When I cued up "Rammstein" from the Rammstein concert DVD Live aus Berlin, the Arenas conveyed a good sense of crowd envelopment. Vocals coming through the system's center speaker sounded clear and full, and the band's thunderous rhythm section sounded predictably tight. But, again, dynamics were somewhat compressed compared with some other systems I've tested in this price range. The bass wasn't at all boomy, but it came off a little too polite when it needed to deliver real low-end slam.

MOVIE PERFORMANCE Lack of low-end slam when you're listening to Teutonic heavy metal doesn't bode well for action movies, so when Detective Del Spooner (Will Smith) slammed his vehicle up against the sides of a traffic tunnel in a scene from I, Robot, I wasn't surprised to find the impact of the hits somewhat thin. That said, the Arenas conveyed a powerful sense of underground tunnel ambience, and the sound effects were clear and precise as robots skidded off the sides of Spooner's car. In a scene where Del speaks to Lawrence Robinson in a posh high-rise office, their dialogue sounded full and clear when heard from a dead-center position but lost some crispness when I shuffled to the side of the couch.

BOTTOM LINE Tannoy's Arena system is no ordinary sub/sat six-pack. These speakers' mod styling, awesome build quality, and versatile mounting options all stand out compared with many other systems in the same price bracket. Bass hounds will find its performance a bit lightweight for the heavier types of music and action movies, but most folks will appreciate its crisp sound, precise imaging, and overall musicality.