In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers . SVS Ultra Elevation is a Surround speaker whereas the ES15 is a Bookshelf speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of SVS Ultra Elevation and Polk ES15 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
SVS Ultra Elevation Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Dome Tweeter
- 5.25" Composite glass-fiber Woofer
- 48-40k Hz Frequency Response
- 87 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 6ohms
- Power Range:20-150watts
- Weight:5.60kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 283.0" x 7.28" x 9.82"( 283 x 185 x 249.4mm )
Polk ES15 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter
- 5.25" Mica-reinforced polypropylene Woofer
- 44-40k Hz Frequency Response
- 85 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:20-100watts
- Weight:5.91kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 307.0" x 7-9/16" x 10-3/16"( 307.0 x 193.0 x 259.0mm )
What size room are the SVS Ultra Elevation and Polk ES15 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 Elevation |
Polk ES15 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Average |
| Small Room |
Average |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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 Elevation and Polk ES15 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 Ultra Elevation and ES15 are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
SVS Ultra Elevation |
Polk ES15 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
Ultra Elevation features a 1" aluminum Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Composite glass-fiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1900Hz. On the other hand, the ES15 features a 1" Terylene Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Mica-reinforced polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz.
Frequency Response
Ultra Elevation has a frequency range of 48-40k Hz whereas ES15 has a frequency range of 44-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 44Hz, the ES15 can go slightly deeper then the Ultra Elevation's min frequency of 48Hz.
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 Surround class in our database.
Low Frequency
Surround Speakers
High Frequency
Surround 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 Elevation is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the ES15 which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Ultra Elevation sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the ES15's is rated at 85 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the SVS Ultra Elevation a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk ES15, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Surround 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 Elevation can handle a max power of 150 watts RMS from the amp the whereas ES15 has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Ultra Elevation.
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 Elevation features 5-Way post type posts and ES15 has a 5-Way post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
SVS Ultra Elevation's Gold-plated 5-way terminals
Polk ES15's 5-Way post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Ultra Elevation and ES15 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.
Polk ES15 Power Port 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 Ultra Elevation's and Polk ES15's external dimensions. SVS Ultra Elevation has external dimensions of 283 x 185 x 249.4mm ( 11.14 x 7.28 x 9.82”) whereas Polk ES15 has external dimensions of 307.0 x 193.0 x 259.0mm ( 12-1/16 x 7-9/16 x 10-3/16inch) .
Polk ES15 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 8mm wider, 24mm taller and 10mm deeper than SVS Ultra Elevation.
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 Elevation is approximately 460.7cm2 / 71.4inch2 and base area of the Polk ES15 is approximately 499.9cm2 / 77.5inch2. The Ultra Elevation requires 8% less surface area than the ES15 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of Polk ES15?
Here are the items that come with the ES15:
2 Bookshelf loudspeakers2 Grille (attached)8 Self-adhesive rubber feetWall-mount templateOwners ManualOnline Product Registration
Max Input Power 
Sensitivity 
Height 
Base Surface Area 
Nominal Impedance 
Low Frequency Response 
Price per pair*