While the SB13-Ultra does have parametric EQ functionality (2), I ended up needing two more bands, so I EQ'ed it using Room EQ Wizard feeding my filters, then into my Behringer Feedback Destroyer Pro before passing the signal onto the sub itself. $120 off wireless Solo Pro at Best Buy. Admittedly, the mounting options are more limited with the Ultra Bookshelf speakers, as opposed to the Ultra Surrounds, which may be a factor for some. Review: SVS new top-of-the line Ultra Series Speakers reviewed here consist of 4 models. I did not get to spend a lot of time with them, about an hour or so. It’s almost as if the SVS speakers are scared to go quiet, so you don’t hear that dynamic shift as strongly; they start off loud, only to go louder still. Additional Resources• Read more floorstanding speaker reviews from HomeTheaterReview.com's writers.• Explore more reviews in our Subwoofer Review section.• Find pairing options in our AV Receiver and Amplifier review sections. Put them too close to a back wall and they’ll sound overly bassy; too close to a side wall and they can sound closed-in. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. On their own, the Ultra Towers possessed enough bass to be pleasing, if not wholly satisfying, with two-channel music, though I did ultimately end up employing the subwoofer throughout my two- and multi-channel tests. The high-frequency performance improved slightly with the increase in resolution from the source material, though I'd still say it wasn't up to the standard set by the Ultra Tower's midrange and bass performance. 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Great scale and bass weight, but there are too many niggles here at this price for our liking. I could (mostly) eliminate this by taking the treble slider down 2dB, which is a fine solution for me, though the thought may anger some purists. Please deactivate your ad blocker in order to see our subscription offer, We check over 130 million products every day for the best prices. However, the scale these speakers offer is undeniable, and they ensure a spacious, open sound with good stereo imaging – each instrument is placed well in the mix. The "3.5-way" design offers significantly more detail than standard two-way offerings. Moving ahead to the track "Celebrity," I was immediately struck by the Ultra Tower's soundstage reproduction, which I found to be both cavernous and well-defined. The front baffle plays host to a pair of six-and-a-half-inch midrange drivers, with a one-inch aluminum dome tweeter between them. For more on these great speakers, as well as other floor-standing speakers like them, please visit Home Theater Review's Floorstanding Speaker page. Each of the 3.5-way Ultra Towers has a 25mm aluminium dome tweeter, dual 16.5cm glass-fibre mid-range drivers and dual horizontally opposed 20cm woofers, mounted in this way to help reduce distortion. I crossed the SB13-Ultra over at 50Hz, as that's what sounded best to me in my room. Bath The soundstage was so composed and the sense of space so well-defined that, despite having a 10-foot image of the action in front of me, I could close my eyes and sense the physical space. While weighty, it made for some very easy long-term listening. While the look of the Ultra Towers (or the Ultra Series) wasn't one hundred percent my cup of tea, I didn't hold it against them, for it's hard to justify one's criticism when so much of what the product does elsewhere is so great and so affordable. Retailing for $999 each, the Ultra Tower is the only floor-standing loudspeaker in the line, which includes the Ultra Bookshelf (499 each), Ultra Center ($699) and Ultra Surround ($599 each). The speaker is good for a reported frequency response of 58Hz to 32kHz, with a sensitivity of 87dB and an impedance of eight ohms. In essence they created a speaker that combines the affordability and ease of use and placement of the Prime towers and the premium qualities and performance of the Ultra series. I jotted down in my notes, "Sounds like bi-poles at times." Storing the un-used boxes is something of a consideration, given their unique shape and sheer amount of Styrofoam. The mix is such that not much of the dialogue is carried over to the left and right main speakers, so it's a relatively good test of a center speaker's dispersion; I found the Ultra Center to be merely average in that regard. Move on. Of course, one of the benefits of that big cabinet is that it allows for big drivers – and plenty of them. The sub I chose was the SB13-Ultra, which