It doesn't offer auto-equalization, doesn't come with a free calibration microphone or white gloves, it has no internal high-pass filter, and it's heavy for its size, requiring Super Sliders under it for easy movement. But it's the first subwoofer to come with its own Bluetooth smartphone control app. And its on-the-fly control of output level from the listening seat has opened for me a new door that goes way past the awkwardness of having to set up a sub by darting back and forth between its front and/or rear panels and my chair. A Class A component if ever there was one.

Purchasing a pair of them, if the funds are available, makes even more sense. This subwoofer is not the best sounding subwoofer on the market, nor it is it the best I've ever heard. But a better sounding subwoofer with a driver this size is going to be much more expensive than the SB16-Ultra's asking price. Nor is this subwoofer meant for everyone, because the SB16-Ultra is a rather large subwoofer, with its grille in place it is almost two-feet deep. But for those who have the money, and enough room, and desire more than a full-frequency range high-end system I think spending more than the SVS's very reasonable price might not make much sense. Highly recommended.

You need a big room for this one. It’s as simple as that. And by big, we mean over 250 square feet-at least. For almost everyone, it’s too big, too powerful, the kind of thing that is better imagined than actually installed. It is an incredible piece of equipment, but it is horrifically impractical. There are smaller and more realistic options available, some of them made by SVS themselves (see below). This is an incredible product, but you have to be prepared for it. And you should warn your friendly FedEx driver what to expect here.

SVS have set out to make the best sealed subwoofer they can and in the SB16-Ultra we would say that they have succeeded. The subwoofer itself manages to appear attractive considering it's a black cube and the display is an interesting touch that thankfully can be turned off. There are three different ways of controlling the SB16, with the new smartphone app offering the most effective approach thanks to an excellent user interface. Set up is very flexible but there's no auto EQ so to get the best from the SB16 you might want to invest in a calibrated microphone and an audio spectrum analyser.

genuine bass behemoth that will suit owners of large theatres and those that like a bit of terror with their Blu-rays. Simply too big to smuggle into a living room setup...

They've put a ton of care into the design of this subwoofer, from the shipping box, to the sub itself, the app experience, and to the actual product delivered to the end user—a perfect musical experience all packed into one.

If you can tolerate its size and afford its price point, the SVS SB16-Ultra subwoofer is one of the best-performing subwoofers we’ve ever tested.

After living with the SB16-Ultra for some time now and using it in a variety of different hifi systems, I happily report excellent results in all circumstances. Whether you are working with a pair of minimonitors, your favorite panels, or massive floorstanders, the SB16-Ultra delivers stunning bass performance. With 1500 watts of power on tap, you’ll most likely bottom out your main speakers way before you push the sub too far. We certainly couldn’t no matter how loud the cannons blasted, the buildings blew up or the beats dropped.

We are going to award the SB16-Ultra our Bassaholics ‘Extreme’ room rating, despite it not quite hitting the required burst test measurements. It only missed them by approximately 1 dB, and its performance is so exemplary in many other respects that we feel it would handle a very large room size. The ‘Extreme’ room rating certifies that this sub will be able to handle a room size of 5,000 cubic feet

If you want foundation-shaking bass and have the floor space to accommodate one (or two) of these beasts, you’ll be the envy of the neighborhood on movie night.

Never spend more than $2,000 on a subwoofer, and never spend it on anything other than the SVS SB16-Ultra. This is the finest subwoofer you can buy.