Maxx Audio in Seremban hosted a product launch event for the new SVS PB16 Ultra and SB16 Ultra on Saturday 26th November. This long awaited event was attended maaaannnyyy HT enthusiasts in the country and also by the regular audio reviewers like Willy Low, Vinod, Dick Tan and that one troublemaker of all time...Myself. The event kicked off at 11 am an officially ended at 6 pm wuth a steady flow of AV-philes throughout that time. It was so packed that Max had to arrange for every one to experience the new subs in a few demo sessions.
No hifi product launch in Malaysia can be conducted without having delicacies. Max and Ben specially ordered Nasi Lemak bungkus NIzam and also Bee Hoon goreng and also hot curry puffs. Yours truly arrived at about 1015 to provide Max with the Samsung 4K UHD BD player and once set up, this nasi lemak started make its way through my mouth. Yummy. Once done, the official demo started.
Batman vs Superman DOJ on 4K UHD
One of Epson on display projector
Max explained the new design adapted by SVS in this PB16 sub. With 1500 watss RMS power, this 16" sub , this sub guarantees a substantial LFE will be provided in one's system. It goes as deep as 13 to 280 Hz. The sub can be adjusted via its mini remote control and also iOS and Android bases apps. It weighs at a staggering 95 kg mark and it can easily be mistaken to be a small washing machine hehehe. You would need a big room for this to be made looked smaller. Customer have the choice of piano black or black ash finishings.
Max has deployed a 7.2.4 channel system in his 16.5 x 19.5 ft room. A bit crowded with speakers but still comfy enough to enjoy a full fledge ATMOS/DTS-X surround sound. The full set up list is as follows with its RRP:
SVS PB16 Ultra - RM14,499
SVS SB16 Ultra - RM 11,499
Klipsch KL-650-THX - RM 7,600 each
Klipsch KL-525-THX surround - RM6350 each
Klipsch CDT-2800-C II Top front and Top rear - RM1,150 each
Denon AVR X7200WA - RM 13,999
ATI 807 7 channel power amp - RM15,000
Parasound A23 Stereo power amp - RM6800
Oppo BDP-105D - RM5,999
Epson LS10000 projector - RM30,500
KL 650 THX Centre (similar to LR channels)
ATI 7 channel power amp
Oppo 105D, Samsung K8500, Parasound 2 channel power amp and Denon X7200WA
Klipsch rear speakers
OK enough of the tech talk. Now lets get into the nitty gritty:
When Max show case his set up, several different type of movies were played. Ranging from rain effect, bullet spraying war scenes, helicopter swirls, building collapse, martial arts and many more. My favourite was the war scene in the movie Bengazi. The PB16 shook the LazyBoy sofa with tremendous power and agility. I was surprised that there was rattling of the ceiling. The LFE provided by the two subs was enough to provide the guests on that day what these new Ultras can do.
The sound of the spraying bullets and its impact sounded deep but subtle enough to differentiate it from explosives sounds. The speed and accuracy of the subs were evident enough that even in a chaotic scene like this, it delivers continuous LFE impact on each relevant sound. Matched and properly set up with the Klipsch speakers, the dialogue was still crystal clear. The mid bass was also presence where in a quieter scene of dialogue, the vocal sounded energized and with a deeper tone and emotion.
The Klipsch THX Ultra 2 speaker set up was also very involving and gives out details of the movie with a high level of precision. With up to 97 dB sensitivity, they were driven effortlessly by the amplification in this set up. No sign of stress and I did not experience any fatigue listening to this set up through out the day.
Thank you Max and Ben for the invite. I a quite sure these new monstrous sub will be flying out of your shop into people's home very frequently.
This is a mirror from audiofi.net where my review was initially posted.
+ Centre-channel clarity, engaging subwoofer, effective up-firing ATMOS speakers and flawless wireless connectivity. ATMOS effect well delivered with an immersive sound.
– Lack of calibration software and not much of a two-channel music experience.
Sound: 8/10 Value: 8/10
DOLBY ATMOS has been around for a few years and is now quite a stable platform, and it is increasingly common for moviemakers to mix their surround audio effects in this format. More and more movies are now screened in an ATMOS audio mix, either in the cinemas or on Blu-ray discs.