writer Sean Killebrew reviewed earlier. SVS absolutely blew us away with its Ultra Tower Surround speaker system. The Downside I very much enjoyed my time with the Ultra Towers, as well as all the other Ultra Series speakers, though there are a few key things I think are worth keeping in mind before deciding whether or not to purchase. This meant that I had to then position the Ultra Surrounds further back along my side walls, so that their angled, forward-facing drivers were aimed directly at my listening position, so as not to result in surround information "appearing" in front of me. Still, I'm not here to critique the speaker box, but rather the speaker itself. The Pinnacle’s 5.25” midrange, based on its counterpart in the Ultra Tower… With the Ultra Bookshelf speakers serving as rear channels, the surround sound information was rendered with such precision and depth that I still question the need for seven channels when five will do brilliantly. And despite the surprisingly agile bass, the Ultra Towers still lack bite. Going loud enough to seriously bother your neighbours, these speakers excel in deep, tight, impactful bass which, for all its heft, is still agile and responsive. Again, the impact, articulation and speed were impressive, though the high frequencies struck me as a little flat at times. This scene has many wide shots that feature Freeman sitting lower left corner of the screen, with Hoffman opposite and above in the upper right. This leaves tracks feeling rather emotionless, as if the artist was just doing a guide track rather than the final recording. What more can an enthusiast on a budget ask for? While the two aren't exactly a fair comparison to one another, the SB13-Ultra manages to do more for less than the JL's asking price, especially when you consider that the JL sub truly comparable to the SB13-Ultra is the JL Fathom f113 that retails for around $4,000, depending on finish. If you need a dedicated center channel under or above your HDTV, because that is simply how your setup has to be (it's okay if it is), then I recommend aiming the Ultra Center square at your listening position if at all possible. It's not that this is an issue exclusive to the Ultra Tower, but due to its unique and often sloping shape, it's harder to combat, for you can't simply drape a piece of black cloth over the top, as it won't stay put without some sort of adhesive. The SVS Prime Pinnacle ( $1598/pair in Black Ash , $1798/pair in Piano Black Gloss ) is a major new speaker release. The sub was connected to my Behringer via a 10-foot balanced cable from Monoprice, with an additional one-meter balanced interconnect from the Behringer to my Integra DHC 80.2, also from Monoprice. For the purposes of this review, the Ultra Towers replaced both my reference Pendragons, as well as my newly acquired JBL Pro 3677 cinema monitors. This is not your ordinary cabinet design as it uses an … The Ultra Towers can bring a feeling of heaviness when it’s not really wanted, and lack the ability to handle more delicate tracks quite as well as their more articulate counterparts. Except for the Ultra … With a hint of the top end cut off, the performance was for me very nicely balanced. The top of the line Ultra speaker sure has a lot of tech in it for its modest price of just under $2000 a pair. There was a problem. I ended my evaluation of the Ultra Series speakers, specifically the Ultra Towers, with (arguably) the finest Blu-ray available today, James Cameron's Titanic (Paramount). Needless to say, the Ultra Tower doesn't exist in a vacuum, as it more than has its fair share of competition out there. In my experience, styrofoamisn’t a great packing material, but SVS has encased the end pieces in cardboardthat can hold them together if they do break. Conclusion I more than enjoyed my time with the new Ultra Tower speakers from SVS - okay, I really kind of dug the whole line. Weight is stated to be 75 pounds each, and having dragged both pairs up a full flight of stairs, I don't doubt SVS' claims. Explore more reviews in our Subwoofer Review section. So, be careful with system-matching – and feed these speakers the best quality tracks you can. So SVS Ultra Tower, while being a cheaper option, tends to get more favorable ⭐ reviews than the $1307 Definitive Tech BP9040, as seen on the chart below. At the center of SVS loudspeaker demo were its prototype, hand-built Ultra Series Ultra Towers ($1999/pair), with a rated response of 28Hz 22kHz (±3dB). 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