82 HOME CINEMA CHOICE
HCC130.group 82
JUNE 2006
25/4/06 5:41:35 pm
Sound
advice Looking for a home cinema speaker package for £550? Meet five of the front runners... he choice of speakers available to potential buyers is literally baffling.
T
From sub/sat systems to bookshelf and floor-standing designs, it’s now possible to kit out your viewing room without making compromises or instigating domestic
disputes. But which system sounds the best and how much should you pay? To make your buying decision easier we’ve assembled a fistful of 5.1/5.0 home theatre sound systems which typically sell for £550 or less. But while the price points may be similar (and pleasingly low), there are plenty of style options available. The good news is that all have been engineered to deliver the best surround sound experience that their makers can achieve for the price, voiced for seamless panning and an immersive soundfield. At least that’s the theory. So is your next speaker system here? Read on…
■ AUDIO PRO CINEMA PRECISION
■ MORDAUNT SHORT PREMIERE
■ MOREL NOVA
■ MISSION M30
■ WHARFEDALE DIAMOND JUNE 2006
HCC130.group 83
HOME CINEMA CHOICE 83
25/4/06 5:41:52 pm
Grouptest... Speaker systems
AUDIO PRO CINEMA PRECISION £500 (approx) ◆ 01423 359054 ◆ www.csesolutions.co.uk/product ◆ Overall Rating ★★★★
I
t would be an overstatement to suggest
when used conventionally. ACE Bass has
centre. It is fabricated from thick aluminium
that Audio Pro, a Swedish company
been used on all Audio Pro subwoofers
panels, and houses a tiny soft dome tweeter
quite the same calibre as the satellites,
founded in 1978, invented the
The sub works adequately, but is not of
from that time to the present day, including
flanked by two 75mm bass/mid drivers
which is no reflection on Audio Pro’s ACE
subwoofer. But I like to feel that it was
the otherwise conventional looking PS-8
(more mid than bass, obviously). In common
Bass technology, but an inevitable
Audio Pro which helped make this one-time
sub included here. However the PM-02
with the Morel system reviewed elsewhere,
consequence of the cost-cutting that was
American oddity it into something practical
satellites could be matched to a number of
the Audio Pro satellites can’t be connected
necessary to get it built at the price. It
and, eventually, desirable, in Europe.
alternative woofers from the same stable.
using 4mm plugs, so you’ll have to use bare
plugs the bass octaves well enough, and
Other options include pedestal floor stands
wires or spade terminals. Included with each
is quite adept at dealing with some special
for the satellites.
satellite is a slide on backing plate which can
effects, the odd explosion and the like, but
be used as a support if they are to be used
the texture of the bass is slightly loose, and occasionally even boomy.
Audio Pro’s key contribution was an invention called ACE (Amplifier Controlled Euphonic) Bass, which modifies the physical
Surprisingly perhaps, the most intriguing
parameters of a drive unit mounted in a box
feature of this system is not the subwoofer,
on a shelf, or screwed to a wall. What most
with electrical properties programmed into
which ultimately does not outstrip some of
people will notice first however is the superb
the partnering amplifier. The idea was to
the rival subs reviewed elsewhere, but the
build and finish of the speaker itself, which is
Conclusion
extend and strengthen the performance of
PM-02 satellite which is used for the whole
way beyond what you might reasonably
Overall, there’s much to like about this
enclosures too small to produce useful bass
of the rest of the system – front, rear and
SPECIFICATIONS ITEM PM-02 Satellite (x5) Drive units Enclosure type Frequency response Sensitivity Power handling Dimensions Weight PM-08 subwoofer Drive unit Enclosure type Frequency response Sensitivity Power Dimensions Weight
DETAILS 2 x 75mm bass/mid units, 12mm dome tweeter Sealed 100Hz – 28kHz, -3dB 88dB/m @ 2.83V 50W 216(h) x 98(w) x 84(d) mm 1.6kg
expect at this price level. The subwoofer is
package, though given the option – and
more conventionally finished, and doesn’t
Audio Pro does allow this – I might be
have the same classy aesthetics, but the
tempted to buy the Audio Pro satellites
shallow profile of the satellites, and wall
with a different sub, although this would
mounting arrangements make this system a
probably mean breaking our self-imposed
natural for use with wall-mounted plasma
Group Test budget. But even as supplied,
and LCD TVs.
