SVS Ultra Speakers Loudspeakers

[Steve81]

Do they have an efficiency spec out yet? That ultra tower could be really interesting if they optimize it for output in conjunction with subwoofers.

I'd be curious on the sensitivity (and impedance) as well. While I have faith that SVS wouldn't sully the Ultra moniker by putting something out that isn't capable of considerable clean output, it'd be nice if it didn't require a separate amplifier to do so. In this regard, I'm spoiled by my current setup.

 

[j_garcia]

Wonder what they gonna cost lol probably can't afford them.

The expected pricing is shown on their site AND right at the top of the article.

Wouldn't those 8 inch woofers be kinda useless if you're crossing them over at 80 hz to subs?

A speaker crossed at 80Hz can theoretically still get some sound all the way down to about 40Hz, though it will be at reduced levels based on the X-over slope, which will combine with the speaker's roll off.

 

[danlw]

Wow, finally! The speakers that have been delayed for several years are finally coming out!

I wonder how these will compare to the Klipsch Reference II line of speakers, with the RF-7 IIs as fronts. I'm literally a month away from buying a Reference II system (RF-7 II, RC-64 II, RS-52 II), and now I'm given pause. I sure hope the specs on these speakers are released soon!

I already have a pair of RB-81 IIs. Perhaps I should buy a pair of the SVS Bookshelves, level match them to the RB-81s, and do my own shootout. But then again, the Klipsch crowd would say the RF-7 IIs are in a different class, so such a comparison wouldn't be fair...

 

[gene]

Wow, finally! The speakers that have been delayed for several years are finally coming out!

I wonder how these will compare to the Klipsch Reference II line of speakers, with the RF-7 IIs as fronts. I'm literally a month away from buying a Reference II system (RF-7 II, RC-64 II, RS-52 II), and now I'm given pause. I sure hope the specs on these speakers are released soon!

I already have a pair of RB-81 IIs. Perhaps I should buy a pair of the SVS Bookshelves, level match them to the RB-81s, and do my own shootout. But then again, the Klipsch crowd would say the RF-7 IIs are in a different class, so such a comparison wouldn't be fair...

Klipsch give you a lot of bass and treble and play loud. The SVS speakers seem to be voiced more tonally neutral. It all depends on what you're looking for. There is a lot of engineering in the SVS speakers from what I see and its definitely worth the wait.

 

[Steve81]

I already have a pair of RB-81 IIs. Perhaps I should buy a pair of the SVS Bookshelves, level match them to the RB-81s, and do my own shootout. But then again, the Klipsch crowd would say the RF-7 IIs are in a different class, so such a comparison wouldn't be fair...

It'd be fair enough IMO (and I am a Klipsch guy).

Certainly the RF-7IIs can deliver greater output and deeper bass with less distortion than the RB-81s, but presumably you could say that about the Ultra bookshelf vs the Ultra Tower as well. I don't think it unreasonable to assume that either speaker will give you a fair idea of the voicing of both lines and an idea of their relative strengths and weaknesses. I'd certainly be interested to see such a comparison.

 

[templemaners]

Attractive looking speakers. Hope they get reviewed at some point.

 

[FirstReflection]

Is SVSound including the shipping in that $2000/pair price, the way they include shipping in the prices of their subwoofers?

I'm guessing they probably are. Would be weird to offer "free" shipping on all of their subs, but not on their new speakers

 

[j_garcia]

My only concern is that the whole reason we liked ID companies is that they were highly cost effective. Now with pretty much all of them offering mid- to high end offerings, what is going to become of the budget market?

 

[FirstReflection]

My only concern is that the whole reason we liked ID companies is that they were highly cost effective. Now with pretty much all of them offering mid- to high end offerings, what is going to become of the budget market?

It IS funny how the price points and markets have shifted. But for right now, we've got Pioneer and Inifinity covering the entry level with their 2nd Gen Andrew Jones speakers and Primus line, respectively

And if Samsung ever decided to throw their massive weight behind a budget speaker project, they could really move the chains.

But I don't think this glut of high performance speakers at the $2000/pair price point is any accident. Above that price point, you start to hit diminishing returns big time!

I actually feel like most segments of the market are nicely covered as of right now. We've got Onkyo's SKS-HT540 speaker package for the super low price point crowd. Energy or an Onkyo HTiB for the teeny tiny speaker crowd. Pioneer and Inifinity for the entry level. Ascend SE and Emotiva, for the "no frills" entry to higher quality sound crowd. EMP Tek and Aperion for something that looks a little nicer but is still very affordable. Then this whole $2000/tower pair crowd with centers and bookshelf speakers to match. And there's Martin Logan and Magnepan out there for the electrostatic and planar fans.

