Polk Audio RTI A1 Bookshelf Speakers Review
On setting these hi fi speakers up its pretty obvious that as with the other Polk Audio speakers I’ve seen the RTI-A1 speakers are a quality product, the build quality is superb. They look rather nice with a good wood grain look and feel they also have nice heft making them feel solid and reliable. The posts are are also well built and feel sturdy.
Polk Audio RTI-A1 Speakers (Black)
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The sound is very impressive and quite inspiring for something in this price range (and at this compact size). I found the overall sound to be uncolored, and detailed both in the top and midrange. The lower end was warm, full and with a very good amount of bass presence, youll have to decide for yourself whether your setup reuires a Subwoffer or not, for our purposes the RTI-A1s performed very well without. All in all they produced a nice balanced and coherent sound which seemed to work well in the living room area we tested them in both with the grills on and off. I thought they stood up well to their more expensive cousins the Polk Audio RTI-A7 Speakers at lower volume levels. All in all the RTI-A1 speakers are well worth the money and if used in an appropraite environment will give you many years of excellent relaxing to the ear audio.
Manufacturer Specifications
- Frequency response 60-26,000 Hz (-3dB)
- Handles 20-125 watts
- 1″ Dynamic Balance silk/polymer tweeter
- 5-1/4″ Dynamic Balance polymer composite woofer
- Video-shielded
- PowerPort® technology improves bass response without introducing distortion
- 8-ohm impedance
- Sensitivity 89 dB
- 5-way binding post terminals
- Real wood veneer finish
- Dimensions: 7-3/8″W x 12-1/16″H x 11-11/16″D
- Warranty: 5 years
- Original RRP: $399.95 (pair)Â (Check current pricing of Polk Audio RTI A1 Bookshelf Speakers on Amazon
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Tags: HiFi Speakers, Polk Audio Posted in: HiFi Speakers 
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Definitive Technology ProMonitor 800 Bookshelf Speakers Review
I’ve been hearing good things about the Definitive Technology ProMonitor 800 series of bookshelf speakers for a while now. But until a couple of weeks back I hadn’t had a a chance to look at them myself. When I got the opportunity to snag a couple of them and have a play I jumped at it. I’ve only used these as a stereo pair and not as part of a 5.1 or 7.1 solution so this is probably not the setup most of you will likely be using them for as the marketing seems to be aimed squarely at the ProMonitor 800s being used in an AV surround setting. But never mind I hope this review will give you a general outline of the look and feel of these little marvels.
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
)
Tags: Bookshelf Speakers, HiFi Speakers Posted in: AV Speakers, HiFi Speakers No Comments
Audio-Technica ATH-ANC7 QuietPoint Active Noise-Cancelling Headphones Review
Have you ever had sit back and try to relax to some music while a partner bangs pots and pans in the kitchen? Or perhaps you want some peace and quiet while listening to your iPod at the airport? If so then these little beauties will be ideal for your purposes. The Audio-Technica ATH-ANC7 QuietPoint Active Noise-Cancelling Headphones are a nice addition to Audio-Technicas current range we’ve had them for a few weeks now and found that they fill their assigned role admirably.
Audio Technica ATH-ANC7 Headphones
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On first appearance they just look like a nice set of modern looking medium sized full ear enclosure closed back headphones. They are quite light and smallish in size, and so my not be ideal for those of you with larger ears. Looking closely at the side you will see a little enclosure you can click open and deposit a single AAA battery into. Next to this enclosure is a slightly too little switch with which you can turn on the active noise cancelling functionality. Switching on the noise cancelling lights up a small blue LED so you can see that they are active. According to the sales blurb Audio-Tecnicas patented QuietPoint technology reduces background noise by up to 85%, we felt it was definitely a strongly noticeable effect and stopped things like PC and air conditioner noise dead in their tracks. As regards the actual sound of the ATH-ANC7 headphones for playback we found them satisfying and fairly neutral, they may be a tiny bit harsh in the top end for some and occasionally slightly muffled when the sound cancellation is turned off but we found in general the results with CD, iPod and computer audio very listenable and easy on the ears even at high volumes. All in all the ATH-ANC7s delivered very favourable results with almost everthing we threw at them. Its rare you will find a par of cans that will do both solid noise cancellation and quality sound reproduction in one package with the Audio-Technica ATH-ANC7s we think we’ve found just that and at a very reasonable price too.
Pros
- Effective Sound Cancellation
- Solid sound reproduction for most purposes
- Lightweight & Stylish
- Extremely comfortable
Cons
- Slight harsness in top end
- Sound quality drops noticeably if sound cancellation is turned off or the battery were to die
- May be too small for some with larger ears
RRP:Â $599.99 (Check Audio-Technica ATH-ANC7 Headphones pricing on Amazon
Tags: Headphones, Noise Canceling Headphones Posted in: Headphones One Comment
Onkyo TX-8555 Stereo Receiver Amplifier Review
Onkyo have been making great inroads into the affordable 5.1 and 7.1 multimedia receiver market over the last several years but while they have produced some excellent products in these categories they have not neglected the stereo receiver market. One of the better offerings we’ve found over the last couple of years is the Onkyo TX-8555 Stereo Receiver. The TX8555 is a solidly built unit with a good heft to it without feeling like a breeze block, the front plate design is what we’ve come to expect from Onkyo front panels, simple and to the point but not lacking in functionality. There are separate input channels and selector buttons for DVD, VCR/DVR, Cable/Satelite, Game Console/TV, TApe, Tuner, CD and even Phono. There is also the option to plug in an DS-A2x iPod dock so no lack of sound source potential there. Outputs wise the Onkyo TX-8555 comes with 2 zones of stereo speakers and an output channel for a subwoofer, the two room two source capability means you can enjoy one audio or video source in your first room while your other half listens to another source in a different room. Unfortuantely this requires you get an amplifier or powered speakers in the second room). This is very reasonable for a unit in this price range.
