![brand-logo](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.svsound.com/cdn/shop/files/hires-logo-medium.png?v=1613705146)
![Black Oak Veneer](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.svsound.com/cdn/shop/products/Ultra_center_BO_nogrille.jpg?v=1708018395&width=1445)
![Piano Gloss Black](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.svsound.com/cdn/shop/files/ultra-center-PG.png?v=1708018395&width=1445)
![Center Speaker in Black Oak Veneer](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.svsound.com/cdn/shop/products/Ultra_center_BO_back.jpg?v=1708018395&width=1445)
![Center Speaker in Piano Gloss Black](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.svsound.com/cdn/shop/products/130713_SVS_Center_34_Top_Grille_flat.jpg?v=1700855119&width=1445)
![Center Speaker in Piano Gloss Black](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.svsound.com/cdn/shop/products/Ultra-Center_additional3.jpg?v=1700855119&width=1445)
![Center Speaker in Piano Gloss Black](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.svsound.com/cdn/shop/products/Ultra-Center_additional4.jpg?v=1700855119&width=1445)
![Center Speaker in Piano Gloss Black](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.svsound.com/cdn/shop/products/Ultra-Center_additional5.jpg?v=1700855119&width=1445)
![Ultra Center](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.svsound.com/cdn/shop/products/ultra-center-additional-1.jpg?v=1700855119&width=1445)
![Ultra Center](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.svsound.com/cdn/shop/products/ultra-center-additional-2.jpg?v=1700855119&width=1445)
![Ultra Center](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.svsound.com/cdn/shop/products/ultra-centertower-additional-2.jpg?v=1700855119&width=1445)
![Ultra Center](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.svsound.com/cdn/shop/products/ultra-center-additional.jpg?v=1700855119&width=1445)
Why Go Dual Subwoofers?
Maybe you've been reading about dual subwoofers on the A/V forums and wondering what all the fuss is about. At SVS, we're big fans of running multiple subwoofers whenever possible, and they can be a great upgrade to any home theater or music system. Below are some of the benefits of running dual subwoofers in your system.
Already bought an SVS subwoofer? Save even more by adding another... Contact the SVS support team to order.
Optimal Sound Quality at More Listening Positions
![Dual PB-4000 Subwoofers](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0921/3560/files/translucent_dual-pb-4000-ba-cropped.png?v=1568986006)
Even with careful placement, a single subwoofer will not have an optimal frequency response at all listening positions in the room. In any given room location, a subwoofer has a unique 'modal pattern' (standing waves with peaks/nulls) and associated frequency response at the listening position. Listeners will often notice that moving even a few feet away from the 'sweet spot' will often result in notably worse bass sound quality. In some places, it will be overly boomy, in other places there will be a “suck-out” where the bass is noticeably less impactful. This is especially concerning when you have a large seating area.
With properly located dual subwoofers, the respective modal patterns will overlap, which greatly increases the sound wave density in the room. The result is a smoother frequency response at more listening positions in the room, with less potential for obvious peaks/nulls in the frequency response. Everyone gets the same room-energizing, heart-pounding listening experience no matter where they’re seated. This also makes it easier for auto-set-up programs like Audyssey MultEQ to equalize the subwoofer channel.
Effortless Bass With Greater Headroom
A popular phrase among the SVS Sound Experts team is "headroom has a quality all its own". Dual subwoofers will greatly increase the available system headroom, providing greater dynamic range, reduced output compression, lower distortion, and less potential for overdrive artifacts. In short, running duals will give you cleaner, more accurate bass at extreme drive levels. If you like to listen at reference levels and crave a lot of slam, impact and pressure from action and sci-fi movies or bass-heavy music, then dual subwoofers are an excellent option, and will provide effortless low frequency output on demanding passages.
Stereo Bass for Dedicated 2-Channel Systems
Discerning audiophiles and 2-channel purists know that directional bass cues are important to imaging and preserving the solidity of the soundstage. Using dual subwoofers in a dedicated 2-channel system will preserve stereo bass cues, and prevent the soundstage from collapsing, particularly when small bookshelf monitors with limited bass extension are being used. This makes for a more realistic and convincing audio experiences where you can pinpoint sounds in space and believe you are on stage or in the studio with an artist.
