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Fluance SX-HTB+ 5.0 Speaker System Review

Name: SX-HTB+ 5.0 Speaker System
Brand: Fluance
SKU: not available
Rating: 3.5 (1 reviews)

by Clint DeBoer — January 26, 2011

Fluance SX-HTB+ 5.0 Speaker System

Product Name: SX-HTB+ 5.0 Speaker System
Manufacturer: Fluance
Performance Rating:
Value Rating:
Review Date: January 26, 2011 01:25
MSRP: $ 299

Specifications

Front Floorstanding Main Speakers
System Type: 2 Way - 3 Driver Floorstanding Main Speakers
Woofer\Midrange: Dual 6.5 inch Poly-coated Drivers with Butyl Rubber Surrounds
Tweeter: 1 inch Neodymium Balanced Silk Dome Ferrofluid Cooled For Longer Life
Power Handling: 50 - 160 Watts
Frequency Response: 49 - 20KHz
Sensitivity: 89dB
Crossover Frequency: 3500 Hz PCB Mounted Circuitry
Impedance: 8 Ohms
Enclosure: Bass Reflex Design Internally Braced
Dimensions: 38.8 x 7.8 x 13.0 inches (H x W x D)
Weight: 33.45 lbs

Center Channel Speaker
System Type: 2 Way - 3 Driver Center Channel
Woofer\Midrange: Dual 4.0 inch Poly-coated Drivers
Tweeter: 1" Neodymium Balanced Dome Ferrofluid Cooled For Longer Life
Power Handling: 30 - 100 Watts
Frequency Response: 80 - 20KHz
Sensitivity: 86dB
Crossover Frequency: 8000 Hz PCB Mounted Circuitry
Impedance: 8 Ohms
Enclosure: Bass Reflex Design
Dimensions: 5.24 x 15.8 x 7.9 inches (H x W x D)
Weight: 9.0 lbs

Rear Surround Satellite Speakers
System Type: 2 Way - 2 Driver Surround Speakers (Wall Mountable)
Woofer\Midrange: 4.0 inch Driver
Tweeter: 1" Neodymium Balanced Dome Ferrofluid Cooled For Longer Life
Power Handling: 30 - 100 Watts
Frequency Response: 80 - 20KHz
Sensitivity: 86dB
Crossover Frequency: 8000 Hz PCB Mounted Circuitry
Impedance: 8 Ohms
Enclosure: Bass Reflex Design
Dimensions: 9.75 x 5.25 x 6.98 inches (H x W x D)
Weight: 5.1 lbs

Pros

Super inexpensive
Good looking
Honest specs
Lifetime parts & labor warranty

Cons

Weak midrange
Compressed highs
Muddy bass when used w/o subwoofer
Cardboard ports on center and surrounds

Introduction

For years we'd heard about Fluance speakers, but until we HEARD Fluance speakers we didn't understood what all the hubbub was about. Fluance has been know for offering what appears to be an insanely low-priced surround loudspeaker solution (or stereo depending upon your needs) for what many manufacturers charge for a single refurbished speaker. While it wouldn't be fair to compare the SX-HTB+ speakers to a $1000 surround sound speaker system, or put them up against the likes of any of the full-priced models we've reviewed, it's amazing just how much you can expect for $300. What's even more amazing is that Fluance speakers come with a lifetime manufacturers warranty for parts & labor.

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Discuss This Article

everettT posts on November 13, 2017 15:51

Biamping off the same power supply doesn't increase the power. Passively biamping dosent do anything and I bet your friend would be surprised to learn that he is probably only pushing a watt or two most of the time.

QUOTE=“MarcG, post: 1220030, member: 83322”]Something I would like to add that I failed to mention

My friend who biamped is using the Onkyo TX-NR646 100 W/Ch (8 Ohms, 20 Hz–20 kHz, 0.08% THD, 2 Channels Driven, FTC).

He's also only using it 2.0 and he's bi-amping using the extra rear channel. so i'm guessing he's sending 100-150w of power per speaker.

My other friend using the cheap Pioneer receiver and is setup with a full 5.0.
With all channels driven he's most likely only getting 25-40w per channel.

rojo posts on November 13, 2017 11:11

MarcG, post: 1219986, member: 83322
Both rooms are definitely over 4000 cubic feet ( open concept bungalow) .

Imo the only pieces worth it are the towers … the sxs surrounds and sxc center are the weak point … I would just buy the towers separately and 2 sets of sx6's bookshelves ( one set for rears and one speakers for center ) … This Would make a sweet budget setup.. the only concern would be the extra/unused sx6

The SX towers wouldn't be my first choice. Fluance's response graph for the Classic Elite / SXHTB towers hints at problems: cone breakup around the 3.5kHz crossover point, some sort of phase cancellation, and a general recessed sound and probably poor imaging. The Signature Series would be the only Fluance towers I'd consider – but even then, in that price range I think I'd prefer to audition the Emotiva Airmotiv T1, the RBH R55Ti, the Ascend Acoustics CMT-340 + pedestal stands, or wait for JBL to offer another deep discount on their Studio 580 towers. In the $300 range of the Fluance SX towers I'd sooner stick with bookshelf speakers – probably the Affordable Accuracy monitors, or shop for used.

MarcG posts on November 13, 2017 09:59

Something I would like to add that I failed to mention

My friend who biamped is using the Onkyo TX-NR646 100 W/Ch (8 Ohms, 20 Hz–20 kHz, 0.08% THD, 2 Channels Driven, FTC).

He's also only using it 2.0 and he's bi-amping using the extra rear channel. so i'm guessing he's sending 100-150w of power per speaker.

My other friend using the cheap Pioneer receiver and is setup with a full 5.0.
With all channels driven he's most likely only getting 25-40w per channel.

MarcG posts on November 12, 2017 22:44

Both rooms are definitely over 4000 cubic feet ( open concept bungalow) .

Imo the only pieces worth it are the towers … the sxs surrounds and sxc center are the weak point … I would just buy the towers separately and 2 sets of sx6's bookshelves ( one set for rears and one speakers for center ) … This Would make a sweet budget setup.. the only concern would be the extra/unused sx6

William Lemmerhirt posts on November 12, 2017 20:57

MarcG, post: 1219968, member: 83322
Oddly enough i have two friends who have this system. 1 of my friends bi-amped the towers the other did not

the friend who bi-amped 150w per channel:

the difference is immense, especially in the bass department. These towers LOVE power. I have to say that i was shocked at the low end response from 40-80hz, i could feel the bass on my chest.

The other friend who has them hooked up to a cheap pioneer receiver with 70w/ch bass response is decent, but no wheres near the bass response my other friend is getting with the powers bi-amped

Just curious Marc. How similar is the placement/room size/room construction between these systems? Also, where there any tone controls in play? Ie: bass knob turned up etc.

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About the author:

Clint Deboer was terminated from Audioholics for misconduct on April 4th, 2014. He no longer represents Audioholics in any fashion.

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