That's about how I thought it would turn out. This is one place the automotive and audio worlds overlap in that there really is no replacement for displacement. The M215 has both more cone area and cabinet volume than the PB16, so it's no surprise that it has a ludicrous amount of LF extension that the PB16 does not. It also highlights how well designed the PB16 is as it's able to keep up with the M215 in its upper range. Dollar for dollar, both products have very compelling pros and cons. So it really comes down to how much space you have in your theater setup and how much you care about sub-bass response. Both seem to be fantastic products that will fill different roles for different people, and in the end, we win as consumers.
Monolith could have def gained more output at higher frequencies by inceasing the port tuning frequency. There would have been a significant increase in output compared to the svs. It's like they are both V8 engines, but the monolith is a big block with a mild cam for low end power and a flat torque curve, while the svs is a small block with a more radical cam for higher peak power.
Pretty sure the steep roll off of the SVS sub below 20Hz is a Highpass filter to save the driver from overexcursion. Below the tuning frequency, drivers in ported cabinets run into overexcursion very easily.
What is the tuning frequency of the Monolith Dual 15" ported subwoofer ? I am guessing about either 14 Hz or 15 hz ? Definitely deeper than 16Hz I think. What is the tuning Freqeuncy for the SVS Pb16 with 2 ports open ? All 3 ports open ? Thank you so much !! Steven
Thanks Youthman. I'm considering a Monolith M-215 to replace my old Sunfire sub. I'm also trying to find more info on the Rythmik FV25HP. It's similar to the M-215, but it's a servo sub. Can't find many reviews on it.
I agree with you 100%! Sadly not much dual driver home theater subs in the market that has dual 12s, dual 10s or 8s that is still in the market. If they are still in the market, it's either discontinued or the cost of an arm and leg cough.... JL Fathom lol. Most companies I notice stick to dual 15s and 18s like PSA and JTR. Dual 15s or 18s is nice, but the enclosure is way too big. So far the only company I have seen that has dual 12s is rythmik audio L22. It's an affordable price in a sealed enclosure.
not to much reason to do a dual 10 or 12 inch sub, at that point just do a single 15 inch. its a dual cabinet not a dual sub. meaning you still want to buy 2 of any sub to even out room response 1 sub in front 1 in back. the reason the do dual 15 and 18 is dual 18s is bigger than 1 24 inch sub and there is only 1 company I know of that even makes a 24 inch sub. so dual 18s is easier. same with dual 15s that probably like a 21 inch subwoofer. going with a dual 10 inch would be like a single 13 inch but still not dig as low as a single 12.
@@philiplubduck6107 I have 4 15 inch definitive tech Super Cube references and they produce bass so low you cant hear and they shake the neighbors house yes they have complained. But for music in my opinion they are too slow. I hook up my little 12 cheap bic subwoofer and it keeps up amazingly with music and sounds better than the 15s. I think dual 10s or 12s would be perfect for music. I'm thinking of making a set up just for 2 channel music
Decibel meter, Measure to listen and here about the max, calibrate the volume know so that you don't max out your subwoofer. You need to determine the max capabilities that the subwoofer can run without stressing the sub or amp. Head room is when you have more than enough bass that your are not even near the max subwoofer output and it's too loud
Hey Youthman. I enjoy your reviews and thought you mentioned something about input level problems with the M-215? I just received one today and cannot get the input signal high enough. I contacted Monolith and am waiting. Did you have this problem and if so, how did you solve it? I am thinking of buying a gain box. Just seems like I shouldn't have to do that to get the sub to perform as it should.
Yes, That's what we call headroom, Fore thx level at 0.0db on the receiver, My lfe channel is -15.0 db, And I can literally turn the LFE channel up to 0.0db, But my windows and and stuff in the house is shaking and falling apart. So I stay up to -7db, but that's too much bass. It's called headroom I'm hitting well beyond 135 db of clean bass Monolith 16's 😮
Great comparison, thank you. Fun fact: In my admittedly small viewing/listening area my humble SVS SB 2000's stay flat to 10hz. I think that most sealed enclosures tend to go lower than most ported enclosures. I also watched Godzilla KOTM recently, as well as a movie called A Quiet Place, and the room was breathing at times. I didn't measure the frequencies, but when A Quiet Place finally stopped being Quiet, there were scenes where you couldn't hear bass at all, only feel the room moving. To each their own, but it's sealed subs for me!
That’s awesome. I reviewed dual SB16 in my room but they didn’t have the impact I was looking for. Dual PB16 were what I was looking for. A Quiet Place is a great demo disk.
I wonder how many watts worth of electricity it cost you to drive basically a "suction pump"..... (For others) The more louder you want your sound (especially at 10hz) the more the cone has to move, in this case with the box being sealed, when the driver cone goes out, it creates a huge vacume in the sealed box, and conversely when the driver cone has to go back into the box, it has to hugely compress the air...... These pulls and pushes into the available air not only makes it harder for the cone to travel, which greatly reduces responsiveness, but to accomplish this feat, it requires huge amounts of strength, thats both electricity and added heat to the coil, which in a "sealed box" can not so eaisily disapate...... Basically this gentleman above me has baught himself (with respect) a huge submarine..... because thats how they work when they have to dive and surface, they either compress or uncompress huge volumes of air to acheave buoyancy..... 😂😂😂😂 would i buy a SB version, Never..... But some people like them for whatever reason..... they are cheeper, and save space, best option is to buy a SB and buy a kit box, build your own, and sell your SB box and save half the price of a PB version...... yet have the un restrained sound and added cooling 🤔...... makes ya think ey?....
I prefer ported when drivers are 15” or smaller due to the extra output. But once you get to 18” and above, I feel sealed is a phenomenal option. You do not have to worry about port chuffing (which almost every ported sub has to some extent), cabinets can be much smaller and you typically get lower extension. Ported subs also have to be careful playing below their tuning frequency as they will unload and begin to flop around like a fish out of water.
How does the M-215 do with music response? I know SVS states that the PB-16 was designed to be both good and responsive for both home theater and music.
I knew all along that the M-215 would come out as the victor here. I can't wait for your review on testing two M-215s at the same time (if you're planning on doing one). 🖒😁
Youthman. Kind of a late comment but, can you do this with testing out which phase is best. So you put the umik in your listening position. Start phase at 0, run 1 sweep. turn the phase to 10 degrees, run another, rinse and repeat to 180 degree Then see which phase percentage gave best results?
Yes you can absolutely do that. If you only have one subwoofer it shouldn’t change. If it’s interacting with another subwoofer that’s typically when you might need to change the phase to prevent cancellations
Does the dual monolith have a warranty on it. Ok the website on the question and answer someone said it has a 5 year warranty on it but I don’t see it anywhere on the website. Also could I buy that subwoofer at any store and not just over the internet?
Youthman, if you still have the Monolith subs around, could you do another rew measurement. I’ve seen in another video that after the subs are broken in, they start losing spl under 30hz. Maybe you could try and validate this oddity..?
