In this review, we will be comparing Nostala LB12 and Ultra Tower, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Emotiva and SVS.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Emotiva Nostala LB12 and SVS Ultra Tower first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Emotiva Nostala LB12 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1.1" Soft-Dome Tweeter
- 5.25" Midrange
- 12" Paper Woofer
- 40-32k Hz Frequency Response
- 91 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:100-350watts
- Weight:32.20kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 30" x 15-1/2" x 14-1/2" ( 762.0 x 394.0 x 368.0mm )
SVS Ultra Tower Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1.0" Dome Tweeter
- 6.5" Midrange
- 2 x 8.0" Polypropylene Woofer
- 6.5" Midrange
- 28-32k Hz Frequency Response
- 88 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:20-300watts
- Weight:34.27kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 45-5/8" x 13-15/16" x 17-1/2" ( 1159.0 x 355.0 x 445.0mm )
What size room are the Emotiva Nostala LB12 and SVS Ultra 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* |
Emotiva Nostala LB12 |
SVS Ultra Tower |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
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 Emotiva Nostala LB12 and SVS Ultra Tower compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
Both Nostala LB12 and Ultra Tower are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
Emotiva Nostala LB12 |
SVS Ultra Tower |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1.0-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.25-inch |
2 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 12-inch
|
2 x 8.0-inch
|
Nostala LB12 features a 1.1" Silk Soft-Dome Tweeter , a 5.25" Midrange and 1 x 12" Paper Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 200Hz and 2000Hz. On the other hand, the Ultra Tower features a 1.0" aluminum Dome Tweeter , a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 8.0" Polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 160HZ and 2000Hz.
Frequency Response
Nostala LB12 has a frequency range of 40-32k Hz whereas Ultra Tower has a frequency range of 28-32k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 28Hz, the Ultra Tower can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Nostala LB12's min frequency of 40Hz.
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 Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
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
Nostala LB12 and Ultra Tower have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Nostala LB12 sensitivity is rated at 91 dB and the Ultra Tower's is at 88 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Emotiva Nostala LB12 a more sensitive speaker compared to SVS Ultra 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. 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.
Nostala LB12 can handle a max power of 350 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Ultra Tower has a max power handling value of 300 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Nostala LB12.
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
Ultra Tower features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Nostala LB12 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
SVS Ultra Tower's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
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 Emotiva Nostala LB12's and SVS Ultra Tower's external dimensions. Emotiva Nostala LB12 has external dimensions of 762.0 x 394.0 x 368.0mm ( 30 x 15-1/2 x 14-1/2inch) whereas SVS Ultra Tower has external dimensions of 1159.0 x 355.0 x 445.0mm ( 45-5/8 x 13-15/16 x 17-1/2inch) .
Emotiva Nostala LB12 is 397mm shorter and 77mm less deeper than SVS Ultra Tower but it is also 39mm wider.
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 Emotiva Nostala LB12 is approximately 1449.9cm2 / 224.7inch2 and base area of the SVS Ultra Tower is approximately 1579.8cm2 / 244.9inch2. The Nostala LB12 requires 8% less surface area than the Ultra Tower which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.