In this review, we will be comparing SB16-Ultra and SB-3000, 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 SB16-Ultra and SVS SB-3000 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 SB16-Ultraand SVS SB-3000 have a single woofer setup however the SVS SB16-Ultra's woofer is 16-inch whereas the SVS SB-3000 features a 13-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
SB16-Ultra has a frequency range of 16-460 Hz whereas SB-3000 has a frequency range of 18-270 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 16Hz, the SB16-Ultra 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
Both SVS SB16-Ultra and SVS SB-3000 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 SVS SB16-Ultra's and SVS SB-3000's external dimensions. SVS SB16-Ultra has external dimensions of 508.0 x 496.0 x 512.0mm (20 x 19-1/2 x 20-1/8inch) whereas 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).
SVS SB16-Ultra is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 108mm wider, 111mm taller and 59mm deeper than SVS SB-3000.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of SVS SB16-Ultra and SVS SB-3000 in scale.
Comparison image of SVS SB16-Ultra and SVS SB-3000 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 SB16-Ultra is approximately 2539.5cm2 / 393.6inch2 and base area of the SVS SB-3000 is approximately 1757.6cm2 / 272.4inch2. The SB16-Ultra requires 44% more surface area than the SB-3000 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 SB16-Ultra weighs 55.45kg / 122lbs and the SVS SB-3000 weighs 24.77kg / 54.5lbs. This makes the SB16-Ultra 124% heavier than the SB-3000.
Here is a comparison of how SB16-Ultra and SB-3000'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 SB16-Ultra?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of SB16-Ultra:
- Powered subwoofer
- Grille
- 8-feet AC power cord
- Remote control
- Owners Manual
What's in the Box of SVS SB-3000?
Here are the items that come with the SB-3000:
- Powered subwoofer
- Grille
- 6.5-feet AC power cord
- Owners Manual
- Quick Start Guide
- Online Registration Card
- SVS brochure
 Woofer Size |
16 inches
vs
13 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
16 Hz
vs
18 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
460 Hz
vs
270 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Handheld Remote |
Yes
vs
No
|
Control the speaker by the included RC |
 Height |
397mm
vs
508mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1757cm2
vs
2539cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1100USD
vs
2300USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Wireless Operation |
Optional
vs
No
|
Connect your subwoofer to your system wireless |
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 SB16-Ultra needs about 44% more floor area. SVS SB16-Ultra stands 59mm further into the room. SVS SB16-Ultra is 111mm taller.
| General |
SVS SB16-Ultra |
SVS SB-3000 |
| Brand |
SVS |
SVS |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
1500 watts |
800 watts |
| Frequency Response |
16-460 Hz |
18-270 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
1500-watt RMS |
800-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
n/a |
2500-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
16" |
13" |
| Woofer Composition |
Composite fiberglass/resin |
Aluminum |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
front |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
508.0mm (20") |
397.0mm (15.6") |
| Width |
496.0mm (19.5") |
388.0mm (15.3") |
| Depth |
512.0mm (20.2") |
453.0mm (17.8") |
| Weight |
55.45kg (122lbs) |
24.77kg (54.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
Siblings in SVS's SB range - same design thinking, different size. It comes down to your room and your budget.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass depth | evenly matched | Effectively the same reach (16Hz vs 18Hz). |
| Amplifier power | A | SVS SB16-Ultra has the bigger amplifier - 1500W against 800W RMS, about 2.7dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | A | SVS SB16-Ultra moves more air: 16" against 13" is 1.51x the cone area, not the 1.23x 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 (app control). |
| Wireless option | depends | Only SVS SB-3000 offers a wireless link (as a paid option). It decides where the sub can go if you cannot run a cable, and is worth nothing if you can. |
| Cabinet size | depends | SVS SB-3000 is about 46% 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 | B | SVS SB-3000 costs less - $1,100 against $2,300, about 52% less. |
A SVS SB16-Ultra B SVS SB-3000
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?
The usual trade-off: SVS SB16-Ultra measures better, SVS SB-3000 costs about 52% less. In a normal room, placement will make a bigger difference than the gap between these two. 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 $1,100 each, two SVS SB-3000 cost about $2,200 against $2,300 for one of the other, which is worth a thought. 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.