Haha I wish I had room for any of them. But in my small 3 x 4 meter room 1 sb 1000 at 50% power is shaking the walls. I plan to get 2 sb 3000 and that will be my end game setup. I really want to get an equal bass response throughout the entire room and an even better bass for music.
What if you EQ the Monolith to match the response of the PB16 and then find compression? I assume that the 20Hz and up spl would increase significantly.
What’s the better sub to go with. I want the best parts and the best sounding\quality bass and the higher at power output. Also I like when they go can really low frequencies and still be quite loud. I know both these subs have there pros and cons and one of them can do some of those things buts not other and vis versa. Which sub should I go with. Please and thank you. And or are there and other subs out there in the same price range of these subs?
Hey Youthman I have 2 question to ask you if you had a chance to purchase 2 new Subs with you go with a single Monoprice M -215 or 2 single Monoprice Monolith 15 ? And another question by you had both of these Subs in your Theater room if you want to purchase new Subs with it be Power Sound audio or Monoprice Monolith ?
After you make a measurement, go to the top... Graph... I usually click 1/12 smoothing. This way I can still see the bad stuff in the room and not so much chaos
Good comparison but I got to ask. How much content is in the sub 20hz area? Most people can't hear below 30ish. Plus I wonder how many people want a super big cabinet like the m2. I guess to each there own.
There is quite a bit of content below 20Hz. Massive upgrade going from dual PB16’s to dual JTR Captivator RS2’s. I measured 115dB @ 8Hz. It’s not about what you hear, it’s about feeling it.
though you would've lost overall output, I would've liked to had seen the svs in extended mode. Do you have a video showing in your room the measurements of the pb16 in sealed, standard & extended?
yes I do have those measurements on the channel, I do not recall which video it’s in though. In extended mode, you lose output above 20 Hz so that would not have helped much
@@Youthman Youthman I figured as much. I was making sure to level set as far as room optimization. The SVS allows for 3 parametric adjustments, but I definitely see the usefulness of a more dedicated adjustment tool. I haven't gotten the miniDSP yet, but am definitely curious what the performance would be with additional adjustment points. Hopefully I can level the output out past 45Hz.
Ok so that’s one test... what about listening to music? How about attack/ speed and sound quality? Low bass extension is great but not as a trade off for good sound quality. Please give us some more information. Thanks
The JD D Tudor. I don’t see most people using this sub for 2ch. How to you quantify attack and speed? Those would be highly subjective opinions at best. My channel focuses on real world home theater application so I can’t offer much in the area of 2ch.
Very informative video as usual Youthman not to mention I'm loving the intro lol... To be honest I'm not surprised at the results, that said... I'm very surprised the svs was able to go toe to toe with the monolith from 20hz up. One of the things we can take away from this video I think is that different manufacturers have different approaches to electronics and what they want to accomplish. With the monolith we can see they went for all out no compromise when it can to output and low frequency performance. With the svs they also went for much of the same but with more focus on easy if use features. At the end of the day we have two amazing products to suit different consumers which is a win win in my opinion 😊
Hi Youthman, Do you have any comments on the M215 vs any of the JTRs? which JTR is most comparable to the M215, performance wise. Price point I know the monolith is going to be a lot easier on the pockets.
Monolith doesn't have a sub that competes with JTR, in either output or low end extension. My JTR Captivator RS2's were measured flat at 115dB @ 8Hz and they never hit compression.
@@Youthman Sensitivity of speakers are rated at 1m. 6' is almost double that distance, so maybe about 5-6 dB weaker than at 1m. Just maybe because of room acoustics. I think the measurements are useful as long the distance is the same between measurements. Maybe you could start even lower on small subs, like at 80 dB? The SB 3000 seemed to suffer in the infra frequencies already at 90 dB. Thanks for the videos. Very helpful!
Youthman per 20:11 I think in your room you'd be better with two (or four) smaller subs. Do you have any room behind your rear row to put some subs, something in the back would help out a lot in there! If your rear row is right up against the back wall I wonder if something shallow depth would work well. Thanks for reviewing these.
No room behind my rear seats. Room is only 19’ deep. I can get rid of the nasty null using dual subs behind my screen as seen in this video - th-cam.com/video/eXfH9WH8Yw8/w-d-xo.html
How much spl do you think is added when adding subs? I think in your impression is only 3db per sub. That’s actually incorrect. I’ve seen as much as 7-9db depending on room and frequency. 8 pb16 would have massive gain in a room.
Typically you gain 3dB when you double the drivers and 3dB when you double the amplification. So going from a single sub to dual subs should yield a 6dB gain.
I actually consulted with two people that are much more knowledgeable than I am with those stats before I added that info regarding 8 PB16’s equaling 1 M-213 at 10Hz to make sure I was correct.
Youthman I think you’d enjoy reading on all these types of room interactions. One sub in the middle of a room gets the baseline number. Corner loading could emphasize only 1-2db more at say 50hz but can add 5db at 25hz. All depending on the distance to microphone recording data. When two subs mutually couple you’ll get at least 6db more output. When I mean couple they need to be with 1/4 wavelength of that frequency. So say 100hz they have to be rather close together. Say 3-5’. Now 20hz that distance can be 30’ or more apart. Now if you had 8 subs in your room they would all couple with massive output from 10-30hz. Now above that it gets tricky. You have to double everything to add spl in mid bass. So 2 subs hit 120db at 70hz then you’ll need 4 to hit hit 123-124db at 70. Then 8 to hit 127-128 at 70. Now if you stack subs totally different things happen. At the moment I’m using two Rythmik fv18 rev2 with paper drivers. When I run rew I hit 115db@10hz and max spl is 127-129db from 50-100hz. All before compression. I definitely don’t need that high of output but it’s nice knowing it’s there. Id definitely look into phase and delay. Avr or even correct distance could be perfect after eq. It’s actually not though. I have two subs in room, one in back, one in front. One is set to 19’ and is 12’ away. Other is 11’ away but I set to 3’. Room interactions at full effect. Have a blessed night and keep up the videos.
@@Youthman a friend of mine bought they moab model and he can't stop talking about them, he prefers them to his magnapan speakers. Haven't seen anything concrete about their subs thought.
Exact position. I get that null with the single SVS behind my screen. Running dual subs behind my screen fixes that - th-cam.com/video/eXfH9WH8Yw8/w-d-xo.html
Terrific video. Lighting is on point! I'm curious how much of that compression on the PB16 Ultra is due to the electronic limiting from SVS. I'm wondering if the compression test above 20hz would look different for the SVS. I wouldn't expect you to do that test consider how crazy heavy those are!
