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SVS Ultra Tower vs SVS Ultra Bookshelf Comparison

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SVS Ultra Tower

Passive Floor-standing | 28-32k Hz

SVS Ultra Tower
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SVS Ultra Bookshelf

Passive Bookshelf | 45-32k Hz

SVS Ultra Bookshelf
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SVS Ultra Tower SVS Ultra Tower
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SVS Ultra Bookshelf SVS Ultra Bookshelf
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SVS Ultra Tower
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SVS Ultra Bookshelf
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SVS Ultra Tower vs SVS Ultra Bookshelf Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by SVS. SVS Ultra Tower is a Floor-standing speaker whereas the Ultra Bookshelf is a Bookshelf speaker.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of SVS Ultra Tower and SVS Ultra Bookshelf 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 )

SVS Ultra Bookshelf Key Specs

  • 2-way Design
  • 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter
  • 6.5" Composite glass-fiber Woofer
  • 45-32k Hz Frequency Response
  • 87 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 8ohms
  • Power Range:20-150watts
  • Weight:8.64kg
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 380.0" x 8-9/16" x 11-1/16"( 380.0 x 218.0 x 281.0mm )

Ultra Tower and Ultra Bookshelf are members of SVS's Ultra series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.

SVS Ultra Series History
Model Body Frequency SensitivityImpedance Woofer
SVS Ultra Center
  
Center Channel 45-32k Hz 87 dB8Ω 2 x 6.5"
SVS Ultra Tower
Floor-standing 28-32k Hz 88 dB8Ω 2 x 8.0"
SVS Ultra Bookshelf
Bookshelf 45-32k Hz 87 dB8Ω 1 x 6.5"

What size room are the SVS Ultra Tower and SVS Ultra Bookshelf 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 SVS Ultra Bookshelf
Near-field Bad Poor
Small Room Poor Average
Mid-size Room Average Good
Large Room Good Average
Very Large Room Average Poor

(* 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 SVS Ultra Bookshelf 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

One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Ultra Tower is a 3-way design whereas the Ultra Bookshelf is a 2-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.

Driver SVS Ultra Tower SVS Ultra Bookshelf
Driver Setup 3-way 2-way
Tweeter 1.0-inch 1-inch
Midrange 2 x 6.5-inch -
Woofer 2 x 8.0-inch 1 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 Ultra Bookshelf features a 1" aluminum Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Composite glass-fiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2000Hz.

Frequency Response

Ultra Tower has a frequency range of 28-32k Hz whereas Ultra Bookshelf has a frequency range of 45-32k 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 Ultra Bookshelf'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

Ultra Tower
Ultra Bookshelf
Min
Average
Max
High Frequency

Floor-standing Speakers

SVS Ultra Tower
SVS Ultra Bookshelf
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 Ultra Bookshelf 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 Ultra Bookshelf's is at 87 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the SVS Ultra Tower a more sensitive speaker compared to SVS Ultra Bookshelf, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.

Sensitivity

Floor-standing Speakers

Ultra Tower
Ultra Bookshelf
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 Ultra Bookshelf has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 150 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

Both Ultra Tower and Ultra Bookshelf features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.

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

SVS Ultra Bookshelf5-way post Terminals
SVS Ultra Bookshelf's 5-way 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 SVS Ultra Bookshelf'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 SVS Ultra Bookshelf has external dimensions of 380.0 x 218.0 x 281.0mm ( 14-15/16 x 8-9/16 x 11-1/16inch) .

SVS Ultra Tower is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 137mm wider, 779mm taller and 164mm deeper than SVS Ultra Bookshelf.

Below you can see the front view size comparison of SVS Ultra Tower and SVS Ultra Bookshelf in scale.

SVS Ultra Tower vs SVS Ultra Bookshelf Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of SVS Ultra Tower and SVS Ultra Bookshelf 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 SVS Ultra Bookshelf is approximately 612.6cm2 / 95.0inch2. The Ultra Tower requires 158% more surface area than the Ultra Bookshelf which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.

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 SVS Ultra Bookshelf?

    Here are the items that come with the Ultra Bookshelf:
  • 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
  • 2 Grilles
  • 8 Rubber feet
  • 2 Terminal jumpers (pre-installed)
  • Owners Manual
  • SVS brochure
  • Online Product Registration Card

  • Reasons to choose SVS Ultra Tower over SVS Ultra Bookshelf
    Max Input Power 300 watts vs 150 watts Handle more power from your amplifier
    Driver Setup 3-way vs 2-way Have a dedicated mid-range driver
    Sensitivity 88 dB vs 87 dB Play louder with same amount of amplification power
    Woofer Size 8.0 inches vs 6.5 inches Larger woofer
    Number of Woofers 2 vs 1 More woofers
    Low Frequency Response 28 Hz vs 45 Hz Generates deeper bass

    Reasons to choose SVS Ultra Bookshelf over SVS Ultra Tower

    Height 380mm vs 1159mm Easier to fit in smaller spaces
    Base Surface Area 612cm2 vs 1579cm2 Takes less floor space
    Price per pair* 1200USD vs 2600USD costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)
    SVS Ultra Tower vs SVS Ultra Bookshelf Specs Table
    Detailed comparison of specifications
    General SVS Ultra Tower SVS Ultra Bookshelf
    Brand SVS SVS
    Speaker Type Floor-standing speaker Bookshelf speakers
    Power Range 20-300 watts 20-150 watts
    Sensitivity 88 dB 87 dB
    Impedance 8 ohms 8 ohms
    Frequency Response 28-32k Hz 45-32k Hz
    Drivers
    Woofer Quantity 2 1
    Woofer Size 8.0" 6.5"
    Woofer Composition Polypropylene Composite glass-fiber
    Woofer Surround Material Rubber Rubber
    Tweeter Size 1.0" 1"
    Tweeter Type Dome Hard-Dome
    Aimable Tweeter No No
    Midrange Driver 6.5" No
    Crossover Frequency 160HZ and 2000Hz 2000Hz
    Firing Direction n/a rear
    Physical Specs
    Height 1159.0mm (45.6") 380.0mm (15")
    Width 355.0mm (14") 218.0mm (8.6")
    Depth 445.0mm (17.5") 281.0mm (11.1")
    Weight 34.27kg (75.4lbs) 8.64kg (19lbs)
    Enclosure Bass Reflex Bass Reflex
    Finish MDF/Oak veneer MDF/Oak veneer
    Available Colors Black Oak,Piano Gloss Black,Piano Gloss White Black Oak,Piano Gloss Black,Piano Gloss White
    Mounting Bracket No No
    Recommended Stand Height n/a 22-28"
    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

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