SVS Prime Satellite vs SVS Prime Wireless Comparison

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SVS Prime Satellite

Passive Bookshelf | 69-25k Hz

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SVS Prime Wireless

Powered Bookshelf | 52-25k Hz

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SVS Prime Satellite

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SVS Prime Wireless

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SVS Prime Satellite

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SVS Prime Wireless

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SVS Prime Satellite vs SVS Prime Wireless Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing Prime Satellite and Prime Wireless, two Bookshelf speakers by SVS. The main difference between these two speakers is that the SVS Prime Wireless is a Powered speaker which means that it has a built-in amplifier inside the speaker body so you don't need an external power amp or an integrated amp whereas the SVS Prime Satellite is a Passive speaker so has to be matched with an amplifier to get any sound from it.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of SVS Prime Satellite and SVS Prime Wireless first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Key Specs	SVS Prime Satellite	SVS Prime Wireless
Brand	SVS United States · founded 1998	SVS United States · founded 1998
Design	2-way	2-way
Built-in amplifier	—	200-watt RMS
Tweeter	1" Hard-Dome	1" Dome
Woofer	4.5" Polypropylene	4.5" composite glass-fiber
Frequency response	69-25k Hz	52-25k Hz
Sensitivity	85 dB	—
Impedance	8 ohms	—
Power range	20-150 watts	—
Max depth / sample rate	—	24-bit / 192 kHz
Bluetooth	—	Built-in 4.0
App control	—	Yes
Weight	3.00kg / 6.6lbs	3.96kg / 8.7lbs
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	10.3125" x 6.125" x 8.6875" 260 x 155 x 220.7 mm

Prime Satellite and Prime Wireless are members of SVS's Prime series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.

SVS Prime Series History

Model	Body	Frequency	Sensitivity	Impedance	Woofer
SVS Prime Tower	Floor-standing	30-25k Hz	87 dB	8Ω	2 x 6.5"
SVS Prime Bookshelf	Bookshelf	48-25k Hz	87 dB	8Ω	1 x 6.5"
SVS Prime Center	Center Channel	48-25k Hz	86 dB	8Ω	2 x 5.25"
SVS Prime Pinnacle	Floor-standing	29-25k Hz	88 dB	8Ω	3 x 6.5"
SVS Prime Satellite	Bookshelf	69-25k Hz	85 dB	8Ω	1 x 4.5"
SVS Prime Elevation	Surround	55-25k Hz	87 dB	8Ω	1 x 4.5"

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 Wireless are 2-way speakers.

SVS Prime Satellite

SVS Prime Wireless

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 Wireless
Driver Setup	2-way	2-way
Tweeter	1-inch	1-inch
Midrange	-	-
Woofer	1 x 4.5-inch	1 x 4.5-inch

Prime Satellite features a 1" aluminum Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 4.5" Polypropylene Woofer. On the other hand, the Prime Wireless features a 1" aluminum Dome Tweeter and 1 x 4.5" composite glass-fiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2000Hz.

Frequency Response

Prime Satellite has a frequency range of 69-25k Hz whereas Prime Wireless has a frequency range of 52-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 52Hz, the Prime Wireless 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

Prime Satellite

Prime Wireless

Min

Average

Median

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.

Cabinet Type and Port Position

Both Prime Satellite and Prime Wireless 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 Wireless'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 Wireless has external dimensions of 260 x 155 x 220.7 mm (10.3125 x 6.125 x 8.6875 inch).

SVS Prime Wireless is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 29mm wider, 36mm taller and 58.7mm deeper than SVS Prime Satellite.

Below you can see the front view size comparison of SVS Prime Satellite and SVS Prime Wireless in scale.

Comparison image of SVS Prime Satellite and SVS Prime Wireless 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 Wireless is approximately 342.1cm² / 53.0inch². The Prime Satellite requires 40% less surface area than the Prime Wireless 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 Wireless on a Media Console

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 Wireless?