Onkyo TX8555 Receiver
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Sound quality on this unit is at the top end of what I expect in this price range. While not exactly audiphile matreial it is fairly flat in terms of response and doesnt output too much colouration of the audio spectrum at normal to highish volumes, also the unit can drive a decent range of mid range speakers well and without introducing any audiable distortion. Power wise the unit should be fine for most small to medium sized rooms outputting 100 watts per channel (8 ohms) with only 0.08% THD. Overall we found the TX8555 to have a clean and punchy sound ideal for CD, mp3, Phono and DVD. Overall this unit is very decent value for money and is ideal for the home user with many stereo sound sources.
Onkyo TX8555 Receiver Rear
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Manufacturers Specifications
- 100 watts x 2 (stereo) into 8 ohms (20-20,000 Hz) at 0.08% THD
- 4-ohm capability allows use with a wide range of speakers
- Pure Audio/Direct mode for cleaner sound
- Digital Tuner with 40 AM/FM presets
- 4 AV inputs and 3 Audio inputs, including Phono input
- 2 sets of speaker outputs & Line-level subwoofer output
- Zone 2 Capability
- XM/Sirius Ready
- iPod® integration (requires optional DS-A2x iPod dock)
- high-current, low-impedance amplifier design
- anti-resonant aluminum front panel
- front-panel switching for two pairs of main speakers
- Dimensions: Height: 5.9 inches, Width: 17.1 inches, Depth: 13.4 inches
- Weight: 18.7 pounds
- Warranty: 2 years
- RRP: $299.00 (Check current Onkyo TX-8555 Stereo Receiver pricing on Amazon
)
Tags: Onkyo, Stereo Amplifier, Stereo Receiver, TX-8555 Posted in: HiFi Amplifiers, HiFi Receivers No Comments
JBL L890 8-Inch 4-Way Dual Floorstanding Loudspeaker Review
We’re pretty big fans of JBL around here they seldom disappoint in terms of build or reliability but occasionally can come across as a bit “PAesque” in their low end models. Fortunately the JBL L890 8-Inch 4-Way Dual Floorstanding Loudspeakers have aimed far higher than that sonically even if sometimes you feel like you are standing next to a speaker stack at a gig.
Ok so that’s a bit of an overstatement, but to be honest the JBL L890 speakers are big, bloody big. Coming in at a pretty impressive 42.1 inches tall and 10.2 inches across these things look impressive and will definitely make it obvious to visitors that you’re serious about your sounds. You are going to need a large room for these or they are going to look kind of awkward and out of place, you are also going to have to give these things a foot or two space from your walls to get the best out of them. The front panel of the L890s is not exactly simple in look having to carry a 3/4″ Mylar dome UHF, a 1″ titanium dome tweeter, a 4″ midrange, and two 8″ woofers arranged top to bottom. This might crowd a normal sized speaker, but as I said earlier these things are man enough to handle it without looking ridiculous or overcrowded.
JBL L890 Floorstanding Speaker
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So as I said the general appearance of these things is “Serious heavy duty kit”, and that theme is carried through to the sound. We tested these these both with and without the recommended JBL L8400P 12-Inch Powered Subwoofer and though the L80400P did add some reinforcement in the bottom end we found that the output of the JBL L890 speakers was extremely powerful and listenable on their own. The stereo soundstaging was excellent and gave over a very well balanced feel to sonic movement in the various material we put through them. The sonic response was in general excellent and very easy on the ear excepting a slight harshness at the very top end when played at high volumes, this problem was easily resolved with a light EQ cut at 4Kz and 9Kz. This could also be resolved by matching the system with a less top heavy sound source. In the end we found these speakers to give best results for reproducing punchy impactful source material, action sequences, bassy dance, hip hop and rock music music all fared well as did more bombastic passages of classical and jazz. We did from time to time feel that the L890s were ever so slightly lacking in subtlety in the quieter passages of some of the acoustic music we played. Over all these speakers would be ideal as part of a home theathre set-up or for those who tend to like it loud and heavy, perhaps not so much for the trad jazz on vinyl crowd.
Pros:
- Exceent Soundstaging and precision of sound
- Easily Driven
- Punchy and Impactful sound
- Mostly neutral, may introduce a little in the top end of the spectrum
Cons:
- Can be a little hash at the top end at high volumes
- Not fantastic for listening to intimate quiet material
- Pretty Large & Heavy
- To get fuller bass end we suggest paring with an appropriate sub
Manufacturers Specifications
- Maximum Output Power: 1000 Watts
- Frequency Response: Hz: 28 – 40000
- Impedence: 8 Ohms
- Sensitivity: 91 dB
- Connectivity: Wired
- 1″ pure titanium dome tweeter for exceptional high frequency performance
- Aluminum waveguides provide better dispersion and a larger listening sweet spot
- Freeflow port technology for low THD
- Gold-plated, 5-way bi-wirable binding post
- Single unit, packed and sold separately
- Dimensions Depth: 15 inches, Height: 42.1 inches, Width: 10.2 inches
- Weight: 60.2 pounds
- RRP: $799.00 Per Speaker (Check JBL L890 8-Inch 4-Way Dual Floorstanding Loudspeaker current pricing on Amazon
)
Tags: Floorstanding Speakers, Home Theater, JBL, L890 Posted in: HiFi Speakers One Comment