I'd like to see someone tackle an affordable on-wall option with a center that isn't just the same L/R speaker turned on its side though! We've got nothing but crappy sounding speakers until the Ascend HTM-200SE - and that's not REALLY an on-wall speaker. It's over 6 inches from front to back and just happens to be useable as an on-wall, but it's not slick-looking or as thin as most people would want. You've gotta get up to some $500/EACH MSRP stuff in the GoldenEar SuperSats and Revel M10/C10 on-walls before you get something that looks slick AND sounds good. And even then, those are very limited in terms of sheer output.

So I think some GOOD, inexpensive, slick-looking, capable of high output on-walls would be a game changer.

 

[Steve81]

Now with pretty much all of them offering mid- to high end offerings, what is going to become of the budget market?

My guess is that rising shipping costs are taking a toll on the budget ID segment. I mean, $100 to ship a pair of Sierra Towers isn't a big deal next to the overall cost. But if you had a pair of $400 budget towers that weren't much smaller or lighter, suddenly that $100 is a much bigger deal.

 

[SWSW]

Very nice!

Im looking forward to getting my ears on these. With the reputation SVS has in the industry Im sure they will be game changers. Does anyone know if these will be at the GTG to audition?

 

[scattershot]

Wow, finally! The speakers that have been delayed for several years are finally coming out!

I already have a pair of RB-81 IIs. Perhaps I should buy a pair of the SVS Bookshelves, level match them to the RB-81s, and do my own shootout. But then again, the Klipsch crowd would say the RF-7 IIs are in a different class, so such a comparison wouldn't be fair...

As a former dissapointed owner of the RB-81 II's (I like music and they just weren't very clear although great for movies and off-axis listening) I'd love to see how these compare to them and how they compare to the following bookshelfs:

•Klipsch Bookshelf Speaker RB-81 II
http://www.klipsch.com/rb-81-ii-bookshelf-speaker
($1100 per pair)

•Paradigm's Signature and Studio series
http://www.paradigm.com/products/products-by-category/bookshelf/signature/signature-series/signature-s2
http://www.paradigm.com/products/products-by-category/bookshelf/paradigm-reference/studio-series/studio-20

• Tannoy Definition DC8 Bookshelf:
http://www.tannoy.com/ResidentialSummary.aspx#&&2JbwRbVbMw48ZxyczqO2x4JAHIr0chHNGwBkOS8eQP+Us+Hd/eb4Nx8s1yt+5ne0cST2KYOUJ7FBPpY6fqky6khj1dcOT7WvbfWsQCJqNZYsUydMyjKReCmYgACHxfZnIWpo31evk2UJSLsxmRvYxiJoPNDYEQ5450coGQyJ3xoHTVsF4L4IrzXYhA6bA0XQ20GRbMBb1GIXpW94UYJixg==

Looking forward to seeing how SVS stands up, I'd be interested in a 5.1 speaker system using 5 identical bookshelf speakers!

I am looking for the most accurate bookshelf's I can find in the $2000/pair range (but under 20" tall because I am limited in height). I prefer cleaner and more accurate sound then a horn speaker like Klipsch offers.
If anyone has any suggestions in the $1500-$2500 MSRP range please share your info as we eagerly await the SVS info.

Thanks.

 

[FirstReflection]

I am looking for the most accurate bookshelf's I can find in the $2000/pair range (but under 20" tall because I am limited in height). I prefer cleaner and more accurate sound then a horn speaker like Klipsch offers.
If anyone has any suggestions in the $1500-$2500 MSRP range please share your info as we eagerly await the SVS info.

Thanks.

Some good options for you to audition would be the RBH Signature Reference 61-SE/R or the Signature SX Reference SX-61/R. And also the Focal Electra 1008 Be. You might also consider the Focal Professional self-powered Solo6 Be Studio Monitors. All are very, very good, clinically accurate speakers in that price range

 

[NewHTbuyer]

I got to listen to the new Ultra Towers today at RMAF. I also met the designer, Mark Mason, who is very cool and helpful. Although I am a noob when it comes to speaker design, I did ask some questions. (Please, don't fact check me on this, I saw, like, 25 rooms today plus I have two little kids, so my memory is shot. I would defer all final details to SVS) Anyway, he said the speaker is a 3 1/2 way design. The top 3 drivers are not a D'appolito array, because the bottom driver of the 2 midranges has a lower crossover. Also, the 2 side firing 8" cones are both active, but not powered, and are crossed at 160Hz.

