In this review, we will be comparing Ultra Tower and L600, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from SVS and Polk Audio. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of SVS Ultra Tower and Polk L600 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the SVS Ultra Tower and Polk L600 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 Polk L600 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 L600 are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
SVS Ultra Tower |
Polk L600 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.0-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
2 x 6.5-inch |
1 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8.0-inch
|
2 x 7-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 L600 features a 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter , a 5.25" Midrange and 2 x 7" Polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 410Hz and 2900Hz.
Frequency Response
Ultra Tower has a frequency range of 28-32k Hz whereas L600 has a frequency range of 34-38k 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 L600's min frequency of 34Hz.
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 is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the L600 which has a nominal impedance of 4 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the L600 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Ultra Tower sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the L600's is rated at 86 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the SVS Ultra Tower a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk L600, 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.
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
Both Ultra Tower and L600 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
SVS Ultra Tower's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Polk L600's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or 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 Polk L600'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 Polk L600 has external dimensions of 1182.0 x 331.0 x 426.0mm ( 46-1/2 x 13 x 16-3/4inch) .
Polk L600 is 24mm narrower and 19mm less deeper than SVS Ultra Tower but it is also 23mm taller.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of SVS Ultra Tower and Polk L600 in scale.
Comparison image of SVS Ultra Tower and Polk L600 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 Polk L600 is approximately 1410.1cm2 / 218.6inch2. The Ultra Tower requires 12% more surface area than the L600 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 Polk L600 weighs 35.30kg / 77.7lbs. This makes the L600 3% heavier than the Ultra Tower.
Here is a comparison of how Ultra Tower and L600'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 Polk L600?
Here are the items that come with the L600:
Floorstanding loudspeakerLarge grilleSmall grille4 Rubber feet (pre-installed)4 Spike feet (pre-installed)2 Jumper-wires (pre-installed)Cleaning clothOwners ManualOnline Registration
 Sensitivity |
88 dB
vs
86 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
8.0 inches
vs
7 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
28 Hz
vs
34 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
1159mm
vs
1182mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
2600USD
vs
3498USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 High Frequency Response |
38k Hz
vs
32k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Dolby Atmos Drivers |
Optional L900 Height Module Speaker
vs
No
|
Dolby Atmos Compatibility |
 Base Surface Area |
1410cm2 (331x426mm)
vs
1579cm2 (355x445mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
SVS Ultra Tower |
Polk Audio Legend L600 |
| Brand |
SVS |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
20-300 watts |
30-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
86 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
3.3 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
28-32k Hz |
34-38k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8.0" |
7" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene |
Polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.0" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
Pinnacle Ring Radiator |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6.5" |
5.25" |
| Crossover Frequency |
160HZ and 2000Hz |
410Hz and 2900Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
down |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1159.0mm (45.6") |
1182.0mm (46.5") |
| Width |
355.0mm (14") |
331.0mm (13") |
| Depth |
445.0mm (17.5") |
426.0mm (16.8") |
| Weight |
34.27kg (75.4lbs) |
35.30kg (77.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Oak veneer |
MDF/Wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
Black Oak,Piano Gloss Black,Piano Gloss White |
Brown Walnut, Black Ash |
| 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 |