Here are the items that come with the Prime Wireless:

Active wireless speaker
6-feet AC power cord
Grille (pre-installed)
4 Self-adhesive feet
Quick Start Guide
Warranty/Registration Card
SVS brochure

Reasons to choose SVS Prime Satellite over SVS Prime Wireless

Height	224mm vs 260mm	Easier to fit in smaller spaces
Base Surface Area	204cm² vs 342cm²	Takes less floor space
Price per pair*	349USD vs 449USD	costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)

Reasons to choose SVS Prime Wireless over SVS Prime Satellite

Speaker Type	Powered vs Passive	Built-in amplifier
Low Frequency Response	52 Hz vs 69 Hz	Generates deeper bass
Ethernet Connection	Yes vs No	High quality streaming over Ethernet
3.5mm Connection	Yes vs No	Connection via 3.5mm AUX input
RCA Connection	Yes vs No	Connection via RCA input

SVS Prime Satellite vs SVS Prime Wireless Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	SVS Prime Satellite	SVS Prime Wireless
Brand	SVS	SVS
Speaker Type	Bookshelf speakers	Powered Stereo Speakers
Sensitivity	85 dB	n/a
Impedance	8 ohms	n/a
Impedance	3.2 ohms	n/a
Frequency Response	69-25k Hz	52-25k Hz
Amplifier
Watts RMS (Continuous)	n/a	200-watt RMS
Max Bit Depth	n/a	24-bit
Max Sample Rate	n/a	192 kHz
Drivers
Woofer Quantity	1	1
Woofer Size	4.5"	4.5"
Woofer Composition	Polypropylene	composite glass-fiber
Woofer Surround Material	Rubber	n/a
Tweeter Size	1"	1"
Tweeter Type	Hard-Dome	Dome
Aimable Tweeter	No	No
Midrange Driver	No	No
Crossover Frequency	n/a	2000Hz
Firing Direction	rear	rear
Physical Specs
Height	224.0mm (8.8")	260.0mm (10.2")
Width	126.0mm (5")	155.0mm (6.1")
Depth	162.0mm (6.4")	220.7mm (8.7")
Weight	3.00kg (6.6lbs)	3.96kg (8.7lbs)
Enclosure	Bass Reflex	Bass Reflex
Finish	MDF/Wood-grain vinyl	n/a
Available Colors	Black	Black
Mounting Bracket		No
Recommended Stand Height	28-32"	n/a
Grille	Yes	Yes
Moisture Resistancy	No	No
Connections
Biamp Inputs	No	n/a
Aux Inputs	n/a	3.5mm, RCA
USB Port	n/a	Service only
Phone Input	n/a	No
Subwoofer Output	n/a	Wired
Digital Input	n/a	Optical
HDMI Input	n/a	No
Headphone Jack	n/a	No
Ethernet Port	n/a	Yes
Other
Parts Warranty	5 Years	2 Years
Labor Warranty	5 Years	2 Years

Verdict

Different kinds of product: one is active with its amplifier built in, the other passive and needs one. Judge them on how you want to own the system, not just the specs.

Area	Better	Why
Bass	B	SVS Prime Wireless digs deeper - 52Hz against 69Hz.
What you buy	depends	SVS Prime Wireless is a complete system - just add a source. SVS Prime Satellite also needs an amplifier: more money and another box, but you choose it.
Connections	depends	SVS Prime Wireless has Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and streaming built in. With SVS Prime Satellite that all comes from the amplifier you pair it with.
Upgrade path	depends	SVS Prime Satellite can be re-amped later and outlive several amplifiers; SVS Prime Wireless ages as one unit.
Size	depends	SVS Prime Satellite is easier to place; SVS Prime Wireless is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides.
Expandability	B	SVS Prime Wireless: a sub output.
Price	A	SVS Prime Satellite is cheaper - $349 against $449, about 22% less. Speakers only - an amplifier narrows that gap.

A SVS Prime Satellite B SVS Prime Wireless
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?

SVS Prime Wireless suits you if you want one box, ready to play, with nothing else to buy. SVS Prime Satellite suits you if you already have an amplifier, want to choose the electronics, or expect to upgrade in stages. Neither is the better speaker in the abstract. 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. In a large or open-plan room, SVS Prime Wireless has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, SVS Prime Satellite is the easier speaker to get right.

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.