# SVS 16-46pci



## wgmontgomery (Jun 9, 2011)

Hi. I am buying a used SVS 16-46pci tomorrow (replacing a M&K V3B and a DIY) and wondered if anyone has the specs on this model? I can't find it on SVS' site, and I understand that it can be "tuned." I'd like to see what I lose/gain with various tunings. I prefer a lower/tighter sound to just "BOOM!":hsd:

My understanding is that you gain some low end extension by sealing it but lose spl; I don't know if that's correct. The manual that I downloaded doesn't offer much advice. I read that it will actually hit ~12hz which I find hard to believe.:scratch:

I know that this is an older product, but it is supposed to be a great sub.lddude: Any help/links would be greatly appreciated! Happy Holidays to all!! Thanks!!


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## gtpsuper24 (Jun 24, 2009)

I have the 25-31pci, the pci series was discontinued at the end of 2008 if I remember right. The pci series can not be tuned as its only a single port. The plus models and Ultras can be tuned. The 16-46pci is made for extension but gives up output, the 25-31 pci is geared more toward output in place of deep extension, and the 20-39pci is kind of middle of the road between the others. I asked the same thing if I could seal the 25-31pci and was told by SVS that I wouldn't really gain anything except lose output. You could get 12-14hr with room gain from it though without sealing.


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## Ed Mullen (Jul 28, 2006)

wgmontgomery said:


> Hi. I am buying a used SVS 16-46pci tomorrow (replacing a M&K V3B and a DIY) and wondered if anyone has the specs on this model? I can't find it on SVS' site, and I understand that it can be "tuned." I'd like to see what I lose/gain with various tunings. I prefer a lower/tighter sound to just "BOOM!":hsd:
> 
> My understanding is that you gain some low end extension by sealing it but lose spl; I don't know if that's correct. The manual that I downloaded doesn't offer much advice. I read that it will actually hit ~12hz which I find hard to believe.:scratch:
> 
> I know that this is an older product, but it is supposed to be a great sub.lddude: Any help/links would be greatly appreciated! Happy Holidays to all!! Thanks!!


The PCi is a fixed tune subwoofer, whereas the PC-Plus is a variable tune subwoofer. The 16-46 PCi is tuned to 16 Hz, and will exhibit nice/clean output at that frequency. 12 Hz is actually considerably below system tuning (on an octave scale), and the woofer is starting to decouple and unload a bit at 12 Hz. While the 16-46 PCi will certainly generate output at 12 Hz, that frequency is considered below its intended operating bandwidth, and THD levels will be higher than at 16 Hz.

The 16-46 PC-Plus was tune-able to 12 Hz by plugging two ports, but I really don't recommend it. There is not much source material content in that region, and the loss of headroom/max-output higher in the pass-band (along with the increased potential for port flow artifacts), created by plugging 2 of the 3 ports is not worth the added extension from 16-12 Hz. 

I think you will find the 16-46 PCi to provide almost fathomless extension, along with good overall output capabilty across the pass band. Just bear in mind that the deeper a bass reflex subwoofer is tuned, the greater the woofer excursion (for a given SPL) above tuning. This does tend to limit max output in the 25-40 Hz bandwidth to some extent, as compared to say its smaller brother the 25-31 PCi, which was tuned much higher. The 25-31 PCi hits harder in the 25-40 Hz band, but doesn't extend nearly as deep. This trade-off in max output vs. deep extension is inherent in any bass reflex design.


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## raynist (Aug 16, 2011)

Ed, i thought the 16-46 had a 16hz tune with all ports open and 12hz with only one port plugged?


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## Ed Mullen (Jul 28, 2006)

raynist said:


> Ed, i thought the 16-46 had a 16hz tune with all ports open and 12hz with only one port plugged?


You're right - good catch. I was thinking 20-39 PC-Plus for some reason (which is 1 plug = 16 Hz and 2 plugs = 12 Hz). 

Regardless, with the largest enclosure volume and the deepest native tune, the 16-46 PC-Plus is the most bottoming-prone of the three legacy PC-Plus models (25-31, 20-39, and 16-46) to begin with, and tuning it to 12 Hz is not recommended unless the playback level is moderate, otherwise woofer bottoming could occur. 

We're getting a bit OT anyway, as the OP was asking about the 16-46 PCi, which is not tune-able.


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## wgmontgomery (Jun 9, 2011)

I wondered about that; I got it home last night and hooked it up this morning. I didn't see anything that looked like a place for "tuning plugs." I'm still playing with it, but so far I'm pleased. Thanks for the reply; sorry for my late response...been in NY. Thanks.

BTW-any advice on placement?? It's in a corner now but I thought about putting it behind the mains. It's crossed over at Hz right now; I have another sub on the mains and run them full range.

Thanks again!!


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## Ed Mullen (Jul 28, 2006)

wgmontgomery said:


> I wondered about that; I got it home last night and hooked it up this morning. I didn't see anything that looked like a place for "tuning plugs." I'm still playing with it, but so far I'm pleased. Thanks for the reply; sorry for my late response...been in NY. Thanks.
> 
> BTW-any advice on placement?? It's in a corner now but I thought about putting it behind the mains. It's crossed over at Hz right now; I have another sub on the mains and run them full range.
> 
> Thanks again!!


I prefer subwoofer placement on the front stage, where it will blend the best with the mains. I don't recommend running the mains on full-range (which is usually accompanied by the 'mains + sub' type option in the AVR). Reason being, the bandwidth where the subwoofer and the mains overlap usually ends up sounding heavy/bloated. 

For placement, I encourage you to experiment by ear unless you have REW, and then the measurements can drive the sub location. Corner placement will excite the most room modes, which will provide a denser modal pattern in the room with less potential for nulls (as compared to non-corner placement). The use of an auto-EQ like Audyssey MultEQ XT is recommended to flatten peaks in the response. 

Dual subs placed on the front stage in strategic locations (refer to the Todd Welti and Floyd Toole Harman International articles on multiple subwoofer placement) will provide an even denser modal response with even less nulls at the listening positions. If you don't have the articles, contact me at [email protected] and I will email them to you.


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