To my delight, high-value speakers that deliver quality sound at a price most folks can live with are getting easier and easier to come by. But then there are some speakers that blow the whole notion of “bang for your buck” wide open. Golden Ear Technology‘s speakers do that, and so do SVS’ wares — big time.

Last year we were treated to the aptly-named SVS Ultra series. Everything about them was “ultra” — ultra-beautiful finish, ultra-great sound, and ultra-big footprint. In fact, that was the series’ only real knock: the speakers were just too big for some folks. Fortunately, the SVS Prime series was developed to deliver the same kind of robust, lively sound the Ultra series delivered, but in an much less imposing package.

It’s hard to imagine a scenario in which one SVS Prime speaker or another wouldn’t be suitable. From tiny satellites (with surprisingly satisfying sound) to dangerously big-sounding bookshelf speakers, right up to a modestly-sized floorstanding model, SVS has to created a a buffet of options to satisfy nearly any kind of home theater hunger.

What makes the Prime series really special, however, is their musicality. Whether using the 3-way floorstanding speaker or the two-bookshelf speaker in a two-channel stereo music scenario, the result is a rich, invigorating presentation, with authentic vocals, plenty of detail in the upper midrange and treble, and bass that will surprise the hell out of you.

We have yet to give the center channel a thorough test drive, but if the center channel is built anything like the rest of the series, movie dialog is going to sound crystal clear and hyper realistic. Check back for our full review to learn more.