http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/rss.xml Reviews of loudspeakers of all kinds, from small to large, freestanding to in-wall, and more. hourly 12 2006-12-01T00:00 http://www.audioholics.com/static/logo.jpg http://www.audioholics.com/ http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/floorstanding/emp-tek-ef50-speaker-system While the EMP EF50 speaker system does sacrifice a bit of performance at the altar of aesthetics, it is very little performance for a whole lot of aesthetic gain. The tiny sub belies its performance and impact and the surround speakers sound too good to be surrounds. The removable faceplates may be a bit gimmicky, but it's a good gimmick. If this is your first foray into home theater and you want to do it right this is the set for you. tom 2008-04-15T13:45:00+00:00 Pro Review http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/bookshelf/emotiva-er-5-0-speaker-system-review Emotiva, the maker of affordable amps and processors, has stepped into the speaker world in a big way. With the help of the famous loudspeaker designer Vance Dickason, they have put together a 5.0 package at a price that seems almost too good to be true. These speakers sound great, the dipole surrounds are amazing, and the boundary and tweeter adjustments mean that they'll fit almost any room. The downside? Just look at them… tom 2008-03-31T13:37:51+00:00 Pro Review http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/subwoofers/sunfire-hrs-12-subwoofer To get good monster bass, usually some fairly mongo subs are required. It is rare to find a sub this small that can not only provide copious bass output, but also can provide deep and accurate bass output as well. While not cheap by some standards, the HRS-12 subwoofers do an excellent job balancing the design and providing outstanding performance without skyrocketing the price. . Considering that the HRS-12s can easily provide better than two thirds of the performance of subs like the Fathoms at a mere one third of the price, the HRS-12s are a well engineered, high value product that represents a very good bargain for anyone looking for extreme levels of bass performance at less than extreme prices. david 2008-03-24T11:45:29+00:00 Pro Review http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/architectural/axiom-algonquin The Axiom Algonquins proved to be among the best sounding speakers I've heard in this price class. Their ability to give you a full spectrum of sound, solid bass extension, and plenty of efficiency and power handling makes them ideal for those looking for quality bookshelf type speaker systems for their gaming room or covered barbeque area. Axiom’s color matching, prompt and unparalleled customer service and very generous return policy makes them a safe buy for anyone not sure if these speakers are right for them. Gene 2008-02-25T21:03:50+00:00 Pro Review http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/floorstanding/yamaha-soavo-1-towers Considering Yamaha has such a good reputation with making fine instruments and some of the most reliable and accurate monitor speakers ever to hit the recording industry, it's astounding that they aren't equally appreciated for their home audio speakers. This past year Yamaha aimed to change that with the introduction of their new Soavo series loudspeakers. We were fortunate enough to get our hands on a pair of Soavo-1 towers - their flagship product and a magnificent-looking specimen to be sure. We got a sneak peek at these speakers during the 2007 CEDIA Expo, but now we actually get a chance to put them through their paces in one of our reference listening rooms. clint 2008-02-19T09:55:26+00:00 Pro Review http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/satellite/yamaha-ysp-4000 The YSP-4000 is the newest and top-of-the-line product in this well received line. To say that it has been pushed to its limits in this review is probably an understatement. But did it pass? In my book - yes… for movies. Are you going to need a DVD player or other source? Yes. Are you going to need a subwoofer? Definitely. But for movies, what you'll get is a convincing facsimile of surround from a single source, undeniable cool factor, and convenience galore. tom 2008-02-04T17:00:00+00:00 Pro Review http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/satellite/emp-eca-4 This is a must have solution for any application requiring a compact clutter free and inconspicuously mounted installation. For a limited time, EMP is extending 50% off their MSRP which makes this system even more attractive and a very uncommon value. So basically $500 gets you 5 high performance compact satellite speakers. I recommend pairing this system with two small but potent subs and you’ve got a “cubed speaker system” killer for under $1k. Gene 2008-01-16T21:03:00+00:00 Pro Review http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/satellite/jbl-cs6100 It seems no matter who one talks to these days the topic of home theater inevitably comes up at some point. Everyone either has a home theater system, or everyone wants one. With the prices falling on flat panel displays and projectors, just about everyone can afford to put together a very nice home theater system. However, not everyone is concerned with having the absolute best when