Short answer: the Klipsch Forte IV for better sound quality, the SVS Ultra Evolution Pinnacle for the lower price. The Klipsch Forte IV ranks #33 of 56 floorstanding speakers at $5499.98. The SVS Ultra Evolution Pinnacle ranks #39 at $4999.98, $500 cheaper.
What the Klipsch Forte IV offers: Three-way heritage design: a 1” titanium tweeter and 1.75” compression driver for the midrange mated to a 12” woofer, plus a 15” passive radiator for extra bass reinforcement. Watch for: Contrary to the classic Klipsch reputation for being forward and bright, this model is actually somewhat recessed in the 1.5-4kHz “presence” region, which can make some tracks sound dull or lacking in detail.
What the SVS Ultra Evolution Pinnacle gets right: A large curved-baffle tower built for time alignment: a 1” dome tweeter flanked by two 5.25” midranges above two 8” mid-bass drivers, plus a matching pair of 8” drivers and dual ports on the back. The catch: Not a fully linear speaker: a dip in the upper midrange followed closely by a peak (roughly 2-3kHz) gives vocals and other midrange content a shouty, forward quality that toe-out alone doesn’t resolve.
Buy the Klipsch Forte IV if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the SVS Ultra Evolution Pinnacle if the price matters more than sound quality.
Specifications Side By Side
| Klipsch Forte IV | SVS Ultra Evolution Pinnacle | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $5,499.98 | $4,999.98 |
| Ranked | #33 of 56 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers | #39 of 56 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 39Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 27Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 82Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 40Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 93.8dB (measured average, Erin’s Audio Corner; manufacturer rates 99dB in-room / ~94dB anechoic) | 88.1dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Drivers | 1x 12" (305mm) fiber-composite woofer + 15" passive radiator, 1x 1.75" compression driver midrange on horn, 1x 1" titanium compression tweeter on horn | 1" dome tweeter, two 5.25" midranges, four 8" mid-bass drivers (2 front, 2 rear) |
| Weight | 117.3 lbs / 53.2 kg | 100.1 lbs / 45.4 kg (100 lb) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | passive radiator | ported, rear (dual) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 6 ohms nominal, 2.6 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 36"H x 16.5"W x 13"D (914.4 x 419.1 x 330.2 mm) | 49"H x 12"W x 18"D (1245.0 x 305.0 x 457.0 mm) |
| Frequency Response | - | 24Hz - 40kHz (±3dB, Manufacturer specified) |
| Crossovers | - | 140Hz & 1.8kHz |
| Recommended Power | - | 20-300W |
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The Two Speakers In Full
Klipsch Forte IV: $5,499.98 Amazon Crutchfield
Pros: Three-way heritage design: a 1” titanium tweeter and 1.75” compression driver for the midrange mated to a 12” woofer, plus a 15” passive radiator for extra bass reinforcement. Genuinely resonance-free cabinet, a clear improvement over the notably boomy, resonant Heresy 4 in the same lineup. Surprisingly wide, expansive soundstage that beat both the Heresy 4 and a KEF LS50 Wireless 2 in direct comparison - images occasionally appeared several feet outside the physical speaker location. Deeper bass extension than the Heresy 4 (F3 of 82Hz, about 10Hz lower). Distortion measures well below 1% at 86dB and stays mostly within 1% even at 96dB. Comes as a factory-matched serial-numbered pair, backed by an unusually generous 10-year warranty. Mostly above 4 ohms impedance, so it’s compatible with AVRs, solid-state, or tube amplifiers. More neutral overall than other Klipsch models the reviewer has tested, making it a reasonable pick for listeners who already like the “Klipsch sound” but want something more balanced.