I thought that they sounded and looked great, much better than their price. And, I believe, the same bill of rights applies to all their products.

Can't wait to go back to RMAF tomorrow.

 

[Matt34]

I got to listen to the new Ultra Towers today at RMAF. I also met the designer, Mark Mason, who is very cool and helpful. Although I am a noob when it comes to speaker design, I did ask some questions. (Please, don't fact check me on this, I saw, like, 25 rooms today plus I have two little kids, so my memory is shot. I would defer all final details to SVS) Anyway, he said the speaker is a 3 1/2 way design. The top 3 drivers are not a D'appolito array, because the bottom driver of the 2 midranges has a lower crossover. Also, the 2 side firing 8" cones are both active, but not powered, and are crossed at 160Hz.

I thought that they sounded and looked great, much better than their price. And, I believe, the same bill of rights applies to all their products.

Can't wait to go back to RMAF tomorrow.

I really wish I could have made it this year but it was either come home early in October for RMAF or late November for my daughters B-day. Guess which option won.

 

[SnowmaNick]

As a former dissapointed owner of the RB-81 II's (I like music and they just weren't very clear although great for movies and off-axis listening) I'd love to see how these compare to them and how they compare to the following bookshelfs:
...snip...

I am looking for the most accurate bookshelf's I can find in the $2000/pair range (but under 20" tall because I am limited in height). I prefer cleaner and more accurate sound then a horn speaker like Klipsch offers.
If anyone has any suggestions in the $1500-$2500 MSRP range please share your info as we eagerly await the SVS info.

Thanks.

I can't compare head-to-head, but I thought the Ultra's sounded very good. More detailed than I remember the P'Digm Studio's being, less bright than the Klipsch (I'm admittedly not a horn fan), and the treble/mids reminded me a bit of the P'Digm Sig's. You might want to double check though that SVS can split a pair. When I asked this they seemed to be amenable to it, but I think it will be more of a special order option if they can/will do it.

You might also want to check out the KEF R300's and/or LS50's. The LS50's have more definition than the R300's, but they also have a lot less bass and less output capabilities. Of the two KEF's, for a HT/Music setup, I'd go with the R300's for the added flexibility. The KEF rep I spoke with did let me know they are changing their pricing structure to allow individual bookshelve speaker sales, but wasn't sure when that would be completed, be sure to have your dealer check if you go this route.

Focal Electra 1008 Be.

Aren't those about $5k/pr? Great speakers, but in a very different price class.

 

[FirstReflection]

^^^Heh, yeah, I eff'd up on the Electra 1008 Be pricing. More like $2300/ EACH, not pair

Chalk that one up to a brain fart

 

[KEW]

Aren't those about $5k/pr? Great speakers, but in a very different price class.

The Focal Solo6 Be use the same drivers with Active crossovers and include amplification for $2700/pr. In this case, you save a bundle by going with Pro gear. While they are not quite so stylish as the 1008 Be, I think they are good looking speakers.
They are more articulate than the Paradigm Sig 2 or the Salk SongTower (they are the most articulate speaker I have ever heard)!

Solo6 Be studio speaker. Focal Professional studio monitor loudspeakers

These guys left the protective shipping cover on the tweeters:
Focal Solo6 Be | Sweetwater.com

Here's where I reviewed them against the Sigs and Salks:
http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/loudspeakers/59911-focal-solo6-vs-paradigm-s2-vs-salk-songtower-pt1.html

 

[scattershot]

Some good options for you to audition would be the RBH Signature Reference 61-SE/R or the Signature SX Reference SX-61/R. And also the Focal Electra 1008 Be. You might also consider the Focal Professional self-powered Solo6 Be Studio Monitors. All are very, very good, clinically accurate speakers in that price range

Hi FirstReflection, thanks for your advice.

I tried the Focal Electra 1008 Be ($5000 a pair MSRP):
Focal Electra 1008 Be: high end bookshelf hifi loudspeakers
in an acoustically treated room with just the 2 bookshelf’s hooked up and they sounded GREAT. Really they had NO weaknesses and were perhaps the finest bookshelf’s I have ever heard. The music sounded extremely accurate and warm, and the soundstage / horizontal axis sounded awesome. The problem being is that at this time $5000 a pair (MSRP) is definitely out of my price range. I might be able to go as high as $3500 a pair (MSRP) since obviously there will be some wiggle room on price but $5000 is likely to be noticeably out of my price ranger (since I need 5 identical speakers).

