Tower Speaker Reviews

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Jim Wilson  |  Sep 29, 2024  | 

1723 Speakers
Performance
Build Quality
Value

2V Subwoofer
Performance
Build Quality
Value

PRICE $10,146 (complete system)

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Understated elegance
Precision crafted
Incredibly detailed sound
Well thought out design

Minus
Heavy, bring friends when unpacking and installing
5 digit price could put a dent in your wallet
App still doesn’t like me

THE VERDICT
Words like entertaining, fun, captivating and commanding can all be used to describe what the Arendal 1723 series is capable of. The overall sense is of a company that took their time to get it right, and then executed the plan to near perfection. There aren’t many instances where I struggle to find flaws, but with Arendal it’s a challenge to do so. It feels a little like deja vu for me, that’s the same conclusion I had with their smaller 1723 S system. Guess brilliance runs in the family.

I’m moving up in the world it seems. In March of 2023 I published an article on Arendal Sound’s 1723 S speakers and 2S subwoofer, one step below the flagship 1723 and 2V subwoofer. I was impressed with the brand and their products back then, I felt the S series was something special.

Mark Henninger  |  Jul 25, 2024  |  First Published: Jul 24, 2024  | 

Performance
Build Quality
Value
PRICE $12,000/pair

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Exquisitely detailed sound
Exceptional imaging
Excellent bass for a dipole planar speaker
Modern aesthetics
Easy to assemble
Neighbor-friendly

Minus
Pricey
Power hungry
Dipoles are not for everyone
Limited optimal listening area
Could use a sub for some applications

THE VERDICT
These revealing, sublime-sounding speakers elevated listening sessions to a higher level of audiophile enjoyment than any pair I have reviewed before.

Tom Norton  |  Jul 10, 2024  | 

Performance
Build Quality
Value
PRICE $6,000 (system as tested)

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Dynamic, powerful sound
Tight, well-defined bass
Crisp detail
Minus
Best with subwoofers

THE VERDICT
SVS has earned a formidable reputation for producing loudspeakers and subwoofers that outperform their reasonable price points. With the new Ultra Evolution range, they’ve more than upheld their past record. While the Ultra Evolution speakers are the company’s priciest offerings to date, most home theater enthusiasts don’t need to win the lottery or take out a second mortgage to at least consider them.

It doesn’t seem all that long ago that SVS first entered the audio scene. But time does fly.

Mark Henninger  |  Mar 20, 2024  | 

Performance
Build Quality
Value
PRICE $3,600/each

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Exquisite detail rendering
Cohesive soundstage projection
Deep bass extension
Elegant aesthetic design
Minus
Pricey investment
Grille not removable
Requires power cord and speaker cable connection

THE VERDICT
The T66 offers audiophile-grade soundstage and aesthetics. With exceptional detail, powerful bass, and sleek design, these GoldenEar speakers are an outstanding investment in high fidelity.

GoldenEar’s new T66 tower speaker offers audiophiles and home theater enthusiasts high performance in a slender and stylish design. It is a speaker that takes what is already great about the brand and elevates it to a higher level of fit and finish.

Dennis Young  |  Oct 18, 2023  | 

Performance
Build Quality
Value
Top Pick: yes

PRICE $2249/Pair

AT A GLANCE
PLUS
Soundstage and imaging properties
Near full-range capability
Enjoyable at high, mid and low sound levels

MINUS
May heat up an AVR
Favors placement away from boundaries
Needs current to hit more than moderate SPL

THE VERDICT
The Dynaudio Emit 50 makes use of its evidence-based R&D and its heritage in professional sound production, delivering a capable tower at an affordable price.

Founded in 1976, Dynaudio is well-known in the world of audio. As one of the few loudspeaker manufacturers that make their own drivers, combined with the massive Jupiter acoustic measurement facility, the company gains a significant advantage when integrating the multiple parts of a loudspeaker into one system.
Daniel Kumin  |  Oct 12, 2023  | 

Performance
Build Quality
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $7,000/pair

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Reference-grade sound quality, dynamics
Virtually full-range extension
Simple-as-possible app for setup, control
Subwoofer output

Minus
No easy path to multichannel integration
No music-data or volume display
No phono input

THE VERDICT
The ultimate streaming standalone system.

