BOTTOM LINE

Other speakers of the Atlantic Technology's ilk and price range exist that can equal its accuracy over the top eight octaves of sound, although these are bound to roll off far more quickly across the bottom two. And some offer imaging that is rounder and more spacious in the audiophile sense. But the AT-1's overall performance/value quotient is difficult to overstate; in direct comparison to my somewhat more expensive everyday small monitors, the AT-1s' very closely matched them when it came to tonal balance, imaging, and transient ease, while adding at least an octave of true low bass. A critical listener with a demand for deep bass, but no space or desire for a subwoofer, could scarcely do better.

Atlantic Technology promises to bring other H-PAS models to market in the course of 2010, and the technology's developers hope to license it to other brands in relatively short order. I, for one, will be keeping an ear out.