it comes to the audio portion of the system. Nobody wants junk, but most don't want to spend more on the speakers than on the rest of the system. JBL has put together a nice little system that will fill the needs for those wanting to obtain some decent surround sound to go along with the rest of their home theater and not break the bank in the process. jeff 2008-01-05T05:05:00+00:00 Pro Review http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/floorstanding/paradigm-s6-v2 Some speaker companies need no introduction. There are few names that are as associated with speakers as Paradigm. One approaches a speaker of this caliber with a sort of reverence. You don't play music through them; you allow them to recreate the music for you. The Signature 6's are an expensive speaker, but for that you get fantastic build quality, great sonics, and aesthetics to die for. The Paradigm S6's present a laid back but full soundstage that is both wide and deep. Bassy, full, with a detailed high end, the S6's aren't the perfect speaker, but they may be right for you. tom 2008-01-01T00:10:00+00:00 Pro Review http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/bookshelf/tk-5c The RBH Sound TK-5Cs were top notch performers, sounding BIGGER than they looked without faltering at high SPL levels. If you can't find an RBH dealer in your area, check out the EMP EF30s which are similar in performance but almost $150 cheaper through the Audioholics online store. Gene 2007-12-05T21:52:46+00:00 Pro Review http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/bookshelf/usher-be-718 If you are on the market for a dynamic pair of compact speakers with a high Spouse Acceptance Factor (SAF), dynamic audio performance on par with speakers twice their price, and an ability to create a sound image nearly on par with full sized speakers, than I urge you to consider the Usher Audio Be-718 Tiny Dancer speakers seriously. They are absolutely gorgeous, with the piano gloss center section and beautiful wood side panels making them right at home in a medium sized den with a tube amplifier softening that hard edge while sipping a 20 year old brandy. The Be-718 Tiny Dancer’s are not without peer, as there are other bookshelves, and even some floor standing speakers that perform admirably at or near this price point, but the combination of sturdy construction, excellent engineering, innovative tweeter design and implementation, and performance per dollar spent put these substantial sound boxes into the “if this is your price range, put these on your short list of speakers to audition” checkbox. It was truly my pleasure to review these highly capable pair of speakers with décor friendly appeal, and musicality nearly beyond reproach. anthony 2007-12-03T00:00:00+00:00 Pro Review http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/architectural/paradigm-60-sm The Paradigm 60-SM Rock Monitors are all around solid performers, providing better sound than you might expect from such a conspicuous little package that happens to blend beautifully into almost any outdoor setting. If you are yearning to take your music outdoors without cramping your style, these little rocks should provide sufficient reasoning for you to catch up on your listening sessions while enhancing the enjoyment of yard activities. Gene 2007-11-29T00:00:00+00:00 Pro Review http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/architectural/emp-ew30 Got that new flat panel? EMP has the answer for streamlined high performance loudspeakers that won't take away form your new purchase. The EW30s are among the best on-wall type speakers we have heard. With the special Buy One get One free promo currently being offered, they are quite a bargain. Gene 2007-11-04T19:35:13+00:00 Pro Review http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/subwoofers/vtf-3-mk3-sub The Hsu Research VTF-3 Mk3 is a well designed product, packing a terrific driver, obviously crafted with an emphasis on the basic features that are important to deliver maximum bang for the buck in a product in its price class. Within its limits, it did a number of things exceptionally well. Add to all that product support, a very useful, interesting manual and small enough to fit comfortably in all but the tiniest locales and in the VTF-3 Mk3 you find a truly top-flight product and an excellent investment for the discerning movie and music lover. I was consistently surprised by how well Dr Hsu managed to get this thoroughbred with a 12” driver to perform on a consistent basis. I’ll close with a strong buy recommendation; buy two if the budget allows for it! mark 2007-10-22T22:25:50+00:00 Pro Review http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/bookshelf/usher-s-520-review-addendum We recently reviewed the Usher S-520 bookshelf speaker system and found them to be an uncommonly good value because of their fidelity, build quality, and aesthetics. Just as we were gearing up to ship these speakers back to the manufacturer, Musikmatters – US Distributor of Usher Audio products, requested that we retest these speakers after replacing the woofers since we reported the woofers were susceptible to bottoming out during large bass transients in our face off review. Check out our results. Gene 2007-09-26T10:21:09+00:00 Tech Article