this can be considered an above average
The satellites are definitely the stars here. They are clean and agile-sounding,
use with wall-mounted flat screens ■
with a slightly spiky treble. The PM-02 satellite has a neutral, expressive and welllayered midband, making it a speaker that can convey depth of information. The bass
200 mm bass reflex 27Hz – 100Hz (variable) N/A 150W 320(h) x 320(w) x 320(d) mm 9.6kg
tails off at lower frequencies, just as you would expect, but less so than some similarly small diminutive speakers. The system retained its intelligibility through difficult, complex soundtracks – Lord of the Rings for example, but it sounded a little flat with Black Hawk Down.
84 HOME CINEMA CHOICE
HCC130.group 84
system, and an obvious front runner for
Audio Pro’s aluminium cabinets and MDF sub feel robust JUNE 2006
25/4/06 5:42:44 pm
Tried&Tested...
MORDAUNT-SHORT PREMIERE
£480 (approx) ◆ 01753 680868 ◆ www.mordaunt-short.co.uk ◆ Overall Rating ★★★★
M
ordaunt-Short is one of the older
All this amounts to an unusually thorough
British loudspeaker brands, but
fine tuning exercise.
there have been changes. The
In the Premiere system, the specified
company is now part of the burgeoning
subwoofer is the 308W, a neat but
D&M empire, and although designed in the
essentially conventional design in
UK, the loudspeakers are built in the Far
a compact cubic enclosure and fitted with
East. You get the benefit of design that suits
an 80W amplifier and a 200mm drive unit.
the target market (British speaker design is
The 308W has all the usual adjustable
prized in many of Mordaunt-Short’s export
features, and a set of screw-on feet that
markets) coupled with attractive pricing.
allow the bass cone to fire downwards
This system is a derivative of the original
as Mother designer intended. The system
Premiere package that was launched several
can be bought at extra cost with a larger
years ago, but which has been improved in
subwoofer called the 309W. In this
various ways. This is especially true of the
configuration, the system is known as the
302 and 304C satellites, which incorporate
Premiere Plus.
a re-profiled version of the bass/mid unit,
Even with its slightly smaller enclosure,
SPECIFICATIONS ITEM DETAILS Premiere MS302 satellites (x4) Drive units 90mm bass/mid, 25mm tweeter Enclosure type bass reflex Frequency response 100Hz – 20kHz Sensitivity 88dB/m @ 2.83V Power handling 15-80W Dimensions 180(h) x 112(w) x 130(d) mm Weight 2.0kg Premiere MS304C centre speaker Drive units 2 x 90mm bass/mid, 25mm tweeter Enclosure type bass reflex Frequency response 100Hz – 20kHz Sensitivity 88dB/m @ 2.83V Power handling 15-80W Dimensions 112(h) x 278(w) x 130(d) mm Weight 3.0kg Premiere 308W subwoofer Drive units 200mm Enclosure type bass reflex Frequency response 35Hz – 150Hz (variable) Sensitivity N/A Power 80W Dimensions 305(h) x 305(w) x 305(d) mm Weight 9.4kg
a revised roll cone surround, and some
the 308W endows the Premiere system
structural changes to the drive unit basket
with an attractive bass. With perfectly
and the enclosure itself, not least a new front
reasonable depth and power, it is
plate with a restyled flare around the
nevertheless quite tuneful, and a good
two bass units in common with most larger
tweeter, which helps control dispersion.
match for the satellites, with an optimum
centre speakers, which means that it can
balance. The current model has gone some
handover around 100Hz. The bass end
sound bolder, and drive harder. Conversely,
way to putting this right, and the system now sounds more even and expansive.
of this system has an attractive quality,
when working at moderate volume levels,
and blends in better than with many
the system is working more within its limits,
small sub/sat systems where the
which pays real dividends with the speech
Conclsuion
subwoofer is forced to handle frequencies
intelligibility, especially with expansive high
This exciting system has little trouble
which make its location all too obvious
octane soundtracks like Black Hawk Down.
combining subtle soundstage detail with
when listening.
