In this review, we will be comparing Prime Pinnacle and BP-9040, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from SVS and Definitive Technology.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of SVS Prime Pinnacle and Definitive BP-9040 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
SVS Prime Pinnacle Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" dome Tweeter
- 5.25" Midrange
- 3 x 6.5" Polypropylene Woofer
- 29-25k Hz Frequency Response
- 88 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:20-300watts
- Weight:25.95kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1042.0" x 8" x 13-15/16"( 1042.0 x 204.0 x 355.0mm )
Definitive BP-9040 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" dome Tweeter
- 4.5" Midrange
- 8" Polypropelene Woofer
- 4.5" Midrange
- 22-40k Hz Frequency Response
- 92 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:50-300watts
- Weight:16.36kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 993.0" x 11-1/16" x 13-13/16"( 993.0 x 281.0 x 351.0mm )
What size room are the SVS Prime Pinnacle and Definitive BP-9040 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 Pinnacle |
Definitive BP-9040 |
| 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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the SVS Prime Pinnacle and Definitive BP-9040 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking
through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
Both Prime Pinnacle and BP-9040 are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
SVS Prime Pinnacle |
Definitive BP-9040 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.25-inch |
3 x 4.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
3 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 8-inch
|
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. On the other hand, the BP-9040 features a 1" annealed aluminum dome Tweeter , a 4.5" Midrange and 1 x 8" Polypropelene Woofer .
Frequency Response
Prime Pinnacle has a frequency range of 29-25k Hz whereas BP-9040 has a frequency range of 22-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 22Hz, the BP-9040 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Prime Pinnacle's min frequency of 29Hz.
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 Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing 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 Pinnacle and BP-9040 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Prime Pinnacle sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the BP-9040's is at 92 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the Definitive BP-9040 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. 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 Pinnacle features 5-Way post, RCA type posts and BP-9040 has a 5-Way post, RCA type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
SVS Prime Pinnacle's 5-Way post terminals
Definitive BP-9040's 5-Way post, RCA terminals
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 Pinnacle's and Definitive BP-9040's external dimensions. SVS Prime Pinnacle has external dimensions of 1042.0 x 204.0 x 355.0mm ( 41 x 8 x 13-15/16inch) whereas Definitive BP-9040 has external dimensions of 993.0 x 281.0 x 351.0mm ( 39-1/16 x 11-1/16 x 13-13/16inch) .
Definitive BP-9040 is 49mm shorter and 4mm less deeper than SVS Prime Pinnacle but it is also 77mm 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 Pinnacle is approximately 724.2cm2 / 112.3inch2 and base area of the Definitive BP-9040 is approximately 986.3cm2 / 152.9inch2. The Prime Pinnacle requires 27% less surface area than the BP-9040 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.