Quick Takes - Cerwin-Vega E-705 Bookshelf Speakers - July, 2000


Jared Baldwin

 

Ratings:
		Extraordinary
		Good
		Acceptable
		Mediocre
		Poor

Cerwin-Vega E-705 2-Way Bookshelf Speaker

Drivers:  1" dome tweeter, 5 1/4" woofer

MFR:  60Hz - 20kHz

Impedance:  8 Ohms

Sensitivity:  89 dB

Recommended power:  75 watts rms

Size:  11 1/2 " H x 6 3/4 " W x 8" D

Weight:  9 lbs each

Finish:  black

Video shielding:  yes

Connector type:  push spring

Enclosure type:  ported

Speaker matching:  Voice matched to Cerwin-Vega E-series 2 models

MSRP:  $200/pair

What they say: 

Being the least imposing of the Cerwin-Vega E-series 2 speakers the E-705s stand close to the size of a letter envelope.  The unimposing enclosure houses a 1" dome tweeter that boasts PTC self-resetting overload protection that keeps them from being over-driven and a 5 1/4" woofer that is lightweight by design, but not by performance.  Video shielding is included to increase versatility, which means that the E-705s can be placed from front to back in a home theater setup.  The E-705s are voiced matched as well to the other E-series 2 models that provide a tight soundstage that will put any movie lover in the middle of the action.            

What we found:

The E-705 is a solid bookshelf speaker, bookshelf being the key term.  Often many of us forget that you have to sacrifice some sound for the space we're trying to keep, and that's where bookshelf speakers such as the E-705 come in.  Their size and video shielding allows for them to be placed almost anywhere, which, for example, could prove invaluable for a dorm-ridden college student.  Just imagine trying to fit large, un-shielded speakers into a tiny dorm room along with a highly sensitive computer.  If re-typing those 10 page term papers is your thing, then go right ahead.  The E-705s are suggested to be used as the mains in a home theater setup; however, they sound a little small to do so.  My suggestion would be to use them as surrounds in a compact installation with the slightly larger E-706s (6 1/4" woofer) as the mains, which allows for the same soundstage throughout the listening area, not just the front channels.  Overall, these are very neutral sounding speakers that color the sound very little, mostly in the mid-bass range where many bookshelf models do.   The push type connectors are standard on speakers in this price range.  Although the E-705s are small by design, they certainly hold their own.

Rating:

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- Jared Baldwin -

© Copyright 2000 Secrets of Home Theater & High Fidelity

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