In this review, we will be comparing Ultra Tower and BP-9060, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from SVS and Definitive Technology.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of SVS Ultra Tower and Definitive BP-9060 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | SVS Ultra Tower | Definitive BP-9060 |
|---|
| Brand | SVS
United States · founded 1998 | Definitive Technology
United States · founded 1990 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.0" Dome | 1" dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 2 x 6.5" | 3 x 4.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 8.0" Polypropylene | 10" Polypropelene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 28-32k Hz | 18-49k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 92 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-300 watts | 50-300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 34.27kg / 75.4lbs | 22.73kg / 50lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 45-5/8" x 13-15/16" x 17-1/2"
1159.0 x 355.0 x 445.0mm | 44-9/16" x 11-1/16" x 13-13/16"
1132.0 x 281.0 x 351.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the SVS Ultra Tower and Definitive BP-9060 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 Tower |
Definitive BP-9060 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Are you nuts? |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
Good |
(* 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 Tower and BP-9060 are 3-way speakers.
SVS Ultra TowerDefinitive BP-9060
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 Tower |
Definitive BP-9060 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.0-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
2 x 6.5-inch |
3 x 4.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8.0-inch
|
1 x 10-inch
|
Ultra Tower features a 1.0" aluminum Dome Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 8.0" Polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 160HZ and 2000Hz. On the other hand, the BP-9060 features a 1" annealed aluminum dome Tweeter, a 4.5" Midrange and 1 x 10" Polypropelene Woofer.
Frequency Response
Ultra Tower has a frequency range of 28-32k Hz whereas BP-9060 has a frequency range of 18-49k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 18Hz, the BP-9060 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Ultra Tower's min frequency of 28Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Impedance and Sensitivity
Ultra Tower and BP-9060 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Ultra Tower sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the BP-9060's is at 92 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the Definitive BP-9060 a more sensitive speaker compared to SVS Ultra Tower, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing 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.
Both handle the same maximum of 300 watts RMS, though Ultra Tower is rated 20-300 watts and BP-9060 50-300 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.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Ultra Tower features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. BP-9060 has a 5-Way post, RCA which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
SVS Ultra Tower's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Definitive BP-9060's 5-Way post, RCA 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 Tower's and Definitive BP-9060's external dimensions. SVS Ultra Tower has external dimensions of 1159.0 x 355.0 x 445.0mm (45-5/8 x 13-15/16 x 17-1/2inch) whereas Definitive BP-9060 has external dimensions of 1132.0 x 281.0 x 351.0mm (44-9/16 x 11-1/16 x 13-13/16inch).
SVS Ultra Tower is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 74mm wider, 27mm taller and 94mm deeper than Definitive BP-9060.
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 Tower is approximately 1579.8cm2 / 244.9inch2 and base area of the Definitive BP-9060 is approximately 986.3cm2 / 152.9inch2. The Ultra Tower requires 60% more surface area than the BP-9060 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 Tower weighs 34.27kg / 75.4lbs and the Definitive BP-9060 weighs 22.73kg / 50lbs. This makes the Ultra Tower 51% heavier than the BP-9060.
Here is a comparison of how Ultra Tower and BP-9060's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of SVS Ultra Tower?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Ultra Tower:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Cloth grille
- 2 Metal grilles
- Foam port plug
- 4 Elastomer isolation feet (pre-installed)
- 4 Spike feet
- 4 Nuts
- 4 Protective discs
- 2 Terminal jumpers (pre-installed)
- Owners Manual
- SVS brochure
- Online Product Registration Card
What's in the Box of Definitive BP-9060?
Here are the items that come with the BP-9060:
- Tower loudspeaker
- 6.5-feet AC power cord
- Top-plate (installed)
- Stabilizer base
- 4 Floor guides
- 4 Carpet spikes
- 4 Screws
- 4 Nuts
- Owners Manual
- What Obsession Sounds Like card
 Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Sensitivity |
92 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
|
Woofer Size |
10 inches
vs
8.0 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
18 Hz
vs
28 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
49k Hz
vs
32k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Dolby Atmos Drivers |
Optional
vs
No
|
Dolby Atmos Compatibility |
 Height |
1132mm
vs
1159mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
986cm2
vs
1579cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
2398USD
vs
2600USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
SVS Ultra Tower |
Definitive Technology BP-9060 |
| Brand |
SVS |
Definitive Technology |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
20-300 watts |
50-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
92 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
28-32k Hz |
18-49k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
8.0" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene |
Polypropelene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.0" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6.5" |
4.5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
160HZ and 2000Hz |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1159.0mm (45.6") |
1132.0mm (44.6") |
| Width |
355.0mm (14") |
281.0mm (11.1") |
| Depth |
445.0mm (17.5") |
351.0mm (13.8") |
| Weight |
34.27kg (75.4lbs) |
22.73kg (50lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Passive Radiator |
| Finish |
MDF/Oak veneer |
MDF/Aluminum/Cloth |
| Available Colors |
Black Oak,Piano Gloss Black,Piano Gloss White |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Definitive BP-9060 digs deeper - 18Hz against 28Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Definitive BP-9060 is more sensitive (92dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (300W vs 300W). |
| Size | depends | Definitive BP-9060 is easier to place; SVS Ultra Tower is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Cabinet | depends | Ported vs Passive Radiator. |
| Expandability | depends | SVS Ultra Tower: bi-amping; Definitive BP-9060: Atmos drivers. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($2,600 vs $2,398 a pair). |
A SVS Ultra Tower B Definitive BP-9060
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?
Definitive BP-9060 has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 28Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate Definitive BP-9060 the better fit for a very large room; elsewhere the two are rated the same.
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.