The first thing that strikes you when you set them up is the modernity and simplicity of the brushed aluminum casing, they are compact and quite striking especially when the grilles are removed and you can see the left/right tilted dual midrange/bass drivers and the tweeter in between. This left right tilting seems to add a certain flexibility to the available positioning options allowing the gem to do the job of front, or surround speakers. Though the Mythos Gem Satellites are relatively compact they do have quite a heft to them which makes them feel quite substantial this is likely a result of their internal damping pads and substantial speaker walls. As regards mounting, the Gems allow several options including keyhole-type mounting brackets a threaded insert for a pivoting wall mount or alternately there are rather fetching looking optional aluminum pedestals these are a little expensive at over $250 a pair but are quite obviously designed as an integral part of the whole Definitive Technology Mythos lines styling.

Definitive Technology Mythos Gem Satellite Hi Fi Speakers

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The sound of the Gems is produced by a single aluminum-domed silk-surround tweeter with mids & bass covered above and below by a pair of 3-inch drivers, we tested the gems in conjunction with the suggested SuperCube III Subwoofer but without the Mythos Seven center channel. The overall sound was very pleasing and we found even with the sub turned off gave a reasonable amount of bottom. The Gems themselves have a nice roll off as you approach the bottom of the audio spectrum and don’t abruptly fall away in what they can handle. They are certainly pack a decent amount of punch overall but dont have an unnatural boost in the mids an have a transparency that is hard to find in a satelite set in this price range. The top end is handled adequately and with are quite easy on the ears even over long periods, we experienced very little ear fatigue while using this set.

Definitive Technology Supercube 3 Subwoofer

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Though the Mythos Gems were in general a very decent set of satellites we would recommend that for most AV uses you will definitely need to shell out for a subwoofer in your initial setup, we found the recommended Definitive Technology SuperCube III was more than adequate for the job. The two pieces were quite obviously designed to complement each other sonically and make up for each others (very minor) sonic deficiencies. Though if you do not intend to have a subwoofer in your setup I would suggest that the Mythos Gem satellites are probably not for you. The need for a decent subwoofer was most evident when we watched through the first 20 minutes of Saving Private Ryan, though with the sub turned on the overall experience was excellent and had a great visceral impact, once the sub was off the depth and impact of the battle sequence was definitely missing the lower end that the scene requires. Overall the Mythos Gem satellites do their assigned job admirably, voice reproduction was excellent as was the sound staging. You definitely feel like you are in the midst of the action. Overall the Gems are extremely decent value for money and have a feel like they could last you a lifetime, a solid thumbs up.

Manufacturers Specifications

• Pair of compact satellite speakers excellent for fronts or rears
• Equipped with Two 3-1/2″ Long Throw Upper Bass/Midrange & One 1″ Ferrofluid-Dampened Pure Aluminum Dome Tweeter
• Frequency response: 60Hz – 30kHz
• Nominal Impedance: Compatible 8 Ohm outputs
• Efficiency: 89 db
• Recommended Amplification: 10 – 200 Watts/channel.
• Magnetically shielded for safe placement near other equipment with no risk of distortion
• Secure Wall Mounting Bracket Included.
• Finish: polished aluminum or gloss black
• Dimensions: 4-1/8″ W x 4-1/4″ D x 10-1/4″ H
• RRP: $550 (Check current pricing on Amazon)

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Definitive Technology ProMonitor 800 Bookshelf Speakers Front

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When you open the box you are likely to have to look around to find the ProMonitor 800s they are so small (8″ x 5″ x 5″ approx), when you pull them out you will find a solidly constructed speaker in a simple gloss black finish (white is also available) that will hide away unobtrusively in the decor of most rooms. In case you don’t want to put these on shelves they can also be wall mounted using the built-in keyhole mount or stand mounted using an optional floor stand.

They may be compact but don’t let the size fool you these are pretty impressive for speakers so small. Apparently they use “pressure-coupling of definitives BDSS technology driver to a mid/bass radiator placed on the top of the speakers which doubles the lower-midrange radiating area of the speaker without increasing the size of the speaker enclosure”. You can hear that quite obviously in the mids on these little beasts they definitely have detectable a strength and smoothness in the mid range. The bass is also actually pretty impressive for such small units and as a stereo pair performed very well at low to medium sound levels though to be fair did get a little overwhelmed at high volumes. If there is a short coming with the ProMonitor 800 speakers it is really the highs, the top end was a little raspy and aggressive in the top end when played at high volumes. In general though I found the ProMonitor 800s to have a very enjoyable sound when listened to at more normal levels with very decent imaging and overall soundscape (and remeber we were only testing 2 as a stereo pair). Overall the Definitive Technology ProMonitor 800 Bookshelf Speakers are a very good choice for small and medium sized rooms (say around 18 x 18ft or smaller) and will rival much larger speaker sets in that environment.

