In this review, we will be comparing Prime Wireless and Sonos Five, two Powered Bookshelf speakers from SVS and Sonos. Being Powered speakers, they both have built-in amplifiers so you don't need an external power amp or an integrated amp to power them. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of SVS Prime Wireless and Sonos Five first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the SVS Prime Wireless and Sonos Five 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 Wireless and Sonos Five are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
SVS Prime Wireless |
Sonos Five |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
3 x 0.8-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 4.5-inch
|
3 x 2.75-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 Sonos Five features a 3 x 0.8" Dome Tweeter and 3 x 2.75" Cone Woofer .
Frequency Response
Prime Wireless has a frequency range of 52-25k Hz whereas Sonos Five has a frequency range of . With a minimum frequency of Hz, the Sonos Five can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to 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
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Prime Wireless has a rear firing port whereas Sonos Five has a front firing ports. Sonos Five's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to SVS Prime Wireless 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 Wireless's and Sonos Five'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 Sonos Five has external dimensions of 201.6 x 363.5 x 174.6mm ( 7.9375 x 14.3125 x 6.875inch) .
SVS Prime Wireless is 208.5mm narrower and 14.6mm less deeper than Sonos Five but it is also 58.4mm taller.
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 Sonos Five is approximately 634.7cm2 / 98.4inch2. The Prime Wireless requires 61% less surface area than the Sonos Five 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 Wireless weighs 3.96kg / 8.7lbs and the Sonos Five weighs 6.40kg / 14.1lbs. This makes the Sonos Five 62% heavier than the Prime Wireless.
Here is a comparison of how Prime Wireless and Sonos Five's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
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 Sonos Five?
Here are the items that come with the Sonos Five:
Wireless audio speaker 6.5-feet AC power cord Quickstart Guide Important Safety Information
 Woofer Size |
4.5 inches
vs
2.75 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
25k Hz
vs
k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Base Surface Area |
248cm2 (155x160mm)
vs
634cm2 (363x174mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
500USD
vs
1098USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 RCA Connection |
Yes
vs
No
|
Connection via RCA input |
 Digital Input |
Optical
vs
No
|
Connect digital inputs directly |
| Number of Woofers |
3
vs
1
|
More woofers |
| Low Frequency Response |
Hz
vs
52 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Port Position |
Front
vs
Rear
|
Gives more flexibility placing close to walls |
 Height |
201mm
vs
260mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
| General |
SVS Prime Wireless |
Sonos Five |
| Brand |
SVS |
Sonos |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
| Frequency Response |
52-25k Hz |
|
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
200-watt RMS |
n/a |
| Max Bit Depth |
24-bit |
16-bit |
| Max Sample Rate |
192 kHz |
44.1kHz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
3 |
| Woofer Size |
4.5" |
2.75" |
| Woofer Composition |
composite glass-fiber |
Cone |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
3 x 0.8" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2000Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
260.0mm (10.2") |
201.6mm (7.9") |
| Width |
155.0mm (6.1") |
363.5mm (14.3") |
| Depth |
160.0mm (6.3") |
174.6mm (6.9") |
| Weight |
3.96kg (8.7lbs) |
6.40kg (14.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Available Colors |
Black |
n/a |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Aux Inputs |
3.5mm, RCA |
3.5mm |
| USB Port |
Service only |
No |
| Phone Input |
No |
No |
| Subwoofer Output |
Wired |
Optional Wireless |
| Digital Input |
Optical |
No |
| HDMI Input |
No |
No |
| Headphone Jack |
No |
No |
| Ethernet Port |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
2 Years |
1 Year |
| Labor Warranty |
2 Years |
1 Year |