In this review, we will be comparing Ultra Center and Q250c, two Passive Center Channel speakers from SVS and KEF.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of SVS Ultra Center and KEF Q250c first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
SVS Ultra Center Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Dome Tweeter
- 4" Midrange
- 2 x 6.5" composite glass-fiber Woofer
- 45-32k Hz Frequency Response
- 87 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:20-225watts
- Weight:14.09kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 207.0" x 22-1/16" x 11-3/16"( 207.0 x 561.0 x 285.0mm )
KEF Q250c Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 11th Generation Uni-Q Driver
- 1" Dome Tweeter
- 5.25" aluminum Woofer
- 68-28k Hz Frequency Response
- 87 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:10-100watts
- Weight:7.50kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 181.0" x 20-11/16" x 8-1/2"( 181.0 x 526.0 x 216.0mm )
What size room are the SVS Ultra Center and KEF Q250c 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 |
KEF Q250c |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Average |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
Bad |
(* 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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the SVS Ultra Center and KEF Q250c 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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through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Ultra Center is a 3-way design whereas the Q250c 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.
| Driver |
SVS Ultra Center |
KEF Q250c |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 4-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
1 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 Q250c features a 1" vented aluminum Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz.
Frequency Response
Ultra Center has a frequency range of 45-32k Hz whereas Q250c has a frequency range of 68-28k 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 Q250c's min frequency of 68Hz.
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 Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel Speakers
High Frequency
Center Channel 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.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Ultra Center and Q250c 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. While using
an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the
max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
Ultra Center can handle a max power of 225 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Q250c has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 125 watts less than the Ultra Center.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Ultra Center features 5-Way post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Q250c has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
SVS Ultra Center's 5-Way post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
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 Ultra Center's and KEF Q250c'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 KEF Q250c has external dimensions of 181.0 x 526.0 x 216.0mm ( 7-1/8 x 20-11/16 x 8-1/2inch) .
SVS Ultra Center is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 35mm wider, 26mm taller and 69mm deeper than KEF Q250c.
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 KEF Q250c is approximately 1136.2cm2 / 176.1inch2. The Ultra Center requires 41% more surface area than the Q250c which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.