Tiny Subwoofer Shootout | KEF KC62 vs SVS 3000 Micro 

I bought two of the SVS’ and I couldn’t be happier. Sounds like a pair of dual high end subs

Very insightful on these two products. I bought the SVS-2000SB and love it. The micro is pretty cool size and App. Insane how small the new subs are. Thanks

FINALLY, more subwoofer reviews!! Thank you for your hard work.

I appreciate the review! I went with the SVS micro simply because of the app and I’m glad I did. No more having to get on my hands and knees to dial in the sub whenever it needs a tweak. I would of liked the Kef however the app is a game changer!

The review is finally here. Hope they have fixed the "standby" software issues surrounding the LFE mode. Seen many complaints on reddit and other forums about this.

I like these both for 2 channel audio, I don't think I'd consider them for home theater unless I was in an apartment. Nice review Joe.

It appears that the KEF KC62 is an engineering marvel regarding performance for its size! Hoffman's Iron Law is still intact though.

Really good tiny subs been around. Sunfire made great tiny subs many years ago. May not have had app functions like today’s but they were amazing subs.

This was a fantastic review from a technical perspective as well a normal human's perspective.

I very rarely go beyond 90db at peak levels but I'd say 90% of the time my system peaks at 80db. I hope you're able to check out the KF92 one day.

👍 Really great review and very informative. I’ve watched a lot of reviews on speakers and subwoofers recently and this was one of the best. Great advice on using a decibel meter to determine what your actual listening levels are before worrying about needing to have a subwoofer which hits high DB levels.

Good insights. Editing my comment after 1 month use: I tried KEF KC62, SVS SB3000 (not Micro) and SVS PB2000 PRO in my room and went for the last one, primarily for the richness bass and feature-loaded app. This despite having large KEF speakers for RLC. KC62 sounded boomy without DSP and too unnatural with DSP. Also impossible to get accurate phase due to the binary 0-180 switch and no room gain correction option. SVS app let me nail this to a high level of accuracy. SB3000 was powerful but felt very directional. PB2000 PRO gives sufficient power, fills the medium sized living room more uniformly. It doubles up as a sealed and ported subwoofer in a second using the app. I didn't notice a big difference in plugging the ports. It's like a 2-in-1 subwoofer! I have saved the 3 presets with one ported for Movies, a sealed for Music and third sealed with higher bass for old recordings. Such a convenience being able to switch multiple settings instantly without having to go to the SW. One wouldn't realize the flexibility until having tried it. For small form factor, thought I didn't try the SVS SB3000 Micro, I am pretty sure it would be the better option for bass and flexibility based on my SB3000 trial and the App.

Great review. I think we were all pretty skeptical of KEF’s claims on their website.

Man here in Europe the prices don’t even differ that much! If SVS was half the price of Kef I’d go for that but now I’m still not sure. Distortion seems quite a problem with the SVS.. don’t know if I like that.

You can't beat physics 😅🤣. If a subwoofer doesn't scare me I cannot use it for watching movies. Very comprehensive review and the comparison to the SVS 3000 MICRO was very appropriate. I agree that for the money , based upon what 2 subwoofers will do for you , the dual SVS 3000 MICROS are the choice over one KEF. Thanks for your attention to detail. Hope you are doing well. Still in my thoughts and prayers.

Thank you for a well considered overview. What you said about physics is the golden rule.

Nice review! Interesting take in the conclusions. Good common sense is back!! 😀

Time to bring in the KF92 (or two) now Joe! :)

Great work as always, Joe!

Not sure what happened there - most of my comment disappeared. I have an SVS 3000 micro in a 2 channel system. The DSP is great and enables good integration, way better than an old monster REL I had. My speakers are stand mount Proacs and the sub adds enough bass below about 55hz to make a gorgeous big sound. Might add a second though. Excellent review btw.

Excellent review Joe. I have an SVS 3000 micro in !

Thanks, this answer a lot of the questions I had , mainly that if you what deeper fuller sound - bigger is better ( I didn’t get that from other reviews )

Get your ticket for The HiFi Summit 2021 Q2 before June 24! thehifisummit.com Buy the KEF KC62 on Amazon: bit.ly/KEFKC62 SVS 3000 Micro Review: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-s5-XWaqKj5M.html Buy the SVS 3000 Micro: bit.ly/SVS3000Micro My Subwoofer Leaderboard: bit.ly/subwooferleaderboard

great review, good mix of real-world listening scenarios and useful stats

I want a micro sub so bad lol, I love that sub woofer refrigerator reference

God, the KEF62 looks so much smaller in the pictures of the set up @12:06. The SVS Micro looks titanic in comparison :-)

Kc62 is too small to use as a footrest under my desk🤣

Joe, Great Review! I just purchased the SVS 3000 Micro. I had to subscribe to your channel for two reason....You are an Excellent reviewer and your "Joe N Tell" handle is 🔥🔥🔥

Can you add a second 3000 micro to normalize the $$$’s?

