Prime Center Speaker

Prime Center Speaker

115 reviews
True 3-way center channel delivers crystal clear and natural sounding dialogue and vocals with an expansive soundstage, stunning dynamics and excellent dispersion for a convincing home theater surround sound experience.

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Prime Center

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$ 399.99

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Prime Center

Home Theater Review - Best of 2019 Award
AVS Forum - Recommended 2019 Award
AVForums - Best Buy Award
Hi-Fi Choice - Recommended Award
Audioholics - Product of the Year Award
Sound & Vision - Top Pick of the Year Award
Sound & Vision - Top Pick Award
SoundStage! Network - Reviewers' Choice Award
Digital Trends - Editors Choice Award

Product Overview

It's rare, if not impossible to find a true 3-way center channel speaker at even close to what the Prime Center costs. Leveraging design elements and technology from the SVS Ultra Center, the Prime Center speaker features premium drivers and crossover components and sophisticated engineering that put it in a class by itself when compared to other center speakers in its class.

Center channel speakers are often considered the most underrated speakers in a home theater because they handle so much of the content yet are designed as afterthoughts by many audio brands. The SVS Prime Center accepts no compromises and anchors the front soundstage of a 5.1 home theater surround sound system or other set-ups with precision and power that complements even the most high-end multi-channel systems.

Home Theater Review - Best of 2019 Award
AVS Forum - Recommended 2019 Award
AVForums - Best Buy Award
Hi-Fi Choice - Recommended Award
Audioholics - Product of the Year Award
Sound & Vision - Top Pick of the Year Award
Sound & Vision - Top Pick Award
SoundStage! Network - Reviewers' Choice Award
Digital Trends - Editors Choice Award

User Reviews

Robert B. Reviews the Prime Center

"I should have made the move years ago this speaker is fantastic"- Robert B.

Press Reviews

High Def Digest Reviews the Prime Bookshelf and Prime Center Loudspeakers

"A marvel of sound design. These loudspeakers uncoil the sound, and reach well above their price point dynamically. Easy recommendations for the aspiring bu...

The Missing Remote Reviews Prime Center and Prime Tower 5.0 System

"The Prime Center is clear and crisp, and able to handle everything…it made the biggest performance difference from my usual setup."

Audioholics - Tarunvir Bains Reviews the Prime Tower and Prime Center Speakers

"I highly recommend the SVS Prime speakers for anyone looking to break into the first true threshold of fidelity-driven sound reproduction without breaking ...

AVTechReviews - Chris Murray Reviews the Prime Series Speakers

"… have a surprisingly big sound… flawless in its performance…get a audiophile grade home theater system at a fraction of the cost."

The Poor Audiophile - SVS Launches Prime Series Speaker Family: An Array of Speakers From Tower to Satellite

"The Prime Center is a three-way design. I was happy to hear that SVS went with this design choice as it addresses the off-axis issues that are common to th...

Prime Series Speakers Receive Digital Trends Editors Choice Award

"With effortless performance, elegant design, and striking value, SVS’ Prime Series hits the ultimate sweet spot in the audiophile segment."

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Frequency Response / Acoustic Data:

  • Rated bandwidth: 48 Hz-25 kHz (±3 dB)
  • Nominal impedance: 8 ohms.
  • Sensitivity: 86 dB (2.83V @ 1 meter full-space, 300-3kHz)
  • Recommended amplifier power: 20-200 watts.

Speaker Specs:

  • Black ash and piano gloss black finish options
  • Single set of 5-way binding posts
  • Dual 1” wide-flared rear-firing ports
  • Cloth grille with pin/cup retention system
  • Elastomer stick-on bumper feet (adds 3mm to height)
  • Center Channel Loudspeaker
  • Cabinet Dimensions: 7.6" (H) X 18.6" (W) X 8.6" (D)
  • Overall Dimensions: 7.7" (H) X 18.6" (W) X 9.2" (D) (includes grille and bumper feet)
  • Shipped Dimensions: Shipped Dimensions: 12.2" (H) X 23" (W) X 13.4" (D)
  • Weight Unboxed: 20.2 pounds
  • Shipped Weight: 23.3 pounds

Driver Specs:

1” Aluminum Dome Tweeter:

