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SVS Ultra Tower vs Focal Chora 826-D Comparison

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SVS Ultra Tower

Passive Floor-standing | 28-32k Hz

SVS Ultra Tower
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Focal Chora 826-D

Passive Floor-standing | 48-28k Hz

Focal Chora 826-D
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SVS Ultra Tower SVS Ultra Tower
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Focal Chora 826-D Focal Chora 826-D
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SVS Ultra Tower
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Focal Chora 826-D
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SVS Ultra Tower vs Focal Chora 826-D Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing Ultra Tower and Chora 826-D, 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 Chora 826-D first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

SVS Ultra Tower Key Specs

  • 3-way Design
  • 1.0" Dome Tweeter
  • 6.5" Midrange
  • 2 x 8.0" Polypropylene Woofer
  • 28-32k Hz Frequency Response
  • 88 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 8ohms
  • Power Range:20-300watts
  • Weight:34.27kg
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 1159.0" x 13-15/16" x 17-1/2"( 1159.0 x 355.0 x 445.0mm )

Focal Chora 826-D Key Specs

  • 3-way Design
  • 1" inverted dome Tweeter
  • 6.5" Midrange
  • 2 x 6.5" Slatefiber Woofer
  • 6.5" Midrange
  • 48-28k Hz Frequency Response
  • 91 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 8ohms
  • Power Range:40-250watts
  • Weight:22.20kg
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 1053.0" x 12" x 16-1/2"( 1053.0 x 305.0 x 420.0mm )

What size room are the SVS Ultra Tower and Focal Chora 826-D 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 Focal Chora 826-D
Near-field Bad Bad
Small Room Poor Poor
Mid-size Room Average Average
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.)

In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the SVS Ultra Tower and Focal Chora 826-D compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.


**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.


Drivers

Both Ultra Tower and Chora 826-D are 3-way speakers.

Driver SVS Ultra Tower Focal Chora 826-D
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 Chora 826-D features a 1" TNF Al/Mg inverted dome Tweeter , a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Slatefiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 270Hz and 2700Hz.

Frequency Response

Ultra Tower has a frequency range of 28-32k Hz whereas Chora 826-D has a frequency range of 48-28k 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 Chora 826-D'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 Floor-standing class in our database.

Low Frequency

Floor-standing Speakers

Ultra Tower
Chora 826-D
Min
Average
Max
High Frequency

Floor-standing Speakers

SVS Ultra Tower
Focal Chora 826-D
Min
Average
Max

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 Chora 826-D 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 Chora 826-D's is at 91 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Focal Chora 826-D a more sensitive speaker compared to SVS Ultra Tower, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.

Sensitivity

Floor-standing Speakers

Ultra Tower
Chora 826-D
Min
Average
Max

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 Chora 826-D 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. Chora 826-D has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.

SVS Ultra Tower Terminals
SVS Ultra Tower's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring

Focal Chora 826-DBinding post Terminals
Focal Chora 826-D's Binding post terminals

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 Chora 826-D'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 Chora 826-D has external dimensions of 1053.0 x 305.0 x 420.0mm ( 41-7/16 x 12 x 16-1/2inch) .

SVS Ultra Tower is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 50mm wider, 106mm taller and 25mm deeper than Focal Chora 826-D.

Below you can see the front view size comparison of SVS Ultra Tower and Focal Chora 826-D in scale.

SVS Ultra Tower vs Focal Chora 826-D Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of SVS Ultra Tower and Focal Chora 826-D Size and External Dimensions

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 Chora 826-D is approximately 1281.0cm2 / 198.6inch2. The Ultra Tower requires 23% more surface area than the Chora 826-D 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 Chora 826-D weighs 22.20kg / 48.8lbs. This makes the Ultra Tower 54% heavier than the Chora 826-D.

Here is a comparison of how Ultra Tower and Chora 826-D's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.

Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
SVS Ultra Tower
Focal Chora 826-D
Min
Average
Max

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 Focal Chora 826-D?

    Here are the items that come with the Chora 826-D:
  • Dolby-Atmos enabled floorstanding loudspeaker
  • Base
  • 4 Rubber feet
  • 4 Spike feet
  • 4 Nuts
  • 4 Screws
  • 4 Washers
  • Hex-key
  • 2 Grilles
  • User manual

  • Reasons to choose SVS Ultra Tower over Focal Chora 826-D
    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 48 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 2998USD costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)

    Reasons to choose Focal Chora 826-D over SVS Ultra Tower

    Sensitivity 91 dB vs 88 dB Play louder with same amount of amplification power
    Dolby Atmos Drivers Built-in 1 x 5-1/8 vs No Dolby Atmos Compatibility
    Height 1053mm vs 1159mm Easier to fit in smaller spaces
    Base Surface Area 1281cm2 vs 1579cm2 Takes less floor space
    SVS Ultra Tower vs Focal Chora 826-D Specs Table
    Detailed comparison of specifications
    General SVS Ultra Tower Focal Chora 826-D
    Brand SVS Focal
    Speaker Type Floor-standing speaker Floor-standing speaker
    Power Range 20-300 watts 40-250 watts
    Sensitivity 88 dB 91 dB
    Impedance 8 ohms 8 ohms
    Impedance n/a 2.9 ohms
    Frequency Response 28-32k Hz 48-28k Hz
    Drivers
    Woofer Quantity 2 2
    Woofer Size 8.0" 6.5"
    Woofer Composition Polypropylene Slatefiber
    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 270Hz and 2700Hz
    Firing Direction n/a front
    Physical Specs
    Height 1159.0mm (45.6") 1053.0mm (41.5")
    Width 355.0mm (14") 305.0mm (12")
    Depth 445.0mm (17.5") 420.0mm (16.5")
    Weight 34.27kg (75.4lbs) 22.20kg (48.8lbs)
    Enclosure Bass Reflex Bass Reflex
    Finish MDF/Oak veneer MDF/Vinyl-wrap
    Available Colors Black Oak,Piano Gloss Black,Piano Gloss White Black, Dark wood, Light wood
    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

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