Mid-Priced Speaker Setups

More bang for the buck in $400 to $800 home theater speaker systems

One of the biggest issues that surround-sound systems face is that fashionable, tiny satellite speakers often have trouble producing enough bass to blend well with the subwoofer, leaving a gap in frequency response that impacts both dialogue and music. Hsu Research has come up with an innovative solution to the issue. Because low-frequency bass is less directional than high or even midrange frequencies, the company's Ventriloquist technology sends some of the higher bass frequencies to a somewhat larger center channel speaker.

The result, reviews say, is remarkably successful, with Sound & Vision magazine saying that it fills in the "warmth and weight for the left and right channels that would otherwise be missing or heard mostly as boom from the subwoofer." While Hsu Research sells lots of different custom combinations, its Ventriloquist VT-12/STF-1 configuration, which it sells direct as the Performance 1 package (*Est. $500), has earned praise both for its value and sound quality.

HomeTheaterSound.com is among the professional reviewers heaping praise on the Ventriloquist VT-12/STF-1. In Jeff Van Dyne's testing, he marveled at the 6.1-channel system's ability to accurately place sounds like a buzzing mosquito in a three-dimensional space, and deliver everything from explosions to the gentle sound of ocean waves with equal realism. He adds that music comes across nearly as well as with full-sized speakers, though there "seemed to be about half an octave of information missing from the top end." Though clearly that's not ideal, he adds that it is "far preferable to the mostly harsh and overly bright tweeters" often seen in speakers in this price range.

The reviewers at Sound & Vision magazine are also impressed with the Ventriloquist VT-12/STF-1 home theater speaker system, but some issues with speaker placement are noted. In particular, a little too much midbass is noted coming from the center channel, though reviewer Daniel Kumin was able to minimize that to a large extent by placing the center-channel speaker on a shelf above the TV. Also, the system's "sweet spot" -- the point where the surround-sound effect is most realistic -- is smaller than with many other surround systems, though still large enough for "three across seating."

Hsu Research recommends the Ventriloquist VT-12/STF-1 and its subwoofer that cranks out 150 watts for smaller rooms up to 1,500 cubic feet. For larger spaces (up to 3,000 cubic feet), Hsu packages the Ventriloquist VT-12 speakers with the more powerful STF-2 subwoofer (200 watts) and sells that combination direct as the Performance 2 (*Est. $550). Hsu speakers are only available through the manufacturer, a strategy the company says helps keep prices low.

The Definitive Technology ProCinema 600 (*Est. $800) is another system that follows the small-satellites-plus-subwoofer formula, but what sets it apart is that it is capable of delivering more wallop than many similar systems. CNET's Guttenberg particularly compliments the 250-watt subwoofer, and says that while watching the Blu-ray Disc of "Independence Day," saying, "The little speakers easily handled the sounds of buildings crashing down and cars and trucks hurtling through the air and smashing into the ground -- the sounds of the onscreen devastation were visceral in ways that few tiny satellite-subwoofer systems can match."

Chris Boylan at BigPictureBigSound.com is also impressed with the low-end performance, calling it precise and full, but adding it can't put out very low frequencies at quite the volume of bigger and more expensive solutions. Boylan is also impressed with how well the system was able to create a realistic sound stage with both multichannel and even traditional stereo recordings. Guttenberg found some issues with how well the sub and the satellites "blended," but Boylan says those issues can be fixed with careful placement of the subwoofer.

While the system can be wired to your home theater in the traditional manner, the company recommends a more complicated hook-up technique that bypasses the receiver's subwoofer output altogether. CNET's Guttenberg prefers the recommended hook-up scheme, while Boylan had better results with the simpler, traditional wiring technique and adds that results probably depend on the specific room.

The Klipsch name is synonymous with high-end audio speakers, but the company also offers some affordable home-theater speaker systems, including the Klipsch HD Theater 500 (*Est. $600). Dating from its earliest days and its founder, Paul Klipsch, the company has been a pioneer in using horn speaker technology, and the HD Theater 500 builds on that heritage. Here, horn-loaded tweeters are used to precisely focus high frequencies in a way that minimizes interactions with the listening room. The result is more accurate placement of sounds within the surround field.

Horn speakers have long stirred some controversy among audiophiles over their propensity for adding some "bright" coloration to music, and many are not fans. That said, every review we saw for the HD Theater 500 gives it at least grudging respect if not outright raves. There are limitations, but for their size -- each satellite is just six-inches tall -- and price, all say that the HD Theater 500 deserves serious consideration.