Thanks Joe. I considered testing 20Hz and above but I feel that isn’t very helpful considering when watching a movie your receiver isn’t limiting the frequencies to only 20Hz and above. If I would have done the same for the Monolith, it would have likely increased as well
Love your reviews Youthman! I just received my😂 M-215 this afternoon and can only guess it is defective. Really hoping you have some insight to share. At 6db I’m getting almost no excursion, even on monster bass techno tracks. At full gain it’s okay- probably 20% better that the HSU MK-II it replaced but the mains have to be crazy loud at that level and the HSU is only at half volume. I’ve seriously got a display shelf 2’ away from the sub and none of my wife’s nicknacks have moved an inch. It’s a large room with vaulted ceilings but I was expecting maybe triple the output. Do I send it back and get another? Is there a way to test it to make sure it’s an issue with the sub and not with my expectations?
Hi Josh. Sorry to hear you’re having issues with the sub. The first thing I do when troubleshooting a sub is to isolate the sub itself. Best way is to connect a 3.5mm to RCA cable from your phone to the RCA inputs on the sub and play some bass heavy music. If you aren’t getting ridiculous spam, reach out to their technical support as the sub may have been damaged in shipping.
When you put two sub's in close proximity, you will get more than 3dB increase in output inside your room. Your suggestion that you would need 3 or 4 SVS to equal the output of the Monolith may not be correct.
How much MUSIC is there below 20 Hz? The lowest string on a standard four string bass is (E) 41.2 Hz, on a six string bass its (B) 30.8 Hz, and the bottom key on a piano is (A) 27.5 Hz. The majority of the "boom" from a big concert bass drum is about 50 Hz, and the bass drum on a jazz style trap set is actually about 100 to 150 Hz! It seems to me that the SVS folks looked at actual music and designed their product to deliver it.
Not really that cut and dry imo. In the most usable range the SVS kept up and the cabinet is much smaller. To me in a dedicated room with subs hidden behind a screen and/or behind seats, the Monolith wins. If you have a living room theater, the SVS wins. To me the Monolith should roll off sooner and increase the output more where it matters. Now which would I rather have? The Monolith!
For a dedicated theater room I’d choose the 215, for my living room, the PB16 can blend much better. I also recently had the opportunity to use the SVS warranty and it was a breeze.
Whoa! Totally awesome video! Loved the intro from Brad. Haha! You may not "hear" below 20 Hz, but you can certainly "feel" it. Thanks for the great review. Gotta go buy some lottery tickets... :)
Love the intro! Have a question though. Why does the Monolith have way more dip in the 40-50 Hz range than the SVS? Does it have something to do with having 2 subs? I wouldn't think so, since the wavelength in that range is around 25 feet, so there shouldn't be be any significant phase difference between the 2 subs. So maybe due to the difference in the location of the subs in the Monolith vs. the SVS and the effects of that in your room? Sort of like a room placement issue.
Great great review Youthman! I'm starting to realize in my journey that I value a lot more flat response to 20 Hz in a sub and then more higher output on up. There's just not enough content that's worth chasing those deep waters. A subwoofer like the PB 16 or my dual PB 4000's in extended mode that give great output to 16hz flat are more then enough. But for anyone that wants a sub that can do it all output overall very high with deep extension into those deep waters that Monolith is an amazing option what a great buy!
@@Youthman Man I'm sure it is maybe it's one of those things of if you've never heard it you can't know what you don't know. I've never heard a system yet that could do that so I dont know what I'm missing I just don't know if I wanna do the extra work to get there. In my theater room size I'm getting 2 more PC 4000's to go with the PB 4000's 4 of those run in extended mode should be enough for me I'm thinking. At least I hope so! Lol
6 × PB4000's....... thats quiet insane.... you could rent them out to demolition companies..... As for 4 × 18 inch twins..... well.... single didgit "infrasound"..... organ damadge.... they can kill @ 7hz, did you know that, as that is a human bodys resonance point.......
Youthman. Great thanks for that info. I never know where to set mine, generally around 12 o’clock is what I do on my current sub but Denon amp is set to plus12, so I’ll try the 1oclock and retest. Not got laptop or Software so just doing by ear to try max sub out. Keep up the great work!
The difference at the null is strange! If placed in the same location they should be similar, or even less (two point sources) on the Monolith (depends on between which walls/ceiling the modes occur). I would also would like to know the difference in sound quality when playing music ... VERY few subs are acceptable for quality music playback.
My channel is primarily Home Theater so unfortunately I don’t do much 2ch listening. I don’t see someone needing this for 2ch. Subs were in the same exact location. Front baffles were placed at the front edge of my riser and against the wall.
Most likely aren’t willing to lug around a beast like that. It’s certainly a lot of work. Unfortunately I do not have plans to review it as it should be similar in performance to the 13” I reviewed, but with more output
@@Youthman Sounds like I will be impressed. Bought a pair of 16" monoliths last week, starting my new theater with them. Eta this week if the snow holds off. You have great videos! Very helpful.
@@Youthman Listening to them now. I am blown away, the cabin is shaking on all 3 levels with 10hz-15hz test music. Basement windows flex so far I fear one is going to pop out. Middle floor shakes enough to move dishes in the kitchen. I am very happy with these 16" subs! The matte finish is flawless, couldn't be happier. I did have to use quite a bit of gain to get the sound level where I wanted. Seems like my entry level onkyo av reciver sub outputs are not quite up to the task. But as long as using a lot of gain isn't a problem, I will use it as is for awhile.
@@Youthman After playing with them all night, I discovered one sub has low output. Swapping out subs, cables and location has 0 effect. From a warrant/shipping difficulty standpoint, I am disappointed in this purchase. Sure, the one sounds great, but a 50% power reduction on the other is ridiculous. I noticed it immediately, but it was quickly hidden by the good preforming sub, until I started tuning I didn't notice there was a massive problem here.
Lol 😂 that intro though,"which sub will go home crying to their mummy". I still prefer the svs looks and presence though, moreover the svs is just one 15" driver compared to two monolith 15" drivers,so I guess we were expecting this result
Not sure. He came over to help me dial in my new LED light and he brought a few colored lights for the background. And as we began talking, we decided to come up with a creative intro
Sub sonic bass that you ears can’t hear is IMPORTANT and very wicked to feel the bass on your eye balls, skin and hair but not hear a thing!! Yes some movies go sub sonic so if you can have it in a speaker why not!!!
Youthman I Know!! I saw you wearing that shirt! I want one but first I need to upgrade my subs, don’t know if I should go 2 x PB16 or 2 x Monolith 15”..... I don’t do well with options haha. I love how the Mono’s go so low and hold SPL...
Great review! I finally got a chance to watch this. I've been busy with the VA. Man they d--k us vets around! Again great review! That Monolith is a beast! I'm still contented with my 2 PB 13 Ultra's. They get the job done. Keep up the great work Youthman!
