Tower Speaker Reviews

The system’s big, generous soundstage and consistently realistic balance impressed me the most. Sound effects were eerily real. They only sounded edgy on the very loudest effects that, in reality, probably should sound edgy. Of course, you might think that screeching wheels, ripping metal, screaming jet engines, explosions, and general mayhem should sound sweet and pleasant.

If you’ve read my past reviews, you know that I put a lot more weight on how a system—and speakers in particular—reproduce a movie score. A well-recorded and well-reproduced score can’t save a truly awful film, but it can make a poor one tolerable. Whiteout was a dramatic washout in its five-minute theatrical run, but it offers a sweetly richsounding score to go with its tepid, murder-mystery plot.

On the other hand, Knowing held my attention all the way through, or at least until its sort-of downer ending. A big part of the film’s ability to hold my attention was its spectacular soundtrack. The screeching wheels, ripping metal, screaming jet engines, explosions, and general mayhem here were as cringe-worthy on the Image T6 system as you’d expect them to be in real life. But more often than not, the audio thrills in this film were in the music score. From the eeriest cues to sweeping cinematic themes, the PSBs grabbed me, got my juices flowing, and drew me into the story.

Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World is a longtime demo favorite that stands out with an incredibly dynamic, detailed, and surprisingly musical soundtrack. The Image T6 system handled it all, from the thunderous crack of the cannons in the battle scenes to the string duets that punctuate the friendship between Captain Aubrey and the ship’s surgeon.

The PSBs also beautifully handled my favorite demo sequence from Transformers. It’s the montage that begins with the arrival of the main contingent of Autobots (beginning in chapter 11) and ends when the scene shifts to an aerial shot of a jet in flight. Again, it’s the big, sweeping score in this sequence, with choral accompaniment, that I found more thrilling than the noisy metalhead battles that populate most of the film’s running time.

The SubSeries 5i subwoofer also performed impressively with the soundtracks. It handled all of the challenges I threw at it without a hiccup or complaint. More often than not, it did its job with subtle and intense music and sound effects. It didn’t call undue attention to itself, which is what a good subwoofer is supposed to do. But don’t expect miracles, or bone-rattling, bottom-octave response. For example, the cannon shots in Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World reverberated convincingly around the room, as did the thunderous footsteps of the robots in Transformers. But with the SubSeries 5i, this sort of material won’t make you wonder if your homeowner’s insurance covers subwoofer-induced damage, as more expensive and ambitious subs sometimes do (such as the Revel Performa B15a that often spends time in my system).

Summing Up
The Image T6 system skillfully walks the fine line between edginess and boring politeness. It never falls to either side unless you push it there with program material. This is exactly what a good speaker system should do. Have I heard better in my room? Certainly, but invariably from systems that cost more, and usually a lot more.

The bottom line to any review is if the reviewer would spend his or her money on the product, and if he could live with it long term. The answer to both questions here is unequivocally yes. PSB makes more sophisticated speakers, with upscale performance and design. But there was nothing cut rate in what I heard from the Image T6 system. I would be selling the system short if I raved about its value alone. It also provides outstanding performance. Highly recommended.