Speaker ReviewsSpeaker Reviews
Energy RC-Micro 5.1 Home Theater in Box Speakers
- Written by Andrew Yang
- Published on 29 October 2009
Do you fault a Mini Cooper for being a Mini and not a Honda Odyssey or a Porsche 911? In evaluating product, a question that is often unasked is "What is the reference?" Often times, particularly in audio or video, the question is unasked because the answer invariably is reality.
Legend Acoustics Tikandi Speaker System with DEQX HDP-3 Processing
- Written by Chris Groppi
- Published on 22 October 2009
Room correction technology for audiophiles has existed for over a decade now, but this technology has not yet seen wide adoption. Many audiophiles just can't stomach a processor messing with the signal. Never mind their speakers might have terrible frequency and phase response, at least when compared to their other electronics! On top of that, interaction with the room causes frequency response errors of well over 10 dB in all but the most acoustically perfect rooms. Still think your signal is "pure?"
Revel Concerta 5.1 Speaker System
- Written by Jim Milton
- Published on 14 September 2009
Revel is the upscale speaker division of Harman International, which includes Infinity, Harmon Kardon, JBL and Lexicon. Revel has been making speakers since 1996 and makes the Ultima2 (~ $26K/pair) and Performa series from which the Concerta gets its lineage. The chief designer of these speakers is Kevin Voecks who also has had a hand in developing speakers for Snell and Mirage. With an audio testing facility built by Harman International in California, all Revel speakers go through a rigorous testing process for voicing and timbral accuracy.
Paradigm Reference Studio Speaker System
- Written by Brian Florian
- Published on 12 October 2009
The speaker business has got to be a challenging one.On the one hand, unlike most other CE devices, speakers don't have any inherent rapid obsolescence to them. In fact, good speakers by definition should be viable, literally, for a lifetime. Paradigm's Reference Studio Speakers fit such a definition.
PSB Imagine B Bookshelf Speakers
- Written by Jim Clements
- Published on 03 September 2009
The Imagine speakers are PSB's newest speaker line. There are four models in this line – The Imagine T towers, the Imagine B bookshelf speakers, the Imagine C center speaker and the Imagine S surround speakers. I opted to review the Imagine B's for the mains versus the much more common towers for two reasons – first, this is the inaugural Secrets system review and the point is to review affordable system and the bookshelf speakers are somewhat less expensive than the towers and secondly, my system works better with bookshelf speakers.
Focal Dome 5.1 Speaker System
- Written by Chris Eberle
- Published on 05 October 2009
Many loudspeakers today are marketed more for their ability to blend into a space or make an aesthetic statement than to provide high performance. Since they are the most visible AV component after the television, sizes and styles vary as much as colors of the rainbow. With many lifestyle products come compromises in audio quality; not so with the Focal Dome system.
PSB SubSeries 6i Subwoofer
- Written by Jim Clements
- Published on 03 September 2009
The PSB Subseries 6i subwoofer is a very unassuming-looking product, albeit a little on the large size by today's standards. It has a single 12" driver in a ported enclosure. There are two ports that exit at the bottom front of the cabinet. The volume and crossover controls are mounted along the bottom of the front part of the cabinet as well. This arrangement allows the 6i to be mounted inside a cabinet.
Paradigm Millenia 20 Hybrid In-Wall speakers
- Written by Greg Zakrzewski
- Published on 21 September 2009
Ahh summer time. Time for pools, get togethers with friends and tearing apart walls in search of audio and aesthetic excellence for your flat screen TV. While this may not be the average summer activity for most I'll wager more than a few Secrets readers are in the midst of their own audio-video inspired renovations. Here's my story of an in wall audio adventure courtesy of the new Paradigm Millenia 20 Hybrids.
"Imagine" (NAD Blu-ray Player and Receiver, PSB Speakers)
- Written by Jim Clements
- Published on 03 September 2009
Welcome to the inaugural Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity system review! We are planning to publish a series of similar reviews to highlight system packages in the Low (up to $2,500 MSRP), Medium ($2,501 - $5,000 MSRP) and High (over $5,000 MSRP) price categories. The systems will all include a source component, receiver (or prepro and amp), speakers and sub (optional). We will also evaluate products in the burgeoning soundbar category. We will strive to select balanced systems that will offer the best value in their respective price ranges. These reviews will be focused on helping readers select turnkey systems for new installations or upgrades.
JL Audio Fathom F110 Subwoofer
- Written by Michael Galvin
- Published on 17 September 2009
It would truly surprise me if anyone reading this review had not heard of JL Audio. Notwithstanding JL Audio's stellar reputation in the car audio world, its Fathom and Gotham series of subwoofers have set the home audio/video world on fire like few products in recent memory.
Earthquake Titan Telesto Floor-standing Speakers and Supernova MKVI 10" Subwoofer
- Written by John E. Johnson, Jr.
- Published on 27 August 2009
Earthquake Sound has just introduced the Titan Telesto floor-standing speakers. They are 50" high and have a unique horn-loaded tweeter as well as a conventional dome tweeter. Two 4" drivers handle the midrange, with a side-mounted 8" woofer dealing out the low frequencies. They are beautifully finished in black piano lacquer and are priced at $4,999 for the pair. Earthquake also sent their Supernova MKVI 10" subwoofer, because I had been so impressed with the 15" version, and I wanted to see how the smaller one performed. Well, it performed! And so did the Telestos . . . .
