Tower Speaker Reviews

L/R Sensitivity: 85 dB from 500 Hz to 2 kHz
Center Sensitivity: 89.5 dB from 500 Hz to 2 kHz
Surround Sensitivity: 85 dB from 500 Hz to 2 kHz

This graph shows the quasi-anechoic (employing close-miking of all woofers) frequency response of the Design 10 L/R (purple trace), Sub 8 subwoofer (blue trace), Design 5 LCR center channel (green trace), and Design 5 surround (red 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 Design 10’s listening-window response (a five-point average of axial and +/–15-degree horizontal and vertical responses) measures +1.25/–2.42 decibels from 200 hertz to 10 kilohertz. The –3-dB point is at 63 Hz, and the –6-dB point is at 45 Hz. Impedance reaches a minimum of 8.34 ohms at 5.2 kHz and a phase angle of –60.88 degrees at 91 Hz.

The Design 5 LCR’s listening-window response measures +2.59/–1.45 dB from 200 Hz to 10 kHz. An average of axial and +/–15-degree horizontal responses measures +2.30/–3.07 dB from 200 Hz to 10 kHz. The –3-dB point is at 72 Hz, and the –6-dB point is at 57 Hz. Impedance reaches a minimum of 4.44 ohms at 195 Hz and a phase angle of –57.18 degrees at 98 Hz.

The Design 5’s listening-window response measures +1.43/–3.85 dB from 200 Hz to 10 kHz. The –3-dB point is at 66 Hz, and the –6-dB point is at 52 Hz. Impedance reaches a minimum of 6.40 ohms at 170 Hz and a phase angle of –55.68 degrees at 96 Hz.

The Sub 8’s close-miked response, normalized to the level at 80 Hz, indicates that the lower –3-dB point is at 34 Hz and the –6-dB point is at 32 Hz. The upper –3-dB point is at 260 Hz with the Low Pass and EQ switches set to off.—MJP