For an extra £50 you can trade up from the 308W sub to the 309W JUNE 2006
HCC130.group 85
thanks to a somewhat recessed midrange
The quality of the centre speaker is
dynamic special effects, explosions and
The real strength of this system lies in
reflected closely with the smaller 302
the like. There is a limit to what a compact
the satellite speakers, particularly the use of
satellites that complete the rest of the
system like this can be expected to do,
what might be described as a ‘proper’
system. Older versions of the 302 tended
but it does a more than creditable job
centre speaker. It has a single tweeter and
to be fairly relaxed, even distant-sounding
most of the time ■
HOME CINEMA CHOICE 85
25/4/06 5:42:49 pm
Grouptest... Speaker systems
MOREL NOVA £500 (approx) ◆ 020 8420 4234 ◆ www.morelhifi.co.uk ◆ Overall Rating ★★★★
T
his neat-loking package is from Israeli company Morel, a longrunning producer of drive units for
others, though it makes some highly distinctive complete high-end speakers of
its own. The Nova satellite system is one of Morel’s least expensive offerings, but it is no less distinctive in its own way. The Nova system includes five tiny satellites in two varieties, in both cases based on the same set of ideas. The four outer satellites take the form of hemispherical enclosures made from painted mild steel into which the bass
energy, compact magnet systems and
unit with a small coaxial tweeter is fixed,
large voice coils to work within the size
The subwoofer is more conventional, though it looks radical enough. Essentially
dialogue quality which is articulate without being bright or pointed. The bass is not
taking up most of the internal space.
constraints, and to ensure that power
it is a compact powered subwoofer, with
especially muscular, but it does its job.
The centre speaker is similar, but the
handling is high enough. Each of the
the usual range of in and outputs (at
As a whole the system is slightly constrained. It is not as expansive or as
enclosure in this case has a more bell
satellites is fitted with a strong adjustable
speaker and line level) and adjustments
like profile, and a similar coaxial driver
foot, so that it can be used freestanding
(low pass filter, phase and level). The
obviously dynamic as you’ll find with with
arrangement internally, though the
or attached to a wall (with a single
form factor however is novel. The
larger satellites, and it does tend to
units chosen are different. In both cases
screw mounting arrangement), and
enclosure is slender in depth and circular
diminish big soundtracks somewhat.
the designer has gone in for some
which allows the unit to be pointed in
in profile, and is designed to stand at an
A rather soft-centred Saving Private Ryan
clever internal packaging involving high-
the desired direction.
angle on three screw-in alloy feet.
showing how far it has to go. But it
SPECIFICATIONS ITEM DETAILS L1-1 (main/rear satellites) Drive units 85mm bass/mid, 20mm tweeter Enclosure type sealed (IB) Frequency response 100Hz – 22kHz Sensitivity 87dB/m @ 2.83V Power handling 15-100W Dimensions 100mm diameter Weight 1.1kg B1-2 (centre) Drive units Enclosure type Frequency response Sensitivity Power handling Dimensions Weight
100mm bass/mid, 28mm tweeter sealed (IB) 100Hz – 22kHz 87dB/m @ 2.83V 15-120W 110mm diameter 1.0kg
SoundSub 9 (subwoofer) Drive units Enclosure type Frequency response Sensitivity Power Dimensions Weight
222mm bass reflex 30Hz – 160Hz (variable) N/A 100W 510mm diameter x 145mm depth 14kg
Alternative mounting arrangements for
remains good enough for music listening
the satellites include slender column
where the attention is on the speakers
stands, and the subwoofer can be
rather than an attention grabbing moving
attached to a wall so that it takes up no
picture on screen.
