In this review, we will be comparing Prime Wireless and Prime Bookshelf, 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 Bookshelf 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 Wireless and SVS Prime Bookshelf first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
SVS Prime Wireless Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 200-watt RMS Integrated Amplifier
- 1" Dome Tweeter
- 4.5" composite glass-fiber Woofer
- 52-25k Hz Frequency Response
- 24-bit Max Depth / 192 kHz Max Sample Rate
- Built-in 4.0 Bluetooth
- App Control Feature
- Weight:3.96kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 260.0" x 6.125" x 8.6875"( 260.0 x 155.0 x 160.0mm )
SVS Prime Bookshelf Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter
- 6.5" Woofer
- 48-25k Hz Frequency Response
- 87 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:25-150watts
- Weight:7.03kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 337.8" x 8.0" x 10.2"( 337.8 x 203.2 x 261.6mm )
Prime Wireless and Prime Bookshelf 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 |
Watts RMS | Max Depth / Sample Rate | Woofer |
 |
SVS Prime Wireless Pro
|
Bookshelf |
42-25k Hz |
200-watt | 24-bit/192 kHzΩ |
1 x 5.25"
|
 |
SVS Prime Wireless
|
Bookshelf |
52-25k Hz |
200-watt | 24-bit/192 kHzΩ |
1 x 4.5"
|
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the SVS Prime Wireless and SVS Prime Bookshelf compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking
through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
Both Prime Wireless and Prime Bookshelf are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
SVS Prime Wireless |
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 Wireless features a 1" aluminum Dome Tweeter and 1 x 4.5" composite glass-fiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2000Hz. 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 Wireless has a frequency range of 52-25k Hz whereas Prime Bookshelf has a frequency range of 48-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 48Hz, the Prime Bookshelf can go slightly deeper then the Prime Wireless's min frequency of 52Hz.
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 Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
High Frequency
Bookshelf 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.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Prime Wireless 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
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 Wireless's and SVS Prime Bookshelf's external dimensions. SVS Prime Wireless has external dimensions of 260.0 x 155.0 x 160.0mm ( 10.3125 x 6.125 x 8.6875inch) 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 48.2mm wider, 77.8mm taller and 101.6mm deeper than SVS Prime Wireless.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of SVS Prime Wireless and SVS Prime Bookshelf in scale.
Comparison image of SVS Prime Wireless 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 Wireless is approximately 248.0cm2 / 38.4inch2 and base area of the SVS Prime Bookshelf is approximately 531.6cm2 / 82.4inch2. The Prime Wireless requires 53% less surface area than the Prime Bookshelf which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
Here is an 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 Wireless and SVS Prime Bookshelf on a Media Console
What's in the Box of SVS Prime Wireless?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Prime Wireless:
Active wireless speaker6-feet AC power cordGrille (pre-installed)4 Self-adhesive feetQuick Start GuideWarranty/Registration CardSVS brochure
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