Welcome to the SVS System Builder
A fun and interactive way to create the perfect SVS home theater.
"Destined to become classics—that's how good they are. Exude nothing but pure competence with style to match. I found myself in awe."
Recent Owner Reviews
I believe I have reached AUDIO NIRVANA!
I have had the SVS PC12:NSD sub for several years and based on its performance I purchased the Prime Elevation speakers about a month ago. I wrote a review singing their praises shortly afterwards, for I have been thoroughly enjoying many of my UHD Blu-rays with Dolby Atmos/DTS:X mixes. Their excellent dispersion and precision with panning and discreet effects is simply amazing. But something was still lacking, for my Mains (Front, Center & Left....Cambridge Soundworks MC305s) and my Surrounds (Cambridge Soundworks Ambiance) were not on the same level due to their somewhat small soundstage, so last week I replaced them with 4 Prime Bookshelf speakers and the Prime Center. The last few days I have been breaking them in by playing numerous CDs over and over again. Even before the breaking in was complete, I was overwhelmed with the deep soundstage, the phenomenal dispersion, and the incredible clarity/details. I literally was hearing things I had never heard before on CDs that I have had for years (and thus I am very familiar with them). Tonight I watched my first UHD/HDR Blu-ray....Wonder Woman with a Dolby Atmos mix. I was overwhelmed by quality of sound produced by my 10 SVS speakers! I'm not exaggerating when I say it sounded just as good as any "state of the art" Cinema I've ever been in. Mind you, I had seen this Blu-ray recently with my Cambridge Soundworks Mains and Surrounds, so I was able to make a fair comparison and I'm here to tell that the SVS Primes blew them out of the water! If anyone has seen Wonder Woman you know it has a very LOUD and ACTIVE Dolby Atmos mix. I listened to it at -10 from beginning to end and it was one of the most satisfying aural experiences I've had. The bass was insane at time (with WAVES of energy rolling across my legs and chest at times), the dialogue in the Prime Center was crystal-clear, the Prime Bookshelves delivered in spades with an exemplary soundstage, and the Prime Elevation speakers were spot-on accurate and precise with each panning and discreet effect. Let me add that there was ZERO DISTORTION all the way through. I will end this review by assuring you I don't have stock in SVS, nor have they paid me to say what I have said.
Denny
Verified BuyerPrime Bookshelf
$ 299.99
I realize I had no idea how good speakers could sound until now.
After almost an hour of talking with Doug the CSR, I was ready to tell him to shut up and take my money. That's how good their CSR's are - they're not hard sell at all, but aregenuinely good at friendly communication and tons of product and setup knowledge. They can get as technical as you need, while explaining anything in layman's terms if necessary at the same time. I have now replaced my 37 year-old Celestion's with a pair of SVS Ultra Bookshelfs and their 3000Micro sub, and set them up using the built-in's on my Pioneer VSX-90 AV Receiver. It's clearly not fair to do a comparison to the Celestion's, as they served me well for all those years ... or so I thought, but my new 2.1 SVS setup is truly amazing and I realize I had no idea how good speakers could sound until now. For sound modifications, I now use the SVS app for the sub to change the gain as required, and for the system as a whole, I have a 32-band EQ with my Poweramp app. These speakers are physically beautiful, and they are very well made, and their workmanship is eye-catching. They now reside in a 12x16 room that they fill completely and effortlessly with their crystal clear and accurate voice. Add to that the 3000Micro, and I was really blown away. Since my floors are wood and there is a 2' crawl space under them, I ordered the SVS attenuation subwoofer feet, and what an amazing difference! In my opinion, they are a must for those whose house is not on a concrete slab. The bookshelf are set 10" from the front wall and are 8-1/2' apart. I do not toe them in at all, as the horizontal dispersion is more than adequate to give me a beautiful soundstage. The sub is just inside the left speaker by about a foot, and I can detect no nulls as I walk around the room. All in all, my wife and I are very impressed with the service, quick delivery, level of quality, and the sound they give us. My friends are all impressed that such compact speakers can be so powerful and accurate, and honestly, so am I. If you are considering a small in size (but not in sound) 2.1 speaker system, you could do MUCH worse than to consider this setup, with the Ultra Bookshelves and the 3000Micro subwoofer. They seem to be the perfect match for each other, and we love them. Thanks, SVS!
Harry
Verified BuyerSVS Ultra Evolution Bookshelf
$ 599.99
Honestly I can’t imagine these sounding much better even after the 20 to 30 hours of break in.
The first thing that got me as I unpacked the Ultra bookshelves was how pretty they are. That is a great looking product. My first response as I listened was “Damn”. Unbelievable sound from such a small speaker. They are as clear with great highs, mids, and a crazy amount of low end. I also have a SVS SB-1000 sub which compliments these very well. I’m still in the break in phase with these. Honestly I can’t imagine these sounding much better even after the 20 to 30 hours of break in.
Vernon M.
Verified BuyerSVS Ultra Evolution Bookshelf
$ 599.99
Knowledge Base
Featured SVS Owner Systems
SVS President Gary Yacoubian discusses the most important things to listen for when choosing high-performance speakers for home theater and music and explores the acoustic design philosophy and characteristics of all SVS Prime and Ultra Series speakers.
FAQ
Yes, bookshelf speakers can be an excellent choice for listening to music. While smaller in size compared to floor-standing or tower speakers, the best bookshelf speakers can produce full-range sound that covers the majority of the frequency spectrum for music. If you like hip-hop, EDM, pipe organ or other styles of music with heavy bass tracks, you may consider adding a subwoofer to reinforce the low frequencies. As their name implies, bookshelf speakers are designed to be placed on bookshelves, speaker stands, AV cabinets or other elevated surfaces, which helps to optimize their sound dispersion and imaging.
Yes. Quality bookshelf speakers are a significant upgrade over TV speakers and soundbars as they deliver a broader soundstage, better clarity, and more exciting dynamics for music, movies, and TV shows. Built-in TV speakers offer very little bass and often make it difficult to hear dialogue and vocals. Passive bookshelf speakers will require an AV receiver or amplifier to power them, but you can also consider powered bookshelf speakers that include internal amplifiers and HDMI inputs for connecting directly to a TV.
A bookshelf speaker is a compact loudspeaker that is specifically designed to maximize sound in small to medium sized spaces for home theater and stereo music applications. They’re generally placed on a shelf, speaker stands, or other pieces of furniture to blend and as the front left and right speakers. Many users will also place them on stands as rear or side surrounds when setting up a 5.1 or other surround sound system or as the mains in a 2-channel desktop speaker system.
Many audiophiles and HiFi fans prefer bookshelf speakers for their systems because the smaller size makes them easier to place and produces more transparent sound, so the output fills a room naturally, giving you a sense of being in the middle of the music. They can be pulled away from a wall and placed on stands to increase the sense or spaciousness with a broader soundstage and more accurate imaging. Bookshelf speakers also require less amplification than floorstanders and the tweeters can easily be aligned at ear level for the most convincing sonic output possible.