Bookshelf Speaker Reviews

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

Center Sensitivity:
87 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 V52 L/R (purple trace), V5520 center channel (green trace), V-Surround-II surround (red trace), and FL-10 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 V52’s listening-window response (a five-point average of axial and +/–15-degree horizontal and vertical responses) measures +1.10/–2.96 decibels from 200 hertz to 10 kilohertz. The –3-dB point is at 79 Hz, and the –6-dB point is at 70 Hz. Impedance reaches a minimum of 5.96 ohms at 247 Hz and a phase angle of +50.90 degrees at 1.1 kHz.

The V5520’s listening-window response measures +1.11/–1.73 dB from 200 Hz to 10 kHz. An average of axial and +/–15-degree horizontal responses measures +1.29/ –2.59 dB from 200 Hz to 10 kHz. The –3-dB point is at 62 Hz, and the –6-dB point is at 58 Hz. Impedance reaches a minimum of 6.11 ohms at 247 Hz and a phase angle of +47.32 degrees at 1.1 kHz.

The V-Surround-II’s threeface averaged response in Dipole mode measures +1.01/–5.61 dB from 200 Hz to 10 kHz. The –3-dB point is at 117 Hz, and the –6-dB point is at 97 Hz. Impedance reaches a minimum of 5.95 ohms at 263 Hz and a phase angle of +48.72 degrees at 1.0 kHz.

The FL-10’s close-miked response, normalized to the level at 80 Hz, indicates that the lower –3-dB point is at 32 Hz and the –6-dB point is at 30 Hz. The upper –3-dB point is at 123 Hz using the LFE input. Please note that the response is +5.85 dB at 43 Hz, making the crossover and level settings required for proper integration tricky at best.—MJP