Question of Spl… Arendal 1723 2v Vs Svs Pb 16 Ultra

[Marco G]

Hy guys.

I’m new an I’m writing from Italy,so do not look my bad english XDXD

I’m going to buy an Arendal 1723 2v to replace it with a Paradigm Sub 25 that broke. Since another Arendal contender was the Svs Pb 16 Ultra, I was comparing the measurements provided by the CEA 2010 which provides the maximum Spl output.

Unfortunately I noticed that in the frequency range from 20 hz to 31.5 hz, the Arendal 1723 2v loses 7-8 db of Spl compared to the Pb 16 Ultra.And frankly, as an enthusiast and future buyer of Arendal, I was very surprised and I thought that two 13.8″ drivers, which are equivalent to a 21″, could have a smaller gap than a single 16″ driver of the Svs Pb 16 Ultra rather than 7-8 db difference.

Below, links for comparison :

Arendal 1723 2v

https://www.audioholics.com/subwoofer-reviews/arendal-1723/conclusion

 

Svs Pb 16 Ultra

https://www.audioholics.com/subwoofer-reviews/svs-pb16-ultra-subwoofer/measurements

What do you think ?

Thank you for your participation and attention

 

[Lukas]

Hi Marco,

I already answered you in your email but I wanted to add it here as well.

You have to keep in mind that the CEA2010 measurements will look worse for a concept like our 1723 Subwoofer 2V with its two side drivers and the port on the back, compared to a front port front driver design like the SVS PB16.
Since it is measured free field with only one microphone you cannot measure the full potential of the 1723 Subwoofer 2V.
Audioholics even mentions this.

In real-world scenarios with a typical room, the SPL should be more than equal between those two subwoofers with ours beating the SVS easily in terms of overall sound quality.

 

 

[Marco G]

Lukas,I agree with you.

You surely know that it is very difficult to listen to a subwoofer in a house or store before buying it and read the online reviews to get an idea of how it can perform.

You can have information on the maximum Spl, distortion and delay group.

Although Audiholics writes :

“It should be said here that while special measures were taken to fairly capture output from the 1723 2V, it still might not quite add up to what a more conventionally designed subwoofer could get. Output produced from the driver on the opposite side of the enclosure from the microphone’s position may still be under-reported, especially at 80Hz and above.”

Audioholics only talks about frequency of 80 hz and above rather than writing that all frequencies could be underestimated.

I believe that the test is approximate and that the type of measurement cannot detect the true potential of the Arendal as mentioned by you.

At this point, I wonder, why publish the measurement values of the CEA 2010?

I repeat, Audioholics speaks only of detection underestimated by 80 hz and above but not in all frequencies, suggesting that from 12 hz up to 80 hz these measurements are correct

 

[Lukas]

Hi Marco,

The CEA2010 measurements are a step in the right direction and make it somewhat comparable between brands and products. But it is not perfect.
Audioholics speaks about the second driver but there is also the port on the back that is responsible for a lot of the output below 40Hz.
It would have been a different result when the port would be on the same side as the driver.

You see it is not that easy and one has to understand the differences when looking at measurements.
The best way will always be to test it at home.

 

[Marco G]

Hi Lukas,

If I understood correctly, the microphone was placed in front of the driver while the bass output hole was left on the side without the microphone being able to detect the correct spl?

If so, the general measurements are incorrect.

Unfortunately, those who look at the Spl, are faced with a CEA 2010 graph not representative of the true potential of the subwoofer in question, especially when comparing it with the direct opponent Svs Pb 16 Ultra.

You, like the other Arendal technicians, are aware of this type of measurement that are not very representative and you should, in my opinion, contact them to explain that a potential buyer could be distracted by such measurements not carried out correctly since we are talking about an unconventional subwoofer, with two opposite drivers and an exit hole behind.

All of this is IMHO

[Lukas]

Hi Marco,

You are not wrong, but those measurements show the general trend and potential. They are also not 100% equal across the reviewers. It is better than nothing.
You should see those measurements as a help and not as the deciding factor.
Like with all specs and measurements.

In the end, your room and ears are different and you should always try at least two of your potential candidates in comparison. I know it is not easy, I carried around thousands of kilos of subwoofers in my lifetime, but it’s the only way to be sure.

[roman-tissera]

If you don’t mind breaking your back get the SVS-PB16.