In this review, we will be comparing Prime Tower and Chora 816, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from SVS and Focal. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of SVS Prime Tower and Focal Chora 816 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the SVS Prime Tower and Focal Chora 816 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 Tower and Focal Chora 816 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
Both Prime Tower and Chora 816 are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
SVS Prime Tower |
Focal Chora 816 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 4.5-inch |
1 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 6.5-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 Chora 816 features a 1" TNF Al/Mg inverted dome Tweeter , a 6.5" Midrange and 1 x 6.5" Slatefiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 270Hz and 2700Hz.
Frequency Response
Prime Tower has a frequency range of 30-25k Hz whereas Chora 816 has a frequency range of 50-28k 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 Chora 816's min frequency of 50Hz.
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 Tower and Chora 816 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Prime Tower sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the Chora 816's is at 89.5 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Focal Chora 816 a more sensitive speaker compared to SVS Prime Tower, 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 Tower can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Chora 816 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Prime Tower.
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 Tower features Binding post type posts and Chora 816 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
SVS Prime Tower's 5-Way post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Prime Tower has a rear firing port whereas Chora 816 has a front firing ports. Focal Chora 816's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to SVS Prime Tower 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 Tower's and Focal Chora 816'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 Focal Chora 816 has external dimensions of 1007.0 x 305.0 x 404.0mm ( 39-5/8 x 12 x 15-7/8inch) .
Focal Chora 816 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 101mm wider, 76mm taller and 107mm deeper than SVS Prime Tower.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of SVS Prime Tower and Focal Chora 816 in scale.
Comparison image of SVS Prime Tower and Focal Chora 816 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 Focal Chora 816 is approximately 1232.2cm2 / 191.0inch2. The Prime Tower requires 51% less surface area than the Chora 816 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 Focal Chora 816 weighs 18.50kg / 40.7lbs. This makes the Chora 816 1% heavier than the Prime Tower.
Here is a comparison of how Prime Tower and Chora 816'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 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 Focal Chora 816?
Here are the items that come with the Chora 816:
Floorstanding loudspeakerBase4 Rubber feet4 Spike feet4 Nuts4 Screws4 WashersHex-keyGrilleUser manual
 Max Input Power |
250 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
| Low Frequency Response |
30 Hz
vs
50 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
931mm
vs
1007mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
605cm2 (204x297mm)
vs
1232cm2 (305x404mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1400USD
vs
1798USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Port Position |
Front
vs
Rear
|
Gives more flexibility placing close to walls |
| General |
SVS Prime Tower |
Focal Chora 816 |
| Brand |
SVS |
Focal |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
20-250 watts |
40-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
89.5 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
30-25k Hz |
50-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene |
Slatefiber |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
dome |
inverted dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
4.5" |
6.5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
350Hz and 2100Hz |
270Hz and 2700Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
931.0mm (36.7") |
1007.0mm (39.6") |
| Width |
204.0mm (8") |
305.0mm (12") |
| Depth |
297.0mm (11.7") |
404.0mm (15.9") |
| Weight |
18.23kg (40.1lbs) |
18.50kg (40.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
MDF/Vinyl-wrap |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Black, Dark wood, Light wood |
| 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 |