floor space whatever. The system is ingenious and works well
Don’t expect the expansive image scale, or
The satellites are too small to have a have
the rich tonality of larger systems with this
any bass of in their own right, and they’re
Morel, and be prepared for a system that is
also somewhat insensitive electrically (this
both power hungry and limited in the
also goes with the territory), so you’re
volume levels that it can achieve, though
going to need a moderately powerful
not as limited as you might suppose. But if
amplifier, especially in larger rooms, and
your requirements are for a system which
you may find yourself using a higher
takes up virtually no space at all, Morel’s
volume setting than usual. The crossover
baby is one of the better bets around ■
point on the subwoofer should be set to around 120Hz rather than the 100Hz implied in Morel’s documentation. Once set up, you should find that this system is an attractive choice, one that is easy on the ear to the point where in it should quickly become almost inconspicuous, matching the visual presentation. The system does not sound bright and edgy, and the centre speaker is particularly impressive. It is capable of
86 HOME CINEMA CHOICE
HCC130.group 86
Conclusion
within the constraints set by the packaging.
The SoundSub 9 is conventional woofer in a radical cabinet JUNE 2006
25/4/06 5:42:53 pm
Tried&Tested...
MISSION SYSTEM £550 (approx) ◆ 01480 447700 ◆ www.wharfedale.co.uk ◆ Overall Rating ★★★★★
T
here are certain synergies between
at a normal height), which means a
this system and its opposite number
more uniform, better focussed result.
from Wharfedale. Once they were
The Mission system is very
competitors, but the IAG parent company of
transparent, and this, plus its overall
Wharfedale has recently completed its
balance, means care is needed if it’s
takeover of Mission. Interestingly, they both
going to work well. In particular, avoid
eschew the use of a subwoofer in favour of
small rooms, or rooms which impose a
full bandwidth floor standing main speakers.
close listening range. Give them room
In common with the Wharfedale, you can
to breathe, and these boxes should
specify a variant of this system with or
sound vital and engaging.
without full size main speakers, but which
Having established that this system
does includes a Mission branded subwoofer.
is unusually sensitive, when means
Ask your dealer for details.
that it is less reliant on
But there is one significant difference
amplifier power than most, it
between the two IAG propositions: while
is also bold and dramatic,
the Wharfedale system requires a little
with film dialogue rendered
more power than usual because the
in an unusually expressive
system must rely on its own resources to
and articulate way. Special
drive the bass, the Mission main speakers
effects and background music
are unusually sensitive, which reduces the
sound vivid and alive,
power required for any required volume
Apocalypse Now sounded
level. At the same time the M30i
more dynamic, yet easier to
(responsible here for low frequency
follow than usual.
reproduction) is capable of handling a
Soundstaging is excellent,
substantial amount of power without
though there is more drama at the front of
complaint, a little more perhaps than the
the system than the back, which by default
maker’s specification suggests.
may help correct a widespread tendency to
The three speakers included here consist of a conventional centre speaker, equally
adjust multichannel systems to give excessive output from the rear channel,
compact two-way speakers for use as the
even when set up by one of the new
rear channel, and a pair of largish floor
fangled breed of receivers with a
standers as the main front left and right
microphone driven auto setup feature.
speakers. Where the rear and front speakers do differ from convention is that
Conclusion
they are inverted, the tweeters mounted
This is an exceptional speaker package.
