In this review, we will be comparing Sonetto CI and Ultra Center, two Passive Center Channel speakers from Sonus faber and SVS.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Sonus Sonetto Center I and SVS Ultra Center first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Sonus Sonetto Center I | SVS Ultra Center |
|---|
| Brand | Sonus faber
Italy · founded 1983 | SVS
United States · founded 1998 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.15" high definition DAD Dome | 1" Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 4" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6" aluminum cone | 2 x 6.5" composite glass-fiber |
|---|
| Frequency response | 60-25k Hz | 45-32k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 87 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-200 watts | 20-225 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 6.50kg / 14.3lbs | 14.09kg / 31lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 9.5" x 19.5" x 12"
242.0 x 495.0 x 303.0mm | 8-1/8" x 22-1/16" x 11-3/16"
207.0 x 561.0 x 285.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Sonus Sonetto Center I and SVS Ultra Center 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* |
Sonus Sonetto Center I |
SVS Ultra Center |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Sonetto CI is a 2-way design whereas the Ultra Center is a 3-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.
Sonus Sonetto Center ISVS Ultra Center
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Sonus Sonetto Center I |
SVS Ultra Center |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.15-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 4-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
Sonetto CI features a 1.15" high definition DAD Dome Tweeter and 2 x 6" aluminum cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1.550 Hz. On the other hand, the Ultra Center features a 1" aluminum Dome Tweeter, a 4" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" composite glass-fiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 500Hz and 2200Hz.
Frequency Response
Sonetto CI has a frequency range of 60-25k Hz whereas Ultra Center has a frequency range of 45-32k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 45Hz, the Ultra Center can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Sonetto CI's min frequency of 60Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Sonetto CI is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the Ultra Center which has a nominal impedance of 8 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 Sonetto CI can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Sonetto CI sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the Ultra Center's is rated at 87 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Sonus Sonetto Center I a more sensitive speaker compared to SVS Ultra Center, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Center Channel 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.
Ultra Center can handle a max power of 225 watts RMS, whereas Sonetto CI has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 25 watts less than the Ultra Center.
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
Both Sonetto CI and Ultra Center features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Sonus Sonetto Center I's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
SVS Ultra Center's 5-Way post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Sonetto CI and Ultra Center have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
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 Sonus Sonetto Center I's and SVS Ultra Center's external dimensions. Sonus Sonetto Center I has external dimensions of 242.0 x 495.0 x 303.0mm (10 x 20 x 12inch) whereas SVS Ultra Center has external dimensions of 207.0 x 561.0 x 285.0mm (8-1/8 x 22-1/16 x 11-3/16inch).
SVS Ultra Center is 35mm shorter and 18mm less deeper than Sonus Sonetto Center I but it is also 66mm wider.
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 Sonus Sonetto Center I is approximately 1499.9cm2 / 232.5inch2 and base area of the SVS Ultra Center is approximately 1598.9cm2 / 247.8inch2. The Sonetto CI requires 6% less surface area than the Ultra Center which gives it a small advantage 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 Sonus Sonetto Center I weighs 6.50kg / 14.3lbs and the SVS Ultra Center weighs 14.09kg / 31lbs. This makes the Ultra Center 117% heavier than the Sonetto CI.
Here is a comparison of how Sonetto CI and Ultra Center's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Center Channel class.
Weight
All Center Channel Speakers
What's in the Box of Sonus Sonetto Center I?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Sonetto CI:
- 1 Masks
- 1 Fabric dust guards
- 1 Basis
- 2 Jumpers
- 1 Manual
What's in the Box of SVS Ultra Center?
Here are the items that come with the Ultra Center:
- Center channel loudspeaker
- Grille
- 2 Terminal jumpers (pre-installed)
- 4 Rubber feet
- Owners Manual
- SVS brochure
- Online Product Registration Card
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Base Surface Area |
1499cm2
vs
1598cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Max Input Power |
225 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
6 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
45 Hz
vs
60 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
32k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
207mm
vs
242mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
799USD
vs
1099USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Sonus faber Sonetto Center I |
SVS Ultra Center |
| Brand |
Sonus faber |
SVS |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
50-200 watts |
20-225 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
87 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
60-25k Hz |
45-32k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
aluminum cone |
composite glass-fiber |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.15" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
high definition DAD Dome |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
4" |
| Crossover Frequency |
1.550 Hz |
500Hz and 2200Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
242.0mm (9.5") |
207.0mm (8.1") |
| Width |
495.0mm (19.5") |
561.0mm (22.1") |
| Depth |
303.0mm (11.9") |
285.0mm (11.2") |
| Weight |
6.50kg (14.3lbs) |
14.09kg (31lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Available Colors |
Wood, White, Black, Wenge |
Black Oak,Piano Gloss Black,Piano Gloss White |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |
A generation apart: Sonus Sonetto Center I is the newer design, against a 2013 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | SVS Ultra Center digs deeper - 45Hz against 60Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | A | Sonus Sonetto Center I is more sensitive (90dB vs 87dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | SVS Ultra Center is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (200W vs 225W). |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | depends | Sonus Sonetto Center I: bi-amping; SVS Ultra Center: bi-amping. Sonus Sonetto Center I sits in a wider range (11 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | SVS Ultra Center is cheaper - $799 against $1,099, about 27% less. |
A Sonus Sonetto Center I B SVS Ultra Center
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?
SVS Ultra Center 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 60Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate Sonus Sonetto Center I the better fit for a small room, and SVS Ultra Center for a large room and a very large room.
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.