Speakers

Thanks to JBL, music lovers don't have to settle for "second best" sound when listening to music at a barbecue or pool party. The N24AWII (SRP: $249 per pair) delivers the same clear JBL sound enjoyed by home listeners, in a compact, weather-proofed design that can be wall-mounted and installed virtually anywhere outdoors.

The speaker features exclusive JBL technologies directly derived from the company's world-standard professional studio monitors for outstanding sound quality, with high-efficiency woofers and special tweeter designs that provide sound coverage over a wide listening area. Read more

It is always rewarding when you can associate products you can be proud to own with genuinely nice people who build and market them. THIEL is in this very small camp of companies. It is difficult these days for American electronics companies to successfully compete against the mega-conglomerates from Asia, but THIEL has done so--- and quite successfully for thirty years now, as 2007 marks THIEL Audio’s 30th year in the high performance audio marketplace.

From humble beginnings crowded into co-founder Jim Thiel’s garage back in 1976 and participating in their first-ever CES in 1977, THIEL has evolved over three decades to become one of the premier suppliers of high performance audio components around the world. Today, fifteen diverse models of THIEL loudspeakers are proudly freighted to over thirty countries spanning the globe—all designed and built in a 35,000 square foot facility located in Lexington, KY. Over the past thirty years, THIEL has been recognized with an almost uncountable number of prestigious awards for product innovation and performance, as well as outstanding business acumen—not to mention overwhelming critical acclaim from the most respected audio critics. Read more

New Dedicated Speaker Delivers Enhanced Dialogue Intelligibility

KEF, the British-born producer of audiophile-grade home theater speakers has used its European-inspired approach in the development of the latest KEF Home Theatre speaker line. As part of the new KHT 3000 Series 5.1 home cinema system, the HTC3001 dedicated center channel speaker has taken sound in a new direction delivering distinct "vocal intelligibility," or crisp transparency to all dialogue—whether whispered or shouted—even when competing with ambient noise in your room or the soundtrack’s blasting guns and explosions.

Unlike rival systems which simply utilize one of the satellite speakers turned on its side, KEF engineered the HTC3001 independently, realizing that up to 60 percent of the sound you hear from your home theater come through the center channel speaker. The result? Amazingly clear dialogue and perfect timber for both video and audio reproduction. A thoroughly sensible British take on a well-known issue. Read more

Paradigm Electronics just introduced its new PV series of in-wall/in-ceiling speakers, launching the line with four high-performance models: the PV-50R, PV-60R, PV-150, and PV-160. The new entries are consistent with Paradigm’s history of high-quality speakers at affordable prices.

Since walls and ceilings are flexible by nature, typical in-wall/in-ceiling speakers are prone to uncontrolled resonances and standing waves that distort sound; resulting in bass that sounds bloated, lacking definition, clarity, neutrality, and imaging. The high-strength injection-molded ribbed-polymer mounting system on the PV series of speakers increases wall rigidity by “sandwiching” and strengthening the area around the mounting hole. Unwanted resonances and standing waves are dramatically reduced. Read more

Do you trip through your wires when listening to your music at home? Eliminate the clutter and mess from audio components with the PODZ Wireless Speakers from Brookstone. Thanks to advanced 900 MHz technology, these sphere-shaped speakers rest on small rubber-lined stands and can be placed anywhere in the home. Simply plug in the transmitter to any main audio source, such as a stereo, TV or MP3 player, and set the speakers where you want them. Phase Loop Lock (PLL) circuitry automatically locks and keeps the audio signal clear and strong on an optimal frequency up to 150 feet and through walls, floors and ceilings and even outdoors. Read more

I have used six KEF's Ci2000 in-wall speakers for the last four years and have been greatly impressed by their performance in clarity, imaging and sheer output. They literally put you in the action.

As the flagship system of the KEF Home Theater family, the KHT9000 ACE has received high praise from reviewers, audiophiles and custom installers for outstanding sonic performance. And now, KEF has just introduced the new Ci Series 9000 ACE UNI-Q In-Wall Loudspeaker as the latest in its award-winning Ci Architectural Series of custom-install loudspeakers (FYI: Ci stands for "custom install"). The new Ci9000 ACE speaker envelopes you with great, pure, rich sound, which is a rare performance for an in-wall speaker. In large part this can be traced to the revolutionary ACE (Acoustic Compliance Enhancement) technology and KEF's famous Uni-Q drivers that create a widely dispersed sound pattern and lifelike soundstage. With the introduction of the Ci9000ACE, KEF gives home entertainment system installers and owners the power to design a virtually invisible home theater that truly rivals the performance of free-standing speakers.