Speaker ReviewsSpeaker Reviews
B&W CM8 Tower Speakers
- Written by Brian Alvarez
- Published on 28 July 2011
Bowers and Wilkins (B&W) recently made the bold move to sell their products through Magnolia and Best Buy. Adding big box retailers in addition to specialty retailers is quite a step from a brand surround by "audiophile" credentials. Few speakers have as much universal respect as B&W speakers. One of their new models is the CM8 Floor-stander (tower), which is reviewed here.
LG LHB336 Home Theater System (Blu-ray Player, Receiver, Speakers, and Subwoofer)
- Written by Stephen Hornbrook
- Published on 21 July 2011
Last year I reviewed the LG LHB535, a full-featured Home Theater-in-a-Box Blu-ray system. I felt it performed pretty well and offered a lot of features for the price. Wait until you see what the LG LHB336 offers, for $399.
THIEL SCS4T Floor-Standing Speakers
- Written by Jim Milton
- Published on 23 May 2011
The late Jim Thiel and company have been making speakers in the heartland of Kentucky for over 30 years. THIEL has amassed a staggering 55 accolades from international press, including the high performance audio industry's most prestigious publications. The SCS4T is part of the J.E.T. series and offers the most affordable line of speakers that THIEL currently manufactures.
Klipsch Reference II 5.1 Home Theater Speaker System
- Written by Jim Clements
- Published on 05 July 2011
At last year's CEDIA Expo in Atlanta, Klipsch set up their demo in a room that was more than just a little bit off the beaten path. Undaunted, I was able to find my way there and boy was I glad that I took the extra time to seek them out! The Klipsch Group, Inc. owns a total of four speaker companies – Klipsch, Jamo, Mirage and Energy. Each company had some new products on display. In this review, we take a look at the Klipsch Reference II 5.1 Speaker System, which includes RF-82 II floor-standers (towers) as the Mains, an RC-62 II Center, RS-52 II Surrounds, and SW-311 Subwoofer.
GoldenEar SuperCinema 50 Home Theater Speaker System
- Written by Jim Milton
- Published on 19 May 2011
I consider myself a lucky guy. Not only did I get a chance to go to Las Vegas to cover CES, I also got to sit down with Sandy Gross and have a personal audition of his new Triton 2 towers. Sandy has had an illustrious career with Polk Audio and Definitive Technology and has more recently helped start up a new company called GoldenEar Technology. Here, we review their new SuperCinema 50 Home Theater Speaker System.
Paradigm Signature S2, Version 3 Bookshelf Speakers and Anthem Integrated 225 Amplifier
- Written by Chris Heinonen
- Published on 20 June 2011
The CEDIA Expo isn't really a show for audiophiles. Most of the setups are geared towards in-wall speakers, projectors, and other various forms of home automation, but there are always a few vendors there that have some nice demonstrations. This year, one of my favorite demonstrations came from Paradigm, who had a complete home theater built with their Signature S2, Version 3s as the front speakers.
Axiom Audio M22 V3 Bookshelf Speakers for the Audiophile
- Written by Tyler Stripko
- Published on 17 May 2011
Being recognized as the audio/video guru in your circle of family, friends, and co-workers is a bit of a double-edged sword. On one hand, it is highly rewarding when people ask for your advice (and even better when they actually take it). On the other hand, just about every time I give a recommendation I am inexorably demanded to "find something cheaper." ......Axiom Audio has been a haven for consumers who want excellence and value in a hi-fi system. Here, we review their M22 V3 bookshelf speakers, which are very affordable and deliver the goods in the sound department.
Anthony Gallo Acoustics Reference 3.5 Speakers
- Written by Chris Groppi
- Published on 02 June 2011
In 2007, I reviewed the Gallo Reference 3.1 speakers along with Gallo's Reference AV center, A'Diva rears and the Reference SA subwoofer amplifier. I liked them so much I bought the entire system. Recently, Gallo has released the new Reference 3.5 speaker, replacing the venerable Reference 3.1.
Boston Acoustics RS 326 Floor-Standing Speakers
- Written by Tyler Stripko
- Published on 02 May 2011
The Boston Acoustics RS 326 represents the top model in Boston Acoustics' Reflection series, which includes numerous floor-standing, bookshelf, and center channel speakers along with a matching subwoofer. Second only to the VS line, the Reflection series was designed to create an "elegant fusion of technology, performance, and stylish good looks (to quote the Boston Acoustics website)."
Usher Dancer Mini Two Floor-Standing Speakers and BE-616 Center Channel Speaker
- Written by Mark Vignola
- Published on 26 May 2011
Usher Audio is a brand long known around the audiophile community for making speakers of stunningly good build quality and excellent sound for the price. Often mentioned in conversations with speakers costing much more, Usher has remained a more niche company, providing its speakers slightly under the radar. That under-the-radar reputation changed somewhat with their release of the highly regarded BE-718 bookshelf speaker, which we reviewed some time ago. The current review details the Usher Mini Dancer Two Floor-Standing Speaker and the BE-616 Center Channel Speaker.
Axiom M3 v3 Bookshelf Speakers
- Written by Greg Z
- Published on 21 April 2011
Bookshelf speakers – a loved and hated niche in the audio industry. A step up from cubes or soundbars for certain. But to the purist they are a "unacceptable" compromise vs. floor standers for primary listening. Be that as it may - they still provide massive sales volumes in the industry and often benefit greatly from technology trickledown from a manufacturer's reference level systems. Since most of our music is produced on "bookshelf" sized monitors – why shouldn't bookshelf speakers receive just a little more respect? Well, here are two that deserve respect: Axiom M3 v3 (version 3 of the M3).
