SVS Prime Wireless Pro SoundBase Review

SVS has an established reputation as a no-holds-barred subwoofer manufacturer. Over time, they have developed a series of speakers to go along with those subs. They now have bookshelf, surround, and tower speakers that create a complete home theater setup. Speaker cables and interconnects also appear in their lineup, as well as wireless audio adapters and subwoofer isolation feet. Not too long ago they came out with the Prime Wireless speakers which are a compact, yet formidable, powered speaker that allows you to stream music wirelessly to them. They support all the major streaming services, audio podcasts, internet radio, audiobooks, and downloads from your Apple or Android (with app-based control) in high resolution. Yes, the future is in the air, so to speak.

If you are like me, you probably do not need another wireless speaker system in your house, but what if you could take the brawns and brains and make them available to any existing speakers you may already own? This is what the SVS Prime Wireless Pro SoundBase offers. Imagine what you could do with your existing passive speakers if they could be converted into powered streaming speakers.

SVS has extracted the built-in amplifier and wireless streaming capabilities from the Prime Wireless speakers and placed them in an amplifier module that is about the size of an English dictionary. It is compact, yet remarkably robust. The front end has a clean look with a knob for changing inputs (HDMI, Bluetooth, optical, and line-in) and a volume knob. In the back are two speaker outputs, one RCA line-in, a sub-out, one optical-in, a 3.5mm line-in, a set of RCA line-outs, and an HDMI input with ARC should you want to run your TV through it. An RJ-45 in and out jacks are provided for Ethernet. The power cord is detachable should you want to change it out for an aftermarket one.

The display is a 3.15” wide OLED display which is very easy to see from a distance. Depending on your streaming service, the track information is slowly scrolled across the screen. The screen can be dimmed or turned off completely. On the front are six assignable preset buttons for things like setting up favorite internet radio stations. All these functions can be duplicated by using the small remote that comes with the SoundBase.

SVS recommends that you download the DTS Play-Fi app to get things up and running. I played with it some but settled for a connection to the SoundBase with the M-Connect app that controls my PS Audio DSD DAC. It quickly discovered the SoundBase, and I was streaming hi-res music from Qobuz in no time at all. The SoundBase works with Amazon Music, Pandora, iHeart Radio, Tidal, Spotify, SiriusXM, and Google Play. It has a built-in Chromecast and Apple AirPlay 2. I was able to pull off music from my NAS as well. Connect a turntable or CD player and you are good to go! I can’t think of too many other devices that have the versatility of the SVS Wireless Pro SoundBase. All you need to do is add a set of speakers, whether they be bookshelves or towers, and perhaps a subwoofer.

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With an onboard 192 kHz/24-bit DAC and 150 watts per channel of Class D amplification, this tiny wireless integrated amplifier can drive almost any speaker with ease. I used it with my Sonus faber Sonetto Vs and the newly arrived Aperion Audio Verus V8T tower speakers (with dual 8-inch woofers) and the SVS SoundBase did not break a sweat!

Getting the SVS Prime Wireless Pro SoundBase up and running was a snap. I simply connected my Sonus fabers to the speaker binding posts and connected the power cord. Connecting to Bluetooth took a press of the button on the back and I was in. I downloaded the free Play-Fi app and logged into my Qobuz account and had my favorite music playing in less than a few minutes. The Play-Fi app is OK, but after a while, I just used the app I use to connect to my PS Audio DSD streamer, Mconnect. It worked well and I was more used to the interface. On the Pro SoundBase, the knob on the left adjusted the inputs and when pressed, it controls the dimming (bright, dim, off) of the display. The knob on the right adjusted the volume and when pressed, it would pause or mute the sound. The OLED display is large and bright enough to be seen at a distance and the display slowly scrolls the track info. Source, pause/mute, volume, and track info, when available, are also visible. The volume is shown as a bar rather than a number, which I would have preferred, but that is a minor quibble from me. It also would have been nice to see bit depth and sample rate information, but my Mconnect app displays those things so there is no need for redundancy here. If you use the preset buttons, the display gives you feedback, say for instance, if you use button one for an internet radio station that you like. And for those of you who listen through cans, a 3.5mm headphone jack is available on the front panel.

Unusually, there is no power button on the front or back. The SoundBase goes to sleep after several minutes of disuse and wakes up with any button press on the remote. The remote has everything you need to control the SoundBase and once I got it set up, I never had to adjust anything physically on the unit. The remote is not backlit, but as a non-home theater device, I do not consider that a negative. The uncluttered remote is very easy to navigate and after a bit of time, I found I could use it without looking at the buttons. I also connected it to my network where it found my NAS (Western Digital My Book) and allowed me to access my library of stored music. I did not use the sub-output for my review. The subwoofer output on the SoundBase puts out a mono full range signal, so be sure to adjust the low pass filter on your subwoofer accordingly when in use. There are no tone controls or room correction in the SoundBase, but during my listening sessions, I found that I did not miss either. To review the SoundBase, I had it powering my Sonus fabers and the Aperion Verus V8T which has dual 8-inch woofers. The SoundBase powered both quite well, with plenty of deep bass and smooth treble. I am contemplating moving away from my current Class A/B monoblocks and thinking of replacing them with a Class D amp because of their efficiency and dynamics. IMHO, Class D is the future, and that future is here now. The SVS SoundBase is one-third the physical size of my current amp and yet every bit as powerful. It is amazing to hear my speakers belting out loud volumes of music while looking at this tiny box. Your mind has a hard time reconciling the size versus the sound output, but that is what the SoundBase can do.

For music, I listened to Qobuz almost exclusively, but I also streamed from my iPhone 11 using AirPlay 2. I never once lost connection or had stuttering issues. In general, the sound was warm, powerful and provided a big soundstage with excellent dynamic range. After extended use, the Pro SoundBase never even got warm to the touch. I would not hesitate to place it inside an audio cabinet or tight shelf space. Treble and mid-range were excellent with perhaps a bit less sparkle than what I am accustomed to hearing from my Emotiva UPA-1 monoblocks. In fairness, one of them weighs 30 pounds more than the Pro SoundBase, but the sound quality was close enough to leave me a bit gobsmacked.

The Wireless Pro SoundBase conveyed the drive and propulsion of the music without smearing any of the intricate inner workings of the orchestra. The Bass was deep and solid; horns and strings were natural without a hint of harshness or stridency. Even when I turned the volume way up it sounded open and not pinched due to lack of power.

And why not? I was listening to it on my reference speakers. Only the source player was different. And that is the true value of the Pro SoundBase, neutrality. You are using your speakers, whatever make or model. Because Class D amps are generally very stable, you can hook it up to 8- or 4-ohm speakers without worrying about load stability. I would be curious to hear the Pro SoundBase drive some Magnepan speakers, but I suspect it could handle them as well. The SoundBase certainly has the power to do them justice.

With a full feature set, the SVS Wireless Pro SoundBase adds streaming capabilities and neutral sound to any passive speaker pair for just $699.

The SVS Wireless Pro SoundBase take the brains and brawn from the Prime Wireless powered speakers and places them in a small box that turns any pair of speakers into a killer sound system. You can breathe new life into a speaker set in your home that is languishing with an old, non-streaming receiver. Thinking of getting a soundbar? Get this and some quality bookshelf speakers and a subwoofer and make your TV room into a home theater. Dorm room or bedroom? Time to upgrade your sound. Vinyl or CD lovers? The SVS Wireless Pro SoundBase will get you dreaming of streaming! Recommended.