In this review, we will be comparing Ultra Evolution Center and Ultra Center, two Passive Center Channel speakers by SVS.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of SVS Ultra Evolution Center and SVS Ultra Center first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | SVS Ultra Evolution Center | SVS Ultra Center |
|---|
| Brand | SVS
United States · founded 1998 | SVS
United States · founded 1998 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Dome | 1" Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 4.5" | 4" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Composite glass-fiber | 2 x 6.5" composite glass-fiber |
|---|
| Frequency response | 40-40k Hz | 45-32k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 87 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-225 watts | 20-225 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 12.20kg / 26.8lbs | 14.09kg / 31lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 7.83" x 22" x 11.78"
199 x 560 x 299.2mm | 8-1/8" x 22-1/16" x 11-3/16"
207.0 x 561.0 x 285.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the SVS Ultra Evolution Center and SVS Ultra Center 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 Evolution Center |
SVS Ultra Center |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
Average |
(* 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 Evolution Center and Ultra Center are 3-way speakers.
SVS Ultra Evolution CenterSVS Ultra Center
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 Evolution Center |
SVS Ultra Center |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 4.5-inch |
1 x 4-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
Ultra Evolution Center features a 1" aluminum Dome Tweeter, a 4.5" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Composite glass-fiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 450HZ and 2200Hz. On the other hand, the 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.
Frequency Response
Ultra Evolution Center has a frequency range of 40-40k Hz whereas Ultra Center has a frequency range of 45-32k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 40Hz, the Ultra Evolution Center can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to 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 Evolution Center is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the Ultra Center which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
On the other hand, they have the same sensitivity of 87 dBdB.
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 Evolution Center and Ultra Center have the same power range of 20-225 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.
SVS Ultra Evolution Center
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both Ultra Evolution Center and Ultra Center features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
SVS Ultra Evolution Center's Gold-plated 5-way terminals allows 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 Evolution Center and Ultra Center 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 Evolution Center's and SVS Ultra Center's external dimensions. SVS Ultra Evolution Center has external dimensions of 199 x 560 x 299.2mm (7.83 x 22.05 x 11.78”) whereas 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).
SVS Ultra Evolution Center is 1mm narrower and 8mm shorter than SVS Ultra Center but it is also 14mm deeper.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Near-identical footprints.
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 Evolution Center is approximately 1674.4cm2 / 259.5inch2 and base area of the SVS Ultra Center is approximately 1598.9cm2 / 247.8inch2. The Ultra Evolution Center requires 5% more surface area than the Ultra Center 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 Evolution Center weighs 12.20kg / 26.8lbs and the SVS Ultra Center weighs 14.09kg / 31lbs. This makes the Ultra Center 15% heavier than the Ultra Evolution Center.
Here is a comparison of how Ultra Evolution Center and Ultra Center's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Center Channel class.
Weight
All Center Channel Speakers
SVS Ultra Evolution Center
What's in the Box of SVS Ultra Center?
Here are the items that come with the Ultra Center:
- Center channel loudspeaker
- Grille
- 2 Terminal jumpers (pre-installed)
- 4 Rubber feet
- Owners Manual
- SVS brochure
- Online Product Registration Card
 Low Frequency Response |
40 Hz
vs
45 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
32k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
199mm
vs
207mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Base Surface Area |
1598cm2
vs
1674cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
SVS Ultra Evolution Center |
SVS Ultra Center |
| Brand |
SVS |
SVS |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
20-225 watts |
20-225 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
87 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
40-40k Hz |
45-32k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Composite glass-fiber |
composite glass-fiber |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
4.5" |
4" |
| Crossover Frequency |
450HZ and 2200Hz |
500Hz and 2200Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
199.0mm (7.8") |
207.0mm (8.1") |
| Width |
560.0mm (22") |
561.0mm (22.1") |
| Depth |
299.0mm (11.8") |
285.0mm (11.2") |
| Weight |
12.20kg (26.8lbs) |
14.09kg (31lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Available Colors |
Piano Gloss Black,Piano Gloss White,Black Oak Veneer |
Black Oak,Piano Gloss Black,Piano Gloss White |
| 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: SVS Ultra Evolution Center 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 Evolution Center digs deeper - 40Hz against 45Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (87dB vs 87dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | B | SVS Ultra Center is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (225W vs 225W). |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | depends | SVS Ultra Evolution Center: bi-amping; SVS Ultra Center: bi-amping. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($799 vs $799 a pair). |
A SVS Ultra Evolution Center B SVS Ultra Center
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. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 45Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead.
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.