Thanks. I have a friend that is a VA. He has similar struggles with them. I too enjoy my PB16’s. I probably will not upgrade until I’m ready to go with (4) 18’s
Let's all remember that it's a comparison to determine dollar value based on Performance results. Based solely on performance, the M 215 indeed is a better value. The better aesthetics and settings flexibility of the Ultra PB16 is also a strong factor to consider. There are subs that will out performs these two, but they cost 2 to 4 times more (see JL Gotham and Paradigm Signature, as examples). Still others are twice the size of the M-215.
I know you are a proponent of dual/multiple subs. The Monolith is a great sub but it's two subs in one. I wonder if I would get better bass response from this Monolith or two separate subs....
The goal of this was to try and keep as many variables the same (levels, position of sub, position of mic, and both subs with ports opened). You are correct. By sealing one port on the PB16, this test would have looked very different. The output increased output on the PB16 below 20Hz would have caused a decrease in output below 20Hz which would have made the Monolith have a higher output across the entire frequency response.
Just mention it is all. The ability to alter your frequency curve is a major strength of the PB16 and you failed to even mention it. Obviously the Monolith with double the drivers and cabinet volume has more overall output. We don’t need this test to show us that. The overall frequency response is far more useful info.
@@Youthman dang, well idk how far you are from the Orlando area but I can always lend it to you. I have the VTF3 MK5 and it's super solid for the price.
That's about how I thought it would turn out. This is one place the automotive and audio worlds overlap in that there really is no replacement for displacement. The M215 has both more cone area and cabinet volume than the PB16, so it's no surprise that it has a ludicrous amount of LF extension that the PB16 does not. It also highlights how well designed the PB16 is as it's able to keep up with the M215 in its upper range. Dollar for dollar, both products have very compelling pros and cons.
So it really comes down to how much space you have in your theater setup and how much you care about sub-bass response. Both seem to be fantastic products that will fill different roles for different people, and in the end, we win as consumers.
Very well said. Completely agree with you.
I love the enthusiasm on your videos. It always puts me in a good mood when you drop a new one
Thanks Khalif!
Monolith could have def gained more output at higher frequencies by inceasing the port tuning frequency. There would have been a significant increase in output compared to the svs. It's like they are both V8 engines, but the monolith is a big block with a mild cam for low end power and a flat torque curve, while the svs is a small block with a more radical cam for higher peak power.
Good analogy Steven
I always love seeing the Monoliths sub 20hz response haha! Always beef way down town to 10hz, even the single Mono 15” does this.
Yeah it’s pretty crazy
Thanks for the video Youthman. FYI, right now Monoprice has the M-215 on sale (20% off) for $1,999.99 vs. $2499.99 for the PB-16 Ultra!
Sub Sonic frequency: the sounds you want to feel.
My entire room felt it
@@Youthman oh yeah no doubt! Love to feel that sub 20hz!
Its Infrasonic frequencies.
Why judge? I like to feel all the frequencies! Mid bass slam in the chest and throat all day too
Pretty sure the steep roll off of the SVS sub below 20Hz is a Highpass filter to save the driver from overexcursion.
Below the tuning frequency, drivers in ported cabinets run into overexcursion very easily.
Correct, it’s intentional.
As much as I’m an SVS fanboy, I’d suggest with twice the cone & cabinet size a noticeable victory to Monoprice unfortunately 🤭😔
What is the tuning frequency of the Monolith Dual 15" ported subwoofer ? I am guessing about either 14 Hz or 15 hz ? Definitely deeper than 16Hz I think. What is the tuning Freqeuncy for the SVS Pb16 with 2 ports open ? All 3 ports open ? Thank you so much !! Steven
Would the Sub with two speakers be considered One Subwoofer or Two when it’s apart of your surround system?
A subwoofer with two woofers is considered a single subwoofer
Thanks Youthman. I'm considering a Monolith M-215 to replace my old Sunfire sub. I'm also trying to find more info on the Rythmik FV25HP. It's similar to the M-215, but it's a servo sub. Can't find many reviews on it.
That's what I'm trying to find out
I'm so happy you did this comparison, now I know what I am buying, monolith m215, great explanation 👍 👏 😀
Monoprice needs to make a version of this with 12, 10, and 8 inch subs
Probably testing the market for their dual 15”, first.
I agree with you 100%! Sadly not much dual driver home theater subs in the market that has dual 12s, dual 10s or 8s that is still in the market. If they are still in the market, it's either discontinued or the cost of an arm and leg cough.... JL Fathom lol. Most companies I notice stick to dual 15s and 18s like PSA and JTR. Dual 15s or 18s is nice, but the enclosure is way too big. So far the only company I have seen that has dual 12s is rythmik audio L22. It's an affordable price in a sealed enclosure.
not to much reason to do a dual 10 or 12 inch sub, at that point just do a single 15 inch. its a dual cabinet not a dual sub. meaning you still want to buy 2 of any sub to even out room response 1 sub in front 1 in back. the reason the do dual 15 and 18 is dual 18s is bigger than 1 24 inch sub and there is only 1 company I know of that even makes a 24 inch sub. so dual 18s is easier. same with dual 15s that probably like a 21 inch subwoofer. going with a dual 10 inch would be like a single 13 inch but still not dig as low as a single 12.
@@philiplubduck6107 I have 4 15 inch definitive tech Super Cube references and they produce bass so low you cant hear and they shake the neighbors house yes they have complained. But for music in my opinion they are too slow. I hook up my little 12 cheap bic subwoofer and it keeps up amazingly with music and sounds better than the 15s. I think dual 10s or 12s would be perfect for music. I'm thinking of making a set up just for 2 channel music
www.blu-ray.com/community/gallery.php?member=Alpha+Sixx
there is my setup but I've upgraded and made some changes. I was running 9.4 back in 2011
Also, how do u decide whats the 'optimal' sub gain level without frying it or whatever?
Decibel meter,
Measure to listen and here about the max, calibrate the volume know so that you don't max out your subwoofer.
You need to determine the max capabilities that the subwoofer can run without stressing the sub or amp.
Head room is when you have more than enough bass that your are not even near the max subwoofer output and it's too loud
Hey Youthman. I enjoy your reviews and thought you mentioned something about input level problems with the M-215? I just received one today and cannot get the input signal high enough. I contacted Monolith and am waiting. Did you have this problem and if so, how did you solve it? I am thinking of buying a gain box. Just seems like I shouldn't have to do that to get the sub to perform as it should.
Can you lay the monoprice on its side and still get the same performance or does it have to stand upright?
You need to compare the Monolith 215 with the JTR Captivator RS 2 and see how close the Monolith can get for $1000 less.
I do not have the M-215 any longer to do a direct comparison
So if your reciever goes to 0, and the sub still hasn't reached compression, does that mean i can increase the gain on my sub?
Yes,
That's what we call headroom,
Fore thx level at 0.0db on the receiver,
My lfe channel is -15.0 db,
And I can literally turn the LFE channel up to 0.0db,
But my windows and and stuff in the house is shaking and falling apart.
So I stay up to -7db, but that's too much bass.