While cinema-goers are now spoilt with a more immersive sound, home theatre enthusiasts face the space challenge of setting up at least five speakers, a subwoofer and four ceiling speakers to achieve the minimum 5.1.4 ATMOS set-up requirement. This becomes a bigger challenge if the set-up is to be installed in the living room.
Samsung has come up with an alternative all-in-one, space-saving ATMOS soundbar, complete with wireless connectivity for the subwoofer and a pair of rear surround units with a built-in ATMOS up-firing speakers.
The Samsung HW-K950 Soundbar provides the minimum 5.1.4 channels through its intuitive speaker design. The soundbar unit houses the front-firing channels (centre, left and right) and a pair of front up-firing ATMOS drivers. The rear surround speakers are equipped with the rear up-firing ATMOS drivers and to complete the set-up, a subwoofer is also part of the whole equation.
What is really interesting about this package is the wireless connectivity between the soundbar unit and the rear speakers and subwoofer. A total of 15 drivers are built into this whole package, providing a wider dispersive effect.
The system provides a whopping 500 watts RMS and is equipped with six DSP modes to choose from. It does not stop there. For two-channel audio, there is also Bluetooth connectivity. It also supports Spotify, Deezer etc, streaming as well. The system is capable of handling HD Audio up to 24-bit/192kHz resolution and supports Samsung’s multi-room application.
Those with an existing Samsung SMART TV and Blu-ray/4K UHD player will be happy to know that the remote control unit that comes with the HW-K950 will integrate your existing equipment into the system and allow you to control your whole entertainment set from one remote commander.
SETTING UP
It is recommended to have two people to unbox this system. Mainly due to its length, it is awkward to handle the unboxing alone. Do take note that “wireless” refers to the audio connectivity from the soundbar to the rear speakers and subwoofer. You will need three AC points for the subwoofer and the rear speakers. So, do ensure you have plug points where you intend to set up the rear speakers and subwoofer.
Connectivity between the components is easily set up. Just turn on the soundbar, subwoofer and rear speakers and all of them will automatically detect each other. Once connected, a blue LED lights up indicating successful pairing.
Similarly with Bluetooth and online music streaming services such as Spotify. Using your mobile phone or tablet, just follow the step-by-step instructions and you will be enjoying wireless music within a few minutes.
There are two HDMI and one optical input at the rear of the soundbar. However, there is only one HDMI output to the TV but it is equipped with Audio Return Channel module (ARC).
I connected the newly-launched Samsung UBD-K8500 4K UHD Blu-ray player to this soundbar to experience not only ATMOS, but also 4K visual on my Samsung curve TV.
The biggest challenge setting up this soundbar system is the calibration. Modern AV receivers usually come with auto calibration modules which calibrate all speaker components to adapt to the room environment in order to produce the optimum surround effect. For this review, the calibration had to be done manually by increasing or lowering the volume for each speaker to achieve 75dB on the sound level meter app on my phone.
It is highly recommended to follow the guidelines by Dolby on the up-firing ATMOS with regards to height and the material used for the ceiling. The recommended ceiling height is between 7.5 and 12 feet and the maximum is 14 feet. The ceiling material should be reflective.
LISTENING
Watching the Star Trek 4K UHD Blu-ray disc, I was really surprised by the clarity of the centre channel from the sound bar. Even in a chaotic attack scene with powerful LFE, the dialogue from Spock and Captain Kirk was exceptionally clear.
The ATMOS effect was, of course, the highlight where the sound effects of falling objects tumbling down wreckages and laser beams being shot downwards were not only immersive but quite realistic and in sync with the whole movie experience. The rear ATMOS sounded a little thin at the beginning compared with the front ATMOS but a slight volume adjustment managed to overcome that. Sitting in the middle gave me the feeling that I was actually surrounded by the actual attack scene.
The performance of the subwoofer was also unexpectedly very engaging. Since it is wireless, I decided to site the subwoofer at the rear to test its wireless connectivity and effectiveness. Throughout the movie, the subwoofer worked tirelessly, delivering a rumbling bass effect that vibrated my sofa and the floor. Any explosion scene will grab your attention as the subwoofer will shake your seat. The effect dispersion could be felt across my viewing area.
Moving to a Superman: Man of Steel, the surround experience was even more engaging than Star Trek. The scene where Superman rescues people from a burning offshore platform provided me with even more engaging immersive effect. It was also directional (versus just a blanket noise effect); hence it related to the image being viewed. The swooshing sound of Superman flying from top right (rear) to bottom left (front) can be easily heard, giving me the directional perspective of the movie I was watching.
