Emotiva ERM-1 & ERD-1 Speakers First Look

Emotiva introduced a new line of reference speakers at the Audioholics 2007 State of the CE Union event in Clearwater, Florida.   Yes, you read that right - speakers.  Emotiva, known for it's high-quality amplifiers and pre/pros, has unleashed yet another set of products that raise the bar for quality and value. 

Not only were these products announced, but they were also displayed and demoed at the Audioholics event, and were met with enthusiasm from everyone in attendance.  The speaker line consists of two products - the Emotiva Reference Monitor 1 (ERM-1), which is designed to be used in LCR applications, and the Emotiva Reference Surround 1 (ERD-1) selectable bi-pole/di-pole speaker. 

The ERM-1 consists of two 5.25" woofers constructed from a proprietary Tri-Fiber composite cone that is light weight and rigid.  The high end is handled by a 25mm silk dome tweeter.  The crossover is a Asymmetrical 4th order Linkwitz-Riley crossover with a switchable tweeter level adjustment (+2, 0, -2db).  It features an offset array with optimized horizontal and vertical polar response, allowing the speaker to be mounted vertically for left / right main channels or horizontally as a center channel.

The build quality is classic Emotiva - rock solid, heavy duty.  They include dual speaker terminals for bi-amped operation.  The cabinet is critically braced and highly damped, constructed of MDF.  The front of the speaker is highlighted by a 6mm milled aluminum low diffraction front baffle plate which gives the speaker a decidedly high-end, yet understated look.  One of the more simple yet genius features is the magnetically mounted, acoustically transparent fabric grill.  There is nothing flimsy about this product. 

The speaker boasts a frequency response of 80-20Khz +/-2db, and has a sensitivity of of 89db (2.83 volts @ 1 meter).  Emotiva recommends 50-250 watts RMS to power these beauties.  And the price?  How about $299 each? 

Equally as impressive is the ERD-1 surround speaker.  Sporting the same 5.25" tri-fiber composite cone woofer, and dual 25mm silk dome tweeters, these surrounds will match perfectly with the ERM-1.  They have selectable bi-pole/di-pole operation, allowing the flexibility to set them as your room or listening habits dictate.  They have solid MDF cabinets with a non-reflective black satin finish, as well as magnetic grills. 

The ERD-1 also has a frequency response of 80-20Khz +/-2db, and has a sensistivity of of 89db (2.83 volts @ 1 meter).  Emotiva recommends 50-250 watts RMS of power.  They are priced at $349 per PAIR.

The speakers are expected to be available in January of 2008.  For more information, visit:  http://www.emotiva.com/

Unless otherwise indicated, this is a preview article for the featured product. A formal review may or may not follow in the future.