Bookshelf Speaker Reviews

Center Sensitivity: 87.5 dB from 500 Hz to 2 kHz

This graph shows the quasi-anechoic (employing close-miking of all woofers) frequency response of the R162 satellites (purple trace), SUB R12 subwoofer (blue trace), and RC263 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 R162’s listening-window response (a five-point average of axial and ±15º horizontal and vertical responses) measures +2.26/–3.44 dB from 200 Hz to 10 kHz. The –3-dB point is at 67 Hz, and the –6-dB point is at 52 Hz. Impedance reaches a minimum of 5.66 ohms at 186 Hz and a phase angle of ––48.51º at 98 Hz.

The RC263’s listening-window response measures +1.67/–4.74 dB from 200 Hz to 10 kHz. An average of axial and ±15º horizontal responses measures +2.27/–5.03 dB from 200 Hz to 10 kHz. The –3-dB point is at 72 Hz, and the –6-dB point is at 60 Hz. Impedance reaches a minimum of 4.89 ohms at 141 Hz and a phase angle of –55.13º at 84 Hz.

The SUB R12’s close-miked response, normalized to the level at 80 Hz, indicates that the lower –3-dB point is at 31 Hz and the –6-dB point is at 26 Hz. The upper –3-dB point is at 122 Hz with the Crossover control set to maximum and the LF Trim switch set to 0.—Mark J. Peterson