Bookshelf Speaker Reviews

Satellite Sensitivity: 87.5 dB from 500 Hz to 2 kHz

Center Sensitivity: 90 dB from 500 Hz to 2 kHz

This graph shows the quasi-anechoic (employing close-miking of all woofers) frequency response of the 50B satellite (purple trace), 25CC center channel (green trace), and 310S 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 50B’s listening-window response (a five-point average of axial and +/–15-degree horizontal and vertical responses) measures +2.12/–2.88 decibels from 200 hertz to 10 kilohertz. The –3-dB point is at 78 Hz, and the –6-dB point is at 56 Hz. Impedance reaches a minimum of 6.23 ohms at 232 Hz and a phase angle of –38.84 degrees at 137 Hz.

The 25CC’s listening-window response measures +2.90/–2.45 dB from 200 Hz to 10 kHz. An average of axial and +/–15-degree horizontal responses measures +3.13/–4.24 dB from 200 Hz to 10 kHz. The –3-dB point is at 63 Hz, and the –6-dB point is at 47 Hz. Impedance reaches a minimum of 5.99 ohms at 251 Hz and a phase angle of –35.44 degrees at 131 Hz.

The 310S’s close-miked response, normalized to the level at 80 Hz, indicates that the lower –3-dB point is at 36 Hz and the –6-dB point is at 34 Hz. The upper –3-dB point is at 148 Hz using the LFE input.—MJP