SVS vs REL and experiences with both: your comments and preferences...

I’ve owned a pair of SVS SB-12+ in the past and if I had a smaller room, I’d still own them. Great build quality, excellent, sealed box performance, and fantastic value.

I now have a single REL 212SE and it too offers great performance... at a much higher price, but the build quality reflects that. The REL is smoother than any sub I’ve had in my system, and I got it at a price to good to pass up, so I expect to keep it a long time to come.

I love both SVS and REL but they are different. The SVS subs I have owned were really nice. I had a little sealed 12” that was awesome. Older sub but was built so well. Better than their new offerings. What was cool about it was you could set the crossover, say at 70hz, then pick a range in which to boost it, say 30hz. Im not sure why sub companies don’t still offer this type of adjustment. The other SVS I had was a monster. 2 13” drivers with 3 huge ports. The thing was close to 100 pounds and I was barely able to get it in my listening room. It was waay to big and I should have passed but I digress. That thing literally shook my entire house.


I’ve had 3 REL subs. The T5i, T9i, and S3 SHO. They were all great subs too. Ideally, I’d have 2 T9i’s and 2 SVS SB 2000’s (of higher up the range, sealed box).

The SVS’s seem to have more punch and the RELs are unparalleled in there speed and finesse.
Another sub thatI had that I really liked, that no one ever talks about, is the Monitor Audio Gold GX15. For a 15” sub, its fairly compact. It uses a great driver with massive motor, voice coil etc. They have a remote with an easy to read display on the front. Another great sub to try if one ever comes up near you!

I have two older RELs, a Britannia B1 (two channel) and an old Storm III (now for a TV room). The old Def Tech Powerfield F-1500 sub (mostly 'boom') for the home theater is being replaced.

I received an SVS SB-3000 and two just-discontinued SB-2000 subs at Christmas.  For the music system I set the SB-3000 at 55Hz with a normal 12dB slope (volume -30dB). Main audio speakers were now high passed successfully at 70Hz (12dB slope again) with a DSPeaker room (bass) correction unit. So pretty much +/-2dB from 31Hz to 2kHz, solid bass power.

The jury is out on the sound. The B1 goes deeper (ported) but I don't ever use it to my knowledge. The SB-3000 seems to have a bit more power in the semi-low/mid bass and seems quicker. A switch back to the B1 for a week or so will help to solidify impressions. Although I have never thought I overloaded the B1 (the speakers die first) I feel like the SB-3000 has more power/authority (although it remains invisible to the ear).

If the SB-3000 doesn't stay in the two channel audio setup it will be because I find I like running stereo SB-2000s better (it will be my first attempt, coming eventually). I put just one SB-2000 where the REL B1 and SB-3000 sat to try with my audio mains, and with no high volumes there's almost no difference. So if those little SB-2000's can run cleanly/flatly into the 30s, stereo subbing might be the ticket. Then the SB-3000 would light up the small 2200 cu ft theater room.
I'd be looking squarely at SVS instead of REL. The value is with SVS. I cannot speak to long term quality of SVS. I'm hoping it's good. REL makes great subs. You will pay more for them IMO. I feel my B1, some 15 yrs old and $3200 new, was at least equaled by the SB-3000 at a mere $1000. Technology has met cost-conscious manufacturers. Look at HSU Research and Rythmik amongst many other mfrs.

I've had the REL R505, and REL R528 in the past and about a year ago moved off a REL G1 mkII  to a pair of SVS SB4O00's.
I'm  stunned how great the SVS subs are. Easy to set up, the app is very good. No way would I go back to RELs.
The SVS have more impact, detail, and faster.