In this review, we will be comparing Prime Center and R400, two Passive Center Channel speakers from SVS and Polk Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of SVS Prime Center and Polk R400 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | SVS Prime Center | Polk R400 |
|---|
| Brand | SVS
United States · founded 1998 | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" dome | 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator |
|---|
| Midrange | 3-1/2" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5.25" polypropylene | 2 x 6.5" Polypropylene Turbine Cone |
|---|
| Frequency response | 48-25k Hz | 48-39K Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-200 watts | 20-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 9.18kg / 20.2lbs | 14.91kg / 32.8lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 7-11/16" x 18-11/16" x 9-1/8"
196.0 x 475.0 x 232.0mm | 7-13/16" x 24-5/16" x 14-5/8"
199.0 x 618.0 x 372.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the SVS Prime Center and Polk R400 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 Center |
Polk R400 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
(* 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.
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through our links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Prime Center is a 3-way design whereas the R400 is a 2-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.
SVS Prime CenterPolk R400
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
SVS Prime Center |
Polk R400 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 3-1/2-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
Prime Center features a 1" aluminum dome Tweeter, a 3-1/2" Midrange and 2 x 5.25" polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 350Hz and 2400Hz. On the other hand, the R400 features a 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Polypropylene Turbine Cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz.
Frequency Response
Prime Center has a frequency range of 48-25k Hz whereas R400 has a frequency range of 48-39K Hz.
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
Prime Center and R400 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Prime Center sensitivity is rated at 86 dB and the R400's is at 89 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Polk R400 a more sensitive speaker compared to SVS Prime 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.
Prime Center and R400 have the same power range of 20-200 watts.
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
Prime Center features Binding post type posts and R400 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
SVS Prime Center's 5-Way post terminals
Polk R400's Binding post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Prime Center and R400 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.
Polk R400 dual Port
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 SVS Prime Center's and Polk R400's external dimensions. SVS Prime Center has external dimensions of 196.0 x 475.0 x 232.0mm (7-11/16 x 18-11/16 x 9-1/8inch) whereas Polk R400 has external dimensions of 199.0 x 618.0 x 372.0mm (7-13/16 x 24-5/16 x 14-5/8inch).
Polk R400 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 143mm wider, 3mm taller and 140mm deeper than SVS Prime Center.
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 Center is approximately 1102.0cm2 / 170.8inch2 and base area of the Polk R400 is approximately 2299.0cm2 / 356.3inch2. The Prime Center requires 52% less surface area than the R400 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 SVS Prime Center weighs 9.18kg / 20.2lbs and the Polk R400 weighs 14.91kg / 32.8lbs. This makes the R400 62% heavier than the Prime Center.
Here is a comparison of how Prime Center and R400'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 SVS Prime Center?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Prime Center:
- Center channel loudspeaker
- Grille (pre-installed)
- 4 Self-adhesive rubber bumpers
- Owners Manual
- SVS brochure
- Online Product Registration Card
What's in the Box of Polk R400?
Here are the items that come with the R400:
- Center-channel loudspeaker
- Grille
- Owners Manual
- Online Registration
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Height |
196mm
vs
199mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1102cm2
vs
2299cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
399USD
vs
649USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Sensitivity |
89 dB
vs
86 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
39k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
| General |
SVS Prime Center |
Polk Audio Reserve R400 |
| Brand |
SVS |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker (Premium Black Ash) |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
20-200 watts |
20-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
86 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
4.1 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
48-25k Hz |
48-39K Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
polypropylene |
Polypropylene Turbine Cone |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
dome |
Pinnacle Ring Radiator |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
3-1/2" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
350Hz and 2400Hz |
2500Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
196.0mm (7.7") |
199.0mm (7.8") |
| Width |
475.0mm (18.7") |
618.0mm (24.3") |
| Depth |
232.0mm (9.1") |
372.0mm (14.6") |
| Weight |
9.18kg (20.2lbs) |
14.91kg (32.8lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Black, Walnut |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - Polk R400 costs roughly 1.6x what SVS Prime Center does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (48Hz vs 48Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | B | Polk R400 is more sensitive (89dB vs 86dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (200W vs 200W). |
| Size | depends | SVS Prime Center is easier to place; Polk R400 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Price | A | SVS Prime Center is cheaper - $399 against $649, about 39% less; arguably a different class. |
A SVS Prime Center B Polk R400
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?
Polk R400 is ahead, but only on 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 63% more. That is a lot of money for a narrow margin on paper - SVS Prime Center looks like the sensible buy unless something else about the Polk R400 appeals to you. In a large or open-plan room, Polk R400 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, SVS Prime Center is the easier speaker to get right. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Polk R400 is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
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.