In this review, we will be comparing Concerta2 C25 and Ultra Center, two Passive Center Channel speakers from Revel and SVS.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Revel Concerta2 C25 and SVS Ultra Center first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Revel Concerta2 C25 | SVS Ultra Center |
|---|
| Brand | Revel
United States · founded 1996 | SVS
United States · founded 1998 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" dome with proprietary acoustic lens and waveguide | 1" Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 4" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5.25" anodized aluminum cone | 2 x 6.5" composite glass-fiber |
|---|
| Frequency response | 80Hz- 20kHz | 45-32k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 87 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 40-120 watts | 20-225 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 9.09kg / 20lbs | 14.09kg / 31lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 7-3/8" x 19-1/2" x 10-3/16"
188.0 x 496.0 x 259.0mm | 8-1/8" x 22-1/16" x 11-3/16"
207.0 x 561.0 x 285.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Revel Concerta2 C25 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* |
Revel Concerta2 C25 |
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.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Concerta2 C25 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.
Revel Concerta2 C25SVS 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 |
Revel Concerta2 C25 |
SVS Ultra Center |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 4-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
Concerta2 C25 features a 1" aluminum dome with proprietary acoustic lens and waveguide Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" anodized aluminum cone Woofer. 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
Concerta2 C25 has a frequency range of 80Hz- 20kHz 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 Concerta2 C25's min frequency of 80Hz.
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
Concerta2 C25 is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the Ultra Center which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Concerta2 C25 sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the Ultra Center's is rated at 87 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Revel Concerta2 C25 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 Concerta2 C25 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
Ultra Center features 5-Way post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Concerta2 C25 has a 5-Way post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Revel Concerta2 C25's 5-Way post terminals
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 Revel Concerta2 C25's and SVS Ultra Center's external dimensions. Revel Concerta2 C25 has external dimensions of 188.0 x 496.0 x 259.0mm (7-3/8 x 19-1/2 x 10-3/16inch) 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 65mm wider, 19mm taller and 26mm deeper than Revel Concerta2 C25.
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.
SVS Ultra Center needs about 24% more floor or shelf area. SVS Ultra Center is 26mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. SVS Ultra Center is 19mm 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 Revel Concerta2 C25 is approximately 1284.6cm2 / 199.1inch2 and base area of the SVS Ultra Center is approximately 1598.9cm2 / 247.8inch2. The Concerta2 C25 requires 20% 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 Revel Concerta2 C25 weighs 9.09kg / 20lbs and the SVS Ultra Center weighs 14.09kg / 31lbs. This makes the Ultra Center 55% heavier than the Concerta2 C25.
Here is a comparison of how Concerta2 C25 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 Revel Concerta2 C25?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Concerta2 C25:
- Center-channel loudspeaker
- Grille
- 2 Short feet
- 2 Long feet
- Owners Manual
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 |
89 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Height |
188mm
vs
207mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1284cm2
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 |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
45 Hz
vs
80 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
32k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Price per pair* |
799USD
vs
825USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Revel Concerta2 C25 |
SVS Ultra Center |
| Brand |
Revel |
SVS |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
40-120 watts |
20-225 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
87 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
80Hz- 20kHz |
45-32k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
anodized aluminum cone |
composite glass-fiber |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
dome with proprietary acoustic lens and waveguide |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
4" |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
500Hz and 2200Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
188.0mm (7.4") |
207.0mm (8.1") |
| Width |
496.0mm (19.5") |
561.0mm (22.1") |
| Depth |
259.0mm (10.2") |
285.0mm (11.2") |
| Weight |
9.09kg (20lbs) |
14.09kg (31lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Passive Radiator |
Bass Reflex |
| Available Colors |
Gloss Black |
Black Oak,Piano Gloss Black,Piano Gloss White |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
Yes |
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 Ultra Center digs deeper - 45Hz against 80Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | A | Revel Concerta2 C25 is more sensitive (89dB vs 87dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | SVS Ultra Center is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | B | SVS Ultra Center takes more power (225W vs 120W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Revel Concerta2 C25 is easier to place; SVS Ultra Center is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Cabinet | depends | Passive Radiator vs Ported. |
| Expandability | B | SVS Ultra Center: bi-amping. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($825 vs $799 a pair). |
A Revel Concerta2 C25 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 80Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate Revel Concerta2 C25 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.