Ultra Center Speaker
Ultra Center Speaker
Reference 3-way Ultra Center speaker anchors the front stage of a home theater with stunning dynamics, massive soundstage and pristine clarity for unerring realism and dialogue intelligibility. The 3-way design with 1-inch dome tweeter, 4-inch vertically-aligned midrange driver and dual 6.5-inch woofers produces outstanding dispersion characteristics for accurate frequency response at all listening positions.
Ultra Center
Product Overview
The reference 3-way SVS Ultra Center channel speaker reproduces the most demanding movie and music content with depth, clarity and vigor, while serving as the main soundstage anchor and critical sonic bridge between the front left and right speakers in a surround sound home theater. Amazingly detailed and revealing of the finest nuance and textures with excellent low frequency extension, the SVS Ultra Center combines power and precision to outperform much larger and more expensive center channel speakers.
Built without compromise, the SVS Ultra Center speaker features a painstakingly tuned SoundMatch three-way crossover with dual 6.5-inch glass fiber composite woofers and a vertically aligned 1-inch aluminum dome tweeter and 4-inch midrange driver. From the acoustically enhanced cabinet geometry to the high-end components and build quality, the Ultra Center is a star among home theater speakers.
Quick Specs
- Tweeter | 1"
- Midrange | 4"
- Woofer | Dual 6.5"
- Freq. Response | 45 Hz-32 kHz (±3 dB)
- Dimension | 8.2” (H) 22” (W) 10.9” (D)
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User Reviews
MOTOWN Reviews the Ultra Center
"After adding this center to my home theater setup im amazed at how much detail and clarity im hearing for the first time voices breathing all the things tha...
Press Reviews
TechnoDad Reviews the Ultra 5.1.4 Speaker System
"Massive impact and presence, it was just glorious hearing this system perform. Very capable of handling anything with clarity and massive impact when called...
Widescreen Review, Ultra Tower Surround System
"While I enjoyed the performance of the Ultra system, I’m having a hard time grappling with how a $3700 loudspeaker system (not including subwoofer) could c...
HiRes Audio Central Reviews the Ultra Center Loudspeaker
"Without question the Ultra Center is a monster home theater speaker overall; in fact, it’s one of the most muscular centers I’ve heard…It delivers clean di...
Marshall Guthrie - Audioholics, Reviews the Ultra Center Loudspeaker
"Mid frequencies were clear and natural. A beautiful and capable center channel home theater speaker that is also a terrific value. Their performance stands...
Home Theater Forum - Sam Chandler Reviews the Ultra Center Loudspeaker
"The center is more than up to the task at all times, with any drive level. Everything images where it should and its clarity is pristine. Highly Recommended."
The Ultra Center receives Sound & Vision’s 2013 Top Pick of the Year Award.
"Dialogue at every possible level came through with a natural feeling. Voices remained intelligible as I moved off axis and the system handled the multichan...
Widescreen Review Magazine - Gary Reber Reviews the SVS Ultra Series Loudspeakers
"… an exceptional multichannel loudspeaker system that is true to SVS’ tradition of offering higher performance for the money through R&D and design…the...
AV Nirvana Reviews the Ultra Center Loudspeaker
"Off-axis performance was excellent with highly intelligible vocals. Issued an expansiveness of sound that was breathtaking. They do everything exceptionally...
Frequency Response / Acoustic Data:
- Rated bandwidth: 45 Hz-32 kHz (+/-3 dB).
- Nominal impedance: 8 ohms.
- Sensitivity: 87 dB (2.83V @ 1 meter full-space, 300-3kHz)
- Recommended amplifier power: 20-225 watts.
Speaker Specs:
- Center Channel Loudspeaker
- Real black oak veneer and piano gloss black finish options
- Dual gold-plated 5-way binding posts
- Dual 1.7" wide-flared rear-firing ports
- Cloth grille with pin/cup retention system
- Elastomer stick-on bumper feet (adds 3mm to height)
- Cabinet Dimensions: 8.2” (H) x 22" (W) x 10.6” (D) (without grille)
- Overall Dimensions: 8.2” (H) x 22” (W) x 10.9” (D) (with grille)
- Shipped Dimensions: 14" (H) x 27" (W) x 15" (D)
- Weight: 31 pounds
- Shipped Weight: 35 pounds
Driver Specs:
1” Aluminum Dome Tweeter:
- Vertically aligned tweeter and midrange improves horizontal axis polar response, with reduced lobing and comb filtering
- FEA-optimized diffuser for airy and unveiled presentation
- Aluminum dome delivers exceptional transient response and exceptional stiffness/mass ratio
4” Midrange Drivers:
- Composite glass-fiber cone with excellent stiffness/mass ratio for high sensitivity and pistonic behavior beyond pass band
- Aluminum shorting ring to reduce gap inductance, lower distortion, and enhance high frequency response
- Cast aluminum basket to ensure precise alignment of critical components and additional heat-sinking capacity
- Vented voice coil former to minimize air compression artifacts at high drive levels
6.5” Woofers:
- Composite glass-fiber cone with excellent stiffness/mass ratio for high sensitivity and pistonic behavior beyond pass band
- Aluminum shorting rings to reduce gap inductance and lower distortion
- Cast aluminum basket to ensure precise alignment of critical components and additional heat-sinking capacity
- Vented voice coil formers to minimize air compression artifacts at high drive levels
Crossover & Cabinet Specs:
Crossover:
- 3-way crossover with premium-grade capacitors, air-core inductors and heavy-trace printed circuit boards
- Midrange-to-tweeter crossover: 2.2 kHz
- Midrange-to-woofer crossover: 500 Hz
Cabinet:
- Acoustically transparent and FEA optimized grilles, wedge-shaped front baffle and flush-mounted drivers all contribute to reduced edge diffraction and improved on-axis high frequency response
- FEA-optimized bracing reduces cabinet resonances
A center channel speaker is often considered the most underrated speaker in a home theater surround sound system because it handles the majority of dialogue, vocals, music and sound that’s coming from right in front of you in a movie, but rarely does a home theater center speaker get the same love as tower or bookshelf speakers. Many speaker manufacturers compromise with a two-way design or thin center channel speaker with flimsy drivers as an afterthought, not SVS. The SVS Ultra Center channel speaker flexes serious sonic muscle and is optimized for horizontal placement and elevating the most challenging movie and music content to reference quality.
