In this review, we will be comparing KLH Model Seven and Ultra Tower, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from KLH and SVS.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KLH Model Seven and SVS Ultra Tower first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
KLH Model Seven Key Specs
- 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter
- 13" Pulp-Paper Woofer
- 38-20k Hz Frequency Response
- 91 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:20-250watts
- Weight:35.82kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1042.0" x 18" x 12-1/4"( 1042.0 x 458.0 x 312.0mm )
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): 1159.0" x 13-15/16" x 17-1/2"( 1159.0 x 355.0 x 445.0mm )
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the KLH Model Seven 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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that KLH Model Seven is a -way design whereas the Ultra Tower 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 |
KLH Model Seven |
SVS Ultra Tower |
|
Driver Setup
|
-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1.0-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
2 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 13-inch
|
2 x 8.0-inch
|
KLH Model Seven features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 13" Pulp-Paper Woofer . 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
KLH Model Seven has a frequency range of 38-20k 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 KLH Model Seven's min frequency of 38Hz.
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
KLH Model Seven is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the Ultra Tower which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the KLH Model Seven can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. KLH Model Seven sensitivity is rated at 91 dB and the Ultra Tower's is rated at 88 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the KLH Model Seven 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.
KLH Model Seven can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS from the amp the whereas KLH Model Seven has a max power handling value of 250 watts RMS , 50 watts less than the Ultra Tower.
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. KLH Model Seven 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 KLH Model Seven's and SVS Ultra Tower's external dimensions. KLH Model Seven has external dimensions of 1042.0 x 458.0 x 312.0mm ( 41inch x 18inch x 12-1/4inch ) 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) .
KLH Model Seven is 117mm shorter and 133mm less deeper than SVS Ultra Tower but it is also 103mm 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 KLH Model Seven is approximately 1429.0cm2 / 221.5inch2 and base area of the SVS Ultra Tower is approximately 1579.8cm2 / 244.9inch2. The KLH Model Seven requires 10% less surface area than the Ultra Tower which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.