Tower Speaker Reviews

L/R Sensitivity: 88 dB from 500 Hz to 2 kHz

Center Sensitivity: 88 dB from 500 Hz to 2 kHz

Surround Sensitivity: 88 dB from 500 Hz to 2 kHz

This graph shows the quasi-anechoic (employing close-miking of all woofers) frequency response of the Audience 72 L/R (purple trace), SUB 500 subwoofer (blue trace), Audience 122C center channel (green trace), and Audience 52 surround (red trace). All passive loudspeakers were measured at a distance of 1 meter with a 2.83-volt input and scaled for display purposes.

The Audience 72's listening-window response (a five-point average of axial and +/–15-degree horizontal and vertical responses) measures +2.27/–5.22 decibels from 200 hertz to 10 kilohertz. The –3dB point is at 55 Hz, and the –6dB point is at 42 Hz. Impedance reaches a minimum of 4.36 ohms at 114 Hz and a phase angle of +35.60 degrees at 51 Hz.

The Audience 122C's listening-window response measures +1.27/–4.64 dB from 200 Hz to 10 kHz. An average of axial and +/–15-degree horizontal responses measures +0.60/–5.72 dB from 200 Hz to 10 kHz. The –3dB point is at 63 Hz, and the –6dB point is at 47 Hz. Impedance reaches a minimum of 4.78 ohms at 210 Hz and a phase angle of –32.26 degrees at 106 Hz.

The Audience 52's listening-window response measures +1.02/–3.62 dB from 200 Hz to 10 kHz. The –3dB point is at 55 Hz, and the –6dB point is at 42 Hz. Impedance reaches a minimum of 4.52 ohms at 200 Hz and a phase angle of –31.85 degrees at 100 Hz.

The SUB 500's close-miked response, normalized to the level at 80 Hz, indicates that the lower –3dB point is at 22 Hz and the –6dB point is at 20 Hz with the bass-extension control set to on. The upper –3dB point is at 170 Hz with the crossover-frequency control set to flat.—MJP