S-Series Speaker

Now shipping! STS- 02 Slim Tower Speakers

Affordable audiophile, elegant mains are joined by new Center, Bookshelf and Bi-pole surrounds!

Shipping now! Order your new S-Series speakers now at special summer prices ... and receive new custom metal grills in August free! Also - receive a $50 SVS gift certificate for any pair or a $100 SVS gift certificate for a system (5.0/5.1, 7.0/7.1) of S-Series speakers for use with future SVS purchases (gift certificates issued when speakers ship).

The first wholly new addition to our famous S-Series line, the STS-02 towers are the high-end audiophile "main" you can afford without cashing in your college fund (say, yours, or the kids'). These new SVS speakers are nothing short of a new sonic benchmark for price and performance.

With an evolution of our sleek and understated styling and slender dimensions, they are perfect for compact theaters where industry standard clarity, power, and looks all must fit a snug budget too. With the new perforated mesh grills now included, they are as sharp looking as anything on the market, even among far more expensive speakers.

Efficient and balanced, with a smooth frequency response and precise imaging that will blow you away, the STS-02 are the perfect loudspeakers for theater or music lovers, even without a sub -- though you can imagine we're always strong proponents to integrate one of our subwoofers for the fullest sonic experience.

S-Series speakers have long been praised in the press and among customers alike for neutral character that remains clean and non-fatiguing even at "enthusiast" sound pressure levels. Play them loud, and unlike lesser speakers, you won't be plugging your ears. The STS-02's are recommended paired with either our acclaimed SBS-02 compact bookshelf speaker or the entirely new and highly sophisticated SSS-02 bi-pole surround for timbre matched rear channel duty.

So not just powerful, the STS-02's are of course sonically tuned to perfectly mesh with their S-Series counterparts, ones the mainstream press have noted:

“…takes a commanding position between low-cost and silly-expensive…”

Ken Pohlmann , Sound and Vision Magazine

In such a system, backed by our standard PC12-NSD Powered Cylinder or PB12-NSD subwoofers, or dual subwoofers for larger rooms, you'll discover a level of audio refinement, depth and sheer power rarely found even 2-3X the price. So turn this system up, it practically will taunt you to do so.

Not just any parts go into these new towers either. While proven among the most durable lines ever, and with more rave reviews than nearly any SVS product, the components going into the STS-02 were nonetheless enhanced in both power handling and refinement right to their considerable limits. The complex 2.5 way crossover, a scratch effort with jaw dropping implications on their sound.

When you want to take your front sound stage to "11" these speakers will hang with whatever you throw at them. Any receiver will do to power their efficient design, but for a real treat, tie in your favorite external power amp, for still more "grin factor".

STS-02 FEATURES:

• Mirror-imaged, dedicated Right/Left configuration
• Removable fabric grill w/chrome pin retainers
• New SVS ClearSilk F2™ ferro-fluid cooled tweeter
• Quad, SoftCap enhanced 6” black-poly woofers
• CNC-cut bracing and panels for superior fit-finish
• SVS-designed audiophile-grade 2 1/2 way crossover
• Linear, wide-bandwidth frequency response
• High power, natural non-fatiguing sound
• Efficient, easy to drive with any receiver
• Distinctive charcoal-black polymer finish, slim design
• Attractive base with black steel carpet spikes
• Operating bandwidth (F6): 60Hz - 18kHz

Size/Weight:

• 40" High x 7" Wide x 8.6" Deep
• 34lbs each (42lbs boxed, single units)

It was no accident they came out so nice. The team that delivered the fully revised, award winning M-Series speakers was the same challenged with the STS-02. The goal? The usual: "be better than the market's best, cost less, and keep understated styling and compact dims such that this new tower is nothing less than the top choice in the affordable price-class". The usual.

Easy to say perhaps. Painstaking crossover engineering, months of precision computer design work and intense negotiations with suppliers around the globe have yielded the new cornerstone in main speakers under $1,000. Roll in our new bookshelf, center and SSS-02 bi-pole surround the world of high-end audio just got another wake up call.

