In this review, we will be comparing Concept 50 and Prime Pinnacle, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Q Acoustics and SVS.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Q Acoustics Concept 50 and SVS Prime Pinnacle first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Q Acoustics Concept 50 | SVS Prime Pinnacle |
|---|
| Brand | Q Acoustics
United Kingdom · founded 2006 | SVS
United States · founded 1998 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Dome | 1" dome |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 5.25" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5" Paper composite | 3 x 6.5" Polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 42-30k Hz | 29-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90.5 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-150 watts | 20-300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 22.90kg / 50.4lbs | 25.95kg / 57.1lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 40-3/8" x 16-7/16" x 12-9/16"
1025.0 x 418.0 x 319.0mm | 41" x 8" x 13-15/16"
1042.0 x 204.0 x 355.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Q Acoustics Concept 50 and SVS Prime Pinnacle 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* |
Q Acoustics Concept 50 |
SVS Prime Pinnacle |
| 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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Concept 50 is a 2-way design whereas the Prime Pinnacle 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.
Q Acoustics Concept 50SVS Prime Pinnacle
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Q Acoustics Concept 50 |
SVS Prime Pinnacle |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5-inch
|
3 x 6.5-inch
|
Concept 50 features a 1" Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5" Paper composite Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2100Hz. On the other hand, the Prime Pinnacle features a 1" aluminum dome Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 3 x 6.5" Polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 300Hz and 2100Hz.
Frequency Response
Concept 50 has a frequency range of 42-30k Hz whereas Prime Pinnacle has a frequency range of 29-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 29Hz, the Prime Pinnacle can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Concept 50's min frequency of 42Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing 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
Concept 50 is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the Prime Pinnacle which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Concept 50 sensitivity is rated at 90.5 dB and the Prime Pinnacle's is rated at 88 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Q Acoustics Concept 50 a more sensitive speaker compared to SVS Prime Pinnacle, 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Prime Pinnacle can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas Concept 50 has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 150 watts less than the Prime Pinnacle.
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
Concept 50 features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Prime Pinnacle has a 5-Way post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
SVS Prime Pinnacle's 5-Way post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Concept 50 and Prime Pinnacle 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 Q Acoustics Concept 50's and SVS Prime Pinnacle's external dimensions. Q Acoustics Concept 50 has external dimensions of 1025.0 x 418.0 x 319.0mm (40-3/8 x 16-7/16 x 12-9/16inch) whereas SVS Prime Pinnacle has external dimensions of 1042.0 x 204.0 x 355.0mm (41 x 8 x 13-15/16inch).
Q Acoustics Concept 50 is 17mm shorter and 36mm less deeper than SVS Prime Pinnacle but it is also 214mm wider.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Q Acoustics Concept 50 needs about 84% more floor or shelf area. SVS Prime Pinnacle is 36mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. SVS Prime Pinnacle is 17mm 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 Q Acoustics Concept 50 is approximately 1333.4cm2 / 206.7inch2 and base area of the SVS Prime Pinnacle is approximately 724.2cm2 / 112.3inch2. The Concept 50 requires 84% more surface area than the Prime Pinnacle which gives it a small disadvantage 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 Q Acoustics Concept 50 weighs 22.90kg / 50.4lbs and the SVS Prime Pinnacle weighs 25.95kg / 57.1lbs. This makes the Prime Pinnacle 13% heavier than the Concept 50.
Here is a comparison of how Concept 50 and Prime Pinnacle's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of SVS Prime Pinnacle?
Here are the items that come with the Prime Pinnacle:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille (pre-installed)
- 4 Elastomer isolation feet (pre-installed)
- 4 Spike feet
- 4 Nuts
- 4 Protective discs
- Owners Manual
- SVS brochure
- Online Product Registration Card
 Sensitivity |
91 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 High Frequency Response |
30k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
1025mm
vs
1042mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
1999USD
vs
2000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
150 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
29 Hz
vs
42 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Base Surface Area |
724cm2
vs
1333cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Q Acoustics Concept 50 |
SVS Prime Pinnacle |
| Brand |
Q Acoustics |
SVS |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
25-150 watts |
20-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90.5 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.6 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
42-30k Hz |
29-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
3 |
| Woofer Size |
5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Paper composite |
Polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
5.25" |
| Crossover Frequency |
2100Hz |
300Hz and 2100Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1025.0mm (40.4") |
1042.0mm (41") |
| Width |
418.0mm (16.5") |
204.0mm (8") |
| Depth |
319.0mm (12.6") |
355.0mm (14") |
| Weight |
22.90kg (50.4lbs) |
25.95kg (57.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | SVS Prime Pinnacle digs deeper - 29Hz against 42Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | A | Q Acoustics Concept 50 is more sensitive (91dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | SVS Prime Pinnacle is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | B | SVS Prime Pinnacle takes more power (300W vs 150W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | SVS Prime Pinnacle is easier to place; Q Acoustics Concept 50 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | A | Q Acoustics Concept 50: bi-amping. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($1,999 vs $2,000 a pair). |
A Q Acoustics Concept 50 B SVS Prime Pinnacle
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 Prime Pinnacle 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 42Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. In a large or open-plan room, Q Acoustics Concept 50 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, SVS Prime Pinnacle is the easier speaker to get right.
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.