Tower Speaker Reviews

L/R Sensitivity: 90 dB from 500 Hz to 2 kHz

Center Sensitivity: 92 dB from 500 Hz to 2 kHz

Surround Sensitivity: 90.5 dB from 500 Hz to 2 kHz

This graph shows the quasi-anechoic (employing close-miking of all woofers) frequency response of the ESL L/R (purple trace), C2 center channel (green trace), FX2 surround (red trace), and Dynamo 1000 subwoofer (blue 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 ESL’s listening-window response (a five-point average of axial and +/–15-degree horizontal and vertical responses) measures +1.05/–6.27 decibels from 200 hertz to 10 kilohertz. The –3-dB point is at 60 Hz, and the –6-dB point is at 49 Hz. Impedance reaches a minimum of 2.03 ohms at 17.2 kHz and a phase angle of –84.63 degrees at 73 Hz.

The C2’s listening-window response measures +1.52/–2.03 dB from 200 Hz to 10 kHz. An average of axial and +/–15-degree hori- zontal responses measures +1.35/ –2.26 dB from 200 Hz to 10 kHz. The –3-dB point is at 68 Hz, and the –6-dB point is at 59 Hz. Impedance reaches a minimum of 4.24 ohms at 3.8 kHz and a phase angle of –54.70 degrees at 98 Hz.

The FX2’s three-face averaged response measures +1.21/–2.36 dB from 200 Hz to 10 kHz. The –3-dB point is at 77 Hz, and the –6-dB point is at 66 Hz. Impedance reaches a minimum of 4.79 ohms at 1.9 kHz and a phase angle of –57.97 degrees at 111 Hz.

The Dynamo 1000’s close-miked response, normalized to the level at 80 Hz, indicates that the lower –3-dB point is at 23 Hz and the –6-dB point is at 20 Hz. The upper –3-dB point is at 126 Hz with the Crossover switch set to Bypass. —MJP