  • FEA-optimized diffuser for airy and unveiled presentation
  • Aluminum dome for exceptional transient response

3.5” Midrange Driver:

  • Polypropylene cone for excellent stiffness/mass ratio and pistonic behavior
  • Cast ABS-fiberglass composite basket ensures precision component alignment and excellent thermal transfer
  • Vented voice coil former minimizes air compression artifacts

Dual 5.25” Woofers:

  • Long stroke motor and suspension for high output
  • Polypropylene cone for excellent stiffness/mass ratio and pistonic behavior
  • Aluminum shorting ring to reduce gap inductance, lower distortion, and enhance high frequency response
  • Cast ABS-fiberglass composite basket ensures precision component alignment and excellent thermal transfer
  • Vented voice coil former minimizes air compression artifacts

Crossover & Cabinet Specs:

Crossover:

  • 3-way crossover with premium-grade capacitors, air-core inductors and heavy-trace printed circuit boards
  • Midrange-to-tweeter crossover: 2.4 kHz (12 dB/octave slopes)
  • Woofer-to-midrange crossover: 350 Hz (12 dB/octave slopes)

Cabinet:

  • Separate sealed midrange enclosure shifts standing waves beyond the driver pass band, improving sound quality
  • Separate sealed midrange enclosure shifts standing waves beyond the driver pass band, improving sound quality
  • Chamfered front baffle and flush-mounted drivers reduce edge diffraction and improved on-axis high frequency response
  • FEA-optimized cabinet and bracing eliminates resonances
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Well-equipped to play the most important role in a surround sound home theater, every aspect of the Prime Center speaker was designed for sonic excellence. From the premium grade drivers and sophisticated SoundMatch three-way crossover to the extra-thick baffle, internal bracing, and FEA optimized tweeter diffuser, the Prime Center channel speaker’s design and engineering features drive its performance into uncharted territory for a center channel speaker at its price.

Prime Driver & Tweeter Design

Prime Driver & Tweeter Design

Since center channel speakers handle a large percentage of the audio content, including dialogue and vocals, and much of that sound falls within the mid-range, SVS engineered an incredibly light and rigid polypropylene cone for the Prime Center speaker’s mid-range driver to provide a flat frequency response and to generate the SPL necessary for stunning in-room dynamics and an expansive front soundstage. The mid-range driver is also housed in its own sub-enclosure within the cabinet to ensure there’s no modulation from the robust woofers.

The 1-inch aluminum dome tweeter is light, efficient, and rigid, playing crystal clear at high volumes for a sense of utter transparency, while offering an ‘airy’ presentation and incredibly unveiled highs so female vocals and dialogue always sound crisp, smooth and clear. The potent 5.25-inch woofers are built on an all-new cast ABS-fiberglass composite basket for precise component alignment and an inert frame without resonances or added harmonics. The light and rigid cone material render a flat frequency response and deliver deep and authoritative low frequency playback. For optimized bass extension the cabinet is rear ported and optimally tuned for dual woofers.

Innovative SoundMatch Crossover Design

Innovative SoundMatch Crossover Design

Providing the perfectly balanced voicing for the Prime Center speaker is a proprietary SVS SoundMatch crossover that sports premium-grade capacitors, air-core inductors, and heavy-trace printed circuit boards. This combination of high-quality components yields lower distortion, tighter tolerances and all around better sound for the critical, dialogue and action-focused front soundstage. The 3-way crossover is uniquely tuned so each driver blends perfectly with each other while offering excellent on and off-axis response and pinpoint spatial imaging for the most convincing audio experience possible.

Performance Driven Cabinet Design and Geometry

Performance Driven Cabinet Design and Geometry

Tapered edges on the Prime Center speaker’s front baffle, known as chamfers, minimize edge diffraction for clear and precise soundstaging. The cabinet’s presence is substantial but it does not take over a room visually and offers a modern industrial feel with acoustic enhancements like shorting rings and a tweeter diffuser. All of these advancements are packed into an attractively styled cabinet available in stunning piano gloss black or premium black ash finish.