It's called headroom
I'm hitting well beyond 135 db of clean bass
Monolith 16's
😮
Great comparison, thank you. Fun fact: In my admittedly small viewing/listening area my humble SVS SB 2000's stay flat to 10hz. I think that most sealed enclosures tend to go lower than most ported enclosures. I also watched Godzilla KOTM recently, as well as a movie called A Quiet Place, and the room was breathing at times. I didn't measure the frequencies, but when A Quiet Place finally stopped being Quiet, there were scenes where you couldn't hear bass at all, only feel the room moving. To each their own, but it's sealed subs for me!
That’s awesome. I reviewed dual SB16 in my room but they didn’t have the impact I was looking for. Dual PB16 were what I was looking for.
A Quiet Place is a great demo disk.
I wonder how many watts worth of electricity it cost you to drive basically a "suction pump".....
(For others) The more louder you want your sound (especially at 10hz) the more the cone has to move, in this case with the box being sealed, when the driver cone goes out, it creates a huge vacume in the sealed box, and conversely when the driver cone has to go back into the box, it has to hugely compress the air......
These pulls and pushes into the available air not only makes it harder for the cone to travel, which greatly reduces responsiveness, but to accomplish this feat, it requires huge amounts of strength, thats both electricity and added heat to the coil, which in a "sealed box" can not so eaisily disapate......
Basically this gentleman above me has baught himself (with respect) a huge submarine..... because thats how they work when they have to dive and surface, they either compress or uncompress huge volumes of air to acheave buoyancy..... 😂😂😂😂 would i buy a SB version, Never.....
But some people like them for whatever reason..... they are cheeper, and save space, best option is to buy a SB and buy a kit box, build your own, and sell your SB box and save half the price of a PB version...... yet have the un restrained sound and added cooling 🤔...... makes ya think ey?....
I prefer ported when drivers are 15” or smaller due to the extra output. But once you get to 18” and above, I feel sealed is a phenomenal option. You do not have to worry about port chuffing (which almost every ported sub has to some extent), cabinets can be much smaller and you typically get lower extension. Ported subs also have to be careful playing below their tuning frequency as they will unload and begin to flop around like a fish out of water.
Not even a competition the m215 is amazing! And I am buying one as soon as they are back in stock.
Did you get one?
@haris525 - Did you get one?
Nasty intro!! Nasty editing, Nasty voice. Nice Youthman!!
Thanks! It was a lot of work but a LOT of fun to make
@@Youthman I bet it was 💪💪🔥🔥🔥
Sick nasty
Youthman who did that voice over 🔥
That was my friend Brad. It’s pretty crazy to hear in person.
How does the M-215 do with music response? I know SVS states that the PB-16 was designed to be both good and responsive for both home theater and music.
Which one punches harder when playing music?
I knew all along that the M-215 would come out as the victor here. I can't wait for your review on testing two M-215s at the same time (if you're planning on doing one). 🖒😁
No I do not have any plans on receiving a second M-215
A second would provide 6dB more in gain and would likely fix the dip in the 40Hz range
@@Youthman Ah. I see. Just as expected.🖒
Are you going to get the PSA TV42? I would love to see numbers on that.
No plans as of yet
My tought was that, But coudent wait so I take the smaller ones, dual psa tv36ipal
Youthman. Kind of a late comment but, can you do this with testing out which phase is best. So you put the umik in your listening position. Start phase at 0, run 1 sweep. turn the phase to 10 degrees, run another, rinse and repeat to 180 degree
Then see which phase percentage gave best results?
I have done that with multiple subs before but not during that review
@@Youthman sorry I meant, can I do that. Is that the best technique to do find out the best phase percent.
Right now I've just been winging it
Yes you can absolutely do that. If you only have one subwoofer it shouldn’t change. If it’s interacting with another subwoofer that’s typically when you might need to change the phase to prevent cancellations
I’ve had the opportunity to test the SVS PB 16 and SB 16. I was disappointed as bass output on the lower end wasn’t solid.
The monolith and Power Sound Audio S3611 have ridiculous low end extension
Does the dual monolith have a warranty on it. Ok the website on the question and answer someone said it has a 5 year warranty on it but I don’t see it anywhere on the website. Also could I buy that subwoofer at any store and not just over the internet?
Monoprice is internet only. You would need to check with them regarding the warranty
how does this m 215 sub compare to the psa s3611 Subwoofer?
The S3611 should outperform the M-215 however I have not compared them side by side
Youthman, if you still have the Monolith subs around, could you do another rew measurement. I’ve seen in another video that after the subs are broken in, they start losing spl under 30hz. Maybe you could try and validate this oddity..?
Lol makes no sense,
Usually after subs break in, they play deeper, louder and better
I currently already have pb3000 should i purchase another and run dual or sell mine and pick up an m215, dual vs single sub
Depends on your need. The Monolith M-215 has ridiculous output and extension
What has monolith figured out that svs and jtr haven’t? Why do other ported subs drop off after their tuning frequency, but the monoliths don’t?
I thought JTR dig deep too. Power Sound Audio S3611 was very similar in response
Cabinet size, hard to sell 215 size, ugly
Youthman jtr ulf2400 digs deep. But it’s tuned to 10hz. After 10hz, it drops off. What’s the tuning frequency of the 215?
Haha I wish I had room for any of them.
But in my small 3 x 4 meter room 1 sb 1000 at 50% power is shaking the walls.
I plan to get 2 sb 3000 and that will be my end game setup.
I really want to get an equal bass response throughout the entire room and an even better bass for music.
Dual SB3000 in a small room will work great
Measurements or no Measurements the Ear does not lie. Keep up the great work!
Thanks. I like to verify measurements with my ears
What if you EQ the Monolith to match the response of the PB16 and then find compression? I assume that the 20Hz and up spl would increase significantly.
I’m not sure how to do that without something like a MiniDSP
@@Youthman MiniDSP is exactly what I was thinking. You have all the cool toys so I assumed you had one.
What’s the better sub to go with. I want the best parts and the best sounding\quality bass and the higher at power output. Also I like when they go can really low frequencies and still be quite loud. I know both these subs have there pros and cons and one of them can do some of those things buts not other and vis versa. Which sub should I go with. Please and thank you. And or are there and other subs out there in the same price range of these subs?
Hey Youthman I have 2 question to ask you if you had a chance to purchase 2 new Subs with you go with a single Monoprice M -215 or 2 single Monoprice Monolith 15 ?
And another question by you had both of these Subs in your Theater room if you want to purchase new Subs with it be Power Sound audio or Monoprice Monolith ?
I don’t see any smoothing... are you using any that I’m not seeing on REW???
Not that I am aware of. I’m not sure I know how to apply smoothing.
After you make a measurement, go to the top... Graph... I usually click 1/12 smoothing. This way I can still see the bad stuff in the room and not so much chaos
Bravo sir. Years from now when I'm ready I know what I'm going to pick up.
