In this review, we will be comparing Ultra Tower and Aria 926, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from SVS and Focal. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of SVS Ultra Tower and Focal Aria 926 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the SVS Ultra Tower and Focal Aria 926 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:
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the SVS Ultra Tower and Focal Aria 926 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 Tower and Aria 926 are 3-way speakers.
Driver |
SVS Ultra Tower |
Focal Aria 926 |
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
Tweeter
|
1.0-inch
|
1-inch
|
Midrange
|
2 x 6.5-inch |
1 x 6.5-inch |
Woofer
|
2 x 8.0-inch
|
2 x 6.5-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 Aria 926 features a 1" TNF Al/Mg inverted dome Tweeter , a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Flax Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 290Hz and 2,400Hz.
Frequency Response
Ultra Tower has a frequency range of 28-32k Hz whereas Aria 926 has a frequency range of 45-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 28Hz, the Ultra Tower can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Aria 926's min frequency of 45Hz.
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 Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing 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 Tower and Aria 926 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 Aria 926's is at 91.5 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the Focal Aria 926 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. 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 Tower can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Aria 926 has a max power handling value of 250 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Ultra Tower.
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 Tower features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Aria 926 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/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 Tower's and Focal Aria 926'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 Focal Aria 926 has external dimensions of 1039.0 x 294.0 x 374.0mm ( 40-7/8 x 11-9/16 x 14-11/16inch) .
SVS Ultra Tower is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 61mm wider, 120mm taller and 71mm deeper than Focal Aria 926.
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 Focal Aria 926 is approximately 1099.6cm2 / 170.4inch2. The Ultra Tower requires 44% more surface area than the Aria 926 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 Focal Aria 926 weighs 25.00kg / 55lbs. This makes the Ultra Tower 37% heavier than the Aria 926.
Here is a comparison of how Ultra Tower and Aria 926'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 loudspeakerCloth grille2 Metal grillesFoam port plug4 Elastomer isolation feet (pre-installed)4 Spike feet4 Nuts4 Protective discs2 Terminal jumpers (pre-installed)Owners ManualSVS brochureOnline Product Registration Card
What's in the Box of Focal Aria 926?
Here are the items that come with the Aria 926:
Floorstanding loudspeakerGrilleBase4 Spike feet (pre-installed in base)4 Plastic feet4 ScrewsAllen-keyHex-toolUser Manual
Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
250 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
Woofer Size |
8.0 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
Low Frequency Response |
28 Hz
vs
45 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
High Frequency Response |
32k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
Price per pair* |
2600USD
vs
4798USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
Sensitivity |
92 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
Height |
1039mm
vs
1159mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
Base Surface Area |
1099cm2 (294x374mm)
vs
1579cm2 (355x445mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
General |
SVS Ultra Tower |
Focal Aria 926 |
Brand |
SVS |
Focal |
Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
Power Range |
20-300 watts |
40-250 watts |
Sensitivity |
88 dB |
91.5 dB |
Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
Impedance |
n/a |
2.9 ohms |
Frequency Response |
28-32k Hz |
45-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
Woofer Size |
8.0" |
6.5" |
Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene |
Flax |
Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
Tweeter Size |
1.0" |
1" |
Tweeter Type |
Dome |
inverted dome |
Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
Midrange Driver |
6.5" |
6.5" |
Crossover Frequency |
160HZ and 2000Hz |
290Hz and 2,400Hz |
Physical Specs |
|
|
Height |
1159.0mm (45.6") |
1039.0mm (40.9") |
Width |
355.0mm (14") |
294.0mm (11.6") |
Depth |
445.0mm (17.5") |
374.0mm (14.7") |
Weight |
34.27kg (75.4lbs) |
25.00kg (55lbs) |
Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
Finish |
MDF/Oak veneer |
MDF/Glass/Leather |
Available Colors |
Black Oak,Piano Gloss Black,Piano Gloss White |
Gloss Black |
Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |