In this review, we will be comparing Ultra Center and HTM72 S2, two Passive Center Channel speakers from SVS and Bowers Wilkins.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of SVS Ultra Center and BW HTM72 S2 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | SVS Ultra Center | BW HTM72 S2 |
|---|
| Brand | SVS
United States · founded 1998 | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Dome | 1" Decoupled Carbon Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 4" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" composite glass-fiber | 2 x 5" Continuum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 45-32k Hz | 70-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 87 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-225 watts | 30-120 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 14.09kg / 31lbs | 9.14kg / 20.1lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 8-1/8" x 22-1/16" x 11-3/16"
207.0 x 561.0 x 285.0mm | 6-5/8" x 18-15/16" x 10-15/16"
169.0 x 482.0 x 278.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the SVS Ultra Center and BW HTM72 S2 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 Center |
BW HTM72 S2 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Ultra Center is a 3-way design whereas the HTM72 S2 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 Ultra CenterBW HTM72 S2
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 Ultra Center |
BW HTM72 S2 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 4-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 5-inch
|
Ultra Center features a 1" aluminum Dome Tweeter, a 4" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" composite glass-fiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 500Hz and 2200Hz. On the other hand, the HTM72 S2 features a 1" Decoupled Carbon Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5" Continuum Woofer.
Frequency Response
Ultra Center has a frequency range of 45-32k Hz whereas HTM72 S2 has a frequency range of 70-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 45Hz, the Ultra Center can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the HTM72 S2's min frequency of 70Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel 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 Center and HTM72 S2 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 87 dB.
Sensitivity
Center Channel 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.
Ultra Center can handle a max power of 225 watts RMS, whereas HTM72 S2 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 105 watts less than the Ultra Center.
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
Both Ultra Center and HTM72 S2 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
SVS Ultra Center's 5-Way post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Ultra Center and HTM72 S2 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 Center's and BW HTM72 S2's external dimensions. SVS Ultra Center has external dimensions of 207.0 x 561.0 x 285.0mm (8-1/8 x 22-1/16 x 11-3/16inch) whereas BW HTM72 S2 has external dimensions of 169.0 x 482.0 x 278.0mm (6-5/8 x 18-15/16 x 10-15/16inch).
SVS Ultra Center is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 79mm wider, 38mm taller and 7mm deeper than BW HTM72 S2.
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 Center is approximately 1598.9cm2 / 247.8inch2 and base area of the BW HTM72 S2 is approximately 1340.0cm2 / 207.7inch2. The Ultra Center requires 19% more surface area than the HTM72 S2 which gives it a small disadvantage 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 Ultra Center weighs 14.09kg / 31lbs and the BW HTM72 S2 weighs 9.14kg / 20.1lbs. This makes the Ultra Center 54% heavier than the HTM72 S2.
Here is a comparison of how Ultra Center and HTM72 S2's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Center Channel class.
Weight
All Center Channel Speakers
What's in the Box of SVS Ultra Center?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Ultra Center:
- Center channel loudspeaker
- Grille
- 2 Terminal jumpers (pre-installed)
- 4 Rubber feet
- Owners Manual
- SVS brochure
- Online Product Registration Card
What's in the Box of BW HTM72 S2?
Here are the items that come with the HTM72 S2:
- Center-channel loudspeaker
- Grille
- Two-piece foam port plug
- 4 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- 4 Jumper-straps (pre-installed)
- Manual
- Bowers Wilkins brochure
- Warranty Information
 Max Input Power |
225 watts
vs
120 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
45 Hz
vs
70 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
32k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Price per pair* |
799USD
vs
1199USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Height |
169mm
vs
207mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1340cm2
vs
1598cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
SVS Ultra Center |
Bowers & Wilkins HTM72 S2 |
| Brand |
SVS |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
20-225 watts |
30-120 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
87 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
4.3 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
45-32k Hz |
70-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
5" |
| Woofer Composition |
composite glass-fiber |
Continuum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
Decoupled Carbon Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
4" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
500Hz and 2200Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
207.0mm (8.1") |
169.0mm (6.7") |
| Width |
561.0mm (22.1") |
482.0mm (19") |
| Depth |
285.0mm (11.2") |
278.0mm (10.9") |
| Weight |
14.09kg (31lbs) |
9.14kg (20.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Available Colors |
Black Oak,Piano Gloss Black,Piano Gloss White |
Gloss Black, Satin White, Rosenut |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
A generation apart: BW HTM72 S2 is the newer design, against a 2013 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | SVS Ultra Center digs deeper - 45Hz against 70Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (87dB vs 87dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | A | SVS Ultra Center takes more power (225W vs 120W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | BW HTM72 S2 is easier to place; SVS Ultra Center is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | SVS Ultra Center: bi-amping; BW HTM72 S2: bi-amping. BW HTM72 S2 sits in a wider range (8 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | A | SVS Ultra Center is cheaper - $799 against $1,199, about 33% less. |
A SVS Ultra Center B BW HTM72 S2
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 Center is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take BW HTM72 S2 if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 70Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate SVS Ultra Center the better fit for a large room and a very large room, and BW HTM72 S2 for a small room.
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.