In this review, we will be comparing AMBEO Sub and PB-1000, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from Sennheiser and 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 Sennheiser AMBEO Sub and SVS PB-1000 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 Sennheiser AMBEO Suband SVS PB-1000 have a single woofer setup however the Sennheiser AMBEO Sub's woofer is 8-inch whereas the SVS PB-1000 features a 10-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
AMBEO Sub has a frequency range of 27-80 Hz whereas PB-1000 has a frequency range of 19-270 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 19Hz, the PB-1000 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the AMBEO Sub's min frequency of 27Hz.
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 Sennheiser AMBEO Sub's and SVS PB-1000's external dimensions. Sennheiser AMBEO Sub has external dimensions of 366.7 x 269.9 x 269.9mm () whereas SVS PB-1000 has external dimensions of 480.0 x 381.0 x 532.0mm (18-7/8 x 15 x 20-15/16inch).
SVS PB-1000 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 111.1mm wider, 113.3mm taller and 262.1mm deeper than Sennheiser AMBEO Sub.
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 Sennheiser AMBEO Sub is approximately 728.5cm2 / 112.9inch2 and base area of the SVS PB-1000 is approximately 2026.9cm2 / 314.2inch2. The AMBEO Sub requires 64% less surface area than the PB-1000 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 Sennheiser AMBEO Sub weighs 8.16kg / 18lbs and the SVS PB-1000 weighs 20.91kg / 46lbs. This makes the PB-1000 156% heavier than the AMBEO Sub.
Here is a comparison of how AMBEO Sub and PB-1000's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
 Height |
366mm
vs
480mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
728cm2
vs
2026cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Woofer Size |
10 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
19 Hz
vs
27 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
270 Hz
vs
80 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Price per pair* |
499USD
vs
500USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
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 PB-1000 needs about 178% more floor area. SVS PB-1000 stands 262mm further into the room. SVS PB-1000 is 113mm taller.
| General |
Sennheiser AMBEO Sub |
SVS PB-1000 |
| Brand |
Sennheiser |
SVS |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Frequency Response |
27-80 Hz |
19-270 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
350-watt RMS |
300-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
Fiber-composite |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
50-160 Hz and 80 Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
366.7mm (14.4") |
480.0mm (18.9") |
| Width |
269.9mm (10.6") |
381.0mm (15") |
| Depth |
269.9mm (10.6") |
532.0mm (20.9") |
| Weight |
8.16kg (18lbs) |
20.91kg (46lbs) |
| Enclosure |
|
Bass Reflex |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
2 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
2 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 | B | SVS PB-1000 goes deeper - 19Hz against 27Hz. Under 20Hz is felt more than heard - the bottom of a pipe organ and the bottom of a film mix. |
| Amplifier power | evenly matched | Much the same amplifier (350W vs 300W RMS) - under 1dB apart. |
| Driver area | B | SVS PB-1000 moves more air: 10" against 8" 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 | Sennheiser AMBEO Sub is sealed - a sealed box rolls off gently and is usually the easier one to integrate in a small or awkward room; SVS PB-1000 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. |
| Cabinet size | depends | Sennheiser AMBEO Sub is about 73% 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 | B | SVS PB-1000 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 | evenly matched | Priced within a few per cent of each other. |
A Sennheiser AMBEO Sub B SVS PB-1000
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 PB-1000 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-1000 will hit harder for the money; if it is mainly for music in a normal-sized room, Sennheiser AMBEO Sub is usually the easier one to make sound right. If placement is the constraint - a corner, behind a sofa, under a desk - Sennheiser AMBEO Sub 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.