area of the PSB Alpha S10 is approximately 1689.8cm2 / 261.9inch2. The SB-2000 requires 2% more surface area than the Alpha S10 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 SB-2000 weighs 15.82kg / 34.8lbs and the PSB Alpha S10 weighs 13.64kg / 30lbs. This makes the SB-2000 16% heavier than the Alpha S10.
Here is a comparison of how SB-2000 and Alpha S10's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
What's in the Box of SVS SB-2000?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of SB-2000:
- Powered subwoofer
- Grille
- 8-feet AC power cord
- Owners Manual
- Quick Start Guide
What's in the Box of PSB Alpha S10?
Here are the items that come with the Alpha S10:
- Powered subwoofer
- Grille
- 5-feet AC power cord
- 4 Rubber feet
- 4 Spike feet
- 4 Hex-nuts
- Quick Start Guide
- Important Safety Instructions
- Warranty Information
 Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
10 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
19 Hz
vs
28 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
220 Hz
vs
150 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Price per pair* |
600USD
vs
699USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Height |
358mm
vs
372mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1689cm2
vs
1730cm2
|
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.
Near-identical footprints. SVS SB-2000 is 14mm taller.
| General |
SVS SB-2000 |
PSB Alpha S10 |
| Brand |
SVS |
PSB |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
500 watts |
150 watts |
| Frequency Response |
19-220 Hz |
28-150 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
500-watt RMS |
150-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
12" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminum |
Polypropylene |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
50-160 Hz and 80 Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
front |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
372.0mm (14.6") |
358.0mm (14.1") |
| Width |
362.0mm (14.3") |
358.0mm (14.1") |
| Depth |
478.0mm (18.8") |
472.0mm (18.6") |
| Weight |
15.82kg (34.8lbs) |
13.64kg (30lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Bass Reflex |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
1 Year |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
1 Year |
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 | A | SVS SB-2000 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 | A | SVS SB-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 SB-2000 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 | SVS SB-2000 is sealed - a sealed box rolls off gently and is usually the easier one to integrate in a small or awkward room; PSB Alpha S10 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. |
| Warranty | A | SVS SB-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 SB-2000 costs less - $600 against $699, about 14% less. |
A SVS SB-2000 B PSB Alpha S10
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 SB-2000 is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take PSB Alpha S10 if one of the "depends" rows describes your room. Films or music? If this is mainly a home cinema, PSB Alpha S10 will hit harder for the money; if it is mainly for music in a normal-sized room, SVS SB-2000 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.