Sound Expert Videos

SVS President Gary Yacoubian Discusses Prime Pinnacle

SVS Prime Elevation Home Theater Speaker Overview

Tips for Choosing Your Perfect Speaker

Designing a World Class Speaker

Section Shadow
Subwoofer Matching Tool

Enter your speakers and the SVS Subwoofer Matching Tool will recommend suitable subwoofer matches as well as crossover frequency and low pass filter settings.

System Builder Tool

Personal SVS speaker and subwoofer system builder. Choose from preset home theater surround sound set-ups like 5.1, or custom build your own.

User Reviews | Press Reviews

Customer Reviews
5.0 Based on 115 Reviews
5 ★
97% 
112
4 ★
3% 
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3 ★
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MC
12/12/2021
Michael C.
United States United States
I recommend this product

Awesome Center channel

Received my center channel last week and I can’t be more happy. I purchased the 5.1 full system with the intention to slowly upgrade each component and then give the 5.1 to my son. This speaker was a huge upgrade and transformed my 5.1 to new heights. Vocals are incredible and clear. If your on the fence I recommend you get it and try it.

JP
10/13/2021
Jackie P.
US US

I bought the second pri.e

I bought the second pri.e center for my rear surrounds. I now have all SVS speakers for my 7.1 surround home theater. I have the ultra surrounds for my side surrounds, four prime elevations for my atmosphere speakers, two ultra towers for my main left and right speakers, ultra center for center channel, and pb4000 for sub duties. Entire system sounds awesome and is powered by Denon x6700h av receiver. Let me say that at reference settings it's too loud. Pb4000 set to -20 and still shakes my house. The ultra towers are some serious bass shakers on their own, let me say when I first got the ultra towers I was not impressed with their sound, sounded tinny almost like klipsch speakers. Hate klipsch speakers, any ways I sat through a week of listening and was about to ship them back, just didn't feel like having to box them back up, so decided to try them for another week, boy am I glad I waited. Now everytime I listen to them they just keep sounding better. More often then not I just leave my pb4000 off and can say I don't miss it when watching movies or listening to music. Love watching ready player one the sound is awesome.

DS
08/26/2021
Duane S.
US US

I like pipe organ music

I like pipe organ music and the highs are clean and crisp. The pedal notes were reproduced in the fundamental range almost to the bottom notes. Quite amazing. Almost don't need s subwoofer. I still want those very bottom notes so a pb1000 is still ahead.

AG
07/15/2021
Alex G.
US US

By far this is definitely

By far this is definitely the best, I strongly recommend this Center

BC
07/15/2021
Bob C.
US US

Serous upgrade. Unbelievable sound.Great center

Serous upgrade. Unbelievable sound.Great center speaker and subwoofer!

User Reviews | Press Reviews

High Def Digest Reviews the Prime Bookshelf and Prime Center Loudspeakers

"A marvel of sound design. These loudspeakers uncoil the sound, and reach well above their price point dynamically. Easy recommendations for the aspiring but sensible home theater speaker enthusiast."
Reviewer Logo

The Missing Remote Reviews Prime Center and Prime Tower 5.0 System

"The Prime Center is clear and crisp, and able to handle everything…it made the biggest performance difference from my usual setup."
Reviewer Logo

Audioholics - Tarunvir Bains Reviews the Prime Tower and Prime Center Speakers

"I highly recommend the SVS Prime speakers for anyone looking to break into the first true threshold of fidelity-driven sound reproduction without breaking the bank. It’s reassuring to know you...
Reviewer Logo

AVTechReviews - Chris Murray Reviews the Prime Series Speakers

"… have a surprisingly big sound… flawless in its performance…get a audiophile grade home theater system at a fraction of the cost."
Reviewer Logo

The Poor Audiophile - SVS Launches Prime Series Speaker Family: An Array of Speakers From Tower to Satellite

"The Prime Center is a three-way design. I was happy to hear that SVS went with this design choice as it addresses the off-axis issues that are common to the...
Reviewer Logo

Prime Series Speakers Receive Digital Trends Editors Choice Award

"With effortless performance, elegant design, and striking value, SVS’ Prime Series hits the ultimate sweet spot in the audiophile segment."
Reviewer Logo

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SVS owner shots shared via Instagram. Click on pics for captions and submit your own by tagging @SVS_Sound or #soundrevolution.

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