Short answer: the SVS Prime Bookshelf. Both are rated 3.5/5 for sound quality (#150 and #146 of 222 bookshelf speakers), and the SVS Prime Bookshelf costs $599 against $1,300 for the GR-Research X-LS Encore, so with nothing between them on sound quality, price settles it.
The GR-Research X-LS Encore is the deeper-bass choice. Two-way bookshelf speakers with a Peerless woofer, also sold as a kit so builders can save money by assembling them. Its bass reaches about 64Hz before falling 3dB, against 72Hz for the SVS Prime Bookshelf. The catch: A slight depression in the upper bass and some peaking in the lower bass shows up on-axis, along with directivity error in the crossover region.
Why pick the SVS Prime Bookshelf: Affordable bookshelf speakers with a sealed woofer compartment, wide even dispersion and reasonable sensitivity. The tradeoff: A scooped mid-range paired with a boosted upper mid-range creates an audibly uneven tonal balance, and there’s an additional dip in the treble around 4-5kHz that reads as slightly tinny relative to the recessed mid-range.
Buy the SVS Prime Bookshelf. Both are rated the same for sound quality, and it costs $701 less than the GR-Research X-LS Encore.
Still deciding? The full Passive Home rankings cover every ranked option.
Two-way bookshelf speakers with a Peerless woofer, also sold as a kit so builders can save money by assembling them.
Affordable bookshelf speakers with a sealed woofer compartment, wide even dispersion and reasonable sensitivity.
Prices on this page were last checked October 31, 2026 at 7:11 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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Specifications Side By Side
| GR-Research X-LS Encore | SVS Prime Bookshelf | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1300 per pair | $599.00 per pair |
| Ranked | #146 of 222 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #150 of 222 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 44Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 49Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 64Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 72Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 13.5”H x 8.5”W x 12.1”D (342.9 x 215.9 x 308 mm) | 13.2”H x 8”W x 10.2”D (335.3 x 203.2 x 259.1 mm) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms nominal, 3.9 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 84.4dB (measured by Audio Science Review on the kit; 87dB manufacturer specified) | 87dB (measured average, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Drivers | 6.5” Peerless M-165 paper composite cone, non-resonant polymer frame woofer, 1” Peerless India T26SG tweeter | 6.5” polypropylene cone woofer with aluminum shorting ring (sealed sub-compartment), 1” aluminum dome tweeter |
| Weight | 17 lbs (7.7 kg) each | 15.5 lbs (7.03 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported | - |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.05 (measured, spinorama.org) | 5.17 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.42 (measured, spinorama.org) | 7.78 |
| Frequency Response | - | 48Hz - 25kHz ±3dB (manufacturer specified) |
| DIY Kit | - | No |
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