In this review, we will be comparing Prime Pinnacle and Q950, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from SVS and KEF. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of SVS Prime Pinnacle and KEF Q950 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the SVS Prime Pinnacle and KEF Q950 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:
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the SVS Prime Pinnacle and KEF Q950 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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Prime Pinnacle is a 3-way design whereas the Q950 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.
| Driver |
SVS Prime Pinnacle |
KEF Q950 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1.5-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.25-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
3 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 8.0-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 Q950 features a 1.5" vented aluminum Dome Tweeter and 2 x 8.0" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2200Hz.
Frequency Response
Prime Pinnacle has a frequency range of 29-25k Hz whereas Q950 has a frequency range of 44-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 29Hz, the Prime Pinnacle can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Q950's min frequency of 44Hz.
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 Q950 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 Q950's is at 91 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the KEF Q950 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.
Prime Pinnacle can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Q950 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the Prime Pinnacle.
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 Binding post type posts and Q950 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
SVS Prime Pinnacle's 5-Way post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Prime Pinnacle has a rear firing port whereas Q950 has a front firing ports. KEF Q950's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to SVS Prime Pinnacle with its rear-firing port.
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 KEF Q950'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 KEF Q950 has external dimensions of 1117.0 x 362.0 x 315.0mm ( 43-15/16 x 14-1/4 x 12-3/8inch) .
SVS Prime Pinnacle is 158mm narrower and 75mm shorter than KEF Q950 but it is also 40mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of SVS Prime Pinnacle and KEF Q950 in scale.
Comparison image of SVS Prime Pinnacle and KEF Q950 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 Pinnacle is approximately 724.2cm2 / 112.3inch2 and base area of the KEF Q950 is approximately 1140.3cm2 / 176.7inch2. The Prime Pinnacle requires 36% less surface area than the Q950 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 Pinnacle weighs 25.95kg / 57.1lbs and the KEF Q950 weighs 20.68kg / 45.5lbs. This makes the Prime Pinnacle 25% heavier than the Q950.
Here is a comparison of how Prime Pinnacle and Q950's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of SVS Prime Pinnacle?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Prime Pinnacle:
Floorstanding loudspeakerGrille (pre-installed)4 Elastomer isolation feet (pre-installed)4 Spike feet4 Nuts4 Protective discsOwners ManualSVS brochureOnline Product Registration Card
What's in the Box of KEF Q950?
Here are the items that come with the Q950:
Floorstanding loudspeaker2 Outrigger feet4 Spikes6 Screws6 Washers4 Rubber insertsHex-keyOwners ManualWarranty Information
 Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
| Low Frequency Response |
29 Hz
vs
44 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
1042mm
vs
1117mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
724cm2 (204x355mm)
vs
1140cm2 (362x315mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
2000USD
vs
2200USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Sensitivity |
91 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
| Woofer Size |
8.0 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Port Position |
Front
vs
Rear
|
Gives more flexibility placing close to walls |
 Passive Radiator |
2 x 8-inch
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
 Dolby Atmos Drivers |
Optional
vs
No
|
Dolby Atmos Compatibility |
| General |
SVS Prime Pinnacle |
KEF Q950 |
| Brand |
SVS |
KEF |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
20-300 watts |
15-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
91 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
3.2 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
29-25k Hz |
44-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
3 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
8.0" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene |
Aluminum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1.5" |
| Tweeter Type |
dome |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5.25" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
300Hz and 2100Hz |
2200Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1042.0mm (41") |
1117.0mm (44") |
| Width |
204.0mm (8") |
362.0mm (14.3") |
| Depth |
355.0mm (14") |
315.0mm (12.4") |
| Weight |
25.95kg (57.1lbs) |
20.68kg (45.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Passive Radiator |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Walnut |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |