Tower Speaker Reviews

L/R Sensitivity: 91 dB from 500 Hz to 2 kHz

Center Sensitivity: 89 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 Q900 L/R (purple trace), Q600c center channel (green trace), Q100 surround (red trace), and Q400b subwoofer (blue trace). All passive loudspeakers were measured with grilles at a distance of 1 meter with a 2.83-volt input and scaled for display purposes.

The Q900’s listening-window response (a five-point average of axial and +/–15-degree horizontal and vertical responses) measures +2.25/–0.65 decibels from 200 hertz to 10 kilohertz. The –3-dB point is at 44 Hz, and the –6-dB point is at 39 Hz. Impedance reaches a minimum of 4.02 ohms at 145 Hz and a phase angle of –38.32 degrees at 3.5 kHz.

The Q600c’s listening-window response measures +2.38/–3.00 dB from 200 Hz to 10 kHz. An average of axial and +/–15-degree horizontal responses measures +2.22/–2.95 dB from 200 Hz to 10 kHz. The –3-dB point is at 57 Hz, and the –6-dB point is at 52 Hz. Impedance reaches a minimum of 3.99 ohms at 99 Hz and a phase angle of –48.05 degrees at 64 Hz.

The Q100’s listening-window response measures +1.90/–2.20 dB from 200 Hz to 10 kHz. The –3-dB point is at 49 Hz, and the –6-dB point is at 45 Hz. Impedance reaches a minimum of 4.89 ohms at 227 Hz and a phase angle of –61.11 degrees at 96 Hz.

The Q400b’s close-miked response, normalized to the level at 80 Hz, indicates that the lower –3-dB point is at 39 Hz and the –6-dB point is at 35 Hz. The upper –3-dB point is at 105 Hz with the Crossover control set to maximum and the EQ switch set to +6 dB.—MJP