In this review, we will be comparing Ultra Center and Demand D5C, two Passive Center Channel speakers from SVS and Definitive Technology.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of SVS Ultra Center and Definitive D5C first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | SVS Ultra Center | Definitive D5C |
|---|
| Brand | SVS
United States · founded 1998 | Definitive Technology
United States · founded 1990 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Dome | 1" dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 4" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" composite glass-fiber | 2 x 5.25" BDSS |
|---|
| Frequency response | 45-32k Hz | 42-22k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 85.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-225 watts | 30-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 14.09kg / 31lbs | 10.91kg / 24lbs |
|---|
| 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 19-1/16" x 11-3/8"
169.0 x 485.0 x 289.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the SVS Ultra Center and Definitive D5C 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 |
Definitive D5C |
| 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 Demand D5C 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 CenterDefinitive D5C
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 |
Definitive D5C |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 4-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 5.25-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 Demand D5C features a 1" aluminum dome Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" BDSS Woofer.
Frequency Response
Ultra Center has a frequency range of 45-32k Hz whereas Demand D5C has a frequency range of 42-22k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 42Hz, the Demand D5C can go slightly deeper then the Ultra Center's min frequency of 45Hz.
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 Demand D5C have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Ultra Center sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the Demand D5C's is at 85.5 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the SVS Ultra Center a more sensitive speaker compared to Definitive D5C, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
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 Demand D5C has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 25 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
Ultra Center features 5-Way post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Demand D5C has a 5-Way post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
SVS Ultra Center's 5-Way post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Definitive D5C'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 Ultra Center's and Definitive D5C'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 Definitive D5C has external dimensions of 169.0 x 485.0 x 289.0mm (6-5/8 x 19-1/16 x 11-3/8inch).
Definitive D5C is 76mm narrower and 38mm shorter than SVS Ultra Center but it is also 4mm deeper.
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 Definitive D5C is approximately 1401.7cm2 / 217.3inch2. The Ultra Center requires 14% more surface area than the Demand D5C 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 Definitive D5C weighs 10.91kg / 24lbs. This makes the Ultra Center 29% heavier than the Demand D5C.
Here is a comparison of how Ultra Center and Demand D5C'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 Definitive D5C?
Here are the items that come with the Demand D5C:
- Center-channel loudspeaker
- Grille
- Cleaning cloth
- Owners Manual
 Max Input Power |
225 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
87 dB
vs
86 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
32k Hz
vs
22k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
|
Low Frequency Response |
42 Hz
vs
45 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
169mm
vs
207mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1401cm2
vs
1598cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
SVS Ultra Center |
Definitive Technology Demand D5C |
| Brand |
SVS |
Definitive Technology |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
20-225 watts |
30-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
85.5 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
45-32k Hz |
42-22k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
composite glass-fiber |
BDSS |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
n/a |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
4" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
500Hz and 2200Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
207.0mm (8.1") |
169.0mm (6.7") |
| Width |
561.0mm (22.1") |
485.0mm (19.1") |
| Depth |
285.0mm (11.2") |
289.0mm (11.4") |
| Weight |
14.09kg (31lbs) |
10.91kg (24lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Available Colors |
Black Oak,Piano Gloss Black,Piano Gloss White |
Gloss White |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
n/a |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
A generation apart: Definitive D5C 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 | B | Definitive D5C digs deeper - 42Hz against 45Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (87dB vs 86dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (225W vs 200W). |
| Size | depends | Definitive D5C is easier to place; SVS Ultra Center is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Cabinet | depends | Ported vs Sealed. Sealed is tighter and happier near a wall; ported digs lower but wants space behind it. |
| Expandability | A | SVS Ultra Center: bi-amping. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($799 vs $799 a pair). |
A SVS Ultra Center B Definitive D5C
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?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. Match it to your room: we rate SVS Ultra Center the better fit for a large room and a very large room, and Definitive D5C 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.