SVS Prime Wi-fi Audio system: Pretty Sound in a Attractive Bundle

SVS Prime Wi-fi audio system

MSRP $599.99

“An attractive, pint-sized supply system for beautiful wi-fi sound.”

Professionals

Clear, clean, articulate sound
Wonderful stereo imaging
Easy setup
Versatile, dependable streaming
Attractive piano gloss cupboards

Cons

No bodily distant
Play-Fi app can’t change inputs

Let’s get this out of the best way upfront: SVS’ slick new pair of wi-fi audio system, the Prime Wi-fi, don’t include a bodily distant, and it’s type of bizarre.

That’s very true given the fashionable state of audio system. Audiophile setups meant for leather-chair listening periods with tumbler in hand are more and more making means for soundbars and audio system that work together with your TV distant or, on the different finish of issues, monolithic, multiroom good audio system. However then, SVS has at all times been extra serious about crafting top-tier sound at mid-tier costs (and making actually epic subwoofers) than maintaining with traits.

Name the Prime Wi-fi a concession of types, however on SVS’ personal phrases. With a number of inputs, onboard bodily controls, and Play-Fi’s app-based streaming and management system, these shiny black containers can accommodate TV sound, and even be a part of a multiroom audio setup. However at the beginning, they’re designed for old style musical bliss — and in that function they excel.

Riley Younger/Digital Traits

Out of the field

Pulling the Prime Wi-fi from their foam-packed containers is strikingly acquainted for anybody accustomed to the standard Prime Audio system, which is amongst our favourite speaker techniques ever created on the subject of sheer efficiency in your {dollars}. The Prime Wi-fi don’t break any molds right here — they’re primarily simply the Prime satellite tv for pc audio system, elevated from the bottom to make room for digital guts and onboard amplification.

The piano-gloss cupboards are even sexier and extra luxurious in individual.

When you’ve by no means seen the Prime within the flesh, nonetheless, listed here are two issues to know: First, the Prime household’s front-tapered cupboards supply simply sufficient aptitude to face other than the mob of faceless black containers, and second, the thick lacquer of the piano-gloss cupboards is even sexier and extra luxurious in individual. The audio system are elevated on the base, presumably for his or her amplification and circuitry, whereas the best speaker boasts a show panel and twin management knobs.

The material grills arrive connected and that’s most likely for the most effective — wanting underneath the hood reveals extra science than artwork, which can be why we don’t thoughts that the grills connect with pegs quite than magnets. Included within the minimalist, remote-less package deal are simply two cables (one for energy and one to attach the audio system in stereo), sticky pads, and instruction supplies.

Setup

As talked about, there’s just one energy cable right here, because the Prime Wi-fi make the most of a single connection cable to ship audio and energy the left speaker. After plugging within the right-side grasp and connecting stated cable, the audio system ought to be able to pair mechanically.

These accustomed to Play-Fi — and the numerous pitfalls of its early days — may worry pairing is a chore, however the Prime Wi-fi are surprisingly intuitive there. Merely obtain the Play-Fi app and comply with the directions to connect with your Wi-Fi community. Android customers want solely enter their Wi-Fi password, although iOS customers might want to full a few additional steps. We linked to the audio system twice, together with to our notoriously precarious workplace Wi-Fi, encountering zero points. Thanks, Play-Fi first adopters.

The audio system go into Bluetooth pairing mechanically, requiring solely that you just flip the left management knob to the Bluetooth enter, however Wi-Fi is by far the popular streaming technique for high quality.

Options and design

As talked about, the Prime Wi-fi are merely stunning of their shiny black simplicity. As an adaptation of Prime’s satellite tv for pc audio system, they’re smaller than one may suppose primarily based on their footage, sitting simply 10-inches tall, 6-inches broad, and 7-inches deep. Every speaker weighs just below 9 kilos. We had been barely disenchanted that, not like the passive satellites, the Prime Wi-fi aren’t but out there within the Lennon-white lacquer, however SVS not too long ago reached out to inform us that the white Prime Wi-fi audio system are certainly on the best way.

Underneath every grill rests the Prime collection’ beautiful 1-inch aluminum dome tweeter, matched by a polypropylene 4.5-inch woofer with an aluminum shorting ring designed to create much less distortion and improve larger frequencies. Every driver receives a claimed 50 watts for a complete of 200 watts of Class D amplification. Simply as importantly, the crossover between tweeter and driver is digitally managed to align the frequencies for supreme readability and accuracy.

In the back of the best speaker are inputs aplenty, together with analog ports in each 3.5mm and RCA, a digital Optical enter, Ethernet out and in connection (Wi-Fi labored wonderful for us), and an output for including a subwoofer, which is properly value consideration for hip-hop followers. The audio system supply a claimed frequency response of 52Hz-22kHz, however as one may anticipate, they don’t precisely excel at delivering low bass.

As talked about, a pair of digital knobs on the best speaker’s entrance face function onboard controls; The appropriate knob controls quantity and play/pause with a spin or press respectively, whereas the left knob scrolls by way of the inputs, in addition to permitting for the creation of six presets to program your favourite streaming service, web radio station, and even playlists by way of the Play-Fi app. We’ve by no means had a lot use for such presets, however hey, they’re there if you happen to do.

Curiously, there’s no energy button wherever on board. An SVS rep instructed us that is by design, so the audio system are at all times able to stream, and certainly, it’s very fast and simple to go from silence to streaming. We’re additionally instructed the audio system adjust to “all low energy Power Star necessities for merchandise of their kind,” although it does really feel a bit odd to not flip them off.