Hoping to see more stereo intergrated amplifiers like the Sabaj A20a & A10a with built in LFE for a sub. These are some sweet little subs. I prefer foot long subs though 😄

Thank you Joe, your reviews are so good on so many levels, which is why I was hoping you could help me make a decision. I am finally replacing my 80s B&W. speakers which due to physical layout constrictions have been hanging from my walls near the ceiling. I intend to buy a sub or subs and downsize the speaker size somewhat, given that I will be using subs do you think that a good set of bookshelves will do the job or is there still a case for something a bit bigger. thanks Dave.

I Kno they can't do what big subs can, but I just LOVE micro subs

this was an excellent review--great explanation of what to expect

0:51: huh, since when is aluminum that heavy? That stuff must be thick af. Perhaps there's something more going on there. Both these subs look amazing though.

Are the high pass and low pass filters inside KC62 high quality transparent components?

thanks this clarified a lot for me well done sir!

I,m searching klipsch c-series sub review but no-one made it. Maybe You wil compare those 3 subs? Svs 3000 micro Vs klipsch c310aswi Vs kef Kc62?

Small subs have been around for some time. I remember Bob Carver had one out in maybe the 80's.

If one already has a ported sub up front that digs really deep, would adding something like the 3000 Micro to play nearfield behind the sofa be a good idea for some added punch in the 40-80Hz region?

Hi , Thanks for the details. Can you explain the difference between those 2 inputs in KEF62 (LFE vs Smart Connect) .. is using Smarrt connect and setting crossover to 80hz will be a good option when to use with Senhenisser Ambeo max soundbar ??

Thanks for the review, great to see actual measurements for the two. SVS seems to be the obvious choice. Even with a minidps thrown in the mix for high-pass it is way cheaper. (Take the sub-20hz measurements with a grain of salt, the UMIK-1 is only rated down to 20hz. Anyway it still provides value as you can see how they compare relative to each other.)

Enjoyed the review. What about a system for both music and home theater? You rank these based on one or the other, SVS for theater, KEF for music. I have been considering the Kef as I have the LS 50's along with the Kef center channel. I use an AVR with pre-outs to a powered amp, then to all 3 speakers. I also use the 2 channel feature for music listening. Which of these micro subs would work best for both music and movies?

How would you describe the bass signature? Boomy? Punchy? Tight? Thunderous? Orgasmic? Disappointing?

Still seems like a SVS SB-3000 is a good compact option

Nice review! I wonder if the limiter changes based on the room position switch. For example, if “corner” is selected is there as much limiting for the low frequencies since there is boundary reinforcement?

Apps will eventually become end of life. It’s part of what is known as the software development life cycle. So the manually configured KEF sub is a product that will likely out last its competitor.

The KEF drivers are aluminum and dent dent dent easily. The SVS drivers are also aluminum but SVS made the wise choice of making the grill not-removable.

Very interesting. Not sure I would call Kef's rating of 11hz accurate. There's clearly a lot of DSP trickery going on. It seems like the true -3db point is around 45hz based on your measurements. Sure it might be 19hz at -50 volume, but who specs subwoofers at that level? I wish there was a frequency response standard that manufacturers had to adhere to to avoid these cases.

It seems that no other company can beat SVS for Value and size apart from maybe Monoprice but Monoprice subs dont come with a UK plug which is a big shame.

Helpful information with measurement. Thank you.

Interesting, I wonder if the kef is intended to be used with room correction.

This is super cool…learned so much from this video alone, thank you! But wanted to ask, what about Rel t/x series?

I really appreciate that you did the REW thing, but would you mind posting the THD results of both subwoofers? I am really interested in if those small subwoofers can dive without getting super distorted.

Joe nice review. I have the svs micro. I’m considering the kc62

What setting would you set it to match KEF LS50 Meta?

Thanks Joe, nice review. do you have THD data for both subs? i think that is key info that most 2 channeler would focus.

If you don’t use room mode that should disable built in dsp and then you can use AVR dsp

If I was to buy a sub... I feel like the kef should be on a dedicated stand. Lol Idk. U think it'd be ok on the floor(2nd floor, wood)...or get something to put it on?

What app did you use for the low frequency bass test?

The main issue with the Kef is that it only has a 0-180° phase switch rather than being continuously variable. To seamlessly integrate a sub with the main speakers the phase of the two has to be the same at the crossover frequency. If all you have is the two position switch the only way you can fine tune the phase is by physically moving the sub closer or further from you which will almost certainly result in the sub being suboptimally positioned in your room. The SVS has variable phase. Combine this with the parametric eq and you will easily get much better integration.

The only thing missing is sound ,that’s what we want Tach Infos are of little value ,but thx for the onfos

My understanding from looking at the manual is that to use the high pass functionality of the KC62 in a passive speaker system, you either need separates or an integrated that has preamp outs and amplifier inputs. The speaker level inputs are inputs only with no output.