Harder To Localize
Even with a fairly deep speaker/subwoofer crossover frequency and the associated masking effects of the surround speakers, it's often possible to localize a single subwoofer in the room, particularly if it is not located on the front stage. When properly set-up, bass from a subwoofer should sound like it is coming from each individual speaker and not from a specific location. In comparison, dual subwoofers are nearly impossible to localize. Once listeners experience this immersive bass which seems to emanate from everywhere in the room, they never want to go back to a single subwoofer set-up.
Two Small Subwoofers Can Fit Where One Large Subwoofer Can’t
![Featured Customer System with Dual SB-2000 Subwoofers](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0921/3560/files/DSC09188.jpg?206703)
Many enthusiasts have their music and home theater systems located in mixed use living areas, where subwoofer performance must be balanced with décor and aesthetics. In situations like this, a single larger subwoofer, especially those with ported cabinets, might have too much visual impact in the room or might not even fit in the allocated areas. Conversely, two smaller subwoofers can offer similar performance, less visual impact, and can also fit into more locations in the room. If space is a concern, sealed cabinet subwoofers are generally a better option for discretion. If you’re interested in learning about all the differences between the two types of subwoofers, check out our post on Ported vs. Sealed subwoofers.
Recommended Placement Locations for Dual Subwoofers
Based on our own extensive testing, and research done by the professional audio community, we recommend the following placement options for dual subwoofers:
![opposite diagonal front/rear corners](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0921/3560/files/dual-op.png?v=1585052821)
Opposite diagonal front/rear corners
![at the mid-points of the side walls](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0921/3560/files/dual-side-wall.png?v=1585052821)
At the mid-points of the side walls
![Front stage in the corners](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0921/3560/files/sb-2000pro_manual_web_12092019-12.png?v=1584643677)
Front stage in the corners
![front stage flanking the center channel to the inside of the main speakers](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0921/3560/files/dual-inside.png?v=1585052821)
Front stage flanking the center channel to the inside of the main speakers
While the first two options are proven performers with typically excellent results, they are often difficult to implement in a living/family room environment. All rooms are different, so we recommend staying flexible and trying all possible placement options for the best results. - Ed Mullen
Placement Options for Multiple Subwoofers
SVS makes a variety of powered subwoofers to fit every room, audio system and budget. In addition to the performance benefits, going dual with SVS 1000, 2000 Pro, 3000, 4000 and 16-Ultra Series subwoofers earns you a discount so you can get the best performance possible at the best price possible.
Have questions? Ask in the comments or our SVS Sound Experts are available 7 days-a-week to help you choose the best dual subwoofers based on your set-up and listening preferences.
Summary: Benefits of Running Dual or Multiple Subwoofers in a Home Audio System
- Smoother frequency response at more listening positions
- Greater overall dynamic output/headroom
- Enhances imaging for stereo bass in 2-channel systems
- Harder to localize and pinpoint specific location of subwoofer based on placement
- Two smaller subwoofers can often fit in a room better than one large one
![Shop Dual Subwoofers](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0921/3560/files/shop-dual.jpg?v=1715629530)
![additionalphoto](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0921/3560/files/ultra-center-prod-page.jpg?445444)
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
![Ultra Driver & Tweeter Design](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0921/3560/files/center-alt-img-1.png?9068927338060504822)
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 Center speaker delivers a powerful and convincing audio experience.
Innovative SoundMatch Crossover Design
![Ultra Tower Crossover](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0921/3560/files/Ultra_crossover.jpg?3926409032992078018)
SVS Ultra Tower Crossover
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
![Performance Driven Cabinet Design and Geometry](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0921/3560/files/bevel.jpg?12100432777958524025)
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.
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
![brand-logo](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.svsound.com/cdn/shop/files/hires-logo-medium.png?v=1613705146)
![brand-logo](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.svsound.com/cdn/shop/files/classytechcalibrations.jpg?v=1714158936)
![brand-logo](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.svsound.com/cdn/shop/files/thavilla.jpg?v=1714159098)
![brand-logo](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.svsound.com/cdn/shop/files/zreviews.jpg?v=1714159144)