Tower Speaker Reviews

Subwoofer: GSW 12
Connections: Stereo line-level, in and out; LFE in and out;12-volt trigger input
Enclosure Type: Sealed
Woofer (size in inches, type): 12, ceramic-coated aluminum/magnesium alloy cone
Power Rating (watts): 600 RMS, 1,000 peak
Crossover Bypass: Yes
Available Finishes: Santos Rosewood, Walnut, Cherry, Piano Black
Dimensions (H x W x D, inches): 15.3 x 15.3 x 16.6
Weight (pounds): 61.5
Price: $1,799

These listings are based on the manufacturer's stated specs; the HT Labs box below indicates the gear's performance on our test bench.

Speaker: GS 20
Type: Two-and-a-half-way tower
Tweeter (size in inches, type): 1, ceramic-coated aluminum/magnesium alloy dome
Mid/Woofer (size in inches, type): 6.5, ceramic-coated aluminum/magnesium alloy cone
Woofer (size in inches, type): 6.5, ceramic-coated aluminum/magnesium alloy cone
Nominal Impedance (ohms): 6
Recommended Amp Power: 40–150 watts
Available Finishes: Santos Rosewood, Walnut, Cherry, Piano Black
Dimensions (H x W x D, inches): 36.4 x 8.1 x 11
Weight (pounds): 45.3
Price: $2,999/pair

Speaker: GS LCR
Type: Two-way
Tweeter (size in inches, type): 1, ceramic-coated aluminum/magnesium alloy dome
Mid/Woofer (size in inches, type): -
Woofer (size in inches, type): 6.5, ceramic-coated aluminum/magnesium alloy cone (2)
Nominal Impedance (ohms): 8
Recommended Amp Power: 40–150 watts
Available Finishes: Santos Rosewood, Walnut, Cherry, Piano Black
Dimensions (H x W x D, inches): 8.1 x 22.1 x 9.1
Weight (pounds): 27.5
Price: $999/each

Speaker: GS FX
Type: Three-way, dipole/monopole surround
Tweeter (size in inches, type): 1, ceramic-coated aluminum/magnesium alloy dome (3)
Mid/Woofer (size in inches, type): 4, ceramic-coated aluminum/magnesium alloy cone (2)
Woofer (size in inches, type): 6.5, ceramic-coated aluminum/magnesium alloy cone
Nominal Impedance (ohms): 6
Recommended Amp Power: 40–100 watts
Available Finishes: Santos Rosewood, Walnut, Cherry, Piano Black
Dimensions (H x W x D, inches): 12.2 x 15.4 x 6.3
Weight (pounds): 25.3
Price: $749/each

Ratings: Monitor Audio Gold Signature GS 20 Speaker System

Build Quality: 94 Good
• Elegant, furniture-grade real-wood veneers
• Beautifully crafted inset metal rear panels

Value: 94 Good
• Sophisticated woofer and tweeter designs
• Monitor doesn't charge extra for any of the four finish options

Features: 94 Good
• The GSW 12 sub's 10-band graphic EQ offers room tuning for smoother bass response
• The GS FX features flexible dipole and monopole dispersion and nifty equalization switches

Performance: 93 Good
• High-resolution sound without over-hyped detail
• The GSW 12 rocks my socks off like nothing I've heard near its size and price

Ergonomics: 96 Excellent
• The remote-controlled GSW 12 sub makes setup tweaking a breeze
• Triggered switching between dipole and monopole dispersion on the GS FX surround speakers is even cooler

Overall Rating: 94 Good
Don't for a second let the Gold Signature series speakers' modest dimensions lead you to doubt their home theater gravitas. These stealthily proficient speakers are terrifically capable designs.

General Information
GS 20 Tower Speaker, $2,999/pair
GS LCR L/C/R Speaker, $999/each
GS FX Surround Speaker, $749/each
GSW 12 Subwoofer, $1,799/each
Monitor Audio
(905) 428-2800
www.monitoraudiousa.com