In this review, we will be comparing Kendall 2C and Ultra Center, two Passive Center Channel speakers from KLH and SVS.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KLH Kendall 2C and SVS Ultra Center first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | KLH Kendall 2C | SVS Ultra Center |
|---|
| Brand | KLH
United States · founded 1957 | SVS
United States · founded 1998 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Hard-Dome | 1" Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 3" | 4" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Aluminum | 2 x 6.5" composite glass-fiber |
|---|
| Frequency response | 50-20k Hz | 45-32k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 87 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 250 watts | 20-225 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 10.91kg / 24lbs | 14.09kg / 31lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 8-1/2" x 19-1/4" x 9-1/4"
216.0 x 489.0 x 235.0mm | 8-1/8" x 22-1/16" x 11-3/16"
207.0 x 561.0 x 285.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the KLH Kendall 2C 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* |
KLH Kendall 2C |
SVS Ultra Center |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| 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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Kendall 2C and Ultra Center are 3-way speakers.
KLH Kendall 2CSVS 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 |
KLH Kendall 2C |
SVS Ultra Center |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 3-inch |
1 x 4-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
Kendall 2C features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter, a 3" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 800-2500 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
Kendall 2C has a frequency range of 50-20k 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 Kendall 2C's min frequency of 50Hz.
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
Kendall 2C and Ultra Center have the same Impedance of 8 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 87 dB.
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.
Kendall 2C can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS, whereas Ultra Center has a max power handling value of 225 watts RMS, 25 watts less than the Kendall 2C.
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 Kendall 2C and Ultra Center features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
KLH Kendall 2C's 5-Way post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
SVS Ultra Center's 5-Way post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
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 KLH Kendall 2C's and SVS Ultra Center's external dimensions. KLH Kendall 2C has external dimensions of 216.0 x 489.0 x 235.0mm (8-1/2inch x 19-1/4inch x 9-1/4inch) 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).
KLH Kendall 2C is 72mm narrower and 50mm less deeper than SVS Ultra Center but it is also 9mm 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 KLH Kendall 2C is approximately 1149.2cm2 / 178.1inch2 and base area of the SVS Ultra Center is approximately 1598.9cm2 / 247.8inch2. The Kendall 2C requires 28% 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 KLH Kendall 2C weighs 10.91kg / 24lbs and the SVS Ultra Center weighs 14.09kg / 31lbs. This makes the Ultra Center 29% heavier than the Kendall 2C.
Here is a comparison of how Kendall 2C 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 KLH Kendall 2C?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Kendall 2C:
- 2C Loudspeaker and Grille
- Owners Manual
- Binding Post Wrench
- Rubber Adhesive Feet
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
 Max Input Power |
250 watts
vs
225 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Base Surface Area |
1149cm2
vs
1598cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Low Frequency Response |
45 Hz
vs
50 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
32k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
207mm
vs
216mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
799USD
vs
999USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
KLH Kendall 2C |
SVS Ultra Center |
| Brand |
KLH |
SVS |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
250 watts |
20-225 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
87 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
50-20k Hz |
45-32k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminum |
composite glass-fiber |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Butyl Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Hard-Dome |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
3" |
4" |
| Crossover Frequency |
800-2500 HZ |
500Hz and 2200Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
216.0mm (8.5") |
207.0mm (8.1") |
| Width |
489.0mm (19.3") |
561.0mm (22.1") |
| Depth |
235.0mm (9.3") |
285.0mm (11.2") |
| Weight |
10.91kg (24lbs) |
14.09kg (31lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood veneer |
n/a |
| Available Colors |
Black Oak,English Walnut |
Black Oak,Piano Gloss Black,Piano Gloss White |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
10 years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
10 years |
5 Years |
A generation apart: KLH Kendall 2C 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 50Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (87dB vs 87dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (250W vs 225W). |
| Size | depends | KLH Kendall 2C is easier to place; SVS Ultra Center is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Cabinet | depends | Sealed vs Ported. Sealed is tighter and happier near a wall; ported digs lower but wants space behind it. |
| Expandability | depends | KLH Kendall 2C: bi-amping; SVS Ultra Center: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | SVS Ultra Center is cheaper - $799 against $999, about 20% less. |
A KLH Kendall 2C 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 50Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead.
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.