In this review, we will be comparing Ultra Bookshelf and Prime Bookshelf, two Passive Bookshelf speakers by SVS.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of SVS Ultra Bookshelf and SVS Prime Bookshelf first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | SVS Ultra Bookshelf | SVS Prime Bookshelf |
|---|
| Brand | SVS
United States · founded 1998 | SVS
United States · founded 1998 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Hard-Dome | 1" Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Composite glass-fiber | 6.5" |
|---|
| Frequency response | 45-32k Hz | 48-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 87 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-150 watts | 25-150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 8.64kg / 19lbs | 7.03kg / 15.5lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 14-15/16" x 8-9/16" x 11-1/16"
380.0 x 218.0 x 281.0mm | 13.2" x 8.0" x 10.2"
337.8 x 203.2 x 261.6mm |
|---|
What size room are the SVS Ultra Bookshelf and SVS Prime Bookshelf 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 Ultra Bookshelf |
SVS Prime Bookshelf |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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
Both Ultra Bookshelf and Prime Bookshelf are 2-way speakers.
SVS Ultra BookshelfSVS Prime Bookshelf
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
SVS Ultra Bookshelf |
SVS Prime Bookshelf |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
Ultra Bookshelf features a 1" aluminum Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" 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
Ultra Bookshelf has a frequency range of 45-32k Hz whereas Prime Bookshelf has a frequency range of 48-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 45Hz, the Ultra Bookshelf can go slightly deeper then the Prime Bookshelf's min frequency of 48Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf 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
Ultra Bookshelf and Prime Bookshelf have the same Impedance of 8 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 87 dB.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf 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.
Both handle the same maximum of 150 watts RMS, though Ultra Bookshelf is rated 20-150 watts and Prime Bookshelf 25-150 watts.
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
Ultra Bookshelf features 5-way post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Prime Bookshelf has a 5-way post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
SVS Ultra Bookshelf's 5-way post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
SVS Prime Bookshelf's 5-way post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Ultra Bookshelf 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
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 Ultra Bookshelf's and SVS Prime Bookshelf's external dimensions. SVS Ultra Bookshelf has external dimensions of 380.0 x 218.0 x 281.0mm (14-15/16 x 8-9/16 x 11-1/16inch) 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 Ultra Bookshelf is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 14.8mm wider, 42.2mm taller and 19.4mm deeper than SVS Prime Bookshelf.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of SVS Ultra Bookshelf and SVS Prime Bookshelf in scale.
Comparison image of SVS Ultra Bookshelf 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 Ultra Bookshelf is approximately 612.6cm2 / 95.0inch2 and base area of the SVS Prime Bookshelf is approximately 531.6cm2 / 82.4inch2. The Ultra Bookshelf requires 15% more surface area than the Prime Bookshelf which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Here is 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 Ultra Bookshelf and SVS Prime Bookshelf on a Media Console
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 Ultra Bookshelf weighs 8.64kg / 19lbs and the SVS Prime Bookshelf weighs 7.03kg / 15.5lbs. This makes the Ultra Bookshelf 23% heavier than the Prime Bookshelf.
Here is a comparison of how Ultra Bookshelf and Prime Bookshelf's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of SVS Ultra Bookshelf?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Ultra Bookshelf:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 8 Rubber feet
- 2 Terminal jumpers (pre-installed)
- Owners Manual
- SVS brochure
- Online Product Registration Card
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
 Low Frequency Response |
45 Hz
vs
48 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
32k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
337mm
vs
380mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
531cm2
vs
612cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
600USD
vs
1200USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
SVS Ultra Bookshelf |
SVS Prime Bookshelf |
| Brand |
SVS |
SVS |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
20-150 watts |
25-150 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
87 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
45-32k Hz |
48-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Composite glass-fiber |
|
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Polypropylene |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Hard-Dome |
Hard-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2000Hz |
2300Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
380.0mm (15") |
337.8mm (13.3") |
| Width |
218.0mm (8.6") |
203.2mm (8") |
| Depth |
281.0mm (11.1") |
261.6mm (10.3") |
| Weight |
8.64kg (19lbs) |
7.03kg (15.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Oak veneer |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black Oak,Piano Gloss Black,Piano Gloss White |
Black Ash,Piano Gloss Black |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
22-28" |
24-28" |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - SVS Ultra Bookshelf costs roughly 2x what SVS Prime Bookshelf does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | SVS Ultra Bookshelf digs deeper - 45Hz against 48Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (87dB vs 87dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (150W vs 150W). |
| Size | depends | SVS Prime Bookshelf is easier to place; SVS Ultra Bookshelf is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | SVS Ultra Bookshelf: bi-amping. SVS Prime Bookshelf sits in a wider range (8 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | SVS Prime Bookshelf is cheaper - $600 against $1,200, about 50% less; arguably a different class. |
A SVS Ultra Bookshelf B SVS Prime Bookshelf
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 Ultra Bookshelf is ahead, but only on 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 100% more. That is a lot of money for a narrow margin on paper - SVS Prime Bookshelf looks like the sensible buy unless something else about the SVS Ultra Bookshelf appeals to you. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $600 saved by taking the cheaper pair would buy a subwoofer or a better amplifier, and either usually does more for the sound than the difference between these two.
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.