Bookshelf Speaker Reviews

Satellite Sensitivity: 84.5 dB from 500 Hz to 2 kHz
Center Sensitivity: 84.5 dB from 500 Hz to 2 kHz

This graph shows the quasi-anechoic (employing close-miking of all woofers) frequency response of the RC-Micro Sat satellites (purple trace), ESW-CS8 subwoofer (blue trace), and RC-Micro Center center-channel (green 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 RC-Micro Sat’s listening- window response (a five-point average of axial and +/–15-degree horizontal and vertical responses) measures +1.14/–5.06 decibels from 200 hertz to 10 kilohertz. The –3-dB point is at 216 Hz, and the –6-dB point is at 160 Hz. Impedance reaches a minimum of 4.21 ohms at 457 Hz and a phase angle of –62.54 degrees at 213 Hz.

The RC-Micro Center’s listening-window response measures +1.93/ –5.29 dB from 200 Hz to 10 kHz. An average of axial and +/–15-degree horizontal responses measures +1.83/–5.09 dB from 200 Hz to 10 kHz. The –3-dB point is at 213 Hz, and the –6-dB point is at 158 Hz. Impedance reaches a minimum of 4.24 ohms at 429 Hz and a phase angle of –63.33 degrees at 213 Hz.

The ESW-CS8’s close-miked response, normalized to the level at 80 Hz, indicates that the lower –3-dB point is at 57 Hz and the –6-dB point is at 35 Hz. The upper –3-dB point is at 174 Hz with the Low-Pass Filter control set to maximum.—MJP