SVS Prime Wireless Pro Powered Speaker Review
In the past, a stereo system was the staple in every living room. Apart from the sofa, there will be a TV and the radio. If you had space, there will be a multi-deck system, with an equaliser, radio, cassette deck and the amp, flanked by a pair of speakers.
When home theatre became popular, the pair of speakers then became five and more, but things changed, especially when homes became smaller. The soundbar reigned in many domestic settings, but there are some issues with a soundbar. When you take the same budget and divide it up into more channels, the main thing that suffers is sound quality.
However, you may want domestic bliss and keep the two speaker layout minus the cables and multiple boxes, so are there alternatives? And the answer is yes!
The powered speaker used to be the preserve of computer users, who use it as alternatives to their built in speakers. It added volume and fidelity. Then someone felt that it was a good idea to use it in a room for music, and KEF came out with their wireless speakers, and they have not looked back. Using the LS 50 as a foundation, they built a series of speakers that have sold by the ton.
Then someone figured that it may be nice to add a HDMI input or even add ARC and use it as an alternative to the soundbar. Put the money into two good speakers, decent amps and DACs and that is something buyers find interesting. So did SVS's first dip into this area work out?
First the tech bits from the SVS website:
Some interesting bits:
- four amps total 200W for each speaker (separate amps for each tweeter and woofer)
- Airplay
- Bluetooth with AAC / APTX
- HDMI with eARC
- sub out
- optical and RCA inputs
- physical remote and app
Unboxing
When you open the box, you'll find the speakers all nicely wrapped up, and when you take off the wrappers, you'll find a well built speaker box with a lovely lacquer finish that will not look out of place in a speaker many times the price of the SVS. The speaker rap test passed with flying colors and all the bits look like they will last for years.
It's a pretty standard compact sized box, of about a foot tall, and one of the speakers is active and the other is passive. All the important connectors are located on the active speaker, but one important thing to note is the special connector that links the passive speaker to the active. And yes, there is a cable, so unless some other options, not only is there a power cable for the active, there is a speaker cable of sorts.
This cable is fairly long, but it also means that you need to get a replacement from SVS if you spoil it or maybe want a longer one if possible. It also limits speaker placement positions. This is one big difference and possible disadvantage compared to the KEF wireless speakers and other brands.
This is a rear ported speaker, so do give it some room to breath. It's best on proper speaker stands, but you can consider using your TV console, and add some monitor pads for a tighter bass.
Setup is simple, and even without the app, you can begin listening right away, but you can use the app to add streaming capabilities and it's not too hard to use.
So how does it sound?
My benchmark for a reasonably priced powered audiophile speaker has been the KEFs, having owned the prototype of this earlier (https://peteswrite.blogspot.com/2013/05/kef-x300a-review.html)
The current KEF wireless speakers are really impressive but this pair comes in a handy grand or so cheaper (it should street for under $1500).
I used a mix of lossless Airplay, eARC to my Sony Z9D and Bluetooth sources to test this pair of speakers.
And right off the bat, these speakers impress. It's highly listenable, either in critical listening or just in the background. There is good separation, pace and rhythm, with sufficient bass for most pop music. A subwoofer like their own SVS SB 1000 Pro will be a nice addition and I had it on hand, and the combination made this the equivalent of a nice 2-4000 dollar pair of floorstanders easily. There is a good soundstage, sitting right between the speakers, but the fixed cable length prevents you from going further out. These speakers are best in a smaller room or nearfield for the best response. The front to back aural space created is impressive, and can keep up with many entry level amp / passive speaker setups easily, but you get streaming and wireless (sort of) capability built in. Bluetooth range is very good with minimal lag.
I had the original LS 50 on hand, driven by a Rotel A11 Tribute ( https://peteswrite.blogspot.com/2021/05/rotel-a11-and-cd-11-tribute-review.html ) and I find that these speakers could keep up with the KEFs, with a little less detail and dynamism, but it was a tough pick.
What about movies? Well since this speaker comes with a HDMI eARC port, this is a potential choice for those who are not too enamoured with the audio quality of soundbars.
One thing you must know is that these are two channel speakers, so forget about surround when you use these, but bear in mind, I have posted repeatedly that whilst soundbars promise an immersive experience, often times, our rooms are not ideal and we end up being disappointed with what they can achieve. Here it is plain and simple two channel and if you can sit in the centre, right between the speakers, you can improve not only the movie experience but also the dialogue. Having said that, there is no dialogue enhancement function, so those who want to change the EQ on this or dial up the dialogue should look elsewhere.
Even so, I enjoyed using them for home theatre, within the limitation I said, and when the time came for me to turn off the TV and play some tunes, I was very satisfied with them. They came off as neutral in tonality, with enough bass and dynamics to play soft and loud with simple instruments and most complex pieces.
To assemble a system with a streamer, amp and speakers to do the same functions will likely cost one grand more than this speaker, so it's very impressive indeed.
When the time came for me to return these speakers, I was quite sad and I may consider owning a pair, enough said. These speakers are good value and a nice benchmark for those who don't wish to spend a lot or have a stack of equipment and yet want good stereo music.
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