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.
Focal Aria Evo X C Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" inverted dome Tweeter
- 2 x 6.5" Flax Woofer
- 57-30kHz Frequency Response
- 91 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:40-120watts
- Weight:10.50kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 200.0" x 21" x 10"( 20 x 53.3 x 24.5 cm )
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 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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Focal Aria Evo X C 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.
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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.
| 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.
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
High Frequency
Center Channel 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
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. 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.
Aria Evo X Center can handle a max power of 225 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Aria Evo X Center 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 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
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 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.