In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by SVS. SVS Prime Center is a Center Channel speaker whereas the Prime Bookshelf is a Bookshelf speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of SVS Prime Center and SVS Prime Bookshelf first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | SVS Prime Center | SVS Prime Bookshelf |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" dome | 1" Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 3-1/2" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5.25" polypropylene | 6.5" |
|---|
| Frequency response | 48-25k Hz | 48-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86 dB | 87 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-200 watts | 25-150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 9.18kg / 20.2lbs | 7.03kg / 15.5lbs |
|---|
| 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 | 13.2" x 8.0" x 10.2"
337.8 x 203.2 x 261.6mm |
|---|
Prime Center and Prime Bookshelf 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 Center and SVS Prime Bookshelf 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 |
SVS Prime Bookshelf |
| 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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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Prime Center is a 3-way design whereas the Prime Bookshelf 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 CenterSVS Prime Bookshelf
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 |
SVS Prime Bookshelf |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 3-1/2-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
1 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 Prime Bookshelf features a 1" aluminum Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2300Hz.
Frequency Response
Prime Center and Prime Bookshelf has exactly the same frequency range of 48-25k 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 Prime Bookshelf 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 Prime Bookshelf's is at 87 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the SVS Prime Bookshelf 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 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas Prime Bookshelf has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Prime 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
Prime Center features 5-way post type posts and Prime Bookshelf has a 5-way post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
SVS Prime Center's 5-Way post terminals
SVS Prime Bookshelf's 5-way post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Prime Center and Prime Bookshelf 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 SVS Prime Center's and SVS Prime Bookshelf'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 SVS Prime Bookshelf has external dimensions of 337.8 x 203.2 x 261.6mm (13.2 x 8.0 x 10.2inch).
SVS Prime Center is 141.8mm shorter and 29.6mm less deeper than SVS Prime Bookshelf but it is also 271.8mm 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 SVS Prime Center is approximately 1102.0cm2 / 170.8inch2 and base area of the SVS Prime Bookshelf is approximately 531.6cm2 / 82.4inch2. The Prime Center requires 107% more surface area than the Prime Bookshelf which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
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 SVS Prime Bookshelf?
Here are the items that come with the Prime Bookshelf:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles (pre-installed)
- 8 Self-adhesive rubber bumpers
- Owners Manual SVS brochure
- Online Product Registration Card