ZDNET’s key takeaways
- SVS Prime Wi-fi Professional powered audio system can be found for round $899.
- You will not discover a smoother, better-blended sound from an lively speaker at this worth level.
- To get the perfect bass, you must pair these with the SVS SB-1000 Professional subwoofer.
extra shopping for selections
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Most customers imagine punchy bass and scorching highs are key to an excellent speaker. If that feels like your style, then you’ve numerous choices out there for you (as a result of numerous producers cater to booming bass). However the mark of a really good speaker is the power to mix the sound in such a approach that you just hear it because the artist meant.
As an alternative of highlighting the high and low ends, you must goal to get a steadiness so you’ll be able to hear all voices, devices, and ranges coming collectively to type an ideal union.
That is to not say you desire a muddy sound (as numerous low-end audio system will ship). The objective is to create a sound subject that enables every instrument or voice to shine when crucial (corresponding to throughout a solo or a very necessary passage in a sure vocal vary).
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I’ve skilled numerous audio system that punch up sure frequency ranges as a result of, effectively, that is what’s well-liked. And sure musical genres inadvertently place these calls for on producers.
However my aural glad place is when a pair of audio system delivers a buttery-smooth mix of sounds that do not drive a specific vary on me. As an alternative, I get to listen to the music because the artist meant it. For a lot of, such audio system are known as “Studio Monitors” as a result of they permit listeners to listen to the reality within the sound.
The SVS Prime Wi-fi Professional powered audio system delivered that very factor to me. And paired with my SVS SB-1000 Professional subwoofer, every little thing I threw on the setup was gloriously {smooth}. Listening to music by these audio system was like coming dwelling.
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Classical, choral, rock, prog, steel, traditional rock…the style did not matter, as these audio system might deal with all of it.
After all, sound desire is a private affair, however whenever you discover a pair of audio system that may ship a impartial sound, with out missing pleasure, you’ve one thing particular.
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Be aware: The preset characteristic is utilized in mixture with the cell app which you can pair with the audio system. Though I put in the app, I did not dive too deep into it as a result of I did not discover it crucial.
My expertise
First off, I ought to point out that I’ve a novel setup. I take heed to each my turntable and PC from the identical audio system (I do know, dangerous audiophile). The rationale for this setup is that I take heed to each whereas writing. Generally, I will wish to hear a bit of music from vinyl, and different instances, I will wish to hear one thing I do not but have on my medium of selection. And since my workplace (with cats roaming round) is not precisely conducive to floor-mount audio system, I are likely to go the bookshelf route.
My earlier audio system included each Aux and Line In inputs, which meant I might plug my Rega P8 turntable into one and my PC into the opposite.
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The SVS Prime Wi-fi Professional audio system have a single RCA Line In and a 3.5mm Line In. You may’t plug each of these in and count on the audio system to know which system to prioritize. That is after I needed to swap my PC to Bluetooth and join my turntable to the RCA Line In.
The one caveat is that my System76 Thelio disconnects the Bluetooth audio system each time the display locks. So after I log again in, I’ve to reconnect the audio system by way of the Bluetooth supervisor. No massive deal.
Okay, on to the music. As I stated, I ran these audio system by a number of genres. Here is a illustration:
- Classical – Samuel Barber’s Adagio For Strings – By far my favourite piece of classical music, the SVS Prime introduced this heartbreaking piece to its fullest life. Each instrument may very well be picked out of the orchestra, and I used to be capable of shut my eyes and simply let the graceful sounds wash over me. One very telling second on this piece is the primary motion’s climax, the place lesser audio system can distort at louder volumes. The SVS Primes dealt with it and not using a single crack.
- Choral – A Choral Christmas – There is no such thing as a lovelier Christmas album, and this recording got here to life with each instrument and voice mixing with simply sufficient house and depth to make me really feel like I used to be within the live performance corridor listening to VOCES8.
- Basic Rock – Led Zeppelin’s Kashmir – This was off the Mothership launch, and I’ve by no means heard the music with such readability.
- Progressive – Rush’s Tom Sawyer – That is my go-to for testing audio system, and the SVS Prime gave the music the punch it deserves. Granted, I’m utilizing these audio system with the SVS subwoofer, however the kick you get from the very opening of the piece instantly introduced a smile to my face. It is charged with energy and simply as agile because the musicians.
- Rock/steel – Band-Maid’s YOLO – I really like this music. From Kanami’s near-virtuosity on guitar, Akane’s pounding rhythms, Misa’s phenomenal bass strains, Miku’s rhythm guitar, and Saiki’s voice, this music simply fills the room with a lot sound. And in contrast to my earlier audio system, the music would not get misplaced in a kick-drum-and-throbbing-bass wall.
Together with my testing tracks (all performed on vinyl), I’ve spent the previous two weeks listening to Christmas music (as I all the time do that time of 12 months), and each music stuffed my coronary heart with delight.
ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation
In case your present audio system sound too harsh or muddy, upgrading to a high quality pair of lively audio system could make a big distinction. After testing, I discovered the SVS Prime Wi-fi Professional to supply a well-balanced sound and a refined design, making it a standout selection at this worth level. It is even higher whenever you purchase one on sale, which occurs regularly these days.
The specs
The specs for the SVS Prime Wi-fi Professional powered audio system appear to be this:
- Frequency response – 42Hz – 25kHz (+/- 3dB)
- Drivers – 1″ aluminum dome tweeter and 5.25″ mid-bass driver
- Twin Class-D energy amps
- 200 watt (50 watt X 4) RMS energy
- Digital management tweeter-to-woofer crossover (2kHz (12dB/octave slope)
- 2.36″ wide-flared rear-firing port
- DTS Play-Fi with lossless 192kHz/24-bit via Critical Listening Mode over Wi-Fi
- CD quality for both Apple Airplay 2 and Chromecast for Android phones and devices
- Bluetooth 5.0 with AAC and aptX
- Spotify Connect
- HDMI audio input supports ARC and eARC
- Left/Right RCA input (input impedance 20K)
- 3.5mm Aux input (input impedance 20K)
- Toslink Optical Input (S/PDIF receiver works at a range up to 96kHz)
- Ethernet connectivity
- USB service port
- Subwoofer output – 2V max – auto-detecting low pass filter activates low pass at 80Hz
- Cabinet dimensions – 11.61″ (H) x 7.09″ (W) x 8.85″ (D)
- Weight – Lively Speaker Weight 12.3 lbs (5.58kg), Passive Speaker Weight: 11.68 lbs (5.3kg)
- Included distant for switching between inputs, altering quantity, and choosing presets
