Home Theater Speakers: Reviews

The five-piece Fluance AV-HTB+ lacks a subwoofer, so rumbling special effects won't have quite the impact of some other home-theater speaker systems. Still, experts agree that the sound quality and build quality of these… speakers is shockingly good given their price. The speaker system is expandable, and you can add a subwoofer (*est. $200) and additional rear-channel satellite speakers (*est. $40 each) for a six- or seven-channel setup. The speakers feature solid wood cabinets, and are magnetically shielded.

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While the Fluance speakers above deliver great sound and value, they're bulky and plain looking, plus the low end falls a little short of a system that includes a subwoofer. This Harman/Kardon system is the best… 5.1-channel alternative in its price range. Sound quality is great, and the 100-watt powered subwoofer has a 10-inch driver that delivers pleasing bass. Though the subwoofer is beefy, the small satellites and center-channel speakers are unobtrusive and nice looking. This system isn't capable of filling an auditorium with sound, but can play loud enough to rattle most small to moderate-sized living rooms.

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The Energy Take Classic is a value-priced 5.1 speaker system that experts say shines whether you are watching movies or listening to music. Despite the small satellite speakers, the system has all the power needed to fill… up moderately sized listening rooms with sound. However, while bass is deep and pleasing, those looking for a system capable of loosening fillings will be disappointed. But everyone else, reports say, will enjoy the way these speakers reproduce dialog, music, special effects and more faithfully, without adding coloration of their own. Design-wise, the Energy Take Classic speakers fall into the plain-black-box category.

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For the best room-filling sound from small speakers, the Mirage Nanosat 5.1 uses the company's Omnipolar design to create an expansive sound field. This means everyone -- not just the select few sitting in the surround… field's sweet spot -- can fully enjoy a movie's dialogue and special effects. Critics are impressed by how much volume these tiny speakers can generate, and say that they can fill even a fair-sized room with great nuance and rumbling bass. Like all small speakers, experts say the Nanosat can sound "light" with certain material, but that's not a major shortcoming in most reviews.

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While still expensive, experts say the Definitive Technology ProCinema 800 speaker system easily outperforms its price tag. The excellent subwoofer is aided by satellites that deliver much better bass than their small… cabinets would suggest. Movie lovers will love how the ProCinema 800 handles everything from booming special effects to soft, low-level dialog, and music performance is even better. Although the company markets the system as home-theater solution, it is sold only as separate components; $1,200 gets you the center-channel speaker, four satellites and a subwoofer.

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