In this review, we will be comparing Gravis I and PB-1000 Pro, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from Sonus faber 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 Sonus faber Gravis I and SVS PB-1000 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.
Drivers
The efficiency of a subwoofer is directly proportional to the total radiating are squared hence the woofer quantity and diameter.Both Sonus faber Gravis Iand SVS PB-1000 Pro have a single woofer setup however the Sonus faber Gravis I's woofer is 8-inch whereas the SVS PB-1000 Pro features a 12-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
Gravis I has a frequency range of 30-120 Hz whereas PB-1000 Pro has a frequency range of 17-260 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 17Hz, the PB-1000 Pro 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 Sonus faber Gravis I 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-1000 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 Sonus faber Gravis I's and SVS PB-1000 Pro's external dimensions. 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) whereas SVS PB-1000 Pro has external dimensions of 479.0 x 380.0 x 509.0mm (18-13/16inch x 15inch x 20-15/16inch).
SVS PB-1000 Pro is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 94mm wider, 142mm taller and 169mm 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 Sonus faber Gravis I is approximately 972.4cm2 / 150.7inch2 and base area of the SVS PB-1000 Pro is approximately 1934.2cm2 / 299.8inch2. The Gravis I requires 50% less surface area than the PB-1000 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 Sonus faber Gravis I weighs 14.55kg / 32lbs and the SVS PB-1000 Pro weighs 19.30kg / 42.5lbs. This makes the PB-1000 Pro 33% heavier than the Gravis I.
Here is a comparison of how Gravis I and PB-1000 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 Sonus faber Gravis I?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Gravis I:
- Powered subwoofer
- 6-feet AC power cord
- 33-feet Speakon cable
- Owners Manual
- Environmental Information
What's in the Box of SVS PB-1000 Pro?
Here are the items that come with the PB-1000 Pro:
- Powered subwoofer
- Grille
- 6-feet AC power cord
- Quick Start Guide
- Brochure
- SVS Support Information
 Height |
337mm
vs
479mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
972cm2
vs
1934cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
17 Hz
vs
30 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
260 Hz
vs
120 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 App-Based Control |
iOS,Android
vs
None
|
Control the speaker via an app |
 Price per pair* |
799USD
vs
999USD
|
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 PB-1000 Pro needs about 99% more floor area. SVS PB-1000 Pro stands 169mm further into the room. SVS PB-1000 Pro is 142mm taller.
| General |
Sonus faber Gravis I |
SVS PB-1000 Pro |
| Brand |
Sonus faber |
SVS |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
150 watts |
325 watts |
| Frequency Response |
30-120 Hz |
17-260 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
150-watt RMS |
325-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
n/a |
820-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
12" |
| Woofer Composition |
Treated Paper |
Fiber-composite |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
337.0mm (13.3") |
479.0mm (18.9") |
| Width |
286.0mm (11.3") |
380.0mm (15") |
| Depth |
340.0mm (13.4") |
509.0mm (20") |
| Weight |
14.55kg (32lbs) |
19.30kg (42.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Bass Reflex |
| Available Colors |
Piano Black,Matte White |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
2 Yr/3 Yr registered |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
2 Yr/3 Yr registered |
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 Pro goes deeper - 17Hz against 30Hz. Under 20Hz is felt more than heard - the bottom of a pipe organ and the bottom of a film mix. |
| Amplifier power | B | SVS PB-1000 Pro has the bigger amplifier - 325W against 150W RMS, about 3.4dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | B | SVS PB-1000 Pro 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 | 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; SVS PB-1000 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. |
| Wireless option | depends | Only SVS PB-1000 Pro 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. |
| Driver placement | depends | Sonus faber Gravis I fires down and SVS PB-1000 Pro fires front. 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 65% 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 Pro 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 | B | SVS PB-1000 Pro costs less - $799 against $999, about 20% less. |
A Sonus faber Gravis I B SVS PB-1000 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 PB-1000 Pro 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 PB-1000 Pro 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.