In this review, we will be comparing Gravis III and SB-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 III and SVS SB-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 IIIand SVS SB-1000 Pro have a single woofer setup however the Sonus faber Gravis III's woofer is 10-inch whereas the SVS SB-1000 Pro features a 12-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
Gravis III has a frequency range of 25-120 Hz whereas SB-1000 Pro has a frequency range of 20-270 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 20Hz, the SB-1000 Pro can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Gravis III's min frequency of 25Hz.
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 Sonus faber Gravis III and SVS SB-1000 Pro 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 Sonus faber Gravis III's and SVS SB-1000 Pro's external dimensions. Sonus faber Gravis III has external dimensions of 415.0 x 400.0 x 495.0mm (16-5/16 x 15-3/4 x 19-1/2inch) whereas SVS SB-1000 Pro has external dimensions of 343.0 x 331.0 x 402.0mm (13-1/2inch x 13inch x 15-13/16inch).
Sonus faber Gravis III is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 69mm wider, 72mm taller and 93mm deeper than SVS SB-1000 Pro.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers 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 surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Sonus faber Gravis III needs about 49% more floor or shelf area. Sonus faber Gravis III is 93mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Sonus faber Gravis III is 72mm taller.
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 III is approximately 1980.0cm2 / 306.9inch2 and base area of the SVS SB-1000 Pro is approximately 1330.6cm2 / 206.2inch2. The Gravis III requires 49% more surface area than the SB-1000 Pro 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 Sonus faber Gravis III weighs 26.70kg / 58.7lbs and the SVS SB-1000 Pro weighs 11.82kg / 26lbs. This makes the Gravis III 126% heavier than the SB-1000 Pro.
Here is a comparison of how Gravis III and SB-1000 Pro's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
 Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
10 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
20 Hz
vs
25 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
270 Hz
vs
120 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 App-Based Control |
iOS,Android
vs
None
|
Control the speaker via an app |
 Height |
343mm
vs
415mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1330cm2
vs
1980cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
600USD
vs
2700USD
|
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.
Sonus faber Gravis III needs about 49% more floor area. Sonus faber Gravis III stands 93mm further into the room. Sonus faber Gravis III is 72mm taller.
| General |
Sonus faber Gravis III |
SVS SB-1000 Pro |
| Brand |
Sonus faber |
SVS |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
600 watts |
325 watts |
| Frequency Response |
25-120 Hz |
20-270 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
600-watt RMS |
325-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
900-watt RMS |
820-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
10" |
12" |
| Woofer Composition |
Honeycomb sandwich |
Fiber-composite |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
Continuously adjustable |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
415.0mm (16.3") |
343.0mm (13.5") |
| Width |
400.0mm (15.7") |
331.0mm (13") |
| Depth |
495.0mm (19.5") |
402.0mm (15.8") |
| Weight |
26.70kg (58.7lbs) |
11.82kg (26lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Black,White |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |
Different price classes - Sonus faber Gravis III costs roughly 4.5x what SVS SB-1000 Pro does. Before paying it, read the note below about two smaller subwoofers.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass depth | B | SVS SB-1000 Pro goes deeper - 20Hz against 25Hz. Under 20Hz is felt more than heard - the bottom of a pipe organ and the bottom of a film mix. |
| Amplifier power | A | Sonus faber Gravis III has the bigger amplifier - 600W against 325W RMS, about 2.7dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | B | SVS SB-1000 Pro 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 | evenly matched | Both are sealed designs, so they roll off in much the same way. |
| Cabinet size | depends | SVS SB-1000 Pro is about 44% 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-1000 Pro costs less - $600 against $2,700, about 78% less. |
A Sonus faber Gravis III B SVS SB-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 SB-1000 Pro has the edge on paper, though not by much. The "depends" rows are more likely to decide this than the score is. 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 $600 each, two SVS SB-1000 Pro cost about $1,200 against $2,700 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-1000 Pro 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.