Question: I know from past columns you prefer bookshelf speakers over tiny speakers because tiny speakers sound thin. But my room demands I use small speakers, something a bit bigger than the Bose cubes, perhaps, but definitely not bookshelf-size. Anything you can recommend?
DAWN WALTON, Norfolk, Va.
A: I've recently reviewed some very small speakers and found two standout products that are easy to recommend.
There is one speaker that very much lets you have your cake and eat it too: the Definitive Technology ProCinema 800. They are much smaller than bookshelf speakers, but pack a punch that avoids the thin sound that plagues so many similarly sized products.
It isn't magic but clever engineering. With most speakers, the top surface is just a hard panel. The Definitive Technology ProCinema 800 speakers incorporate an extra driver called a passive radiator into the top surface. A passive radiator is a diaphragm that resonates with the changes in air pressure in the speaker box, extending the bass response down into the bookshelf speaker range.
They are good enough that when I reviewed them I hooked them up without the subwoofer and they did indeed sound satisfying and full. Oh, and the sound quality itself is fantastic! Crisp, detailed and natural with everything from movies to classical music, Blu-ray to vinyl. As I write this I am listening to the ProCinema 800s with an old recording of Beethoven's Sixth Symphony on vinyl, and the sound is simply magnificent.
A complete ProCinema 800 system sells for around $900. Definitive Technology speakers are available at only specialty stores. You can find a dealer and learn more at www.definitivetech.com.
If you have a bit less in your speaker budget but still want great-sounding small speakers from one of the best brands in the business, check out the Cinema 70 system from Paradigm. The entire system retails for only $499 and delivers wonderfully, crisp, clean, detailed and natural sound that easily exceeds what most people have ever heard in their own homes. These dramatically outperform the Bose cubes in both sound and workmanship, while costing far less. Like Definitive Technology, Paradigm products are available at only specialty shops. Learn more at www.paradigm.com.
Several readers have contacted me with news of a special promotion from The Speaker Company, which I've written about in the past -- you can find complete reviews and lots of photographs on my Web site.
You can now buy The Speaker Company's HT-600 home theater surround speaker system for $319.97 with free shipping.