Thank you. which of the two subs would you say has the best transient response. Thanks.

From my point of view the KEF is the indisputable first choice for good quality music. (Paired with at least a pair of LS50 Meta's) If you're into home cinema the SVS could be your first choice. Investing the saved money into a nice bodyshaker-setup isn't the worst of ideas for home cinema 😉

Nice video Joe

Thanks - Did you use the svs app PEQ to modify the output? It seems it would give you control over the smoothness and maybe the low end roll off.

how does this compare to something like an Outlaw M8 sub? It's only 200ish bucks so I'm leaning to that and saving a bunch of cash

Great video! Are you using isoacoustic feet on the bottom of you speaker stands?

Interesting video. Great channel name btw.

Yes this thing is seeming crazy!

15 years ago didn't Sunfire and Velodyne have subs that were this size with 1,000+ watts?

Shouldn’t a home theater subwoofer be set between 75-80db for proper integration, so wouldn’t they both have plenty of head room Left and sound about the same?

If U add paradigm seismic110 to that comparison it would way outperform both of those subs mentioned.

I cannot find your review on KEF LS50 wireless 2... Can you review that thing?

Kf92 is the same size. But 2.5 times more expensive

Nice job, Joe!

Which brand audio cable you suggest connect from KEF subwoofer to KEF speakers ?

Between kef 8b reference against kef kc92 which one is sounds better or are they the same. they both have the same 9 inch drive?

I wonder how two 12inch or two 15inch would performe in same configuration…😃 Great with measurements…🙂👍

What’s a good match for subs with the Klipsch Fives?

Great review. I am pairing my KEF R7s with the SVS SB 3000 sub...would that sound better than the micro of KC62 combo with my speakers? Thanks

Joe have you ever tried a Devialet Phantom? Pretty neat package which uses similar tech

Interesting. I guess the lack of predictability rules out the KC62 for a critical monitoring setup...bummer. This is a lot like computational photography in phones vs real cameras IMO. The KC62 is impressive from a tuning standpoint, but hardly a replacement for big ugly speakers being driven by big ugly amplifiers. 💪

The svs 3000 micro struggles to hit 90 db. I bought one to replace a ported velodyne cht-8 and it wasn't better. It sounded little better quality but down low it just lacked what I'm used too for a ported sub if you're a basshead. Definitely get the pb 1000 pro or even sb 2000 pro. Small woofers just cant hit the lows very well. Im sure the kef is even less powerful down low but amazing on top of you like Country music and soft rock but if you like music with deep bass and want to feel it definitely get ported sub. My 20 year old velodyne is only 175 rms and 350 peak and does a better job at shaking my chest and compessing the room at all bass notes except the tight buzzy bass frequencies found in Country music. Domt get me wrong its still a neat sub for how small but I just wasn't that impressed. My old velodyne is louder for the most part and sounds damn near as good.

Joe Are you able to control EQ modes through the app? Also can the kef do high passs filtering from the app with an other brand of speakers or not? Its not clear

So, the KEF can’t put out 11Hz at 105dB. So fail. Also, response is far from flat from 25-200Hz at any level. Since it has no PEQ to tame that outrageous peak, you can’t fix the latter without outboard DSP. If I had LS50s, I’d get the KC62. With ANY other speaker, I’d get the SVS for either music or home theater since 11Hz output is so weak on the KEF. When you really need volume and low frequency output, the KEF falls flat. Now, how about the KF92?

I'd like to see a pair of KEF R3s paired with KF92s. I think that setup would be very hard to beat for music.

Thanks for this review!

Excellent video! Congrats.

I'm glad that I went with dual SB2000 Pro instead of dual SB3000 Micro. I got better response then these.

You should reviewed the REL tzeroo mk3

That Kef is a stupid price though. You can get an SVS SB-3000 for the same price in Australia.

Kef KC62 wins!! Poor people will opt for the SVS micro 3000.

Have you ever tried the bigger brother KF92?

What speaker was that in the background?

Well I’m planning the kef k62 vs svs SB-1000 pro I was not too happy with the sb1000 normal at all sounded a little gray /dark to me but the dsp and extra watts make me think about it

KEF Looks like similar idea of Phantom speaker.

Which one of these makes the least vibration? doesn't dual opposing woofers cancel that vibration that goes into the floors and wall? I need one for my apartment and I cant find it anywhere for demo -_-

2 of SVS is better option than 1 kef

I don't understand why KC62 does not shake the house? It's got 1,000 W power, weighs 10 pounds more than SVS, and the output, whatever it is, is max at 105 dB.... Shouldn't it shake the house, using the objective measurement alone? What does it lack in terms of numbers? Did you know that some insects, tiny body measuring in couple inches in length, less than an inch in width and depth, can be much louder, like 106 dB, than most speakers that are like 100 times bigger in volume and power consumption???