Bookshelf Speaker Reviews

Satellite Sensitivity: 85 dB from 500 Hz to 2 kHz

Center Sensitivity: 82 dB from 500 Hz to 2 kHz

This graph shows the quasi-anechoic (employing close-miking of all woofers) frequency response of the MB 2000 satellites (purple trace), MB 1000 subwoofer (blue trace), and MB 3000 center channel (green trace). All passive loudspeakers were measured at a distance of 1 meter with a 2.83-volt input and scaled for display purposes.

The MB 2000's listening-window response (a five-point average of axial and +/-15-degree horizontal and vertical responses) measures +2.40/-5.06 decibels from 200 hertz to 10 kilohertz. The -3dB point is at 179 Hz, and the -6dB point is at 136 Hz. Impedance reaches a minimum of 3.97 ohms at 413 Hz and a phase angle of -43.94 degrees at 183 Hz.

The MB 3000's listening-window response measures +3.01/-6.53 dB from 200 Hz to 10 kHz. An average of axial and +/-15-degree horizontal responses measures +3.70/-6.39 dB from 200 Hz to 10 kHz. The -3dB point is at 176 Hz, and the -6dB point is at 141 Hz. Impedance reaches a minimum of 6.23 ohms at 10.0 kHz and a phase angle of -53.33 degrees at 4.2 kHz.

The MB 1000's close-miked response, normalized to the level at 80 Hz, indicates that the lower -3dB point is at 62 Hz and the -6dB point is at 49 Hz. The upper -3dB point is at 168 Hz with the Frequency Adjust control set to maximum.—MJP