McIntosh, Sonance Speakers top industry charts
By Robert Archer, CE Pro

There are some that may pine for the good old days, but in the world of custom installed electronics, it’s almost always best to move forward. The freestanding speaker category, for instance, demonstrates that the best is yet to come.

Gone are the days of large boxes and fake-looking wood veneers. Electronics dealers of every size and specialty are forging ahead, armed with new speakers that feature designs that complement the modern home. There are:

  • Smaller footprints
  • Broader color and finish choices and industrial designs that combine sound quality and artistic flair

Perhaps most importantly, manufacturers are reaching price points that enable consumers of all economic backgrounds to purchase products that align with their musical and design tastes.

Sure, there are a number of big and cumbersome products that look like they’re from the 1970s still on the market. Moreover, there are a number of products that carry price tags that are more inline with the good times of 2006 and 2007, but the good news is that big, ugly and expensive is quickly becoming the exception rather than the rule.

 

McIntosh XR200 Loudspeakers

McIntosh’s 51-inch tall, 8-ohm XR200 freestanding loudspeaker employs a column driver array highlighted by the 19 midrange and tweeter units. Handling the speaker’s bottom-end reproduction are three custom-made 8-inch woofers that feature 12-pound magnets. The speaker has a sensitivity rating of 86dB and a full frequency range of 20Hz to 45kHz. The speaker produces high sound pressure levels (SPLs) and its gloss-black finish will complement many home interiors.

 

Sonance SUB 12-250 Cabinet Subwoofer

With the vastness of Sonance’s architectural product line, it’s easy to forget the company also makes in-room products. Sonance’s SUB 12-250 cabinet subwoofer is an in-room subwoofer that incorporates a 12-inch anodized aluminum cone woofer with an extra long voice coil. This driver design is said to enable the woofer to produce high output levels with minimum amounts of distortion. Driven by a 250-watt internal amplifier and housed in a sealed enclosure, the small-footprint sub can be used for low-frequency reinforcement in tight spaces.