In this review, we will be comparing AE309 and Prime Tower, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Acoustic Energy and SVS.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of AE309 and SVS Prime Tower first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | AE309 | SVS Prime Tower |
|---|
| Brand | Acoustic Energy
United Kingdom · founded 1987 | SVS
United States · founded 1998 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.1" dome with waveguide | 1" dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 5.2" | 4.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 5.2" ceramic aluminium sandwich | 2 x 6.5" Polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 38Hz - 30kHz | 30-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 87 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 175 watts | 20-250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 22.00kg / 48.4lbs | 18.23kg / 40.1lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 35.4" x 6.9" x 10.2"
900.0 x 175.0 x 260.0mm | 36-5/8" x 8" x 11-11/16"
931.0 x 204.0 x 297.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the AE309 and SVS Prime Tower speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision
factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size
and max power parameters:
| Listening Environment* |
AE309 |
SVS Prime Tower |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Average |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both AE309 and Prime Tower are 3-way speakers.
AE309SVS Prime Tower
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
AE309 |
SVS Prime Tower |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.2-inch |
1 x 4.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.2-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
AE309 features a 1.1" aluminium dome with waveguide Tweeter, a 5.2" Midrange and 1 x 5.2" ceramic aluminium sandwich Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 296Hz and 2560Hz. On the other hand, the Prime Tower features a 1" aluminum dome Tweeter, a 4.5" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 350Hz and 2100Hz.
Frequency Response
AE309 has a frequency range of 38Hz - 30kHz whereas Prime Tower has a frequency range of 30-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 30Hz, the Prime Tower can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the AE309's min frequency of 38Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
AE309 is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the Prime Tower which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. AE309 sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the Prime Tower's is rated at 87 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the AE309 a more sensitive speaker compared to SVS Prime Tower, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Prime Tower can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS, whereas AE309 has a max power handling value of 175 watts RMS, 75 watts less than the Prime Tower.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both AE309 and Prime Tower have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare AE309's and SVS Prime Tower's external dimensions. AE309 has external dimensions of 900.0 x 175.0 x 260.0mm (35.4 x 6.9 x 10.2inch) whereas SVS Prime Tower has external dimensions of 931.0 x 204.0 x 297.0mm (36-5/8 x 8 x 11-11/16inch).
SVS Prime Tower is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 29mm wider, 31mm taller and 37mm deeper than AE309.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
SVS Prime Tower needs about 33% more floor or shelf area. SVS Prime Tower is 37mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. SVS Prime Tower is 31mm taller.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the AE309 is approximately 455.0cm2 / 70.5inch2 and base area of the SVS Prime Tower is approximately 605.9cm2 / 93.9inch2. The AE309 requires 25% less surface area than the Prime Tower which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The AE309 weighs 22.00kg / 48.4lbs and the SVS Prime Tower weighs 18.23kg / 40.1lbs. This makes the AE309 21% heavier than the Prime Tower.
Here is a comparison of how AE309 and Prime Tower's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of SVS Prime Tower?
Here are the items that come with the Prime Tower:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille (pre-installed)
- 4 Elastomer isolation feet (pre-installed)
- 4 Spike feet
- 4 Nuts
- 4 Protective discs
- Owners Manual
- SVS brochure
- Online Product Registration Card
 Sensitivity |
89 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 High Frequency Response |
30k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
900mm
vs
931mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
455cm2
vs
605cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Max Input Power |
250 watts
vs
175 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.2 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
30 Hz
vs
38 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Price per pair* |
1400USD
vs
1899USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Acoustic Energy AE309 |
SVS Prime Tower |
| Brand |
Acoustic Energy |
SVS |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 175 watts |
20-250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
87 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
38Hz - 30kHz |
30-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5.2" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
ceramic aluminium sandwich |
Polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
dome with waveguide |
dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5.2" |
4.5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
296Hz and 2560Hz |
350Hz and 2100Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
900.0mm (35.4") |
931.0mm (36.7") |
| Width |
175.0mm (6.9") |
204.0mm (8") |
| Depth |
260.0mm (10.2") |
297.0mm (11.7") |
| Weight |
22.00kg (48.4lbs) |
18.23kg (40.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
high density MDF |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Piano Gloss White, Piano Gloss Black, Real Walnut wood veneer |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | SVS Prime Tower digs deeper - 30Hz against 38Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | A | AE309 is more sensitive (89dB vs 87dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | SVS Prime Tower is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | B | SVS Prime Tower takes more power (250W vs 175W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | AE309 is easier to place; SVS Prime Tower is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Neither adds bi-amping, a sub output or height drivers. SVS Prime Tower sits in a wider range (8 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | SVS Prime Tower is cheaper - $1,400 against $1,899, about 26% less. |
A AE309 B SVS Prime Tower
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
SVS Prime Tower is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take AE309 if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 38Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate AE309 the better fit for a mid-size room, and SVS Prime Tower for a very large room.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.