Top Speakers In Every Class
With countless speaker brands and models out there, how do you even begin to choose? For starters, check out our picks -- we've got nearly every category covered.
(continued)
Compact Home Theater Options
There are a lot of compact surround speaker systems out there — designs that combine a too-small subwoofer with five tiny satellites. The appeal is not too tough to take in: such systems are cute, they make nice with the décor, and they're a lot easier to bring home and set up than full-size speakers. But all too many of them sound like a dog's dinner, especially the el-cheapo single-carton affairs you'll find next to the trash compactors down at the Price Club. Yet many consumers just gotta have small. Manufacturers have noticed, too, and have obliged with a riotous variety of innovative shapes and solutions to tempt the reverse-snob lurking within most of us.
Small: Mirage OMD-5 5.1 System ($3,049)
Mirage's "Omnipolar" technology is a very unusual driver-layout that reproduces sound with an approach to the theoretical ideal of omnidirectionality — a source that sounds the same from any angle. Among a host of advantages, this produces a stunningly large, dimensional, lifelike image from stereo (and multichannel) recordings. The OMD-5 satellites used at the four corners extends well down to the sub's range for a smooth, continuous blend, while the hybrid OMD-C1 center compromises with enough direct sound to keep movie dialogue grounded on-center. A great system for the lover of music listening (especially of naturally recorded classical and jazz) who wouldn't mind some serious cinema sound as well, and insists on big sound from a small space.
Smaller: Definitive Technology ProCinema 800 ($1,200)
Anyone who absolutely needs — or insists upon — a highly compact, wholly elegant-looking loudspeaker system will do little better than Definitive Technology's ProCinema 800 layout. The jewel-like construction and elegant form of these subcompact satellite speakers appeals to the eye and hand, but drop an acoustically transparent scrim in front of this system and the ear would never guess. Much of the magic arises from the passive-radiator diaphragm concealed in each sat's top panel. This couples with an unusual woofer design to enable these very small speakers (just 8 inches tall) to go low enough, nonetheless, to blend properly with their sub, itself an ultra-compact 8-incher that still manages to produces honest deep bass.
Smallest: Energy RC Micro System ($999)
The Micro 5.1 is about as small as front-channel loudspeakers can get, for the practical reason that shrinking the satellites much further would limit their ability to produce acceptable low-midrange. This in turn would cause too much sound (including parts of male voices, instruments like guitars or cellos, and lots of film sound effects) to end up originating from the subwoofer. Still, the Canadian maker's Micros are almost comically small: just over 4-1/2 inches tall, or about the size of a coffee-mug (if mugs were square). The 8-inch ESW-C8 sub included in the system isn't all that much bigger, but it delivers enough extension and oomph to give an honest impersonation of cinema sound. The overall effect, in a small room, is precisely what most folks want from this kind of a mini: "Whoa, all that sound's coming from these?" With all frankness, if you can go bigger, do; you'll get more impact, deeper bass, more volume, and better spatial presentation. But it you can't or won't, this system stands a world apart from the typical department store home-theater-in-a-box.
|
|
Compact Home Theater
Next: Standalone SubwoofersPrevious: 5.1 Channel Home Theater Systems 1 |2 |3 |4 |5