By then, they will likely have something bigger and better to offer
Good comparison but I got to ask. How much content is in the sub 20hz area? Most people can't hear below 30ish. Plus I wonder how many people want a super big cabinet like the m2. I guess to each there own.
There is quite a bit of content below 20Hz. Massive upgrade going from dual PB16’s to dual JTR Captivator RS2’s. I measured 115dB @ 8Hz. It’s not about what you hear, it’s about feeling it.
Two Mono's behind your screen would destroy your block! I would love it!
Hahaha
I’m actually wanting to upgrade to (4) sealed 18’s behind my screen
@@Youthman Nice which ones?
@@Youthman PSA?
I think Youthman is considering 4 PSA s3611's
Would have liked to know how the THX-1200-SW SUBWOOFER Compared to these
I wasn’t impressed with it
Hi Michael do you know much about these speakers. Klipsch KL-6504-THX Select2 In-Wall L/C/R Speaker
I think there is something like a subsonic filter on the SVS, i wonder how those monolith woofers handle those lower frequencies over longer time..
I’m not sure myself
though you would've lost overall output, I would've liked to had seen the svs in extended mode. Do you have a video showing in your room the measurements of the pb16 in sealed, standard & extended?
yes I do have those measurements on the channel, I do not recall which video it’s in though. In extended mode, you lose output above 20 Hz so that would not have helped much
I haven't checked, does the Monolith have the parametric EQ like the SVS? I was able to get my SVS 16 at a .3dB variance from 13Hz to 45Hz in my room.
No EQ with the Monolith. No app. But a MiniDSP would be way more beneficial than the SVS DSP
@@Youthman Youthman I figured as much. I was making sure to level set as far as room optimization. The SVS allows for 3 parametric adjustments, but I definitely see the usefulness of a more dedicated adjustment tool. I haven't gotten the miniDSP yet, but am definitely curious what the performance would be with additional adjustment points. Hopefully I can level the output out past 45Hz.
Keep up the good work youth man. Allways a joy watching your videos.
Thank you EJ
God I love these videos you make! It's right up my alley in entertainment. Thanks Youthman! It was really educational.
Thank you Rafael! I appreciate the encouraging words
Ok so that’s one test... what about listening to music? How about attack/ speed and sound quality? Low bass extension is great but not as a trade off for good sound quality. Please give us some more information. Thanks
The JD D Tudor. I don’t see most people using this sub for 2ch.
How to you quantify attack and speed? Those would be highly subjective opinions at best.
My channel focuses on real world home theater application so I can’t offer much in the area of 2ch.
I mentioned quality in the video. The Monolith sounded cleaner during the beginning of Godzilla than the Pb16 did.
Very informative video as usual Youthman not to mention I'm loving the intro lol... To be honest I'm not surprised at the results, that said... I'm very surprised the svs was able to go toe to toe with the monolith from 20hz up. One of the things we can take away from this video I think is that different manufacturers have different approaches to electronics and what they want to accomplish. With the monolith we can see they went for all out no compromise when it can to output and low frequency performance. With the svs they also went for much of the same but with more focus on easy if use features. At the end of the day we have two amazing products to suit different consumers which is a win win in my opinion 😊
I completely agree. Anytime a consumers has choices, that’s great. Both are certainly excellent choices.
Hi Youthman,
Do you have any comments on the M215 vs any of the JTRs? which JTR is most comparable to the M215, performance wise. Price point I know the monolith is going to be a lot easier on the pockets.
Monolith doesn't have a sub that competes with JTR, in either output or low end extension. My JTR Captivator RS2's were measured flat at 115dB @ 8Hz and they never hit compression.
If you're using movies for demo try the movie, Battleship skip to the part where the first battle starts and the shield dome goes up.
So a pretty standard reaction, where you have double the cone area, Yeah those lows for sure! What about the PB16 Ultra?
What about the PB16 are you asking?
@@Youthman Just wanting to know if the PB16 Ultra is the PB16 you're referring to?
SovL:Remedy ???
What is the distance to the subwoofers when you measure?
I don’t recall exactly but they are approx 6’
@@Youthman Sensitivity of speakers are rated at 1m. 6' is almost double that distance, so maybe about 5-6 dB weaker than at 1m. Just maybe because of room acoustics. I think the measurements are useful as long the distance is the same between measurements. Maybe you could start even lower on small subs, like at 80 dB? The SB 3000 seemed to suffer in the infra frequencies already at 90 dB. Thanks for the videos. Very helpful!
@@nojbrotnespo6718 Yes, the subs were measured at the same location with the mic in the same location which is my primary listening position.
Youthman per 20:11 I think in your room you'd be better with two (or four) smaller subs. Do you have any room behind your rear row to put some subs, something in the back would help out a lot in there! If your rear row is right up against the back wall I wonder if something shallow depth would work well. Thanks for reviewing these.
No room behind my rear seats. Room is only 19’ deep. I can get rid of the nasty null using dual subs behind my screen as seen in this video - th-cam.com/video/eXfH9WH8Yw8/w-d-xo.html
Do you remember how the speed of these subs compared? Was one snappier or cleaner, etc than the other?
How much spl do you think is added when adding subs? I think in your impression is only 3db per sub. That’s actually incorrect. I’ve seen as much as 7-9db depending on room and frequency. 8 pb16 would have massive gain in a room.
Typically you gain 3dB when you double the drivers and 3dB when you double the amplification. So going from a single sub to dual subs should yield a 6dB gain.
I actually consulted with two people that are much more knowledgeable than I am with those stats before I added that info regarding 8 PB16’s equaling 1 M-213 at 10Hz to make sure I was correct.
Youthman I think you’d enjoy reading on all these types of room interactions. One sub in the middle of a room gets the baseline number. Corner loading could emphasize only 1-2db more at say 50hz but can add 5db at 25hz. All depending on the distance to microphone recording data. When two subs mutually couple you’ll get at least 6db more output. When I mean couple they need to be with 1/4 wavelength of that frequency. So say 100hz they have to be rather close together. Say 3-5’. Now 20hz that distance can be 30’ or more apart.
Now if you had 8 subs in your room they would all couple with massive output from 10-30hz. Now above that it gets tricky. You have to double everything to add spl in mid bass. So 2 subs hit 120db at 70hz then you’ll need 4 to hit hit 123-124db at 70. Then 8 to hit 127-128 at 70.
Now if you stack subs totally different things happen.
At the moment I’m using two Rythmik fv18 rev2 with paper drivers. When I run rew I hit 115db@10hz and max spl is 127-129db from 50-100hz. All before compression. I definitely don’t need that high of output but it’s nice knowing it’s there.
Id definitely look into phase and delay. Avr or even correct distance could be perfect after eq. It’s actually not though. I have two subs in room, one in back, one in front. One is set to 19’ and is 12’ away. Other is 11’ away but I set to 3’. Room interactions at full effect. Have a blessed night and keep up the videos.
Can you review the Monolith 15" (single 15") as well?