More features and details here about all the S-Series speakers!

Avia/SPL Meter Bundle!   Get both the tools any music and theater audio system must have for proper setup. Simple to use, and more effective than many "auto" setup systems used in today's surround sound receivers. Save $8 with bundle $80

New: SVS premium grade audio Interconnect

At long last The world's finest components all from domestic high-end and professional audio suppliers. Wire is rated for in-wall and made to SVS's own exacting standards with optimal flex and chic looks. High tech materials, hand crafted construction and Made in the USA. Warranted for life. The reason to buy any other cable brand is? . Now shipping!

STS-02 and other S-Series features

Removable Grill

OK, this "feature" seems pretty common at first blush.  It's true few quality speakers have grills that are not  removable these days.  So what’s the draw here with SVS speakers?  Well first, notice we took great pains to make sure the finest components are used at each step.  Instead of chintzy plastic “ball and socket” fittings, we use tempered and machined steel pins embedded in our grills, and matching soft rubber fittings to receive them.  No way you are going to snap off one of those when you remove the grill from your SBS-02 satellite/surround or SCS-02 main or center channel speakers.

And there’s more.  While it’d be easy to slap on a generic plastic or square cut fiberboard grill wrapped with cheap fabric, we didn’t.  Virtually invisible unless you look close, we even rounded the corners of the grills, and the SBS-02 gets sexy new custom grill that looks as good as it sounds.

Made from perforated steel mesh, built to extreme quality standards exclusively for us in Taiwan, where the best such parts in Asia are found. Pins are tapered and invisibly mated with and powder-coated. The tough finish strenthens the mesh and which complements the charcoal black speaker perfectly. Plus it's virtually impervious to dust and fingerprints. And sounds as good grill on as off. The old MDF and fabric grills SVS used never could measure this well.  What is rare at this price point is to get a speaker so well designed and decidedly not some turnkey package pulled off the shelf from some low cost provider.  Unbox any of the SCS-02(M) or SBS-02 speakers and you know, these are different than your typical "entry level" speakers out there. This is audiophile stuff, just priced factory direct for you.

Custom SVS BlackSilk™ tweeter and 6" SoftCap™ poly woofer

SVS didn’t invent the first woofer, we didn’t invent the first tweeter.  However, we are as capable as any OEM in the world to evaluate any “off the shelf” part critically on cost and performance. Yet performance guides us far more than cost ever does, quite the opposite from most OEMs.

 For the STS-02 we took the widely praised high frequency performance of the S-Series a step higher with specially ferro-fluid cooled versions which allow even more power handling and clarity at the limit. The BlackSilk F2™ tweeter is a new specially run part done at higher cost just for the better high power performance needed in the tower. You won’t hear speakers, you’ll just hear the musical artist or movie soundtrack even at theater levels in most rooms. Seamless, effortless, enveloping are all terms you will hear people use to address how they work to immerse you in the action, or music.

The woofer is another example of taking the renown S-Series sound another step up on the STS-02. The 6" black "poly" woofer was always durable and capable of swallowing gobs of power, but with the STS-02 we fine-tuned high frequency blending into the new crossover and tweeter by using a special soft dome dust cap. Imaging, clarity and high power audio will rival loudspeakers many times the cost of these slim towers. Again, no shocker, the same team that captured Sound and Vision Magazine's coveted Editor's Choice award for the redesigned SVS M-Series speakers last year are the guys that made these new parts for the STS-02 too. These are not speakers you expect to hear at less than $1,000 a pair, and the drivers are part of the story.

Smooth and seamless braced cabinet

Triple braced. The STS-02 takes legendary S-Series' stout construction to a new level. Some entry level speakers use less bracing, some none at all. But when you rap these cabinets with your fist. Just be sure your knuckles are in good shape. 

Here we spent countless hours to design and deliver a simple elegant design that didn’t sacrifice utility to aesthetics or add needless weight.  No origami-like corners, no unsightly seams, no faux wood vinyl.  Instead our simple texture finish was vacuum formed over stout computer-machined MDF cabinets panels and still more internal CNC-cut bracing and all with impeccable precision on fit that is rigid as they come.

