When it comes to choosing a speaker ensemble, quality sound options are certainly not in short supply. Unfortunately, this makes shopping around for the perfect match to your ears more difficult than ever. Once you have narrowed down the type of speaker ensemble you are in search of--a conventional floor standing "monitor" or a sub/satellite ensemble the field becomes more narrow, but not necessarily shorter.

Additional Resources
• Read more floorstanding speaker reviews from HomeTheaterReview.com.
• Find a subwoofer to pair with the Infinity Entra.

I'm all for giving a new company an audition, but I'm also one to choose a line from a manufacturer that I've had good past experiences with. Chances are if you've owned a hi-fi or home theater system in the past 20 years then you've heard of (or owned) Infinity loudspeakers.

Over the past several years, Infinity has grown in size tremendously. Today they offer a virtually unlimited selection of speakers for the home and car. What this means to the end user is that through Infinity's sales volume, advanced developments inevitably trickle their way down into entry level offerings, creating even greater value to the end user--you.

Unique Features
What strikes me the most about the Infinity Entra ensemble is that the speakers appear both simple and elegant--two qualities not often found together. The front baffle of each speaker, including the subwoofer, has a beveled edge that creates a distinct appearance. Where this beveled edge actually plays a role in the application of the speaker is with the optional sidewall-mounted OWS-1. The OWS-1 is best described as an on-wall, in-wall. It is a 2-way speaker featuring a 5 1/2-inch mid/woof and 3/4-inch C.M.M.D. (Ceramic Metal Matrix Diaphragm) tweeter in a relatively narrow profile--just under 5 inches. This design is one of the best I've seen in terms of effectiveness for side-channel surrounds without having to be cut into the wall or intruding on the listening area.

There are several options in the Entra lineup. I chose the conventional floor standing Entra Three as my main L/R and the Entra Center Two as the center for this review, also opting for the inclusion of the Entra Two 12-inch 250-watt subwoofer. All of the speakers in the Entra line-up (except the sub) are magnetically shielded. The Entra Three towers consist of 38-inch tall, 8.5-inch wide, 12.75-inch deep enclosures with a pair of 6.5-inch C.M.M.D. mid/woofs and a single 3/4-inch tweeter. The Entra Two center channel features dual 5.25-inch C.M.M.D. midrange flanking a single 3/4-inch tweeter in a 7.5-inch by 7.5 inch by 20-inch wide enclosure.

The 12-inch, rear ported subwoofer boasts an impressive 250-watt amplifier complete with high and low level inputs, variable crossover, 0 to 180 degree phase shift and gain controls. Weighing in at 47 pounds, this hefty brute uses the larger 12-inch C.M.M.D. subwoofer, the power of the amp and its efficient design to bellow tunes in the 30Hz range and yet will remain responsive up to 100Hz without missing a beat.

Installation/Setup/Ease of Use
Unpacking will take you more time than actual placement with the Entra lineup. The OWS-1 side-channel surrounds require four simple drywall screws (no need to anchor them) and include a template for accurate installation.

The height of the Entra Three towers create excellent on-axis response for the listener. They sound best placed out in front about 8 feet apart and canted slightly inward.