STS-01 and other S-Series features
Removable Grill
OK, this "feature" on S-Series speakers 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 ours? First notice we took great pains to make sure the finest components are used at each facet of the cabinets' fit and finish, and the grill. Instead of chintzy plastic “ball and socket” fittings, we use chrome 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 your SBS-01 satellite or SCS-01 or STS-01 grill.
And w hile 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 edges of the grill for a touch of style, and improved sonics. It’s a little thing, but it’s an example of where we’ll go, even on our “entry level” speaker package. Even the grill fabric was specially chosen to remain color stable in all light and stay good looking even kicked around by pets, kids or party guests. 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 S-Series speakers and you know, these are different.
Custom SVS BlackSilk FF cooled 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-01 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 ferro fluid cooled 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-01. The 6" black "poly" woofer was always durable and capable of swallowing gobs of power, but with the STS-01 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-01 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-01 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-01 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-01 and with its SCS-01 center, and the direct radiating surrounds, the SBS-01 and SCS-01(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-01. 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-01 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-01(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-01 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-01. 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.
Specifications |
|
| Model Name |
STS-01 |
| Configuration |
Slim tower speaker |
| Design |
Sealed, "seamless" cabinet contouring, two 1/2 way crossover |
| Dimensions (Grills included) |
40" x 7" x 8.5" |
| H x W x D |
1016mm x 178mm x 216mm |
| Weight |
34lbs (15.5kg) |
| Drivers Tweeter |
One (1) 1" (25mm) SVS BlackSilk FF (ferro-fluid) cooled tweeter |
| Woofer |
Four (4) 6" (152mm) SoftCap polypropylene cone |
| Operating bandwidth |
60Hz - 18kHz ± 3dB |
| Nominal Impedance |
6 ohms |
| Sensitivity |
90dB |
| Power Handling |
20W - 250W |
| Magnetically Shielded? |
Yes |
| Mounting Options |
Matching machined support base with adjustable steel carpet spikes |
| Grill |
Machined MDF, black cloth, chrome mounting pins (8) |
| Enclosure Material |
Computer machined E-1 MDF w/ triple internal bracing |
| Finish |
Charcoal black fine grain vinyl |

STS-01: Frequency response _________________________________________________________________________________________
Specifications |
|
| Model Name |
SCS-01 center and SCS-01(M) speakers |
| Configuration |
Center and vertical MTM main or surround |
| Design |
Sealed, "seamless" cabinet contouring |
| Dimensions (Grills included) |
7" x 20" x 8.5" |
| H x W x D |
305mm x 178mm x 241mm |
| Weight |
19lbs (8.6kg) |
| Drivers Tweeter |
One (1) 1" (25mm) BlackSilk diaphragm FF cooled |
| Woofer |
Two (2) 6" (152mm) SoftCap poly cone |
| Frequency Response (Anechoic) |
68Hz - 20kHz ± 3dB |
| Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms |
| Sensitivity |
87dB |
| Power Handling |
20W - 200W |
| Magnetically Shielded? |
Yes |
| Mounting Options |
Threaded inserts for wall bracket |
| |
Dual keyhole for wall mount |
| |
Surface/shelf mount with integrated tilt base (center only) with EVA foam pads |
| Grill |
Machined MDF, black cloth, chrome mounting pins (7) |
| Enclosure Material |
Computer machined MDF w/ internal bracing |
| Finish |
Charcoal black fine grain vinyl |

SCS-01 / SCS-01(M) Frequency response
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Specifications |
|
| Model Name |
SBS-01 |
| Configuration |
Bookshelf main and surround |
| Design |
Sealed, "seamless" cabinet contouring |
| Dimensions (Grills included) |
12" x 7" x 9.5" |
| H x W x D |
305mm x 178mm x 241mm |
| Weight |
11lbs (5kg) |
| Drivers Tweeter |
One (1) 1" (25mm) BlackSilk FF cooled |
| Woofer |
One (1) 6" (152mm) SoftCap poly cone |
| Operating bandwidth |
68Hz - 20kHz (F6) |
| Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms |
| Sensitivity |
85dB |
| Power Handling |
20W - 125W |
| Magnetically Shielded? |
Yes |
| Mounting Options |
Threaded inserts for wall bracket |
| |
Single keyhole for wall mount |
| |
Surface/shelf mount with EVA foam pads |
| Grill |
Machined MDF, black cloth, chrome mounting pins (4) |
| Enclosure Material |
Computer machined MDF w/ internal bracing |
| Finish |
Charcoal black fine grain vinyl |

SBS-01: Frequency response. |