Definitive Technology ProMonitor 800 Front

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Manufacturers Specifications

• Speaker type: 4-1/2″ full-range Bookshelf
• Dimensions: HxWxD: 8-3/8″ x 4-3/4″ x 5″
• Maximum Power Handling: 150W
• Frequency Response: 57Hz – 30kHz
• Tweeter: 1″ Aluminum dome
• Midrange: 4-1/2″ cast basket
• Woofer: 4-1/2″ pressure-driven planar low-frequency
• Magnetically Shielded
• Sensitivity: 89dB
• Impedance: 8 ohms
• RRP: $145 each (Check current pricing for ProMonitor 800 Bookshelf Speakers on Amazon)

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Thankfully this first impression does last. We found the components to be easy to install and rig up (for the more impatient of you the set comes with its own ample supply of wire in the box) and after installation the sound give off by this reasonably compact system is actually quite exceptional for this price bracket (especially when recent pricing cuts are taken into account).

Audio performance wise the systems bass end is tight and has good power and punch, enough volume to entirely fill all but the biggest of living spaces. The center channel is crisp and with no discernible distortion even at high volume levels, the surround units create a nice and consistent audio environment and work well in balance with the center channel. The subwoofer is almost unnecessary but still adds a nice deep sonic edge to the system. You don’t at any point feel that the systems sound gets mushy or out of focus from any point in the room. Over all we rated this system 4.5 to 5 stars. We feel that this is definitely one of the best 5.1 speaker set-ups available for under $1000.

JBL CS6100BG 6-Piece Home Theater Speaker System

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Technical Specifications

• Overall Frequency Response 30Hz – 20kHz (–6dB)

Satellite Speakers

• Maximum Recommended Amplifier Power 100 Watts
• Impedance 8 Ohms nominal
• Sensitivity 88dB @ 1 Watt/1 meter
• Frequency Response 100Hz – 20kHz (–6dB)
• High-Frequency Driver 1/2″ (13mm) Titanium-laminate dome, video-shielded
• Midrange Driver Dual 3-1/2″ (75mm) Drivers, video-shielded
• Dimensions (H x W x D) 11-3/8″ x 5-1/8″ x 3-3/8″ (289mm x 131mm x 86mm)
• Weight 3.2 lb (1.5kg)

Center Channel Speaker

• Maximum Recommended Amplifier Power 100 Watts
• Impedance 8 Ohms nominal
• Sensitivity 88dB @ 1 Watt/1 meter
• Frequency Response 100Hz – 20kHz (–6dB)
• High-Frequency Driver 1/2″ (13mm) Titanium-laminate dome, video-shielded
• Midrange Driver Dual 3-1/2″ (75mm) drivers, video-shielded
• Dimensions (H x W x D) 5-1/4″ x 11-3/8″ x 3-3/8″ (133mm x 289mm x 86mm)
• Weight 3.2 lb (1.5kg)

Subwoofer

• Amplifier Power (RMS) 300 Watts Peak 150 Watts RMS
• Frequency Response 30Hz – 120Hz (–6dB)
• Low-Frequency Driver 10″ (250mm) Woofer, bass-reflex enclosure
• Dimensions (H x W x D) (including feet) 18-1/2″ x 12-3/4″ x 15″ (470mm x 324mm x 381mm)
• Weight 41 lb (17.3kg)

General

• Optional Accessories CS Stand – Floor Stands For CS480 and CS6100
• CS600SAT – Pair pack of two matching satellites to expand to 7-channels
• Original RRP: $1,199 (Check current JBL CS6100BG Home Theater Speaker System pricing on Amazon)

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Klipsch Synergy Quintet III

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The speakers are much too small to produce sufficient bass, so Klipsch recommends pairing  the Quintet III Home Theatre System up with a Sub-10 or Sub-12 subwoofer which you will need to buy separately.

Appearence & Build

Each satellite weighs 3.5 pounds, and their construction feels first rate. The matching center speaker isn’t pedestal-mounted; you just plop it on or underneath your TV. The swiveling pedestal base featured on each satellite facilitates easy wall or shelf placement and gives the speaker a 180-degree range of motion, allowing users to widen or constrict the soundstage based on audience size.

The super compact five-piece Klipsch Quintet III surround speaker system utilizes a powerful horn tweeter design that is both sonically pleasing and provides plenty of power. Its design is such that it is easy to mount and adjust to your preferences.

Quintet III Center Speaker

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Specifications

• Five piece surround sound package for your home theater
• Clean, modern design fits any living environment
• Frequency response:  Satellite: 120Hz-23kHz, Center: 125Hz-23kHz
• Power handling:  Satellite:  50 watts (200 watts peak), Center: 75 watts (300 watts peak)
• Sensitivity:  Satellite:  91dB@2.83 volts/1 meter, Center: 94dB@2.83 volts/1 meter
• Nominal impedance:  8 ohms
• Tweeter:  One .75″ neodymium magnet compression driver
• High frequency horn:  90(d) x 40(d) Tractrix Horn
• Woofer:  One 3.5″ magnetically shielded midrange woofer
• Enclosure type:  Bass reflex via rear-firing port
• Dimensions:  Satellite: 8.3 x 5 x 6.3 inches,  Center: 5 x 12 x 6 inches
• Weight: Satellite:  3.5 pounds, Center: 5.5 pounds
• RRP: $549.00 (Check current Klipsch Synergy Quintet III pricing on Amazon)

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