below the bass drivers, which is intended
Yes, it can sound rather loud, even
to equalise the path length of the two
verging on fiery at times, and, yes, some
drivers to the listener’s ears (when seated
might find the balance of the system on the lively, bright side of neutral. But there are plenty of compensations, including a vivid tonality, and a way of attacking special effects that can make the competition sound weak at the knees. It makes some of its Group Test competitors sound as though they are lacking in balls, dynamics if you prefer, and seems capable of pulling more useful
Mission can offer a lot of cabinet for your money with M33i JUNE 2006
HCC130.group 87
information out of film soundtracks and
SPECIFICATIONS ITEM M33i (main) Drive units Enclosure type Frequency response Sensitivity Power handling Dimensions Weight
DETAILS 165mm bass/mid, 25mm tweeter vented (bass reflex) 48Hz – 20kHz 90dB/m @ 2.83V 25-100W 850(h) x 200(w) x 328(d) mm 12.8kg
M3c2i (centre) Drive units Enclosure type Frequency response Sensitivity Power handling Dimensions Weight
2x 100mm bass/mid, 25mm tweeter vented (bass reflex) 56Hz – 20kHz 91dB/m @ 2.83V 25 – 125W 165(h) x 430(w) x 230(d) mm 6.7kg
M30i (rear satellites) Drive units Enclosure type Frequency response Sensitivity Power handling Dimensions Weight
100mm bass/mid, 25mm tweeter vented (bass reflex) 68Hz – 20kHz 86dB/m @ 2.83V 15 – 75W 220(h) x 145(w) x 190(d) mm 2.5kg
music recordings ■
HOME CINEMA CHOICE 87
25/4/06 5:42:56 pm
Grouptest... Speaker systems
WHARFEDALE SYSTEM £550 (approx) ◆ 01480 447700 ◆ www.wharfedale.co.uk ◆ Overall Rating ★★★★
T
he original Wharfedale Diamond,
channel speaker here, though it remains a
a compact bookshelf/stand mount
popular stereo speaker, and at a price that
stereo speaker, was launched back in
allowing for inflation is probably less than
the early ’80s, almost as an afterthought at
it cost at launch. It is also a better speaker,
the end of a long stream of new models at a
with wider dispersion, a smoother, more
memorable press event. But it quickly
extended bass and treble, and a midband
became the main story when it started
that ‘breathes’ more realistically. But in
being snapped up for use in student digs and
essence it remains what it always was: a
the like. Now in its 9th iteration, Diamond
simple 2-way box speaker.
has long since evolved from being a loudspeaker model to a complete range of
The remaining speakers in this system are somewhat more sophisticated –
compatible models, from which a number of
or at least their enclosure are. The
home cinema configurations can be drawn.
front main speaker in this case is
When the original Diamond was launched,
the 9.4, a floor stander, using
home cinema was little more than a dot on
similar technology to the Diamond,
the mainstream horizon. Since then,
but scaled up, but the enclosures
manufacture has moved from the UK to
have curved side panels, which
China; but significantly, virtually every part of
makes them more resistant to
every loudspeaker is produced in house, and
resonances, and which helps
the company is able to produce custom
disperse internal reflections – an
drivers and other parts on demand.
unusual refinement at this price
The plain vanilla Diamond lives on in version 9.0 trim as the surround effects
level. The Diamond 9CS, the nominated centre speaker, is essentially a
SPECIFICATIONS ITEM DETAILS Diamond 9.0 (rear satellites) Drive units 100mm bass/mid, 25mm tweeter Enclosure type vented (bass reflex) Frequency response 60Hz – 24kHz Sensitivity 86dB/m @ 2.83V Power handling 15-75W Dimensions 236(h) x 145(w) x 165(d) mm Weight 2.8kg Diamond 9.4 (main front) Drive units 160mm bass/mid, 25mm tweeter Enclosure type vented (bass reflex) Frequency response 40Hz – 24kHz Sensitivity 86dB/m @ 2.83V Power handling 20 - 100W Dimensions 800(h) x 223(w) x 301(d) mm Weight 14kg Diamond 9CS (centre speaker) Drive units 2 x 125mm bass/mid, 25mm tweeter Enclosure type vented (bass reflex) Frequency response 40Hz – 24kHz Sensitivity 89dB/m @ 2.83V Power handling 20 - 120W Dimensions 189(h) x 400(w) x 233(d) mm Weight 8kg
specialised version of the 9.4, much
Conclusion
smaller of course, but with the same
This Wharfedale set can be considered a
curved wall construction. Readers may have noticed that there is no subwoofer in this kit. In fact there are
certainly lacks the expressive qualities and
various other iterations of the Diamond 9
dynamics of the Mission system reviewed
series which do include a subwoofer, some
elsewhere (Mission is now part of the IAG
costing little more than this one. If you opt
empire), and the latter is capable of a larger,
for a system san sub, remember to correctly
more solid image scale. Still, and despite
set up the Dolby decoder in your electronics,
a hard and sometimes grainy treble which
routeing LFE into the main stereo pair. One tradeoff of not having a dedicated
HCC130.group 88
can make dialogue sound a little hard-edged, it’s a good system, and one whose bass will
self-powered sub is that the system needs
not be subject to the vagaries that are often
a little more power from the amplifier,
involved with systems with subwoofers ■
say around 100 W/channel (ignore the maker’s figures here), but this is a ballpark figure for even relatively inexpensive multichannel amplifiers these days. Otherwise you’ll find the system easy to configure. I noted that the speakers have somewhat broader dispersion that usual, and this means a much larger sweet spot where several listeners will hear good sound, not just in a single listening sweet spot.
