I’ve had the SVS Ultra center paired with two Prime Pinnacle towers for a few months now (got them all before the price increase). I’m not an expert by any means, but measuring them using REW, the Ultra center is a little brighter, while the Pinnacles roll off more on the highs, which I like. In my room, the Pinnacles have kind of a nasty bump around 4khz, which I was able to take care of using my Onkyo RZ-810’s graphical EQ menu. The Ultra center had issues around 1.5khz, which I also tamed using the Onkyo EQ, though because I can’t adjust the Q using the Onkyo, it’s knocking down around 2khz lower than I would like. It would definitely benefit from a better room EQ system, which I’m hoping to get in the future (perhaps adding Dirac to my Onkyo via a MiniDSP ddrc 88a?).
Anyways, besides the couple of bumps in the frequency response, I’m also using the Onkyo EQ to knock down the higher end frequencies on the SVS ultra center more generally so that it matches up better with the Prime Pinnacle towers. Initially I thought the ultra center sounded a little small as well, but I ended up raising the center just a bit, so that the tweeter is more inline with my ears (making it a little higher by an inch or two when compared to the tweeters on my towers). This helped make the placement of the center sound more natural.
Overall, with EQ applied, these SVS speakers are sounding pretty great to me. A little bright without EQ, but not terrible (even given that my room doesn’t do well with brightness, with huge ceiling to floor windows). Even with my limited EQ abilities right now, they’ve gotten really close to exactly what I’m looking for. With that in mind, I think if I had something with Dirac, I’d be able to get them exactly where I want them.
For what it’s worth, I’m amplifying these using a Monoprice x7 200wpc amp. Also have 2 SVS Prime satellites that I’m using as surrounds (Eq’d to roll off the high frequencies). Also have two HSU subs for the lowend, eq’d with a MiniDSP 2x4hd.
I would love for Amir to somehow test the SVS Ultra Center and/or the Prime Pinnacle towers, since I wonder if he would find them to have the same issues he found with the Ultra bookshelves.
For me, the SVS speakers in my room gave me a good starting point, and are shaping up to be pretty great with the right EQ/DSP. That, coupled with what I felt was a very reasonable price and amazing customer service, I’m very satisfied so far. I know I’m limited in the room correction department because of the AccuEq system on my Onkyo RZ-810, so that’s the next thing I’m hoping to improve on.
This is all based on my limited experience, of course. Thought I’d share my experience though.