Moving to two-channel audio for music listening resulted in a different reaction. The sound is quite lifeless. Even after I tweaked certain parameters, I just could not enjoy listening to the system. With the audio channel now focused on the front, I could not get the same level of enjoyment when watching movies.
On Andrea Bocelli’s Time To Say Goodbye, the emotion of the song could not be delivered as well as from proper floorstanding or bookshelf speakers. For heavy metal or rock tracks such as Metallica’s Enter Sandman, I was expecting a heavier impact but the guitar solos sounded flat and the drumming, box-ish.
THE LAST WORD
If you are looking for a simplified, no nonsense home theatre soundbar for your home, the Samsung HW-K950 is one worth auditioning. It is a Dolby ATMOS certified system and does not fail to provide the immersive ATMOS experience but in a smaller package.
Of course, you should not compare it with a full-fledged AVR-mega-huge-speaker set-up but for its intended audience, this Samsung system managed to deliver its main objective. Yes, the two-channel music performance is not up to par but with this level of ATMOS delivery, you will be watching more movies than listening to music.
A word of caution, though – I do believe this system works well in a moderately-sized room and not for bigger halls. In order to ensure you can experience the ATMOS effect, it is recommended that you use this system in a venue that follows the ceiling height and material recommendation by Dolby.
Gear
Samsung UBD-K8500 4K UHD Blu-ray player, Samsung UA65HU9000 65-inch Curve TV
I took my time to leap into ATMOS, mainly to wait for the format to stabilize and also for DTS-X to be fully available, hardware wise and also software. While there are a few of HT aficionados in Malaysia that took the leap into ATMOS a few years back, most of the HT crowd faced the challenge of installing additional ceiling speakers in their existing set up. This is also true especially for those without a dedicated HT room. For yours truly, I face the same challenge as my HT is set up in the second floor living room. I have went through various options of setting up surround back and ceiling speakers but it remains a challenge due to some obstruction above the ceiling.
The notion of using upfiring speakers first came out at the same time ATMOS came out about 2 years back. Not many options were available at that time and most of the design, did not get an acceptable performance review by the industry. Nevertheless, if we are to refer to the maker itself, Dolby, they did mention that upfiring speakers is one of the options that ATMOS can be experienced at home. So, technically, this option should work if we follow the recommended guideline by Dolby. There are soooooo many people out there that gives out recommendation that confuses a lot of HT enthusiasts that in turn, put them off to experience ATMOS at home. I have decided to just refer to Dolby to start the leap.
One of the main concern for me is the effectiveness of the sound reflection with upfiring speakers. Dolby recommendations are as follows and luckily, my hall fits in nicely in these recommendations.
Ceiling Height and Materials
The ideal ceiling height is between 7.5 and 12 feet, and the maximum recommended height is 14 feet. The ceiling should be flat and made from an acoustically reflective material, such as drywall or plaster.
THE SVS ELEVATION SPEAKERS
After I have decided to take the leap, first I had to upgrade my Yamaha RXV2067 AVR to an ATMOS/DTS:X capable AVR. After discussion with Max Loh from Maxx Audio, I have decided to purchase the Denon X6200W AVR. Once confirmed, I started to think about which upfiring speakers to get. There is no point upgrading the AVR without purchasing the ATMOS speakers.
As I currently using an SVS Prime Satellite as my rear speakers and SVS subwoofer that matches quite well (sonically and aesthetically) with my PMC twenty.24 and Centre channel, I asked Max whether I can use another pair of Prime Satellite as ATMOS speakers....... and to my surprise, SVS now have a new elevation add on speakers called Prime Elevation. Recently debuted in CES show, Maxx Audio was getting a few pairs for the KLIAV show in July. At the time this review was written, these Elevation speakers are still not available on the SVS website. But nevertheless, you can find a few reviews of it online.
Being the trouble-maker I am, I requested Maxx to have a pair of these after the show. And sure enough, these babies were in my house a week after the show (end of July).
This speakers are designed to fulfill the following options:
As a down-firing height channel speaker, easily mounted high on a side wall
As an up-firing height channel speaker for the same formats, placed on stands or atop tower speakers
As an up-firing or down-firing front or center channel speaker with projector screens or where level placement at ear height is not possible
As a side or rear-firing surround speaker, when placement on a side or rear wall is not optimal for the most convincing side or back surround effects
A pair of Elevation speakers can be wall-mounted and wired to become a bipole or dipole surround speaker.
