In this review, we will be comparing Prime Tower and Concord, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from SVS and KLH.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of SVS Prime Tower and KLH Concord first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | SVS Prime Tower | KLH Concord |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" dome | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | 4.5" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Polypropylene | 2 x 6.5" Kevlar |
|---|
| Frequency response | 30-25k Hz | 28-23k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 94 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-250 watts | up to 225 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 18.23kg / 40.1lbs | 20.45kg / 45lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 36-5/8" x 8" x 11-11/16"
931.0 x 204.0 x 297.0mm | 40-3/8" x 8-5/16" x 14-15/16"
1026.0 x 212.0 x 380.0mm |
|---|
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Prime Tower is a 3-way design whereas the Concord 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 TowerKLH Concord
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 |
KLH Concord |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 4.5-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 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 Concord features a 1" anodized aluminum Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Kevlar Woofer.
Frequency Response
Prime Tower has a frequency range of 30-25k Hz whereas Concord has a frequency range of 28-23k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 28Hz, the Concord can go slightly deeper then the Prime Tower's min frequency of 30Hz.
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 and Concord 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 Concord's is at 94 dB. This 7 dB difference makes the KLH Concord 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. 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 Concord has a max power handling value of watts RMS, 250 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 5-Way post type posts and Concord has a 5-Way post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
SVS Prime Tower's 5-Way post terminals
KLH Concord's 5-Way 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 KLH Concord'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 KLH Concord has external dimensions of 1026.0 x 212.0 x 380.0mm (40-3/8 x 8-5/16 x 14-15/16inch).
KLH Concord is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 8mm wider, 95mm taller and 83mm deeper than SVS Prime Tower.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of SVS Prime Tower and KLH Concord in scale.
Comparison image of SVS Prime Tower and KLH Concord 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 KLH Concord is approximately 805.6cm2 / 124.9inch2. The Prime Tower requires 25% less surface area than the Concord 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 KLH Concord weighs 20.45kg / 45lbs. This makes the Concord 12% heavier than the Prime Tower.
Here is a comparison of how Prime Tower and Concord'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 KLH Concord?
Here are the items that come with the Concord:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 4 Spike feet (w/ locking nut attached)
- 4 Protective discs
- 4 Rubber feet
- Port plug
- Manual
- ATTENTION! note
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 High Frequency Response |
25k Hz
vs
23k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
931mm
vs
1026mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
605cm2
vs
805cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Sensitivity |
94 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Low Frequency Response |
28 Hz
vs
30 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Price per pair* |
1000USD
vs
1400USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
SVS Prime Tower |
KLH Concord |
| Brand |
SVS |
KLH |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
20-250 watts |
up to 225 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
94 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
30-25k Hz |
28-23k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene |
Kevlar |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Butyl Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
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") |
1026.0mm (40.4") |
| Width |
204.0mm (8") |
212.0mm (8.3") |
| Depth |
297.0mm (11.7") |
380.0mm (15") |
| Weight |
18.23kg (40.1lbs) |
20.45kg (45lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
10 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
10 Years |
A generation apart: KLH Concord is the newer design, against a 2015 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass |
evenly matched |
Much the same reach (30Hz vs 28Hz). |
| Amplifier needs |
B |
KLH Concord is more sensitive (94dB vs 87dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Size |
depends |
SVS Prime Tower is easier to place; KLH Concord is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Price |
B |
KLH Concord is cheaper - $1,000 against $1,400, about 29% less. |
A SVS Prime Tower
B KLH Concord
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, placement 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?
KLH Concord has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. In a large or open-plan room, KLH Concord has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, SVS Prime Tower is the easier speaker to get right. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, KLH Concord is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
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.