http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/architectural/axiom-w3-install-video Gene DellaSala and Axiom Audio Resident Expert Alan Lofft install their new hybrid Inwall/Onwall W3 speakers into a wall and show how easy it is to accomplish this type of project in your own home. This instructional video takes you through the process, documenting the step by step procedure and the proper tools to get the job done. clint 2007-09-26T00:00:00+00:00 Video Spotlight http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/architectural/axiom-audio-w-series-intro At the Audioholics Showcase home, we discuss Axiom Audio's new In-wall/On-wall W-series speakers with Alan Lofft, Axiom's Resident Expert. These speakers are Axiom Audio's attempt to compromise the architectural look of an on-wall speaker, while providing some extra box room for greater performance. While it's a bit more involving to install than a typical onwall speaker, there are several advantages to this solution that people more focused on audio performance in a small footprint will certainly appreciate. clint 2007-09-26T00:00:00+00:00 Video Spotlight http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/lifestyle-desktop-and-portable/yamaha-nx-u10 When I first spied the NX-U10 USB powered speaker system at CES, I was pretty impressed. A portable speaker system that can be powered by the wall, batteries, OR USB? That's a pretty nifty idea. The NX-U10 may not be the ultimate in high fidelity playback but it has a lot going for it - the portability is outstanding, the aesthetics are fantastic, and the performance is above my expectations. For the person on the go that wants a break from headphones or just wants to share their music with someone else, the NX-U10 fits the bill nicely. tom 2007-09-14T00:00:00+00:00 Pro Review http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/lifestyle-desktop-and-portable/boston-acoustics-rk6t2 Getting great sound outdoors without being obtrusive is not always an easy task. When Boston Acoustics announced their new line of Voyager Rock speakers, it piqued my interest. Reviewing the Boston Acoustics RK6T2 rock speakers was a refreshing experience. These speakers rocked both figuratively and literally in every conceivable way an end user would expect them to. Not only did they exceed my expectations from an aesthetic standpoint, but their fidelity and linearity simply blew me away. The RK6T2’s are a versatile, high value product that will dress up your patio, porch or other outdoor function area with unprecedented sound quality that will be a hit at your gatherings and the envy of your neighbors. Boston Acoustics truly sets the benchmark for others to follow in this speaker genre. Gene 2007-09-04T21:22:56+00:00 Pro Review http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/lifestyle-desktop-and-portable/soundolier-duo-wireless In our experience, wireless hasn't been done right yet and we were hoping that Soundolier would be the first. Soundolier has obviously worked very hard to ensure a stable and strong wireless connection. I would have no problem recommending these speakers to anyone that has décor issues (as long as you don't turn them up too loud) or is just looking for a nondescript way to get background music into a room without the hassles of wires. They are an expensive solution for sure but the ease of setup and the rock solid wireless connection may make that extra money seem well spent. tom 2007-08-22T00:00:00+00:00 Pro Review http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/bookshelf/bookshelf-speaker-faceoff-2007 The gloves come off as Audioholics takes on eight pairs of bookshelf speakers priced from $200 - $1800 a pair and tells you who leads the pack and who you should send packing. While there may not be consensus, the four reviewers who took these speakers to task have some common opinions where it counts. Even when they agree to disagree, the results are informative and eye-opening. We also took a suite of measurements on each speaker at 1 meter (on-axis only as our time was limited) and these graphs are included towards the end of the shootout. clint 2007-08-21T12:18:46+00:00 Tech Article http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/lifestyle-desktop-and-portable/mondo-mint-music-system The Mondo Mint system is both a lifestyle music product, USB audio device AND a wireless iPod system. Now, it's not every system that allows you to drop your iPod into a local OR remote charging station and have either location play it through the same set of speakers. And just TRY to find something that can play audio via USB from your PC as well... The Mondo closely resembles a double-wide Apple Mini, with the same color motif and rounded corners. It's a nice look and the machine will fit in well with an AppleTV should you decide to go that route. clint 2007-08-10T08:45:39+00:00 Pro Review http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/bookshelf/ascend-acoustics-sierra-1 If I had to describe it in a word, that word would be "pandemonium." That was what seemed to be happening in the audiophile community as Ascend Acoustics announced their new "reference" bookshelf speakers, the Sierra-1's. Long time lovers of the brand were putting their beloved speakers up for sale with the Sierra-1's on pre-order. Sight unseen, ear