Reading between the lines, Mark Fleischmann at Home Theater magazine doesn't appear to be among the devotees of horn-speaker technology. Yet, he says that the satellite speakers in the HD Theater 500 are among the best he's ever heard -- horned or otherwise -- and that the system in general outperforms what he's heard in the vast majority of demo rooms at high-end audio trade shows. He is a little let down by the 100-watt powered subwoofer but also says that it is a good performer compared to others in systems in this price class; the issue is that the subwoofer is simply outshined by the performance of the HD Theater 500's five satellite speakers.

CNET gives a very slight edge at this price point to the Energy Take Classic 5.1 system, which is now discontinued; you can still buy the satellites from that system as the Energy Take Classic 5 Pack (Discontinued), but you are left to your own devices to find a suitable subwoofer to blend with them. However, CNET's Guttenberg notes that's not an issue with the HD Theater 500 as the matching between the satellites and the subwoofer is spot on -- something that's difficult to achieve with small speakers. "Bass performance was punchy and potent, but never flirted with a bloaty or boomy sound," he adds.

Most reports say that the HD Theater 500 does a good to great job with music, but that the system really shines with movies thanks to its ability to create more accurate sonic images. CNET calls that "an excellent sense of ambiance." More colorfully, the review at Wired says "An agonizing screening of Beverly Hills Chihuahua yielded yelps from onscreen pooches that actually scared the crap out of my dog."

The biggest limitation with the HD Theater 500 is that it's not the best choice for large spaces. CNET says that the system can sound harsh if forced to operate at the loudest volumes. Wired says that the sonic imagery is weakened and lost if called upon to fill a big room.

The Boston Acoustics CS 2310 (*Est. $750) gets a little respect as well, though some also say there are better choices at its price range, or even less. The 5.1-channel system has some notable strengths. In particular, it is a superior performer with most types of music. Sean Killebrew at HomeTheaterShack.com recommends the system, but adds that while the CS 2310 is adept at both movies and music, it really shines on "well recorded multi-channel music." Because of that, he says the system is worth a look if you are "a music listener first, and a movie watcher second."

Though Killebrew never comes out and directly says it, the issue is that the system seems to lack the punch required to give blockbuster films their maximum impact. CNET loves the way the CS 2310 handles recorded music and more sedate movie soundtracks. But things go south in a hurry if the system is called upon to render special effects like crashes and explosions. The subwoofer in particular "had a tendency to turn boomy and bloated when turned up loud," CNET's Guttenberg says.

Best-sounding systems with tiny speakers

Reviews say that small satellites like those in the Klipsch HD Theater 500 and Boston Acoustics CS 2310 do a really good job disappearing into a typical viewing room. But if even those are too large, the Energy RC-Micro 5.1 (*Est. $600) might be your very tiny cup of tea. At 4.7-inches tall by 3.5 inches deep and wide, the satellites might not be the very smallest ever, but reports say they are the smallest that still give movies and music their due.

According to Steve Guttenberg at CNET, the secret to the RC-Micro 5.1's success is how well the tiny satellites and just slightly beefier center-channel speaker mesh with the 8-inch, 100-watt subwoofer. The major failing in most small-speaker systems -- including ones with satellites notably bigger than the ones found in this Energy system -- is that there is a gap in the frequency response between the subwoofer and the rest of the system, which, CNET notes, shows up as thin sound when listening to movies and music.

In tests, there's no thin sound with the RC-Micro 5.1. Movie special effects come through with reality and clarity. Music also sounds good for the most part, though CNET says the highest treble frequencies lack "sparkle" and the satellites and sub suffer when stressed to play at very loud volumes. Sound & Vision magazine adds that if you can go bigger, you will get deeper bass, more volume and a more realistic surround-sound field. But for those who can't or don't want to fit in bigger speakers, finding a better option would be difficult indeed.

The Mirage Nanosat 5.1 home theater speaker system (*Est. $600) also features tiny satellites that easily disappear even in a small room, yet are powerful enough to fill a fair-sized room with sound. Even the 75-watt powered subwoofer is diminutive compared to the competition (but it's also less powerful).

Reviews say the Nanosat 5.1 is a great choice if you are looking to set up a surround-sound system in a room that doubles as a living room or family room where you don't want home theater speakers to "take over." Traditional speakers are highly directional, and the sweet spot where the surround-sound field is most effective can be fairly small. The Omnipolar technology used in the Nanosat 5.1, on the other hand, radiates some sound in all directions and takes advantage of reflections in the room to create a more expansive sound field. Critics are quick to note that while you won't necessarily be able to pinpoint the precise location of every sound the way you would with highly directional speakers, dialogue and effects are clear and easy to hear. In addition, all note the spaciousness of the sound field, with some commenting that audio at times appears to be coming from points beyond the speakers' locations.