In this review, we will be comparing Aria Evo X Center and Ultra Center, two Passive Center Channel speakers from Focal and SVS.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Focal Aria Evo X C and SVS Ultra Center first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Focal Aria Evo X C | SVS Ultra Center |
|---|
| Brand | Focal
France · founded 1979 | SVS
United States · founded 1998 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" inverted dome | 1" Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 4" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Flax | 2 x 6.5" composite glass-fiber |
|---|
| Frequency response | 57-30kHz | 45-32k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91 dB | 87 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 40-120 watts | 20-225 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 10.50kg / 23.1lbs | 14.09kg / 31lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 7-7/8" x 21" x 10"
20 x 53.3 x 24.5 cm | 8-1/8" x 22-1/16" x 11-3/16"
207.0 x 561.0 x 285.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Focal Aria Evo X C 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* |
Focal Aria Evo X C |
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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
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through our links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Aria Evo X Center 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.
Focal Aria Evo X CSVS Ultra Center
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Focal Aria Evo X C |
SVS Ultra Center |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 4-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
Aria Evo X Center features a 1" Al/Mg inverted dome Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Flax Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2800 Hz. 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
Aria Evo X Center has a frequency range of 57-30kHz 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 Aria Evo X Center's min frequency of 57Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel 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
Aria Evo X Center and Ultra Center have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Aria Evo X Center sensitivity is rated at 91 dB and the Ultra Center's is at 87 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the Focal Aria Evo X C a more sensitive speaker compared to SVS Ultra Center, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Center Channel 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.
Ultra Center can handle a max power of 225 watts RMS, whereas Aria Evo X Center has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 105 watts less than the Ultra Center.
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.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both Aria Evo X Center and Ultra Center features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Focal Aria Evo X C'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 Aria Evo X Center 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
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 Focal Aria Evo X C's and SVS Ultra Center's external dimensions. Focal Aria Evo X C has external dimensions of 20 x 53.3 x 24.5 cm (7-7/8 x 21 x 9-5/8) 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 28mm wider, 7mm taller and 40mm deeper than Focal Aria Evo X C.
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 Focal Aria Evo X C is approximately 1305.9cm2 / 202.4inch2 and base area of the SVS Ultra Center is approximately 1598.9cm2 / 247.8inch2. The Aria Evo X Center requires 18% 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 Focal Aria Evo X C weighs 10.50kg / 23.1lbs and the SVS Ultra Center weighs 14.09kg / 31lbs. This makes the Ultra Center 34% heavier than the Aria Evo X Center.
Here is a comparison of how Aria Evo X Center and Ultra Center's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Center Channel class.
Weight
All Center Channel Speakers
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
 Sensitivity |
91 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Height |
200mm
vs
207mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1305cm2
vs
1598cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 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 |
 Low Frequency Response |
45 Hz
vs
57 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
32k Hz
vs
30k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Price per pair* |
799USD
vs
999USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Focal Aria Evo X Center |
SVS Ultra Center |
| Brand |
Focal |
SVS |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
40-120 watts |
20-225 watts |
| Sensitivity |
91 dB |
87 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
4.3 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
57-30kHz |
45-32k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Flax |
composite glass-fiber |
| Woofer Surround Material |
TMD |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
inverted dome |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
4" |
| Crossover Frequency |
2800 Hz |
500Hz and 2200Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
200.0mm (7.9") |
207.0mm (8.1") |
| Width |
533.0mm (21") |
561.0mm (22.1") |
| Depth |
245.0mm (9.6") |
285.0mm (11.2") |
| Weight |
10.50kg (23.1lbs) |
14.09kg (31lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Available Colors |
Black High Gloss, Prime Walnut, Moss Green High Gloss |
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 |
A generation apart: Focal Aria Evo X C is the newer design, against a 2013 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | SVS Ultra Center digs deeper - 45Hz against 57Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | A | Focal Aria Evo X C is more sensitive (91dB vs 87dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | B | SVS Ultra Center takes more power (225W vs 120W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Focal Aria Evo X C is easier to place; SVS Ultra Center is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Focal Aria Evo X C: bi-amping; SVS Ultra Center: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | SVS Ultra Center is cheaper - $799 against $999, about 20% less. |
A Focal Aria Evo X C B SVS Ultra Center
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 Ultra Center has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 57Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate Focal Aria Evo X C the better fit for a small room, and SVS Ultra Center for a large room and 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.