Probably one of the fi rst things that is noticeable about this design is that it does not include a subwoofer as part of the system. I initially had plans to design a subwoofer to go with these satellites, but found that the subwoofer requirements were too dependent on the room size and how the system was being used. For example, in a small bedroom, a combo such as the Dayton SD215-8-8 and the 70 watt amplifi er would work perfectly. In a slightly larger room, the Dayton 10" powered subwoofer (#300-632) would be a great option. In even larger rooms, a subwoofer such as the Quatro 15 and 240 watt amp would work great, though at some point the satellites probably won't be able to keep up. Also note that it is important to get a good blend between the subwoofer and the satellites- too high of a crossover point on the subwoofer and the midbass becomes muddy and confused; too low of a crossover point, and a gap can be easily heard. So, to help make this transition as seamless as possible, I would recommend using a subwoofer with a 24 dB low-pass fi lter built-in.

If I were building the system for myself, I would just use 5 of the MT speakers and forget the center channel. The off-axis performance of the MTM is simply not as good as that of the MT's. But, knowing that many people are hung up on the idea of a MTM as a center channel, I went ahead and designed it. If your listening positions are all within +/- 30 degrees off the central axis, then the MTM is indeed a good choice due to its greater power handling (and also lower distortion). However, if you have a listening room with many positions that are extremely off-axis, I would stick with 5 of the MT designs.

With the proper placement of the subwoofer, the correct crossover settings in the receiver and on the sub amp, the sound of these speakers is really quite amazing. They are neutral yet very detailed and clean, particularly compared to most other inexpensive home theater systems. They are capable of very dynamic reproduction at levels that belie their small size. It is very easy to forget that you are listening to what amounts to a "micro" system. Just be sure and have enough amplifi er power available- I would recommend at minimum a 5 x 80 watt receiver, but 5 x 100 watt or greater would be even better. These things really rock!