KEF's LS60 is not just a speaker; it's an acoustic revolution packed into a sleek tower of sound. From its state-of-the-art technology to its jaw-dropping design, prepare to meet the future of high-end audio.

Jim Wilson  |  Mar 08, 2023  | 

1723 S Speakers
Performance
Build Quality
Value

1723 Subwoofer 2S
Performance
Features
Build Quality
Value
PRICE $7,996 (complete system)

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Impeccable build quality
Small in size, large in sound
Stylish design, superb engineering
Minus
Could be considered pricey
Subwoofer app was a bit finicky

THE VERDICT
The complete package—the Arendal 1723 S speakers and 1723 Subwoofer 2S—looks great and sounds even better. If you want small size yet big sound, this is a system you should definitely consider.

Arendal, not a name many people know. Ask your friends about them and I'll bet most look at you with a bewildered stare. I first ran across the company around 3 years ago but at that time they weren't doing much in the US so I filed them away in the “check back at a later date” section of my product review list. I guess you can consider it a later date as I now have before me...

Leslie Shapiro  |  Feb 22, 2023  | 

Performance
Features
Build Quality
Value
PRICE $499

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Convenient
Budget-friendly
Multiple input options
Excellent soundstage

Minus
Needs a subwoofer for movies
Veiled midrange
Bright treble

THE VERDICT
The Fluance Ai81 floorstanding self-powered stereo pair is ideal for anyone looking for an affordable solution that provides better imaging and soundstage compared to almost any soundbar in this price range while retaining all the same conveniences.

As a recording engineer, I’ve often pondered how soundbars could have become so popular, even though they typically sacrifice the sound quality and true stereo imaging attained by full-range speakers. I know the answer is because they’re so convenient, usually self-powered, and easy to connect to a TV. But is there a solution with a more realistic soundstage that also provides the same features and connectivity? Enter the Fluance Ai81 floorstanding, powered speakers with a multitude of input options.

Mark Henninger  |  Jan 30, 2023  | 

Performance
Build Quality
Value
PRICE $8250/pair

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Realistic soundstage
Wide sweet spot
Easily play loud, deep
Adjustable tweeters

Minus
Power hungry for a big speaker
Expensive
Require stands

THE VERDICT
These powerful and precise JBLs made everything I listened to through a pair sound fresh and vital. The 1970s studio monitor styling may not suit everyone'staste, but the mesmerizing sound they produce is sure to captivate any music lover's imagination.

When it comes to speakers, I've learned not to judge a design by its looks. But when you first meet a JBL 4349, it's impossible not to start thinking about the company's professional studio monitors. The prominent horn, with its curved and bulging shape, takes center stage...

Thomas J. Norton  |  Oct 19, 2022  | 

System
Performance
Build Quality
Value
Subwoofer
Performance
Build Quality
Value
PRICE (with subwoofer): $8,610

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Crisp, clear sound
Nice depth
Tight imaging
Excellent fit and finish
Minus
Needs a subwoofer for movies

THE VERDICT
Monitor Audio’s longstanding reputation of delivering great sound and solid value remains very much intact with the new Silver 7G speaker series.

I've reviewed many Monitor Audio speakers over the years. When I lived in California, I reviewed the Silver 10s. Later, after I moved east, I bought a pair of the Silver 10s (actually three of them—long story), and when Monitor released a proper three-way Silver Series center speaker, I acquired one of those, too. When other speakers aren't in-house for review, that Silver trio becomes the core of a Franken-system that includes surrounds, overhead Atmos speakers, and subwoofers from other brands.