Ultra Driver & Tweeter Design
For the all-important midrange where the majority of audio content lives, the SVS Ultra Center speaker features a robust 4-inch composite glass-fiber cone midrange driver with an excellent stiffness to mass ratio for high sensitivity and maintaining pistonic behavior well beyond the pass-band of the driver. The midrange is housed in its own sub-enclosure and vertically aligned with the 1-inch aluminum dome tweeter, which features an FEA-optimized diffuser to ensure broad dispersion for an incredibly wide and convincing soundstage and perfect on- and off-axis frequency response. This means the largest possible “Sweet Spot” so everyone can experience the same stunning clarity. Dual 6.5-inch woofers deliver effortless bass output and power handling capabilities rarely found in a center channel home theater speaker.
During movie, TV or music playback, all components within the Ultra Center channel speaker act in perfect unison to provide crisp vocal clarity, unerring dialogue intelligibility and powerful dynamics, while anchoring the front stage with seamless transitional effects and a massive soundstage. Whether conveying the breathy dialogue of an intense conversation or the multi-layered, high-impact soundtrack of an action movie, the Ultra Surround speaker delivers a powerful and convincing audio experience.
Innovative SoundMatch Crossover Design
A three-way crossover design is imperative for a truly stand-out center channel. The Ultra Center speaker features a unique SVS SoundMatch three-way crossover with precisely tuned crossover frequencies and slopes that result in a smooth off-axis response, outstanding phase coherency and a stable, robust soundstage. Premium-grade capacitors, air-core inductors and other high end components ensure pristine signal transmission and utter neutrality.
Performance Driven Cabinet Design and Geometry
Every feature on the Ultra Center channel speaker’s cabinet was designed with a sonic purpose in mind. Tapered edges on the cabinet’s front baffle, known as chamfers, minimize edge diffraction for clear and precise soundstaging. Internally, each cabinet employs separate sealed enclosures for both mid-bass drivers and tweeters to optimize performance and minimize interaction. Even the grille design is FEA-optimized to maximize acoustic transparency.
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
Enter your speakers and the SVS Subwoofer Matching Tool will recommend suitable subwoofer matches as well as crossover frequency and low pass filter settings.
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
- Reviews
- Questions
USGreat clarity and depth; no
Great clarity and depth; no frequency range sounds hollow or constrained. I upgraded from a premiere center speaker (another brand) and am very glad that I did. No buyer's remorse; even though I had never thought I would spend this much on a speaker. I contemplated going for the prime centers; but then went ahead with the ultras. Is it twice as good as primes? I wouldn't know; but because it is very good, I am happy. I also wasn't sure about the finish to choose; not much fan of glary finishes; but this one looks very good.
USWOW ! Clear highs! Clear
WOW ! Clear highs! Clear lows! and sound in between. Beyond first class sound! Very happy with purchase.
US US USI have the PB 4000,
I have the PB 4000, two ultra towers, four prime elevations, the prime center and now the ultra center. Still waiting for break in on the ultra center. Ultra towers are awesome each time I listen to them the better I've them. I watch a lot of movies and also listen to a lot of music. To be honest I very rarely ever use the pb4000. The ultra towers just really sound great and the bass is right there. My only complaint about SVS is their price hike coming. They will lose me as a customer once this goes into effect.
User Reviews | Press Reviews
TechnoDad Reviews the Ultra 5.1.4 Speaker System
"Massive impact and presence, it was just glorious hearing this system perform. Very capable of handling anything with clarity and massive impact when called for. The mids and highs were...
Widescreen Review, Ultra Tower Surround System
"While I enjoyed the performance of the Ultra system, I’m having a hard time grappling with how a $3700 loudspeaker system (not including subwoofer) could compete with another recent system...
HiRes Audio Central Reviews the Ultra Center Loudspeaker
"Without question the Ultra Center is a monster home theater speaker overall; in fact, it’s one of the most muscular centers I’ve heard…It delivers clean dialogue and vocals, has super-fast...
Marshall Guthrie - Audioholics, Reviews the Ultra Center Loudspeaker
"Mid frequencies were clear and natural. A beautiful and capable center channel home theater speaker that is also a terrific value. Their performance stands toe to toe with much more...
Home Theater Forum - Sam Chandler Reviews the Ultra Center Loudspeaker
"The center is more than up to the task at all times, with any drive level. Everything images where it should and its clarity is pristine. Highly Recommended."
The Ultra Center receives Sound & Vision’s 2013 Top Pick of the Year Award.
"Dialogue at every possible level came through with a natural feeling. Voices remained intelligible as I moved off axis and the system handled the multichannel room ambience as well as...
Widescreen Review Magazine - Gary Reber Reviews the SVS Ultra Series Loudspeakers
"… an exceptional multichannel loudspeaker system that is true to SVS’ tradition of offering higher performance for the money through R&D and design…the SVS Ultras offer a level of price/performance...
AV Nirvana Reviews the Ultra Center Loudspeaker
"Off-axis performance was excellent with highly intelligible vocals. Issued an expansiveness of sound that was breathtaking. They do everything exceptionally well while offering enthusiasts a price to performance ratio that...
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