The Prime Elevation is rated at 69 Hz – 25 kHz (+/- 3dB), and uses a 1" aluminum dome tweeter and a 4.5" polypropylene cone woofer. It comes with its own four position wall bracket and will also include a 1/4" 20TPI brass insert for compatibility with other mounts. The Prime Elevation comes in three colors, Gloss Black, Gloss White, and Black Ash. For me, of course I took the Gloss Black to match with the entire speaker systems that I have. One interesting fact to note is that, although named as Elevation, it does not really want to rely on ceiling reflection but more towards sending the height effect directly to the listener.
PERFORMANCE
First of all, ATMOS and DTS:X is a totally different experience compared to standard Dolby TruHD or DTS MA. I was an early adopter of BluRay back in 2007 and have gone through a number BD players and AVR. But the leap in sound distribution with ATMOS or DTS:X is just insanely engaging. With this Elevation speakers, my system is now moved from 7.1 (front height, not surround back) channel to 5.1.2.
Now, specific to the PRIME Elevation, it was first automatically calibrated using the Denon Audyssey calibration. Playing Transformers Age of Extinction, the Elevation speakers gave a new experience of how the vehicles, tankers, ships were falling from the sky and also the swooshing sound of the Dinobots (Swoop) flying across the scene. Even when the giant space craft was sucking up all the vehicles, I can experience the uplifting sound of with a touch spatial definition across my listening position. Out of curiosity, I increased the volume on these Elevation speakers in the audio setting, and voila, it sounded even more immersive. The level of immersive however stops at my listening position as I do not have an 'rear' Elevation installed. This is quite noticeable. I am curious to hear how another pair of these speakers installed in the rear will enhance the experience further.
With the movie Batman vs Superman DOJ, its just insanely enveloping especially the swooping effect each time Superman flies down or Batman drops from the ceiling. Also for scenes where building collapses, the rumbling from the top to bottom of the collapse can also be experienced in a more 'visualistic' manner. The battle scene between Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman against Doomsday also provided a very wholesome experience where the right effect of top-bottom can be experienced with the installation of the Elevation speakers. However, again the level of immersive stopped at where I sit without the presence of the surround back upfiring speakers.
It also somehow elevate the centre channel for dialogue clarity. On Zoolander 2 DTS:X, the soundstage of dialogue seems to be more spatial and elevated around the main front and centre channel. This gives me a very upfront experience with the movive characters.
For non ATMOS or DTS:X movies, with the Denon providing a Dolby Surround and DTS:X neural upmix option, these Elevation speakers still provided a good step up in providing a more uplifitng soundstage experience at home.
DOES IT WORK?
In essence, it does! Although SVS is not relying on ceiling reflection, but I do believe the guideline given by Dolby should be followed. Upfiring speakers does the job neatly IF.... only IF.... your HT area meets the limitation set in the Dolby guideline. You need to have the right ceiling height and also material that can properly reflect the sound coming from the upfiring speakers. This ceiling requirement actually is also a challenge for ceiling speakers. I have seen where the ceiling height is quite high (more than 15 ft), the ATMOS effect is so thin and at times, non existence. I also believe your listening position is very important. The distance from the Elevation speakers must be at the right distance for you to experience the sound reflection reaching you. If you are too far, you might feel that the immersive height sound drops in front of you rather than enveloping you.
CONCLUSIONS
SVS have come up with a rather neat alternative to ceiling speakers. A non fussy-multi functional pair of PRIME Elevation speakers that recreates the ATMOS and DTS:X effects by upfiring the sound directly towards the listener. Easy to install, calibrated within minutes before you can experience the ATMOS in your home. With the design that is independent of the ceiling reflection, this must be the easiest step up to ATMOS/DTS:X for any HT enthusiasts.
At the time of review, the RRP have yet to be finalised. But Max Loh, you ain't getting this pair back. Its permanently in my system now. The question is more on how can I install another pair at the rear?
Contact Max Loh or Benjamin for further details of these PRIME Elevation speakers.
M: 017-6778820 (Max) & 016-3229428 (Benjamin)
NOTE: I am trying to figure out a better way to provide the sound effect via Youtube. Stay tune for video samplers.