Cons: Contrary to the classic Klipsch reputation for being forward and bright, this model is actually somewhat recessed in the 1.5-4kHz “presence” region, which can make some tracks sound dull or lacking in detail. A peak around 6kHz reads as sibilant and “painful” when seated exactly on the tweeter axis; sitting a bit above that axis reduces it somewhat. Klipsch’s marketed 99dB sensitivity figure is an in-room rating that assumes 3-6dB of boundary gain - anechoic sensitivity measures closer to 94dB, which the manufacturer does disclose but can still mislead buyers comparing spec sheets. Radiation width isn’t consistent across all frequencies - a noticeable notch around 2-3kHz interrupts otherwise wide dispersion, which can cause a fundamental tone and its harmonics to image in slightly different places in the soundstage. Uses shallow low-pass crossover slopes (despite Klipsch’s steep-crossover marketing, which applies only to the high-pass side), likely contributing to some of the measured dips and possible cone-breakup artifacts. Some compression shows up around the midrange crossover point at very high output (102dB), though likely only audible at extreme volumes. At around $5,000/pair, a significant investment, and still needs a subwoofer for material extending below about 50Hz.
Full Klipsch Forte IV review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 39Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 82Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 36"H x 16.5"W x 13"D (914.4 x 419.1 x 330.2 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 12" (305mm) fiber-composite woofer + 15" passive radiator, 1x 1.75" compression driver midrange on horn, 1x 1" titanium compression tweeter on horn |
| Impedance | 8 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 93.8dB (measured average, Erin's Audio Corner; manufacturer rates 99dB in-room / ~94dB anechoic) |
| Weight | 117.3 lbs / 53.2 kg |
| Woofer Cabinet | passive radiator |
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SVS Ultra Evolution Pinnacle: $4,999.98 SVS
Pros: A large curved-baffle tower built for time alignment: a 1” dome tweeter flanked by two 5.25” midranges above two 8” mid-bass drivers, plus a matching pair of 8” drivers and dual ports on the back. Impulse-response testing shows a single clean arrival rather than the staggered tweeter-then-woofer arrival typical of conventional flat-baffle designs, confirming genuinely effective time alignment. Excellent build quality throughout. Very wide, consistent horizontal radiation around ±70-80° gives a large, enveloping soundstage. Capable of very high output with very low harmonic distortion - the reviewer says this measured the lowest harmonic distortion of any speaker he has tested to date, at both 86dB and 96dB output, with distortion staying under 1% down to 40Hz.
Cons: Not a fully linear speaker: a dip in the upper midrange followed closely by a peak (roughly 2-3kHz) gives vocals and other midrange content a shouty, forward quality that toe-out alone doesn’t resolve, pointing to a genuine on-axis response issue rather than just room reflections. A wide, high-Q bass bump around 70-80Hz makes the speaker sound boomy unless pulled at least 3 feet from the rear wall or tamed with EQ (a -3dB cut with a Q of 1 around 70Hz worked well in testing). Minimum impedance dips to about 2.6 ohms around 80Hz, a genuinely demanding load - the reviewer could not drive these to satisfying output with budget-oriented amplifiers and receivers, and recommends a robust stereo amp or monoblocks instead. At around 100 lbs and roughly 4 feet tall with the tweeter about 32.5” off the ground, seating position matters: straying beyond about 10° of the tweeter axis loses real detail in the upper midrange, and the crossover region shows lobing that shifts from about 10° to 50° between 2-4kHz. Multitone distortion and dynamic compression both increase in that same upper-midrange/tweeter region at higher output, consistent with the on-axis dip-then-peak character.
Full SVS Ultra Evolution Pinnacle review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 27Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 40Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Crossovers | 140Hz & 1.8kHz |
| Dimensions | 49"H x 12"W x 18"D (1245.0 x 305.0 x 457.0 mm) |
| Drivers | 1" dome tweeter, two 5.25" midranges, four 8" mid-bass drivers (2 front, 2 rear) |
| Frequency Response | 24Hz - 40kHz (±3dB, Manufacturer specified) |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal, 2.6 ohms minimum (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Recommended Power | 20-300W |
| Sensitivity | 88.1dB (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 100.1 lbs / 45.4 kg (100 lb) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear (dual) |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
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- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
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