Not your father’s Play-Fi

As referenced, Play-Fi has clearly improved fairly a bit since we final acquired hands-on with it. The fantastic thing about Play-Fi has at all times been its open-source nature, which permits multiroom streaming between audio system of all shapes, sizes, and types from Pioneer to MacIntosh (and every little thing in between). After utilizing the app for every week or so, the system proved easy and secure, with only a little bit of a studying curve to get issues going.

The Play-Fi streaming system proved easy and secure.

After setup, the Prime Wi-fi reliably confirmed up each within the Play-Fi app and in our Spotify app, making streaming easy and simple. Outdoors of linking to a number of audio system, in addition to some fundamental Amazon Alexa management, there aren’t a ton of choices to play with right here, although Play-Fi does enable a DLNA-supported NAS drive in your community to stream high-resolution tracks. There are additionally a number of supported streaming providers, together with Spotify, Pandora, Tidal, and lots of others, however no Apple Music — if that’s your jam, you’ll must stream through Bluetooth.

Together with streaming quantity and grouping to different audio system, Play-Fi additionally permits for quantity management of wired inputs like your TV or turntable, although you’ll have to hunt out the characteristic within the extras through the higher proper “+” signal. Sadly, there’s no option to change inputs remotely, although we had been in a position to change from the Optical enter to Wi-Fi streaming by merely deciding on the audio system in Spotify.

Sound

What can we are saying concerning the Prime Wi-fi sound besides that it’s spectacular? We fell in love with the unique Prime collection from day one, so it’s no shock that souping up a pair from the household with customized tuned amplification and digital crossovers would jibe good with our ears.

Clear, clean, and articulate sound springs forth from the audio system proper from the beginning, providing a premium listening expertise at a comparatively inexpensive value. The stereo picture is tight but expansive, providing depth and dimension on each the horizontal and vertical axes, and there’s loads of dynamic expression when streaming high-quality tracks as properly.

Riley Younger/Digital Traits

The Prime Wi-fi completely sing within the higher midrange and treble, providing immaculate readability and element, whereas the stability between registers makes for clean transitioning. Every brassy guitar pluck, crunchy synth arpeggio, or papery textured snare brush is dropped at the forefront with grace and definition, making for a stunning hear throughout genres.

We even let the Prime Wi-fi moonlight as our TV audio answer, and so they did a wonderful job with each dialogue and results. Whereas we sometimes discovered it a chore to defer to a cell gadget to regulate quantity, it by no means grew to become an all-out annoyance, and Play-Fi defaults to your cellphone’s bodily buttons whereas it’s working within the background to make issues simpler.

Clear, clean, articulate, sound.

As satellite tv for pc audio system by commerce, we weren’t stunned that the Prime Wi-fi are likely to lean on the brilliant facet of the sound signature, and once we cued up bass-heavy tracks like The Weeknd’s Starboy, we had been left a bit flat, wishing for that heat decrease punch to the groove that by no means fairly arrived. That’s in distinction to bigger powered bookshelf pairs, like KEF’s unbelievable LS50 Wi-fi, which actually enhance with a subwoofer, however carry even bass-laden tracks on their very own.

If you end up in search of out the sub and decrease bass-heavy tracks extra typically than articulate acoustic tracks or basic rock, you’ll positively wish to add a subwoofer into the equation. Fortunately, SVS has loads of choices there that won’t solely match your audio system’ bodily aesthetic, however they’ll even be more likely to match sonically for a still-affordable 2.1 system with out the necessity for separate amplification.

Guarantee data

SVS stands behind its merchandise firmly, providing each a 45-day risk-free trial and a two-year guarantee.

Our Take

Whereas SVS’ Prime Wi-fi might not be the best setup for TV or part audio, in each different means they meet or exceed expectations, providing clear, detailed, and dynamic sound alongside dependable streaming from all kinds of choices.

Is there a greater different?

You’ll have to maneuver up in value a good bit to outdo the Prime Wi-fi on the subject of efficiency. The aforementioned LS50 Wi-fi handily outdo them on the subject of instrumental texture, definition, and dynamic expression within the finer moments, and so they additionally supply significantly better bass response. They’re additionally almost 4 occasions the associated fee. We’ll have an interest to see the place KEF’s LSX wi-fi slot in (overview coming quickly) — they nonetheless run almost double the Prime Wi-fi at $1,100.

These seeking to save a couple of dollars may have a look at Bluetooth audio system like Aperion’s growing old however glorious Allaire, which provide extra bass however fewer choices and fewer readability and element. Whereas there are many spectacular passive audio system across the $500 vary, equivalent to ELAC’s Uni-Fi UB5 and KEF’s Q150, there simply aren’t many choices within the $600 value vary that can provide you this sort of efficiency in an all-in-one package deal.

How lengthy will it final?

The Prime Wi-fi have extraordinarily stable construct high quality from a sterling identify within the enterprise. With Play-Fi, the audio system ought to develop in time with new app updates and added options, so we anticipate them to final an extended whereas.

Do you have to purchase it?

When you’re in search of a pair of wi-fi audio system with a small profile, beautiful design, and music-first perspective, don’t even hesitate.

Up to date 2-12-2019: Added data from SVS after publication that the Prime Wi-fi may even quickly be out there in white.