Introduction Axiom Audio has quickly established itself as one of a small number of players in the ultra-competitive Internet-based, direct-to-the-consumer speaker business. With an understated Canadian style, the Axiom folks bend over backwards to offer AV advice in place of crafty closes and hard sells. Consumers who find their value-oriented speakers without researching Axiom’s reputation are often shocked at how low-key and fun the experience of buying speakers can be. As you might expect, the Axiom website is extremely well designed and rich in content for those looking to learn about speakers, audio and home theater systems in general. Unlike many mass market and mid-level retailers, Axiom has truly informed advisors awaiting your call. The most notable of these is resident audio-video expert Alan Lofft (former editor of a number of top AV publications), who is available to prospective and existing Axiom clients for help with everything from tuning a subwoofer to speaker placement and far beyond. ...

Introduction Revel is the high-end speaker division of Harman Specialty Group, a division of multi-billion-dollar conglomerate Harman International, makers of high-end Lexicon and Mark Levinson audio-video electronics. Revel’s Performa line is more modestly priced than their swanky Ultima products, which are reserved for the most demanding and wealthy consumers. Revel has taken much of what they have learned through extensive research and development of their Ultima line and employed this in their Performa speakers. Evidence of this can be seen in the fact that many of Revel’s products have received widespread acclaim among consumers and critics, including the Performa F30s, which Audio Video Revolution selected as a Best of 2001 product. While the Performa F30s were a sonic marvel, especially considering their price, they left a lot to be desired aesthetically. With the recently introduced Performa F32s replacing the Performa F30 speakers, Revel has completely redesigned the look of their entry-level floor-standing speaker. Gone is the art deco ...

Introduction Krell Industries, Inc. has been a mainstay in the high-end audio marketplace for over 25 years, originally gaining a reputation for designing and manufacturing accurate, high resolution two-channel preamplifiers and authoritative yet musical stereo power amplifiers. With the onslaught of digital music software, multi-channel music and surround-sound movie recordings, Krell successfully expanded into other electronics, such as DVD and CD players, Home Theater preamplifiers/processors and multi-channel amplifiers. In 2001, Krell crossed the threshold into designing and producing reference loudspeakers. Their first effort, the Lossless Acoustic Transducer (LAT) Series, was a full-on design and engineering assault, utilizing all aluminum enclosures, a complement of state-of-the-art drivers and sophisticated crossover networks. Originating with the no-holds-barred, $37,500 per pair LAT-1s, Krell forged on to create an equally impressive center channel, matching surrounds and a behemoth subwoofer, all adhering to the same exacting standards of the LAT-1s. Like other manufacturers in the field, Krell applied a trickle-down philosophy from their flagship line, ...

Introduction As you decide to make the transition into the higher-end realm of speakers, MartinLogan is a company that needs to be strongly considered. Widely heralded for their lust-worthy line of hybrid electrostatic speakers, MartinLogan has a well deserved reputation for excellence. The price of excellence has traditionally been steep, with their lowest-cost hybrid electrostatic model speaker, the Clarity, retailing for $2,700 per pair. This has all changed with the new MartinLogan Montage. Based on a speaker technology targeted to the price-conscious customer, the Montage is considerably more affordable at $1,495 a pair. The Montage is beautifully styled and, like all MartinLogans, is an attention-grabber in any room. Each Montage measures 38 inches tall, nine-and-one-half inches wide, 11-and-one-half inches deep and weighs a svelte 30 pounds. The cabinetry features an attractive half-elliptical shaped wood cabinet. Most traditional speakers in this class are still the boxy rectangle cabinets, yet the Montage has a style that is engaging. The nicely ...

Introduction As much as you love speakers and all the lust-worthy toys that go along with them, one thing you are glad you don’t do for a living is running a start-up speaker company. With names like Infinity, Bose and Boston Acoustics gracing the interiors of some of the finer automobiles and taking out many big-dollar ads in magazines and newspapers, the task of competing in the loudspeaker market has become nearly impossible – actually, it has been that way for more than 20 years. I say “nearly” impossible because one man, Sandy Gross, has been at the head of launching two speaker companies – Polk and Definitive Technology – that have not only made it but prospered. Definitive Technology, Gross’ current company makes some of the sleekest, most powerful speakers designed for home theater systems. Have they sold their souls to the Devil to be able to rock Axis’ Bold as Love in ...