In this review, we will be comparing Prime Bookshelf and Prime Satellite, two Passive Bookshelf speakers by SVS Let's have a brief look at the main features
of SVS Prime Bookshelf and SVS Prime Satellite first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
SVS Prime Bookshelf Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter
- 6.5" Woofer
- 48-25k Hz Frequency Response
- 87 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:25-150watts
- Weight:7.03kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 337.8" x 8.0" x 10.2"( 337.8 x 203.2 x 261.6mm )
SVS Prime Satellite Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter
- 4.5" Polypropylene Woofer
- 69-25k Hz Frequency Response
- 85 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:20-150watts
- Weight:3.00kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 224.0" x 4-15/16" x 6-3/8"( 224.0 x 126.0 x 162.0mm )
Prime Bookshelf and Prime Satellite are members of SVS's Prime series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
What size room are the SVS Prime Bookshelf and SVS Prime Satellite 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* |
SVS Prime Bookshelf |
SVS Prime Satellite |
| 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 SVS Prime Bookshelf and SVS Prime Satellite 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
Both Prime Bookshelf and Prime Satellite are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
SVS Prime Bookshelf |
SVS Prime Satellite |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 4.5-inch
|
Prime Bookshelf features a 1" aluminum Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2300Hz. On the other hand, the Prime Satellite features a 1" aluminum Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 4.5" Polypropylene Woofer .
Frequency Response
Prime Bookshelf has a frequency range of 48-25k Hz whereas Prime Satellite has a frequency range of 69-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 48Hz, the Prime Bookshelf can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Prime Satellite's min frequency of 69Hz.
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 Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
High Frequency
Bookshelf 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
Prime Bookshelf and Prime Satellite have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Prime Bookshelf sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the Prime Satellite's is at 85 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the SVS Prime Bookshelf a more sensitive speaker compared to SVS Prime Satellite, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf 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.
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
Prime Bookshelf features 5-Way post type posts and Prime Satellite has a 5-Way post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
SVS Prime Bookshelf's 5-way post terminals
SVS Prime Satellite's 5-Way post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Prime Bookshelf and Prime Satellite 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 SVS Prime Bookshelf's and SVS Prime Satellite's external dimensions. SVS Prime Bookshelf has external dimensions of 337.8 x 203.2 x 261.6mm ( 13.2 x 8.0 x 10.2inch) whereas SVS Prime Satellite has external dimensions of 224.0 x 126.0 x 162.0mm ( 28-32inch x 4-15/16inch x 6-3/8inch ) .
SVS Prime Bookshelf is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 77.2mm wider, 113.8mm taller and 99.6mm deeper than SVS Prime Satellite.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of SVS Prime Bookshelf and SVS Prime Satellite in scale.
Comparison image of SVS Prime Bookshelf and SVS Prime Satellite Size and External Dimensions
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 SVS Prime Bookshelf is approximately 531.6cm2 / 82.4inch2 and base area of the SVS Prime Satellite is approximately 204.1cm2 / 31.6inch2. The Prime Bookshelf requires 160% more surface area than the Prime Satellite which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Here is an another comparison that shows both speakers on a BDI Octave Media Cabinet, next to a standard size amplifier and turntable in scale:
Size Comparison image of SVS Prime Bookshelf and SVS Prime Satellite on a Media Console
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 SVS Prime Bookshelf weighs 7.03kg / 15.5lbs and the SVS Prime Satellite weighs 3.00kg / 6.6lbs. This makes the Prime Bookshelf 134% heavier than the Prime Satellite.
Here is a comparison of how Prime Bookshelf and Prime Satellite's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of SVS Prime Bookshelf?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Prime Bookshelf:
2 Bookshelf loudspeakers 2 Grilles (pre-installed) 8 Self-adhesive rubber bumpers Owners Manual SVS brochure Online Product Registration Card
What's in the Box of SVS Prime Satellite?
Here are the items that come with the Prime Satellite:
2 Satellite loudspeakers2 Grilles (pre-installed)8 Self-adhesive rubber bumpersOwners ManualSVS brochureOnline Product Registration Card