unheard, the Sierra's were being compared and debated against speakers many times their price. As bookshelf speakers go, they aren't the cheapest but this is definitely a case of "you get what you pay for." And you're getting a lot. The bass and treble extension seems out of place in the same box. Usually you hope for one or the other. In this case, you get both and in a bookshelf package. tom 2007-08-08T00:00:00+00:00 Pro Review http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/floorstanding/av123-x-mtm-tower-speaker-review AV123 is one of a handful of internet direct companies manufacturing quality loudspeakers at affordable prices. The company's Onix line of speakers has changed a bit, and they have dropped the Onix nomenclature. After having a pair of the x-ls monitors in my home for several months, I was excited when they shipped me a pair of the brand new x-mtm towers. After living with them for a couple of months, I'm ready to report to you my findings on what is surely a highly-anticipated speaker for many who are looking for a lot of bang for their buck. jclarke 2007-08-07T15:43:33+00:00 Tech Article http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/satellite/cerwin-vega-cvhd For years, Cerwin-Vega! has been known as a company that produces LOUD speakers (they seem to harbor this thought with their tagline "The LOUD Speaker Company"). The slim profile CVHD 5.1 system and hi-tech looks complement many decors and more importantly the expectations of what home theater speakers should look like in many consumers' minds. For $1000, there are a lot of speaker sets out there that are better (but probably don't have as good a sub) but I've seen this set on sale online for as little as $550. For $550, they are a very good deal. The sub is going to destroy any HTiB "bass module" it comes across and you can pump enough sound through the satellites to fill a large room without frying your amp. While they have their limitations, for the right person, at the right price, they could be the right set. tom 2007-08-03T14:47:41+00:00 Pro Review http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/subwoofers/velodyne-sc-iw-in-wall-sub Overall, the SC-IW subwoofers performed well beyond my expectations and erased any preconceived notion that I had about in-wall subwoofers. It rivalled the performance of many good 10-12-inch freestanding box subwoofers making it the best in-wall subwoofer system I have heard or installed to date. I highly recommend the SC-IW subwoofer and SC-1250 amplifier to home owners, custom installers, and designers that wish to maintain the minimalist design trend without performance sacrifice. –Bravo Velodyne! ray 2007-07-27T00:00:00+00:00 Pro Review http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/floorstanding/rbh-sound-tk-5ct Winner of the Audioholics 2007 Product of the Year Tower speakers under $1k, the RBH Sound TK-5CT's are among the best we've heard in this price class. Their ability to deliver clean unadulterated sound quality with plenty of bass makes them ideal for someone looking to assemble a cost effective home theater system that also does music equally well. You owe it to yourself to demo these at your local dealer or take a plunge online with the virtually identical EMP Ef30T offering at the Audioholics e-store. tom 2007-07-23T00:00:00+00:00 Pro Review http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/floorstanding/rbh-sound-wm-24-wm-30-fm-45-m-series-loudspeaker-system-review The M Series loudspeaker from RBH Sound should be on your list of products to audition. The system as a whole works very well together and blends seamlessly thanks to its excellent timber matching and system synergy. mark 2007-07-17T00:00:00+00:00 Pro Review http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/subwoofers/hsu-research-vtf-1-subwoofer-review The Hsu Research VTF-1 has proven to be a solid performer that, relative to its price point, does most everything well with very little wrong. I found it to be both musical and responsive to the source material I threw at it while still capable of very respectable output levels. Sonically, the VTF-1 is similar to the STF-1, retaining the best qualities while making sonic improvements with key differences consisting of the larger driver, an increase in amplifier power, and the ability to play lower. The end result is that the VTF-1 sounds like a heftier sub, sonically, than the STF-1 with a similar price to performance ratio. If you are in the market for a high value subwoofer then Hsu should be on the list of products to investigate; the VTF-1 is a good sub that is hard to beat at the price. david 2007-07-09T23:44:11+00:00 Pro Review http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/satellite/nht-verve-iv-5-1-speaker-system-review Did you know that over 40% of NHT employees are musicians? Knowing that little bit of trivia helps one to understand why the company has such a solid reputation with both audiophiles, and yes, musicians. I know several professional session and live players who swear by the NHT speakers they have in their home a/v rig, and if you are looking for a very "musical" speaker that can also handle the demands of home theater, NHT is a manufacturer you should consider when speaker shopping. jclarke 2007-06-28T00:00:00+00:00 Tech Article