Introduction At $1,399, the 502D home theater system may prove to have the guts not only to break into the crowded market of bookshelf style speakers, but the technology to bust it wide open. The 502D system includes four 502D-LR satellite speakers, which house a five-inch magnetically-shielded woofer/midrange and a one-inch magnetically-shielded soft dome tweeter. The 502D-C center channel enclosure has basically the same configuration as the 502D-LRs, but its spade lug connectors are mounted to facilitate center channel horizontal placement. Each speaker component has been designed by Vifa, a Denmark-based company that has the reputation for producing high-quality and well-crafted components. To reduce resonance, these enclosures are constructed of solid plank hardwood, as opposed to veneer wrapped MDG particle board. These speakers also contain internal bracing and acoustic damping material to eliminate high-frequency reflection. They measure 11 inches high by six inches wide by six inches deep. For the bottom end, the 502D system includes the SW-12/320 long-throw ...

Introduction The NHT VT2.4 Towers ($2,000 a pair) are deceptive in their slim appearance. The eight-inch cabinet width is a result of a side-firing woofer configuration, offering a small footprint speaker with a bass response rated down to 25Hz. The upper-range drivers are housed in a separately sealed enclosure, isolated from the 10-inch woofer driver, which is sealed in its portion of the cabinet. The VT-2.4 Tower is a three-way vented design speaker system. The upper portion of the tower is video-shielded and contains two five-and-a-quarter-inch midranges and one one-inch aluminum dome tweeter. A separate pair of five-way binding posts is included for biamplification of the subwoofer. (NHT does have two amplifier models specifically designed for bi-amping its speakers.) The towers are shipped with straps connecting the binding post terminals of the upper section drivers to those of the lower section subwoofer. Like other NHT video towers, the VT 2.4’s incorporate the Audio/Video mode toggle switch, ...

Introduction With true convergence as the objective, Yamaha’s RP-U100 ($499) Personal Receiver is the first audio component to accept the audio signal directly from a computer (Mac or PC). It provides switching capability between the PC, a built-in AM/FM tuner and two other outboard components, such as a CD or MD player. I used the two-way acoustic suspension NS-U50 speakers ($129 per pair) that Yamaha designed specifically for the RP-U100. The YST-SW45 ($149) powered subwoofer rounded out the system. Regardless of what happens to Napster or MP3.com, it is abundantly clear that our computers will be a primary gateway for distributing, receiving, collecting and storing music files. So it stands to reason that the audio systems that reproduce these files must be of a higher quality than they have been in the past. While many computers are outfitted with speakers, performance levels vary radically. Moreover, even decent speakers are limited by the computer’s internal soundcard. The ...

Introduction Miller & Kreisel (M&K) frequently used in professional audio and DVD/film scoring studios has long been known as a pioneer in the field of separate satellites and subwoofers. This type of configuration allows the satellites to be smaller and to be positioned where they will produce the best imaging without worrying about bass response. Those of us with large tower speakers have spent many hours moving them around a few inches at a time, trying to find that perfect compromise position that allows the speakers to both image well and have a smooth, extended bass response. The separate satellite and subwoofer combination as used in the M&K systems allows the satellites to be positioned for optimal imaging and the subwoofer(s) placed for optimal bass response. Of course, if it were this easy to get incredible sound, everyone would be doing it. The satellite and subwoofer configuration presents its own problems, mainly the integration between ...

Athena Technologies S3/P3, P1/C1 Athena Technologies is a new line of speakers from API, the company that brings you the Mirage and Energy speakers. Athena’s pedigree is very solid and the Athena line fits in nicely between Energy and Mirage. The speaker combination I reviewed consisted of the top-of-the-line subwoofer/satellite combination for the four corners, with the smallest subwoofer paired up with their center channel. The retail price for the system I selected was a very reasonable $4,125 (C1 $250 each, P1 $275 each, S3 $600 per pair, P3 $600 each). Several finishes are available. The cherry wood review samples were well finished and aesthetically pleasing. The S3 is a three-way satellite with a 1" tweeter, 5 _" midrange and 8" woofer. The P3 subwoofer is a 150-watt amplifier driving a 10" driver in a ported enclosure. The Athena lineup consists of three subwoofer options, the P1, P2 and P3, three satellite options, S1, S2 ...