Home Theater Systems Reviews

This graph shows the quasi-anechoic (employing close-miking of all woofers) frequency response of the 135SAT satellite (purple trace), SUB135S subwoofer (blue trace), and 135CEN center channel (green trace). All passive loudspeakers were measured at a distance of 1 meter with a 2.83-volt input and scaled for display purposes.

On-axis response of the 135SAT measures +2.88/-6.56 decibels from 200 hertz to 10 kilohertz. The -3dB point is at 230 Hz, and the -6dB point is at 204 Hz. Impedance reaches a minimum of 4.79 ohms at 773 Hz and a phase angle of -38.72 degrees at 318 Hz. Sensitivity averages 84 dB from 500 Hz to 2 kHz.

On-axis response of the 135CEN measures +3.81/-8.38 dB from 200 Hz to 10 kHz. An average of axial and (+/-15 degree) horizontal responses measures +1.87/-8.57 dB from 200 Hz to 10 kHz. The -3dB point is at 230 Hz, and the -6dB point is at 211 Hz. Impedance reaches a minimum of 4.82 ohms at 992 Hz and a phase angle of -66.77 degrees at 318 Hz. Sensitivity averages 85 dB from 500 Hz to 2 kHz.

Close-miked response of the SUB135S, normalized to the level at 80 Hz, indicates that the lower -3dB point is at 42 Hz and the -6dB point is at 37 Hz. The upper -3dB point is at 155 Hz.

The left amplifier channel, with two channels driving 8-ohm loads, reaches 0.1% distortion at 64.8 watts and 1% distortion at 78.8 watts. Into 4 ohms, the amplifier reaches 0.1% distortion at 77.0 watts and 1% distortion at 103.5 watts. Crosstalk at 1 kHz driving 2.83 volts into an 8-ohm load was -63.03 dB left to right and -63.38 dB right to left. THD+N from the amplifier was less than 0.024% at 1 kHz when driving 2.83 volts into an 8-ohm load. The signal-to-noise ratio with 2.83 volts driving an 8-ohm load from 10 Hz to 24 kHz with "A" weighting was -93.27 dBrA.—AJ

HT Labs Measures: Sony DAV-C900 HTIB

This graph shows the quasi-anechoic (employing close-miking of all woofers) frequency response of the SS-TS550 L/R (purple trace), SS-WS550 subwoofer (blue trace), SS-CT550 center channel (green trace), and SS-RS550 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.

On-axis response of the SS-TS550 measures +5.19/-5.89 decibels from 200 hertz to 10 kilohertz. The -3dB point is at 326 Hz, and the -6dB point is at 198 Hz. Impedance reaches a minimum of 6.29 ohms at 956 Hz and a phase angle of -59.31 degrees at 360 Hz. Sensitivity averages 85.5 dB from 500 Hz to 2 kHz.

On-axis response of the SS-CT550 measures +2.87/-3.14 dB from 200 Hz to 10 kHz. An average of axial and (+/-15 degree) horizontal responses measures +2.93/-6.80 dB from 200 Hz to 10 kHz. The -3dB point is at 195 Hz, and the -6dB point is at 159 Hz. Impedance reaches a minimum of 6.13 ohms at 992 Hz and a phase angle of -58.65 degrees at 360 Hz. Sensitivity averages 86 dB from 500 Hz to 2 kHz.

On-axis response of the SS-RS550 measures +2.24/-4.35 dB from 200 Hz to 10 kHz. The -3dB point is at 235 Hz, and the -6dB point is at 168 Hz. Impedance reaches a minimum of 6.02 ohms at 992 Hz and a phase angle of -62.55 degrees at 360 Hz. Sensitivity averages 85 dB from 500 Hz to 2 kHz.

Close-miked response of the SS-WS550, normalized to the level at 80 Hz, indicates that the lower -3dB point is at 51 Hz and the -6dB point is at 48 Hz. The upper -3dB point is at 96 Hz.

The left amplifier channel, with two channels driving 8-ohm loads, reaches 0.1% distortion at 26.1 watts and 1% distortion at 31.3 watts. Into 4 ohms, the amplifier reaches 0.1% distortion at 41.6 watts and 1% distortion at 49.1 watts. Crosstalk at 1 kHz driving 2.83 volts into an 8-ohm load was -59.27 dB left to right and -59.26 dB right to left. THD+N from the amplifier was less than 0.164% at 1 kHz when driving 2.83 volts into an 8-ohm load. The signal-to-noise ratio with 2.83 volts driving an 8-ohm load from 10 Hz to 24 kHz with "A" weighting was -87.01 dBrA.—AJ

HT Labs Measures: Kenwood/Boston Acoustics Unity HTIB

This graph shows the quasi-anechoic (employing close-miking of all woofers) frequency response of the Unity satellite (purple trace), U1 subwoofer (blue trace), and Unity center channel (green trace). All passive loudspeakers were measured at a distance of 1 meter with a 2.83-volt input and scaled for display purposes. Since this system utilizes internal equalization, the loudspeakers were measured with the included amplifier in the circuit.

On-axis response of the Unity satellite measures +4.89/-4.27 decibels from 200 hertz to 10 kilohertz. The -3dB point is at 213 Hz, and the -6dB point is at 185 Hz. Impedance reaches a minimum of 3.88 ohms at 6.4 kHz and a phase angle of -39.72 degrees at 288 Hz. Sensitivity averages 89 dB from 500 Hz to 2 kHz.

On-axis response of the Unity center measures +3.54/-4.93 dB from 200 Hz to 10 kHz. An average of axial and (+/-15 degree) horizontal responses measures +3.51/-4.05 dB from 200 Hz to 10 kHz. The -3dB point is at 218 Hz, and the -6dB point is at 189 Hz. Impedance reaches a minimum of 3.72 ohms at 6.1 kHz and a phase angle of -37.34 degrees at 280 Hz. Sensitivity averages 89 dB from 500 Hz to 2 kHz.

Close-miked response of the U1, normalized to the level at 80 Hz, indicates that the lower -3dB point is at 34 Hz and the -6dB point is at 31 Hz. The upper -3dB point is at 162 Hz.

The left amplifier channel, with two channels driving 8-ohm loads, reaches 0.1% distortion at 30.7 watts and 1% distortion at 39.31 watts. Into 4 ohms, the amplifier reaches 0.1% distortion at 35.5 watts and 1% distortion at 45.6 watts. Crosstalk at 1 kHz driving 2.83 volts into an 8-ohm load was -69.65 dB left to right and -67.66 dB right to left. THD+N from the amplifier was less than 0.028% at 1 kHz when driving 2.83 volts into an 8-ohm load. The signal-to-noise ratio with 2.83 volts driving an 8-ohm load from 10 Hz to 24 kHz with "A" weighting was -95.84 dBrA.—AJ