I have three or four videos on the channel of that subwoofer
loving your intros here. Awesome work as well as great video.
Thank you kindly
Thx Youthman for the nice comparison! I also might play around with REW 👍
It’s a lot of fun and can show you what is happening in your room
Curious how the Mono would compare to PSA V3611?
I would think the V3611 should come out on top with its Dual 18’s.
Isn't the driver 16 inches on the PB-16 ultra?
It’s actually 15.5”. They round up for marketing. There isn’t a 16” sub on the market.
I wonder, have you ever reviewed some of the tekton speakers or their 4 x 10" sub ?
I haven’t
@@Youthman a friend of mine bought they moab model and he can't stop talking about them, he prefers them to his magnapan speakers. Haven't seen anything concrete about their subs thought.
That's interesting about the null with the Monolith. Both the SVS and Monolith were tested in the exact same position, right?
Exact position. I get that null with the single SVS behind my screen. Running dual subs behind my screen fixes that - th-cam.com/video/eXfH9WH8Yw8/w-d-xo.html
Hey Youthman,when are you going to get your hand on a dual REL sub.
Not sure.
Love the intro. Another great video, Youthman! 😉👍
Thank you.
Hey Youthman
When you testing subs What is the volume you set on subs amps
I level match the gains on the subs. I believe the Monolith was around 1 o’clock on the gain and the PB16 was likely around -10dB (it’s Digital)
Youthman
Thanks Youthman
Terrific video. Lighting is on point! I'm curious how much of that compression on the PB16 Ultra is due to the electronic limiting from SVS. I'm wondering if the compression test above 20hz would look different for the SVS. I wouldn't expect you to do that test consider how crazy heavy those are!
Thanks Joe. I considered testing 20Hz and above but I feel that isn’t very helpful considering when watching a movie your receiver isn’t limiting the frequencies to only 20Hz and above.
If I would have done the same for the Monolith, it would have likely increased as well
I had no doubt the monolith would win. I liked the tests.🔊👍
Thanks!0
Simple mathematics
15 × 2 vs 16 × 1....... lol......
Love your reviews Youthman! I just received my😂 M-215 this afternoon and can only guess it is defective. Really hoping you have some insight to share. At 6db I’m getting almost no excursion, even on monster bass techno tracks. At full gain it’s okay- probably 20% better that the HSU MK-II it replaced but the mains have to be crazy loud at that level and the HSU is only at half volume. I’ve seriously got a display shelf 2’ away from the sub and none of my wife’s nicknacks have moved an inch. It’s a large room with vaulted ceilings but I was expecting maybe triple the output. Do I send it back and get another? Is there a way to test it to make sure it’s an issue with the sub and not with my expectations?
Hi Josh. Sorry to hear you’re having issues with the sub. The first thing I do when troubleshooting a sub is to isolate the sub itself. Best way is to connect a 3.5mm to RCA cable from your phone to the RCA inputs on the sub and play some bass heavy music. If you aren’t getting ridiculous spam, reach out to their technical support as the sub may have been damaged in shipping.
SO for 100% music, does output at less than 18hz really matter?
No. Sub 20Hz is primarily for movies although some music may have sub 20Hz content.
When you put two sub's in close proximity, you will get more than 3dB increase in output inside your room. Your suggestion that you would need 3 or 4 SVS to equal the output of the Monolith may not be correct.
I checked with a friend who is much smarter than I in regards to that and that was his estimation
How much MUSIC is there below 20 Hz? The lowest string on a standard four string bass is (E) 41.2 Hz, on a six string bass its (B) 30.8 Hz, and the bottom key on a piano is (A) 27.5 Hz. The majority of the "boom" from a big concert bass drum is about 50 Hz, and the bass drum on a jazz style trap set is actually about 100 to 150 Hz!
It seems to me that the SVS folks looked at actual music and designed their product to deliver it.
Most people are buying this sub for movies, not for music. Definitely complete overkill for that.
Svs has been dethroned?
All hail Monolith 💆🏾♂️
LOL
Not really that cut and dry imo. In the most usable range the SVS kept up and the cabinet is much smaller. To me in a dedicated room with subs hidden behind a screen and/or behind seats, the Monolith wins. If you have a living room theater, the SVS wins. To me the Monolith should roll off sooner and increase the output more where it matters. Now which would I rather have? The Monolith!
Commander Russels I know....it was a joke.
@@dwalker112 sorry I have autism
Hahaha dethroned? They have always been the leader in overpriced sub for $2500
For a dedicated theater room I’d choose the 215, for my living room, the PB16 can blend much better. I also recently had the opportunity to use the SVS warranty and it was a breeze.
I agree. I don’t see the M-215 going into too many living room setups.
If I was going crazy big I may opt also for the S7201 over the 215 for pure shock and awe.
Whoa!
Totally awesome video!
Loved the intro from Brad. Haha!
You may not "hear" below 20 Hz, but you can certainly "feel" it.
Thanks for the great review.
Gotta go buy some lottery tickets... :)
Brad did an awesome job on the voiceover. I spent several hours making just the intro. Lol
Love the intro! Have a question though. Why does the Monolith have way more dip in the 40-50 Hz range than the SVS? Does it have something to do with having 2 subs? I wouldn't think so, since the wavelength in that range is around 25 feet, so there shouldn't be be any significant phase difference between the 2 subs. So maybe due to the difference in the location of the subs in the Monolith vs. the SVS and the effects of that in your room? Sort of like a room placement issue.
Honestly I’m not sure. Both subs were placed in the same location with their front baffles at the edge of my riser.
jimbert50 yes it is height mode from room. Since the second driver is higher up from floor
Great great review Youthman! I'm starting to realize in my journey that I value a lot more flat response to 20 Hz in a sub and then more higher output on up. There's just not enough content that's worth chasing those deep waters. A subwoofer like the PB 16 or my dual PB 4000's in extended mode that give great output to 16hz flat are more then enough. But for anyone that wants a sub that can do it all output overall very high with deep extension into those deep waters that Monolith is an amazing option what a great buy!
My friend has (4) 18’s that reach single digits. It’s an incredible experience
@@Youthman Man I'm sure it is maybe it's one of those things of if you've never heard it you can't know what you don't know. I've never heard a system yet that could do that so I dont know what I'm missing I just don't know if I wanna do the extra work to get there. In my theater room size I'm getting 2 more PC 4000's to go with the PB 4000's 4 of those run in extended mode should be enough for me I'm thinking. At least I hope so! Lol
6 × PB4000's....... thats quiet insane.... you could rent them out to demolition companies.....
As for 4 × 18 inch twins..... well.... single didgit "infrasound"..... organ damadge.... they can kill @ 7hz, did you know that, as that is a human bodys resonance point.......
I’ve played my subs many times down to 5Hz and I’m still doing just fine. You would need extreme amount of pressure at those frequencies to kill you.