Thomas J. Norton  |  May 11, 2022  | 

R5t Tower
Performance
Build Quality
Value

D15s Subwoofer
Performance
Features
Build Quality
Value
PRICE $7,000/pair (R5t tower), $5,000 (D15s subwoofer)

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Clean, uncolored sound (R5t)
Surprisingly powerful bass (R5t)
Excellent build quality (R5t)
Stunningly dynamic performance (D15s)
Excellent build quality (D15s)
Minus
Pricey (both)
Not the best option for very large rooms (R5t)

THE VERDICT
Perlisten Audio's R5t towers and D15s subwoofer offer stunning performance and good looks, but in this case the great sound and build quality will cost you.

Even the most veteran A/V enthusiast is unlikely to have heard of Perlisten (short for Perceptual Listening) Audio, but that situation should soon change. Founded by a group of audio industry veterans, the company was formally launched in 2021. For a new speaker outfit, the number of Perlisten models is astonishingly long and encompasses towers, standmounts, center and surround speakers, in-walls, and subwoofers, all of them engineered in the U.S. and manufactured in China.

Michael Trei  |  Feb 02, 2022  | 

Performance
Build Quality
Value
PRICE $1,995/pair

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Impressive bass output
Plays loudly without stress
Matching center, surround, and Atmos speakers available
Minus
No wood finish option
Needs to be pulled out into the room for best sound

THE VERDICT
Canton’s Chrono 70 tower speaker delivers powerful sound with ease and represents a great value at its $2K price.

Canton may be a speaker brand that's relatively unknown in North America—no doubt due to the company's products not being available in these parts for the past decade—but the German outfit has been doing business for almost 50 years. Headquartered about 25 miles north of Frankfurt, Canton is one of Germany's largest loudspeaker manufacturers, offering a truly breathtaking spread of models across several product ranges.

Daniel Kumin  |  Jan 12, 2022  | 

Performance
Build Quality
Value
PRICE $1,410 (as tested)

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Very accurate, natural tonal balance
Impressive bass extension
Remarkable center-channel off-axis consistency and timbral match with towers
Minus
Towers are sensitive to placement
Some non-linearities at loudest playback levels
Generic looks (grilles-on)

THE VERDICT
With its impressive accuracy and peerless price, this Monolith by Monoprice Encore System is the new speaker value champ.

The story of how Monoprice parlayed its success as a humble purveyor of computer peripherals into its current status as a direct-to- consumer A/V gear powerhouse will have to wait for another day, mostly because I don't know it. But I do know this much: the torrent of ultra-high-value speakers and electronics, desktop audio, and even pro audio designs that have bubbled up from the Monoprice spring over the past few years is all but unprecedented in my decades in the audio/video world.

Thomas J. Norton  |  Jul 14, 2021  | 

Performance
Build Quality
Value
PRICE $7,999/pair

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Open, detailed sound
Powerful bass
Excellent build quality
Minus
Somewhat pricey
Matching Synchrony center speaker not yet available

THE VERDICT
With Canadian speaker maker PSB's 50th anniversary on the horizon, the company's new flagship Synchrony T600 tower is cause for celebration.

PSB Speakers was founded by Paul Barton in 1972. While the brand has long been part of the Canada- based Lenbrook Group, which also includes NAD and Bluesound, Barton began as and remains PSB's chief designer, cook, bottle washer, and one of the most respected speaker authorities in the industry. His work, including the new Synchrony T600 under review here, has long made use of the Canadian National Research Council's (NRC) audio testing facilities, including its anechoic chamber.

Al Griffin  |  May 05, 2021  | 

Performance
Build Quality
Value
PRICE $3,195 (as tested)

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Crisp, near full-range performance
R900 module delivers immersive sound
Impressive build quality for price
Excellent value
Minus
Revealing sound can be slightly bright with some sources

THE VERDICT
Packed with tech developed for Polk Audio’s flagship Legend series, this Reserve series speaker package delivers dynamic and immersive sound at a budget-friendly price.

Back in 2019, Polk Audio rolled out its Legend series speakers. For a brand known to maintain a laser-like focus on value, the Legends, with their finely constructed cabinets (featuring real wood veneer) and fully redesigned driver complement, not to mention an enhanced version of the company's SDA (Stereo Dimensional Array) technology in the line's flagship L800 tower, seemed an atypically cost-no- object offering.

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