Bookshelf Speaker Reviews

This graph shows the quasi-anechoic (employing close-miking of all woofers) frequency response of the StudioMonitor 350 L/R (purple trace), SuperCube II subwoofer (blue trace), C/L/R 2002 center channel (green trace), and BP1.2X surround (red trace). All passive loudspeakers were measured at a distance of 1 meter with a 2.83-volt input and scaled for display purposes.

The StudioMonitor 350's listening-window response (a five-point average of axial and +/-15-degree horizontal and vertical responses) measures +1.91/-1.55 decibels from 200 hertz to 10 kilohertz. The -3dB point is at 79 Hz, and the -6dB point is at 60 Hz. Impedance reaches a minimum of 3.63 ohms at 241 Hz and a phase angle of -45.02 degrees at 126 Hz. Sensitivity averages 87.5 dB from 500 Hz to 2 kHz.

The C/L/R 2002's listening-window response measures +2.80/-1.35 dB from 200 Hz to 10 kHz. An average of axial and +/-15-degree horizontal responses measures +4.34/-0.46 dB from 200 Hz to 10 kHz. The -3dB point is at 75 Hz, and the -6dB point is at 59 Hz. Impedance reaches a minimum of 3.64 ohms at 221 Hz and a phase angle of -44.89 degrees at 111 Hz. Sensitivity averages 90.5 dB from 500 Hz to 2 kHz.

The BP1.2X's three-face averaged response measures +1.84/-4.41 dB from 200 Hz to 10 kHz. The -3dB point is at 120 Hz, and the -6dB point is at 108 Hz. Impedance reaches a minimum of 3.32 ohms at 270 Hz and a phase angle of -34.37 degrees at 170 Hz. Sensitivity averages 87 dB from 500 Hz to 2 kHz.

The SuperCube II's close-miked response, normalized to the average level from 40 to 80 Hz, indicates that the lower -3dB point is at 27 Hz and the -6dB point is at 25 Hz. The upper -3dB point is at 114 Hz with the variable low-pass-crossover control set to maximum.—AJ