Of course they match perfectly the trend-setting subwoofers like the new SVS PB12-NSD and PC12-NSD subs we pair them with here. Truth is, the now larger S-Series line works well with even the more expensive Plus Powered Cylinders and Boxes. If you find a tighter, more finely built speaker at this price, with more engineering and pure material quality burnished into its design, buy it.

Multiple installation modes

While any speaker can be good looking or compact (not that all are of course), few give you so many ways to set up in a room.  The STS-02 slim tower speaker was designed to fit in the most compact spaces, especially where LCD or plasma displays are used on stands. These slender new S-Series towers eliminate the need for stands and have an contemporary high-tech minimalist look that still fits into any decor.

So expect all the usual SVS touches from the STS-02 and with its SCS-02 center, and the direct radiating surrounds, the SBS-02 and SCS-02(M). Each can offer you the hardware and plain old thoughtful layout and quality associated with the most cost prohibitive brands not long ago.

Start with the adjustable steel carpet spikes on the STS-02. Each is optional as is the base, yet included for stability on any floor. Rubber bumpers too, just in case your floor isn't carpet. The base isn't even painted, not for this level of quality, each is painstakingly carved out with computer precision and then vacuum laminated with the same fine textured charcoal black polymer used throughout the S-Series line.

SBS-02 surrounds come complete with small adhesive foam rubber foot pads for basic placement on a bookshelf; or you can place them on optional stands of course. But there’s more than one way to put them up on wall too. Use the beefy threaded inserts built into the cabinet to mate with Omni brand or other wall bracket, or simply try the “key-hole” fitting for simple and firm hanging with a simple screw driven into your room’s wall studs.  Many brands offer one or the other, few offer both, fewer still at such an affordable price.  SCS-02(M) surrounds/mains take the vertical limit a new way with dual keyholes for single stud mounting, or even single or dual bracket positions for easy tilt positioning with minimal fuss.

The SCS-02 center channel takes things even further, with dual sets of threaded inserts and dual key-hole hardware, this center can be wall hung, or put flat on a shelf or TV.  Customers needing up or down tilt use the simple and effective TILT-Base™. Included with every center in the line you can dial in 10 degrees of angle to keep you in the action no matter where the speaker fits best.. 

Audiophile-grade crossovers

There are crossovers ... and there are crossovers.  Well, believe it or not, some cheap speakers out there have NO crossover.  In our view, if the woofers and tweeters of a fine audio speaker are its heart… the crossover is the brain.  It determines how well all components “mesh” with each other.  The crossover, if it’s done right, will maintain flat frequency response, and can handle the power so readily available on today’s receiver/amp market.  And it will do all this without adding coloration or artifacts along the way.  Part art, part science.  Always, if done right, a tough part to perfect.  Few if any speakers in this price range have audiophile grade crossovers with so much sweat expended on them as the 2.5-way crossover in the STS-02. Which features an "MTM" upper array and dual woofer tapered lower array. Such an arrangement provides the extra sensitivity of any 2-woofer design, but with a less challenging load to drive.

The net effect of a 2.5-way over a normal 2-way design is increased output capability but without smearing of the midrange detail additional woofers can create.  Custom capacitors, massive air-core inductors, top-grade printed circuit boards (even the substrate for the board itself was upgraded over the standard fare) are all carefully assembled to be resonance-free when new, and stay that way.  All mounted safe and secure to the cabinet.

Features and frequency response charts

Like our legendary subwoofers, our speakers are "linear" in their frequency response, with similarly spectacular results. A glance at the below charts shows this clearly.  Taken grill off, on-axis (where you sit in the normal sound "fan" of a speaker) the sort of "flat" response you see below is evidence we took great pains to make sure you hear what the sound engineer intended. Lose yourself in the specs for a moment, later you will lose yourself in the sound.

STS-02: Frequency response  _________________________________________________________________________________________

SCS-02 / SCS-02(M) Frequency response

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SBS-02: Frequency response.