RBH Sound CT-5.1 System

Play this system loud and you won't be disappointed. I simply could not get distortion out of the RBH Sound system without raising the listening level to uncommonly high SPLs. The CT-5.1 System is a rugged performer, providing consistently good sound from both the satellites and its dual-8" sub. Music and theatrical presentations sounded equally good and the transparent nature of these systems showed that much of RBH Sound's engineering prowess has made its way even into its entry-level products. RBH Sound has taken acoustical enclosure engineering to a different level whereby they can get sound out of a relatively small enclosure that rivals much larger units. Their subwoofer was the most musical of all subs tested, with low frequency performance that was anything but monotonous. 

Aperion Audio Intimus 5.1 System

The Aperion system was the best crafted system in this group. Its 1" thick HDF cabinets and nicely-finished enclosures are a force to be reckoned with, really putting it into a different class with bookshelf systems - both in terms of performance and size. The Aperion drivers played with detail and presence and the subwoofer performed admirably for an 8" drive unit that was tested in a medium-large sized room. Having 5 identical speakers made this unit a textbook system for DVD-Audio playback; however vocals tended to be a bit boxy, with a slight emphasis in the 300Hz range. Home theater movies sounded great on this system and it could play very loud without audible distortion.

Mordaunt-Short Avant Premiere Plus System

Mordaunt-Short has made an excellent all-around system that performed well for both music and home theater. The drive units looked incredible and were by far the most attractive satellite system I had seen, whether the grill covers were on or off. Their clean representation of music and theatrical soundtracks was impressive and edged out the competition slightly in terms of definition, accuracy and transparency. If I were to purchase a small satellite system for my home at this budget, this would be the set. The MS909W performed better in the low end than all other subs, though it had the clear advantage of its 12" driver and larger enclosure.

Velodyne Deco System

While a bit on the bright side, I still believe the Deco system is a bargain as the Deco sub did indeed perform close to the level of the original SPL-800, even edging it out slightly in terms of how loud it played lower frequency content (most likely due to its larger sized enclosure). So, for the price of an SPL-800 you get a subwoofer whose performance is nearly identical, plus a free set of speakers. This system is a good fit for home theater aficionados, and it simply excels if you like to feel your bass and want a unit that doesn't know when to quit.

The Score Card

The scoring below is based on each piece of equipment doing the duty it is designed for. The numbers are weighed heavily with respect to the individual cost of each unit, thus giving a rating roughly equal to:

Performance × Price Factor/Value = Rating

Audioholics Rating Scale

• — Excellent
• — Very Good
• — Good
• — Fair
• — Poor

RBH Sound CT

MSRP: $1099/set

Metric	Rating
Build Quality
Appearance
Treble Extension
Treble Smoothness
Midrange Accuracy
Bass Extension
Bass Accuracy
Imaging
Soundstage
Dynamic Range
Performance
Value

Aperion Audio Intimus

MSRP: $1299

Metric	Rating
Build Quality
Appearance
Treble Extension
Treble Smoothness
Midrange Accuracy
Bass Extension
Bass Accuracy
Imaging
Soundstage
Dynamic Range
Performance
Value

Mordaunt-Short Avant Premiere Plus 

MSRP: $1600

Metric	Rating
Build Quality
Appearance
Treble Extension
Treble Smoothness
Midrange Accuracy
Bass Extension
Bass Accuracy
Imaging
Soundstage
Dynamic Range
Performance
Value

Velodyne Deco System

MSRP: $799

Metric	Rating
Build Quality
Appearance
Treble Extension
Treble Smoothness
Midrange Accuracy
Bass Extension
Bass Accuracy
Imaging
Soundstage
Dynamic Range
Performance
Value