88 HOME CINEMA CHOICE
clean and agile system, if a little wooden by the standards of the best of its peers. It
There’s no sub in this package, so you might choose to add your own JUNE 2006
25/4/06 5:43:00 pm
Tried&Tested...
CONCLUSION This group naturally divides itself into two. One is the uber-compact subsat systems, which are distinguished by their physically small size, just the thing if you (or your partner) really don’t want the living room cluttered up with intrusive loudspeakers. There is no free lunch here, however, and to get the best result you will need to use all five speakers (not just the main front ones) and subwoofer, and, best of all, attach them to a wall. Of the three that fit this description, the Morel Nova is easily the most nearly invisible. The satellites look more like tiny light fittings than loudspeakers. Even the subwoofer does its best not to get in the way and can be wall-mounted. But the sound is lightweight. The Audio Pro is distinguished by its superbly built (and excellent sounding) satellites, which aesthetically are a particularly great fit with wall-mounted screens. Compared to this, the subwoofer is rather pedestrian, but it’s a good package overall. As a more general purpose alternative, however, the Mordant-Short Premiere’s all-round consistency and attractive sound quality makes this a particularly strong choice and gives it the edge. The other group consists of the two systems that swap the subwoofer for two floorstanding main speakers, but if you don’t want big speakers then they really won’t do the job. There is no easy way to rank them. The Wharfedale is certainly the more neutral and arguably the better all-rounder. But it is the bolder and sometimes brasher Mission system that has genuine star quality here. It may be harder to take in some surroundings, but overall it has the more compelling story to tell ■
RATINGS 1. MISSION
£500 (approx)
Highs: More sensitive, more animated, more detailed and livelier than the rest Lows: Can sound bright and overbearing at times; no subwoofer
Build ★★★★
Sound ★★★★½
Style ★★★★
2. MORDAUNT SHORT
Overall ★★★★★ £500 (approx)
Highs: Compact and effective; homogenous sound. Lows: Bass depth only moderate, and cubic subwoofer shape is wasteful of living room space
Build ★★★★
Sound ★★★★
Style ★★★★
3. AUDIO PRO
Overall ★★★★ £500 (approx)
Highs: Stunning satellites with articulate sound, clean midband, good spatial depth Lows: Subwoofer not quite as exacting as the satellites, some treble spikiness from latter
Build ★★★★
Sound ★★★★
Style ★★★★★
4. WHARFEDALE
Overall ★★★★ £550 (approx)
Highs: Easy to setup, good build quality Lows: Slightly inexpressive; wooden, grainy quality with some material; no subwoofer
Build ★★★★
Sound ★★★½
Style ★★★
5. MOREL NOVA
Overall ★★★★ £500 (approx)
Highs: Easy on the ear, relaxed and unobtrusive to listen to – and to look at Lows: Some dynamic compression; not as muscular as some of the others
Build ★★★½
Sound ★★★
Style ★★★½
Overall ★★★
JUNE 2006
HCC130.group 89
25/4/06 5:43:04 pm