In this review, we will be comparing Prime Tower and Emit M30, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from SVS and Dynaudio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of SVS Prime Tower and Dynaudio Emit M30 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | SVS Prime Tower | Dynaudio Emit M30 |
|---|
| Brand | SVS
United States · founded 1998 | Dynaudio
Denmark · founded 1977 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" dome | 1.1" |
|---|
| Midrange | 4.5" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Polypropylene | 2 x 6.6875" Magnesium Silicate Polymer |
|---|
| Frequency response | 30-25k Hz | 40-23k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 86 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-250 watts | up to 200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 18.23kg / 40.1lbs | 18.18kg / 40lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 36-5/8" x 8" x 11-11/16"
931.0 x 204.0 x 297.0mm | 37-13/16" x 8-1/16" x 11-5/8"
961.0 x 205.0 x 296.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the SVS Prime Tower and Dynaudio Emit M30 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 Tower |
Dynaudio Emit M30 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| 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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Prime Tower is a 3-way design whereas the Emit M30 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 TowerDynaudio Emit M30
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
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 Tower |
Dynaudio Emit M30 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1.1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 4.5-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 6.6875-inch
|
Prime Tower features a 1" aluminum dome Tweeter, a 4.5" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 350Hz and 2100Hz. On the other hand, the Emit M30 features a 1.1" Tweeter and 2 x 6.6875" Magnesium Silicate Polymer Woofer.
Frequency Response
Prime Tower has a frequency range of 30-25k Hz whereas Emit M30 has a frequency range of 40-23k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 30Hz, the Prime Tower can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Emit M30's min frequency of 40Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing 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 Tower is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the Emit M30 which has a nominal impedance of 4 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Emit M30 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Prime Tower sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the Emit M30's is rated at 86 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the SVS Prime Tower a more sensitive speaker compared to Dynaudio Emit M30, 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Prime Tower can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS, whereas Emit M30 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Prime Tower.
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 Tower features Binding post type posts and Emit M30 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
SVS Prime Tower's 5-Way post terminals
Dynaudio Emit M30's Binding post terminals
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 Tower's and Dynaudio Emit M30's external dimensions. SVS Prime Tower has external dimensions of 931.0 x 204.0 x 297.0mm (36-5/8 x 8 x 11-11/16inch) whereas Dynaudio Emit M30 has external dimensions of 961.0 x 205.0 x 296.0mm (37-13/16 x 8-1/16 x 11-5/8inch).
SVS Prime Tower is 1mm narrower and 30mm shorter than Dynaudio Emit M30 but it is also 1mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of SVS Prime Tower and Dynaudio Emit M30 in scale.
Comparison image of SVS Prime Tower and Dynaudio Emit M30 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 Tower is approximately 605.9cm2 / 93.9inch2 and base area of the Dynaudio Emit M30 is approximately 606.8cm2 / 94.1inch2. The Prime Tower requires 0% less surface area than the Emit M30 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 Tower weighs 18.23kg / 40.1lbs and the Dynaudio Emit M30 weighs 18.18kg / 40lbs. This makes the Prime Tower 0% heavier than the Emit M30.
Here is a comparison of how Prime Tower and Emit M30'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 Tower?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Prime Tower:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille (pre-installed)
- 4 Elastomer isolation feet (pre-installed)
- 4 Spike feet
- 4 Nuts
- 4 Protective discs
- Owners Manual
- SVS brochure
- Online Product Registration Card
What's in the Box of Dynaudio Emit M30?
Here are the items that come with the Emit M30:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- Foam port plug
- 4 Spike feet
- 4 Hex nuts
- 4 Protective discs
- Owners Manual
- Quick Start Guide
- Warranty Extension Card
 Max Input Power |
250 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
87 dB
vs
86 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Low Frequency Response |
30 Hz
vs
40 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
25k Hz
vs
23k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
931mm
vs
961mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
605cm2
vs
606cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1400USD
vs
2000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
|
Woofer Size |
6.6875 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| General |
SVS Prime Tower |
Dynaudio Emit M30 |
| Brand |
SVS |
Dynaudio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
20-250 watts |
up to 200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
86 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
30-25k Hz |
40-23k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.6875" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene |
Magnesium Silicate Polymer |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1.1" |
| Tweeter Type |
dome |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
4.5" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
350Hz and 2100Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
931.0mm (36.7") |
961.0mm (37.8") |
| Width |
204.0mm (8") |
205.0mm (8.1") |
| Depth |
297.0mm (11.7") |
296.0mm (11.7") |
| Weight |
18.23kg (40.1lbs) |
18.18kg (40lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
MDF/Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years (8 Years registered) |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years (8 Years registered) |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | SVS Prime Tower digs deeper - 30Hz against 40Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (87dB vs 86dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | A | SVS Prime Tower is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | A | SVS Prime Tower takes more power (250W vs 200W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Price | A | SVS Prime Tower is cheaper - $1,400 against $2,000, about 30% less. |
A SVS Prime Tower B Dynaudio Emit M30
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 Tower is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take Dynaudio Emit M30 if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 40Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate SVS Prime Tower the better fit for a very large room, and Dynaudio Emit M30 for a mid-size 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.