Audio & Video Lifestyle Magazine
35
T e c h n o t a l k
Product Type:
Home theatre speaker system
Driver Complement:
1 x 80mm bass/mid driver (SS-10)
1 x 13mm tweeter (SS-10)
1 x 213mm woofer (SUB-60)
Frequency Response:
100Hz-20kHz ±3dB (SS-10)
Sensitivity:
88dB @ 2.83V, 1m (SS-10)
Impedance:
6 ohms nominal (SS-10)
Crossover Frequency:
6kHz (SS-10)
Frequency Range:
30Hz-150Hz (SUB-60)
Amplifier Power:
50 watts RMS (SUB-60)
Amplifier Power:
10-60 watts RMS (SS-10)
Distortion:
0.04% @ rated output
Technotalk specifications and recommended
retail prices are supplied by the manufacturer
Recently, the decision was taken to
relocate some of its production to
China, for a couple of main reasons -
to enable the brand to keep up with
increasing demand and also for the
obvious economic benefits Chinese
manufacturing offers. With the new
MicroMax system, the tiny SS-10
satellites and stands are made over
there, while the SUB-60 active
subwoofer comes out of the company’s
Ballina factory.
The five SS-10s are all identical and
constructed from non-resonant plastic.
Their design offers a variety of
mounting and positioning options,
either on the TS-10 stands, or for $19 a
pair Aaron also makes some wall-
mounting brackets called the SWB.
Around the back of each SS-10 there’s
a sliding bracket with keyhole and this
can be fitted so the speaker stands both
horizontally and vertically. To keep up
appearances, the badge on the front
grille can also rotate to the right
subsequent way up. Build quality of
these little speakers is pretty impressive
- the moulded cases fit nicely together
and there’s some weight to them as
well. Each speaker is a 2-way design
and the small drivers comprise an
80mm fine fibre pulp cone woofer and
the 13mm dome tweeter is constructed
from Mylar. All
SS-10s use two-
stage magnetic
shielding so
there’s no
worries placing
them on or near
a conventional
TV. Cable
connection, not
surprisingly at
the price, is in
the form of
spring clip
terminals on
both the SS-10s
and the SUB-
60. Binding
posts would be
better, but it’s
not likely going
to be a
consideration
for the sort of
customer and
system that’s
likely to
entertain these
speakers.
I’ve had a
play with my fair
share of Aaron subwoofers over the
years and the SUB-60 is the baby of the
range. The bigger SUB-120 is also
recommended by Aaron to partner the
SS-10s, if you simply fancy more of the
low stuff or have a larger living space to
fill. In my average-sized living room, the
SUB-60 proved ample, even though it’s
hardly the biggest or most powerful of
active subs. The power is rated at 60
watts RMS, driving a single 213mm
woofer.
All Aaron’s woofer drivers employ
the company’s Low Q Ratio bass
alignment design technique, which aims
to lower distortion, achieve faster
response times, and greater system
efficiency. In a nutshell, the system
works by the use of an ultra light driver
cone in a unique air alignment
suspension, operating in conjunction
with what Aaron refers to as an
internal Cabinet Q Regulator. The
Regulator is an angled panel
strategically positioned in the cabinet
bass to dampen a specific frequency
band. The overall aim of such design
mechanisms is to maximise bass
efficiency. A lightweight bass driver
requires less energy to move, and
therefore puts less demand on the
amplifier, resulting in higher efficiency.
But, enough of such technical
jargon - what does this little and
inexpensive system sound like?
Surprisingly good is the short answer.
To be perfectly honest, I wasn’t
expecting too much either when
hooking them all up, thinking that this
might be quite a painful review to listen
and write up. It’s always nice when
you’re proved wrong and in this case, I
was way off the mark. Aaron has fully
achieved it’s aim with the MicroMax in
achieving ‘proper’ hi-fi sound. Okay,
it’s hardly the last word in high fidelity
reproduction, but it’s definitely hi-fi.
Before hooking the sub up, I had a
quick listen to the satellites and
although they claim to genuinely go
down to 100Hz, you wouldn’t want to
listen to anything on them without a
subwoofer in tow. On their own, they
sound like tiny speakers, but as soon as
the SUB-60 kicked, it was a different
story all together.
Music first and in stereo with the
SUB-60 and left and right SS-10s in
play, the three make quite a pleasant
noise. As I said, there are gutsier and
more fearful subwoofers around, but
bearing in mind it’s $399 price tag, the
SUB-60 is quite capable in the bass-
