Audio Video News

Is your enthusiasm for home theater bigger than your available space? Love great sound but hate stacks of amplifiers? Check out Mordaunt-Short's new Declaration Series System 500 THX select home theater speaker system. The legendary British loudspeaker maker has recently returned to the US with several high-performance lines.

Introduced in January of this year, and now distributed in the US by Marantz America, Mordaunt-Short's Declaration 500 system is an accurate and extremely dynamic 5.1-channel loudspeaker system. Two towers with integral powered subwoofers and a center speaker cover the front three channels; two dipole surrounds handle ambience duties. Each tower features a one-inch tweeter, two 5-¼" midbass drivers, and a 100-watt amplifier to drive its 10" long-throw subwoofer. The two midbass drivers cover different parts of the frequency spectrum rather than working completely in tandem. Intended for small-to-medium sized rooms, the Declaration 500 system does not require separate subwoofers.

The result of exhaustive research-and-development efforts, the Declaration system features aluminum alloy drivers whose inverted domes are computer-modeled for low distortion and breakup. Continuous Profile Cone (CPC) design makes for wide dispersion, exceptional transient response, and astounding clarity. The cabinets are made from differing densities of MDF to minimize resonances. Premium crossover components, internal wiring, and bi-wirable gold-plated binding posts make the M-S 500 system worthy of consideration by even the fussiest audiophile.

The cabinets have chambers that can be filled with sand or lead shot for better bass response and mechanical stability. Finishes are available in either black ash or light cherry; the polished aluminum drivers appear to be seamlessly integrated into the aluminum front baffles. The effect is a clean, timeless look that will mesh well with many types of décor; the suggested list price for the entire system is $3300. Combining sleek British styling with high efficiency and wide dynamics, the 500 is a clear choice for action movie fans.