I then went and tried the Focal Chorus 806 V ($2000 a pair MSRP):
Focal Electra 1008 Be: high end bookshelf hifi loudspeakers
These speakers were NOT in an acoustically treated room. To my mind they sounded noticeably less impressive (and bright or perhaps a little 'colored' at times) but then again the room for these were a regular show floor so the 1008 Be had a advantage by room there were in. The 806 V's were harsh enough at times that I am not sure I can consider them...

The problem is that the place I went to wasn’t setup to try my reference disc (Hotel California DTS DVD track). I prefer to use my reference disc since I have heard it so many times on so many systems that I know what to look for when comparing speakers…

Thanks for your recommendations of these 2 speakers:
RBH Signature Classic Reference Series 61-SE/R
RBH 61-SE/R Bookshelf Speaker

RBH Signature SX Reference Series SX-61/R
Bookshelf: RBH SX-61/R Bookshelf Speaker

I will audition them as well to see how I like them although in a post of yours in another thread you seemed to indicate you liked the Paradigm S2's better than both of them no?

----- ----- ----- ----- -----
The 5 identical bookshelf speakers I get I plan to utilize with either
a single SVS PB13-ULTRA
PB13-ULTRA - SVS

or a dual setup PB12-PLUS / $1,399.00
PB12-PLUS - SVS

and because I have a space-challenged suite the speakers need to be bookshelf’s and not towers.

Lastly I forgot to mention that my receiver currently is the Onky 809:
http://www.us.onkyo.com/model.cfm?m=TX-NR809&class=Receiver&p=i

I generally upgrade it every 1-2 years and by a similar class receiver (e.g. around $1200 MSRP) but that's about all I can afford on a receiver if I upgrade very often.

Not sure if any of the models you recommended aren't ideal for that class of receiver?

 

[scattershot]

I can't compare head-to-head, but I thought the Ultra's sounded very good. More detailed than I remember the P'Digm Studio's being, less bright than the Klipsch (I'm admittedly not a horn fan), and the treble/mids reminded me a bit of the P'Digm Sig's. You might want to double check though that SVS can split a pair. When I asked this they seemed to be amenable to it, but I think it will be more of a special order option if they can/will do it.

You might also want to check out the KEF R300's and/or LS50's. The LS50's have more definition than the R300's, but they also have a lot less bass and less output capabilities. Of the two KEF's, for a HT/Music setup, I'd go with the R300's for the added flexibility. The KEF rep I spoke with did let me know they are changing their pricing structure to allow individual bookshelve speaker sales, but wasn't sure when that would be completed, be sure to have your dealer check if you go this route.

Hi SnowmaNick:

It would be REALLY interesting if the SVS Ultra Bookshelfs not only outperformed the Paradigm Studio's, but somewhat rivaled the Signature S2 Bookshelfs (a very well respected bookshelf for those that prefer acurate / warm sounding musics.

Thanks for the below recommendations:

KEF LS50 ($1500 a pair MSRP):
Flagship Hi-fi Speakers - LS50 - Overview - KEF Canada (English)

KEF R300 ($1800 a pair MSRP):
Hi-fi Speakers - R Series - Fact Sheets - Bookshelf - R300 - KEF Canada (English)

and I guess for those with a huge budget:
KEF Reference 201/2 ($6000 a pair MSRP):
Hi-fi Speakers - Reference Series - Fact Sheets - Bookshelf - 201/2 - KEF Canada (English)

I have never had the pleasure to try higher-end KEF’s like the 3 models above.
Do you think if I were to pair the KEF speakers with either

a single SVS PB13-ULTRA
PB13-ULTRA - SVS

or a dual setup PB12-PLUS / $1,399.00
PB12-PLUS - SVS

You would say that the LS50’s will actually sound better than the R300’s? (That is what I got from the term “more definition”).

----- ----- ----- ----- -----
Lastly I forgot to mention that my receiver currently is the Onky 809:
http://www.us.onkyo.com/model.cfm?m=TX-NR809&class=Receiver&p=i

I generally upgrade it every 1-2 years and by a similar class receiver (e.g. around $1200 MSRP) but that's about all I can afford on a receiver if I upgrade very often.

Not sure if any of the models you recommended aren't ideal for that class of receiver.

Thanks.