In this review, we will be comparing Prime Satellite and Prime Bookshelf, two Passive Bookshelf speakers by SVS.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of SVS Prime Satellite and SVS Prime Bookshelf first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | SVS Prime Satellite | SVS Prime Bookshelf |
|---|
| Brand | SVS
United States · founded 1998 | SVS
United States · founded 1998 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Hard-Dome | 1" Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 4.5" Polypropylene | 6.5" |
|---|
| Frequency response | 69-25k Hz | 48-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 85 dB | 87 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-150 watts | 25-150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 3.00kg / 6.6lbs | 7.03kg / 15.5lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 8-13/16" x 4-15/16" x 6-3/8"
224.0 x 126.0 x 162.0mm | 13.2" x 8.0" x 10.2"
337.8 x 203.2 x 261.6mm |
|---|
Prime Satellite 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 Satellite 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 Satellite |
SVS Prime Bookshelf |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
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.
Drivers
Both Prime Satellite and Prime Bookshelf are 2-way speakers.
SVS Prime SatelliteSVS 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 Satellite |
SVS Prime Bookshelf |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 4.5-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
Prime Satellite features a 1" aluminum Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 4.5" Polypropylene Woofer. 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 Satellite has a frequency range of 69-25k Hz whereas Prime Bookshelf has a frequency range of 48-25k 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.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf 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 Satellite and Prime Bookshelf have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Prime Satellite sensitivity is rated at 85 dB and the Prime Bookshelf's is at 87 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Both handle the same maximum of 150 watts RMS, though Prime Satellite is rated 20-150 watts and Prime Bookshelf 25-150 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 Satellite 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 Satellite's 5-Way post terminals
SVS Prime Bookshelf's 5-way post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Prime Satellite 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 Satellite's and SVS Prime Bookshelf's external dimensions. 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) 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 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 Satellite and SVS Prime Bookshelf in scale.
Comparison image of SVS Prime Satellite and SVS Prime Bookshelf 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 Satellite is approximately 204.1cm2 / 31.6inch2 and base area of the SVS Prime Bookshelf is approximately 531.6cm2 / 82.4inch2. The Prime Satellite requires 62% less surface area than the Prime Bookshelf which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
Here is 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 Satellite and SVS Prime Bookshelf 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 Satellite weighs 3.00kg / 6.6lbs and the SVS Prime Bookshelf weighs 7.03kg / 15.5lbs. This makes the Prime Bookshelf 134% heavier than the Prime Satellite.
Here is a comparison of how Prime Satellite and Prime Bookshelf'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 Satellite?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Prime Satellite:
- 2 Satellite 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 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
 Height |
224mm
vs
337mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
204cm2
vs
531cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
349USD
vs
600USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Sensitivity |
87 dB
vs
85 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
4.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
48 Hz
vs
69 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
| General |
SVS Prime Satellite |
SVS Prime Bookshelf |
| Brand |
SVS |
SVS |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
20-150 watts |
25-150 watts |
| Sensitivity |
85 dB |
87 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.2 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
69-25k Hz |
48-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
4.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene |
|
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Polypropylene |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Hard-Dome |
Hard-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
2300Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
224.0mm (8.8") |
337.8mm (13.3") |
| Width |
126.0mm (5") |
203.2mm (8") |
| Depth |
162.0mm (6.4") |
261.6mm (10.3") |
| Weight |
3.00kg (6.6lbs) |
7.03kg (15.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Black Ash,Piano Gloss Black |
| Mounting Bracket |
|
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
28-32" |
24-28" |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
Siblings in SVS's Prime series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | SVS Prime Bookshelf digs deeper - 48Hz against 69Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | SVS Prime Bookshelf is more sensitive (87dB vs 85dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (150W vs 150W). |
| Size | depends | SVS Prime Satellite is easier to place; SVS Prime Bookshelf is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Price | A | SVS Prime Satellite is cheaper - $349 against $600, about 42% less; arguably a different class. |
A SVS Prime Satellite B SVS Prime Bookshelf
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?
The usual trade-off: SVS Prime Bookshelf measures better, SVS Prime Satellite costs about about 72% more% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 69Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper SVS Prime Satellite much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate SVS Prime Satellite the better fit for a large room and a very large room, and SVS Prime Bookshelf for a small room.
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.