Great video grest testing. Would like to see the impulse response and group delay of both subs.
Have no idea how to show that.
What Gain level you got on the subs, they at 12 o’clock?
The gain on the Monolith was around 1 o'clock. The PB16 doesn't have a dial, it's digital.
Youthman. Great thanks for that info. I never know where to set mine, generally around 12 o’clock is what I do on my current sub but Denon amp is set to plus12, so I’ll try the 1oclock and retest. Not got laptop or Software so just doing by ear to try max sub out.
Keep up the great work!
will you replace your dual svs with dual Monolith M-215?
No my next upgrade will likely be (4) 18’s in a sealed enclosure.
The difference at the null is strange! If placed in the same location they should be similar, or even less (two point sources) on the Monolith (depends on between which walls/ceiling the modes occur). I would also would like to know the difference in sound quality when playing music ... VERY few subs are acceptable for quality music playback.
My channel is primarily Home Theater so unfortunately I don’t do much 2ch listening. I don’t see someone needing this for 2ch.
Subs were in the same exact location. Front baffles were placed at the front edge of my riser and against the wall.
Would be nice to see a monolith 16" review. All the ones I have found talk about it, but don't have it in hand.
Most likely aren’t willing to lug around a beast like that. It’s certainly a lot of work. Unfortunately I do not have plans to review it as it should be similar in performance to the 13” I reviewed, but with more output
@@Youthman Sounds like I will be impressed. Bought a pair of 16" monoliths last week, starting my new theater with them. Eta this week if the snow holds off.
You have great videos! Very helpful.
Very cool, let me know how you like them
@@Youthman Listening to them now. I am blown away, the cabin is shaking on all 3 levels with 10hz-15hz test music. Basement windows flex so far I fear one is going to pop out. Middle floor shakes enough to move dishes in the kitchen.
I am very happy with these 16" subs!
The matte finish is flawless, couldn't be happier.
I did have to use quite a bit of gain to get the sound level where I wanted. Seems like my entry level onkyo av reciver sub outputs are not quite up to the task. But as long as using a lot of gain isn't a problem, I will use it as is for awhile.
@@Youthman After playing with them all night, I discovered one sub has low output. Swapping out subs, cables and location has 0 effect. From a warrant/shipping difficulty standpoint, I am disappointed in this purchase. Sure, the one sounds great, but a 50% power reduction on the other is ridiculous.
I noticed it immediately, but it was quickly hidden by the good preforming sub, until I started tuning I didn't notice there was a massive problem here.
Lol 😂 that intro though,"which sub will go home crying to their mummy". I still prefer the svs looks and presence though, moreover the svs is just one 15" driver compared to two monolith 15" drivers,so I guess we were expecting this result
Haha Brad did a killer job on the voiceover.
Youthman lol he sure did.should we expect more of this?
Not sure. He came over to help me dial in my new LED light and he brought a few colored lights for the background. And as we began talking, we decided to come up with a creative intro
Subsonic filter on the SVS? It dips pretty quick!
Yes they add something like that intentionally to take advantage of room gain. At least that’s what it says on their website
Wow! Who did the Movie Guy voice at the beginning! That was excellent 👏!
That’s my friend Brad from Home Theater Gamer
@@Youthman He did a great 👍 job,I thought he was Movie Guy!
The monolith spanked that SVS sub buddy
Sub sonic bass that you ears can’t hear is IMPORTANT and very wicked to feel the bass on your eye balls, skin and hair but not hear a thing!! Yes some movies go sub sonic so if you can have it in a speaker why not!!!
Deep home theater bass....it Hz soooo good!
Youthman I Know!! I saw you wearing that shirt! I want one but first I need to upgrade my subs, don’t know if I should go 2 x PB16 or 2 x Monolith 15”..... I don’t do well with options haha. I love how the Mono’s go so low and hold SPL...
I’m pretty indecisive myself. I research so much before pulling the trigger but once I do, I rarely have any regrets
Great review! I finally got a chance to watch this. I've been busy with the VA. Man they d--k us vets around! Again great review! That Monolith is a beast! I'm still contented with my 2 PB 13 Ultra's. They get the job done. Keep up the great work Youthman!
Thanks. I have a friend that is a VA. He has similar struggles with them.
I too enjoy my PB16’s. I probably will not upgrade until I’m ready to go with (4) 18’s
👌 All of your videos are incredibley fun and informative keep up the great work. ✌️
Thank you for the kind words
You must consider distortion. The output of the Monolith could have large amounts of 3rd harmonic at those low frequencies when at high amplitudes.
Absolutely. I need to spend some time with someone who knows how to look at distortion. Can I see that info with the frequency sweeps I ran?
Youthman yes sir you can. Rew forum goes into how to display and read it
Bon Scott thanks I’ll check it out
Nice performance in the audible frequencies by the smaller pb16
great video......are you going to be upgrading to a pair of monolith subs in the future....then do another compairison....?
No, it's getting boxed back up to make room for more reviews.
@@Youthman thats a bummer...lol....great content
Let's all remember that it's a comparison to determine dollar value based on Performance results. Based solely on performance, the M 215 indeed is a better value.
The better aesthetics and settings flexibility of the Ultra PB16 is also a strong factor to consider. There are subs that will out performs these two, but they cost 2 to 4 times more (see JL Gotham and Paradigm Signature, as examples). Still others are twice the size of the M-215.
David, I'm not sure the JL Gotham would outperform this. I heard one many years ago and was not impressed.
I know you are a proponent of dual/multiple subs. The Monolith is a great sub but it's two subs in one. I wonder if I would get better bass response from this Monolith or two separate subs....
Typically you only get better bass response across multiple seats if you separate the subwoofers. Stacking them just gives more output
And that's when the neighbors started gathering torches and pitchforks. 😂
As was mentioned already...plug 1 port on the PB16 and this test would look very different. Might be a good idea to mention this caveat up front.
The goal of this was to try and keep as many variables the same (levels, position of sub, position of mic, and both subs with ports opened).
You are correct. By sealing one port on the PB16, this test would have looked very different. The output increased output on the PB16 below 20Hz would have caused a decrease in output below 20Hz which would have made the Monolith have a higher output across the entire frequency response.
Just mention it is all. The ability to alter your frequency curve is a major strength of the PB16 and you failed to even mention it. Obviously the Monolith with double the drivers and cabinet volume has more overall output. We don’t need this test to show us that. The overall frequency response is far more useful info.
Great video! Have you had the chance to test any HSU research products?
No I haven’t heard from them
@@Youthman dang, well idk how far you are from the Orlando area but I can always lend it to you. I have the VTF3 MK5 and it's super solid for the price.
Monolith M-215 THX CERTIFIED!!!!
DONE!!!
I WILL MAKE IT FIT!!! Lol SORRY LOVEY!! Lolol Youth-Bro!! Blow the Doors off!!
Youthman, try to get your hands on a Bill Fitzmaurice horn subwoofer.