In this review, we will be comparing SB-3000 and PB-2000 Pro, two Powered Subwoofer speakers by 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 SVS SB-3000 and SVS PB-2000 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.
**This post contains affiliate links, and we will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through our links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
The efficiency of a subwoofer is directly proportional to the total radiating are squared hence the woofer quantity and diameter.Both SVS SB-3000and SVS PB-2000 Pro have a single woofer setup however the SVS SB-3000's woofer is 13-inch whereas the SVS PB-2000 Pro features a 12-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
SB-3000 has a frequency range of 18-270 Hz whereas PB-2000 Pro has a frequency range of 16-290 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 16Hz, the PB-2000 Pro can go slightly deeper then the SB-3000's min frequency of 18Hz.
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-3000 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 SVS PB-2000 Pro 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-3000's and SVS PB-2000 Pro's external dimensions. SVS SB-3000 has external dimensions of 397.0 x 388.0 x 453.0mm (15-5/8 x 15-1/4 x 17-13/16inch) whereas SVS PB-2000 Pro has external dimensions of 534.0 x 442.0 x 609.0mm (21 x 17-3/8 x 23-15/16inch).
SVS PB-2000 Pro is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 54mm wider, 137mm taller and 156mm deeper than SVS SB-3000.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of SVS SB-3000 and SVS PB-2000 Pro in scale.
Comparison image of SVS SB-3000 and SVS PB-2000 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 SVS SB-3000 is approximately 1757.6cm2 / 272.4inch2 and base area of the SVS PB-2000 Pro is approximately 2691.8cm2 / 417.2inch2. The SB-3000 requires 35% less surface area than the PB-2000 Pro 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 SB-3000 weighs 24.77kg / 54.5lbs and the SVS PB-2000 Pro weighs 29.45kg / 64.8lbs. This makes the PB-2000 Pro 19% heavier than the SB-3000.
Here is a comparison of how SB-3000 and PB-2000 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 SVS SB-3000?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of SB-3000:
- Powered subwoofer
- Grille
- 6.5-feet AC power cord
- Owners Manual
- Quick Start Guide
- Online Registration Card
- SVS brochure
What's in the Box of SVS PB-2000 Pro?
Here are the items that come with the PB-2000 Pro:
- Powered subwoofer
- Grille
- 8-feet AC power cord
- Quick Start Guide
- Safety Instructions
- SVS brochure
Woofer Size |
13 inches
vs
12 inches
|
Larger woofer |
Height |
397mm
vs
534mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
Base Surface Area |
1757cm2
vs
2691cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
Low Frequency Response |
16 Hz
vs
18 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
High Frequency Response |
290 Hz
vs
270 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
| General |
SVS SB-3000 |
SVS PB-2000 Pro |
| Brand |
SVS |
SVS |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
800 watts |
550 watts |
| Frequency Response |
18-270 Hz |
16-290 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
800-watt RMS |
550-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
2500-watt RMS |
1500-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
13" |
12" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminum |
Aluminum |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
front |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
397.0mm (15.6") |
534.0mm (21") |
| Width |
388.0mm (15.3") |
442.0mm (17.4") |
| Depth |
453.0mm (17.8") |
609.0mm (24") |
| Weight |
24.77kg (54.5lbs) |
29.45kg (64.8lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Bass Reflex |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
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 | evenly matched | Effectively the same reach (18Hz vs 16Hz). |
| Amplifier power | A | SVS SB-3000 has the bigger amplifier - 800W against 550W RMS, about 1.6dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | evenly matched | Near-identical radiating area (13" against 12"). |
| Enclosure | depends | SVS SB-3000 is sealed - a sealed box rolls off gently and is usually the easier one to integrate in a small or awkward room; SVS PB-2000 Pro 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. |
| Setup and tuning | evenly matched | The same tuning tools on both (room correction, onboard DSP and app control). |
| Cabinet size | depends | SVS SB-3000 is about 51% 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. |
| Price | evenly matched | Priced within a few per cent of each other. |
A SVS SB-3000 B SVS PB-2000 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?
SVS SB-3000 has the edge on paper, though not by much. The "depends" rows are more likely to decide this than the score is. Films or music? If this is mainly a home cinema, SVS PB-2000 Pro will hit harder for the money; if it is mainly for music in a normal-sized room, SVS SB-3000 is usually the easier one to make sound right. If placement is the constraint - a corner, behind a sofa, under a desk - SVS SB-3000 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.