without giving the system time to
catch its breath, I switched over
to the Omaha Beach scene from
Saving Private Ryan
for some more
war-inspired abuse. Once again,
the system was cool and collected,
even at heavy volumes. I was more
inclined to chalk up the compres-
sion I heard at punishing levels to
the amplifier than the speakers.
The sub maintained its controlled
demeanor, as well. Large artillery
shells exploded with ample buildup
and climax but then quickly ( yet
naturally) decayed without the
excess, unguided energy that helps
create subwoofer boom.
The PC 3.1II’s healthy size
helped it create a natural sound
and gave it the ability to work its
way through the densest of pas-
sages. It wasn’t perfect, but it went
a long way in making this system
PC 1.1II Bookshelf Speaker
$400
PC 3.1II Center-Channel Speaker
$600
PC 6.1S On-Wall Speaker
$425
PC Sub Subwoofer
$1,000
Phase Technology
(888) PHASE-TK
www.phasetech.com
Dealer Locator Code PHA
sound more like something you’d
find in a serious listening environ-
ment. The center channel is the
Achilles heel of many sub/sat sys-
tems, but not here. This is the
same size center channel you’d
find in many larger systems—and
I can’t overestimate the sonic
value of this approach. There are
smaller, more-easily placed cen-
ters, but that convenience comes
at an audible price.
The adjustable tweeter allows
the PC 6.1S to fill its ambient-
surround-speaker role for movies
nicely while still offering direct
radiation for music. I placed the
surrounds on the side walls with
the tweeters pointed slightly
toward the back of the room for
less sense of localization. The
PC 6.1S wasn’t as successful as a
well-designed dipole in creating
rear diffusion, but it certainly did
the trick. Considering how well
Phase Technology PC Series Speaker System
Phase Technology PC Series Speaker System
G E A R G U I D E
this speaker handles music, I’d
also recommend using it as a rear
surround in a 7.1-channel system.
At the end of the day, it doesn’t
matter if your small speakers
sound like big speakers. All that
matters is whether they sound
good. After all, there are plenty of
poor-sounding large speakers, as
well. What’s so impressive about
these Phase Techs is their ability to
excel in areas that are traditionally
quite difficult for small speakers—
like soundstaging, dynamics,
power, tonal accuracy, and impact
with movie soundtracks—while still
offering the advantages of smaller
speakers. The PC Series ensemble
may not be as inexpensive as many
sub/sat systems, but you’ll be hard-
pressed to find a system that beats
its sound-to-dollar ratio. And who
couldn’t use a little extra space
around the house?
Posted with permission from the October 2002 issue of
Home Theater
®
Copyright 2002, PRIMEDIA Inc. All rights reserved.
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