Bookshelf Speaker Reviews

Satellite Sensitivity: 85 dB from 500 Hz to 2 kHz

Center Sensitivity: 88 dB from 500 Hz to 2 kHz

This graph shows the quasi-anechoic (employing closemiking of all woofers) frequency response of the Absolute Zero satellite (purple trace), Absolute Center (green trace), and Ten 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 Absolute Zero’s listening-window response (a five-point average of axial and +/–15-degree horizontal and vertical responses) measures +0.94/–0.82 decibels from 200 hertz to 10 kilohertz. The –3-dB point is at 83 Hz, and the –6-dB point is at 72 Hz. Impedance reaches a minimum of 5.19 ohms at 192 Hz and a phase angle of –46.25 degrees at 111 Hz.

The Absolute Center’s listeningwindow response measures +2.11/–3.00 dB from 200 Hz to 10 kHz. An average of axial and +/–15-degree horizontal responses measures +1.88/

–3.90 dB from 200 Hz to 10 kHz. The –3-dB point is at 94 Hz, and the –6-dB point is at 80 Hz. Impedance reaches a minimum of 8.67 ohms at 5.7 kHz and a phase angle of –51.95 degrees at 111 Hz.

The Ten’s close-miked response, normalized to the level at 80 Hz, indicates that the lower –3-dB point is at 34 Hz and the –6-dB point is at 31 Hz. The upper –3-dB point is at 127 Hz using the LFE input with the Boundary switch set to 0.—MJP