BW HTM6 S2 vs SVS Ultra Center Comparison

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BW HTM6 S2

Passive Center Channel | 72-28k Hz

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SVS Ultra Center

Passive Center Channel | 45-32k Hz

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BW HTM6 S2

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SVS Ultra Center

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BW HTM6 S2

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SVS Ultra Center

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BW HTM6 S2 vs SVS Ultra Center Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing HTM6 S2 and Ultra Center, two Passive Center Channel speakers from Bowers Wilkins and SVS.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of BW HTM6 S2 and SVS Ultra Center first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

BW HTM6 S2 Key Specs

2-way Design

1" Decoupled Double Dome Tweeter

2 x 5" Continuum Woofer

72-28k Hz Frequency Response

87 dB Sensitivity

Impedance: 8ohms

Power Range:30-120watts

Weight:7.82kg

Dimensions (H x W x D): 162.0" x 18-15/16" x 11-1/16"( 162.0 x 482.0 x 281.0mm )

SVS Ultra Center Key Specs

3-way Design

1" Dome Tweeter

4" Midrange

2 x 6.5" composite glass-fiber Woofer

4" Midrange

45-32k Hz Frequency Response

87 dB Sensitivity

Impedance: 8ohms

Power Range:20-225watts

Weight:14.09kg

Dimensions (H x W x D): 207.0" x 22-1/16" x 11-3/16"( 207.0 x 561.0 x 285.0mm )

What size room are the BW HTM6 S2 and SVS Ultra Center 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*	BW HTM6 S2	SVS Ultra Center
Near-field	Poor	Poor
Small Room	Average	Poor
Mid-size Room	Good	Good
Large Room	Average	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.)

In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the BW HTM6 S2 and SVS Ultra Center compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.

**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Drivers

One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that HTM6 S2 is a 2-way design whereas the Ultra Center is a 3-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.

Driver	BW HTM6 S2	SVS Ultra Center
Driver Setup	2-way	3-way
Tweeter	1-inch	1-inch
Midrange	-	1 x 4-inch
Woofer	2 x 5-inch	2 x 6.5-inch

HTM6 S2 features a 1" Decoupled Double Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5" Continuum Woofer . On the other hand, the Ultra Center features a 1" aluminum Dome Tweeter , a 4" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" composite glass-fiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 500Hz and 2200Hz.

Frequency Response

HTM6 S2 has a frequency range of 72-28k Hz whereas Ultra Center has a frequency range of 45-32k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 45Hz, the Ultra Center can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the HTM6 S2's min frequency of 72Hz.

Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Center Channel class in our database.

Low Frequency

Center Channel Speakers

HTM6 S2

Ultra Center

Min

Average

Max

High Frequency

Center Channel Speakers

BW HTM6 S2

SVS Ultra Center

Min

Average

Max

None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.

Impedance and Sensitivity

HTM6 S2 and Ultra Center have the same Impedance of 8 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 87 dB.

Sensitivity

Center Channel Speakers

HTM6 S2

Ultra Center

Min

Average

Max

Power Range

Power range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. While using an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.

HTM6 S2 can handle a max power of 225 watts RMS from the amp the whereas HTM6 S2 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS , 105 watts less than the Ultra Center.

Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.

Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring

Both HTM6 S2 and Ultra Center features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.

BW HTM6 S2 's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring

SVS Ultra Center's 5-Way post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring

Cabinet Type and Port Position

Both HTM6 S2 and Ultra Center 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

Size of a speaker can sometimes become an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare BW HTM6 S2 's and SVS Ultra Center's external dimensions. BW HTM6 S2 has external dimensions of 162.0 x 482.0 x 281.0mm ( 6-3/8 x 18-15/16 x 11-1/16inch) whereas SVS Ultra Center has external dimensions of 207.0 x 561.0 x 285.0mm ( 8-1/8 x 22-1/16 x 11-3/16inch) .

SVS Ultra Center is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 79mm wider, 45mm taller and 4mm deeper than BW HTM6 S2 .

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 BW HTM6 S2 is approximately 1354.4cm² / 209.9inch² and base area of the SVS Ultra Center is approximately 1598.9cm² / 247.8inch². The HTM6 S2 requires 15% less surface area than the Ultra Center 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 BW HTM6 S2 weighs 7.82kg / 17.2lbs and the SVS Ultra Center weighs 14.09kg / 31lbs. This makes the Ultra Center 80% heavier than the HTM6 S2.

Here is a comparison of how HTM6 S2 and Ultra Center's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Center Channel class.

Weight
All Center Channel Speakers

BW HTM6 S2

SVS Ultra Center

Min

Average

Max

What's in the Box of BW HTM6 S2 ?

Here are the items that are included inside the box of HTM6 S2:

Center-channel loudspeaker

Grille (pre-installed)

Two-piece foam plug

4 Self-adhesive rubber feet

2 Jumper-straps (pre-installed)

Manual

Warranty Information

Bowers Wilkins brochure

What's in the Box of SVS Ultra Center?

Here are the items that come with the Ultra Center:

Center channel loudspeaker

Grille

2 Terminal jumpers (pre-installed)

4 Rubber feet

Owners Manual

SVS brochure

Online Product Registration Card

Reasons to choose Bowers & Wilkins HTM6 S2 Anniversary Edition over SVS Ultra Center

Height	162mm vs 207mm	Easier to fit in smaller spaces
Base Surface Area	1354cm² vs 1598cm²	Takes less floor space

Reasons to choose SVS Ultra Center over Bowers & Wilkins HTM6 S2 Anniversary Edition

Max Input Power	225 watts vs 120 watts	Handle more power from your amplifier
Driver Setup	3-way vs 2-way	Have a dedicated mid-range driver
Woofer Size	6.5 inches vs 5 inches	Larger woofer
Low Frequency Response	45 Hz vs 72 Hz	Generates deeper bass
High Frequency Response	32k Hz vs 28k Hz	Generates higher frequency
Price per pair*	799USD vs 899USD	costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)

BW HTM6 S2 vs SVS Ultra Center Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Bowers & Wilkins HTM6 S2 Anniversary Edition	SVS Ultra Center
Brand	Bowers Wilkins	SVS
Speaker Type	Center channel speaker	Center channel speaker
Power Range	30-120 watts	20-225 watts
Sensitivity	87 dB	87 dB
Impedance	8 ohms	8 ohms
Impedance	4.3 ohms	n/a
Frequency Response	72-28k Hz	45-32k Hz
Drivers
Woofer Quantity	2	2
Woofer Size	5"	6.5"
Woofer Composition	Continuum	composite glass-fiber
Woofer Surround Material	Rubber	Rubber
Tweeter Size	1"	1"
Tweeter Type	Decoupled Double Dome	Dome
Aimable Tweeter	No	No
Midrange Driver	No	4"
Crossover Frequency	n/a	500Hz and 2200Hz
Firing Direction	rear	rear
Physical Specs
Height	162.0mm (6.4")	207.0mm (8.1")
Width	482.0mm (19")	561.0mm (22.1")
Depth	281.0mm (11.1")	285.0mm (11.2")
Weight	7.82kg (17.2lbs)	14.09kg (31lbs)
Enclosure	Bass Reflex	Bass Reflex
Available Colors	Black, White, Oak	Black Oak,Piano Gloss Black,Piano Gloss White
Grille	Yes	Yes
Moisture Resistancy	No	No
Connections
Biamp Inputs	Yes	Yes
Other
Parts Warranty	5 Years	5 Years
Labor Warranty	5 Years	5 Years