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The holistic experience of the Ultra Tower served as a pointed reminder for just how much can be achieved at costs considerably below the nosebleed sector. Was it flawless? No. Resolution was merely good compared to products seeking absolutes in that department. Apparent coherence fell into the same category against product specialized to that dedication. Dynamics showed excellent nuance but favored refinement over absolute contrast by a small degree. Driver integration was a major strong suit and the SVS compared very favorably against more ambitiously priced designs. Ignoring pricing, by absolute standards the Tower demonstrated quite a few strengths and some minor weaknesses. Factoring price back in returns us to reality and fascinating insight into the shrewd compromises Mr. Mason incorporated into the Ultra Towers.
All speakers make compromises in some department. The Towers were not quite state of the art in any specific category but close enough to give even the most demanding audiophile pause. Detail and dynamic responsiveness were consistent from top to bottom. The speakers were also remarkably cohesive, not quite transparent or absolutely coherent but rather like those who can relate to Magnepan's "cut from one cloth". So call the Ultra Tower an amalgamation of proportionally consistent virtues. Some designers may choose to emphasize a point of character. Mr. Mason chose a balanced approach, emphasizing nothing that could distract from the performance. If the Ultra’s ability in any regard were less than noteworthy, this would have been a weakness. Here it elevates to primary strength. Let’s now look at specific comparisons and just to be cruel also at products rather more expensive. Lower down the dollar spectrum, the Usher SW-520/S-520 modular floorstander graced the listening room in 2010 and at $1378/pr in similar gloss black showed Usher’s ingenuity in building on the virtues of their overachieving S-520 bookshelf by creating a docking woofer base. This retained imaging, midrange purity, resolution and sweetness and added extra bass muscle and dynamics. Was it an Ultra beater? As good as it was, no. The SVS went lower, louder and managed better articulation over a wider range although some will still prefer the S-520‘s lovely silk dome tweeter. The Usher is amazingly good. At its higher price the SVS is better though.


The Apogee Centaur, the everyman ribbon hybrid of long ago, successfully married a 48" ribbon mid/tweeter with an 8" woofer in a relatively compact floorstander at similar cost. It reigned in house for several years before the Duetta Signatures supplanted it. Where the ribbon sang it approached top tier. Where the 8" and box sang, it was merely very good. How did our modern Ultra Tower compare to the blast from the past? Surprisingly well. While the Ultra couldn’t quite achieve the ultimate resolution and dynamic nuance of the thin-film membrane driver, it did overall approach its low coloration over a wide portion of the band and presented superior driver blend, far superior extension and wideband control plus far greater dynamic ability. While the Centaur could be accused of being an out-of-date veteran, this contest should play out in similar fashion between current similar hybrids and the Ultra. If thin-film nuance is an absolute listening bias, that will dictate choice. Otherwise the SVS plays the far stronger hand.

The Clearwave Symphonia 72R from American designer Jed Kunz is something of a philosophical close cousin to the Ultra Tower despite its $7200/pr tag. It makes for a very good examination of what is retained and what gained at different cost points. The Symphonia 72R is another Internet-direct product that operates as a 2½-way system marrying a Raal ribbon and Accuton mid/woofers in a very solid sloped tower enclosure. It performed exceptionally well in all departments – responsiveness, control, extension, power handling and especially in its masterful integration of the different drivers. The staggered crossover configuration to the tweeter showed remarkable similarity to Mr. Mason’s approach in the Ultra Tower. How did the SVS Ultra rank against this formidable loudspeaker?


The Symphonia 72R was higher in resolution and somewhat quicker on its feet with greater transparency. In terms of driver integration the Clearwave and Ultra were quite similar in quality if slightly dissimilar in overall flavor. The SVS fell a bit on the warmer side in the midrange as well as in the 30-40Hz band where the Clearwave demonstrated somewhat better control as well as extension. Dynamics and power handling on both were robust yet nuanced, with the SVS having a small advantage at low levels and the Clearwave somewhat better articulation at high playback volumes. Ultimately the Symphonia represents the next step in the evolutionary ladder befitting its higher cost. The SVS comes off as a challenger that hits surprisingly close on all marks and therefore demonstrates proportional pedigree well above its tier.


Comparisons done, time for the final musing. SVS set out to build the best $2000/pr speaker on the market. Did they succeed? Mr. Mason’s Ultra Tower throws down the gauntlet by not concentrating on absolutes in any given parameter but accepting 'almost next-tier' status in all of them and achieving beyond that in some. Add in that his speakers are small enough to be room friendly, full range by any reasonable definition and easy to drive. They even look high end. That’s a whole lot of virtue for any effort and certainly a standout achievement at $999 per box. Is it the best? You may find a speaker that outperforms the Ultra Tower on a specific point but you should be very hard pressed to find one that performs as well in all of them without paying more. It's a stunning price/performance ratio that constitutes a genuine bargain.

Who should be looking closely? It's an easy recommendation for anyone whose tastes run to higher-priced compact floorstanders. They will find a whole lot to like here at a very attractive price. The Ultra Towers represent a very satisfying 2-channel solution. For those seeking 5.1 or 7.1 sound, the rest of the Ultra line awaits. For those contemplating a matched multichannel arrangement, the Ultra Towers might be just the ticket.


Who should look away? If panel, widebander or hybrid are the only way to satisfy, this falls short of your requirements. If a zippy tweeter is your cup of tea, the controlled and well damped precision offered here will be of a very different flavor. For those who absolutely demand even deeper subterranean bass, SVS may be able to help. They do have quite a bit of expertise with subwoofers as well. Some may have trepidation over the concept of the high-end Internet-direct approach as opposed to brick and mortar. Not to worry. SVS is serious about standing behind their products and offer an extreme level of warranty/guarantee they call the SVS Bill of Rights. While the entirety of the Bill of Rights applies exclusively to the US market, most regional distributors have adopted at least certain elements of it. Interested parties should contact their local rep for specific details. For those who qualify for the full package, here’s what SVS offers:
45-day in home audition
60-day price guarantee
90-day defective exchange guarantee
1-year no lemon guarantee
1-year performance guarantee
1-year trade up policy
5-year unconditional warranty
Free shipping
Pre purchase advice and counseling
Total after purchase support
(Claimed) Finest quality in every price range


That’s an extreme level of reassurance which should make the decision easier.

Quality of packing: Designed to survive the perils of shipping. Stiff folded and multi layered cardboard packaging and caps with glued thick polystyrene spacers. Each speaker comes in a white cloth bag with drawstring for further protection.
Reusability of packing: Yes.
Condition of components received: Perfect.
Delivery: Picked up from the Canadian distributor.
Website comments: Extensive product information, interactive customer service, reviews and specials.
Human interactions: Responsive and helpful.
Warranty: 5-year unconditional warranty as part of the SVS Bill of Rights (outside the US contact the local rep for warranty information and applicable regional policies.
Final comments & suggestions: The SVS Ultra Tower hits higher-tier performance benchmarks that keep it fiercely competitive against products many times its modest cost. An overachiever on all levels.
Manufacturer's website
Canadian distributor's website