Surround Sound Speaker SystemsSurround Sound Speaker Systems
Onkyo HT-S7200 HTiB (Home Theater in a Box)
- Written by Cory Potts
- Published on 30 November 2009
My first Home Theater in a Box (HTiB) was a Sony unit about 10 yrs ago that went into a 500 sq/ft college apartment and, I thought for the time, sounded pretty good (I bought it on clearance from for $200 including DVD player, receiver, satellites and passive sub).
Paradigm Reference Millenia 300 Tower Floor-standing Speakers, Millenia 30 Center Channel Speaker, Millenia ADP Surround Speakers, and Studio Sub 15 Subwoofer
- Written by Larry Hryshko
- Published on 12 November 2009
Talk about mixed feelings! I need to unload all of my biases first since they are sufficient to taint this review. First, I'm a longstanding fan of Paradigm speakers and over the years, I have either owned or listened to a wide range of their products, right from the diminutive Atoms to their flagship Signature models. In this review, I tested the Millenia series.
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.
Atlantic Technology 4400 Speaker System
- Written by Stephen Hornbrook
- Published on 09 November 2009
Addendum to Atlantic Technology 4400 system review - 642eSB THX select subwoofer
I was having trouble getting good performance from the 444SB so Atlantic Technology was kind enough to send me one of their THX Select certified 642eSB subwoofers. Upon arrival, I immediately noticed the size difference. The 642 is quite a bit larger! It also weighs quite a bit more. It was a decent workout getting it unpacked and moved. To me, this is a good sign when it comes to subwoofers. I set the crossover to bypass and cranked up the gain to about 40% then turned on some music. (Read more at the end of review)
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.
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.
"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.
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.
SVS STS-01 Floor-standing Speakers, PB10-NSD Subwoofer, and AS-EQ1 Subwoofer Equalizer
- Written by John E. Johnson, Jr.
- Published on 13 August 2009
With SVS' release of the STS speaker series, they have made a concise statement that they are definitely in the speaker trade as well as subwoofers. The STS follows on the MTS series, and according to their website, a high-end speaker series is slated for late 2009. In the current article, we review a pair of STS-01 floor-standing speakers along with a pair of PB10-NSD 10" subwoofers and their new AS-EQ1 equalizer that is made specifically for subwoofers. The listening tests as well as bench tests show that SVS is a company to be reckoned with. Their products continue to perform at a very high standard, and yet, they are priced so that anyone can afford them.
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.
Dynaudio Excite Home Theater Speakers
- Written by Larry Hryshko
- Published on 28 May 2009
Long before I ever dreamed of owning a genuine set of Dynaudio speakers, I’ve lusted after their raw drivers. Dynaudio speaker components have always been highly regarded in the do-it-yourself (DIY) community for their exceptional fidelity and bullet-proof construction. Notably, the DIY crowd isn’t exactly known for their extravagance or pretentiousness, so the huge popularity of Dynaudio is quite telling.
