In this issue, it seems like the mandate was satellite/subwoofer systems. I had the pleasure of auditioning what might be the upper end of the spectrum. Tannoy is my product of choice, purely based on what appears to be the sexiest, most unique, and highest priced of the selected systems. This bronze (also available in lacquers, white, silver, or black) bombshell is the most striking I have seen. Rolex, Ferrari, Razor, and Lexus have nothing on this design! From the moment I opened the boxes, they screamed of quality. I handled each piece like a Fabergé Egg (kind of that shape), careful not to disturb what appeared to be umpteen coats of piano-quality lacquer. This would require a little more attention to detail with the stands, mounts, grills, and assembly required...so let's get busy!

Unique Features/Setup
Dual Concentric and Wideband are terms you will quickly become familiar with when researching the Tannoy company and its commitment to perfection. You might have heard them before, but for simple clarification, let's review. Concentric isn't difficult; it is as Webster's tells us, "Having a center in common." So, Dual Concentric is having the tweeter (high frequency driver) in the throat of the mid-bass driver. This allows all music information to generate from one pinpoint location. Benefit? With all musical bandwidth delivered from one pinpoint location, this time-coherent point source allows for excellent dispersion and imaging. While others spread multiple drivers along a tall baffle, causing time errors in delivery, acoustic synergy is achieved with the Tannoy Arena 5.1 system, delivering sound "on time" to any location in the room. This is nothing new in the studio monitors of most recording studios.

Additional Resources

• Read more bookshelf reviews from HomeTheaterReview.com
• Discuss bookshelf speakers at HomeTheaterSpot.com
• Explore reference speakers at AudiophileReview.com

Wideband allows the listener to enjoy the complete music signal by extending the frequency response to 54 kHz (two octaves beyond most speakers), allowing the listener to experience the entire bandwidth. Sounds contain rich harmonics and transients beyond the range of human hearing for pure tones. This "air" creates a realism lost when high frequency drivers are limited (most others to only 20 kHz).

Competition and Comparison
For comparison's against the Tannoy Arena 5.1 system's competition, check out our reviews of the JM Labs SIB & CUB 5.1 system and the Orb Audio Mod4 home theater speaker system.  You can also find more information by visiting our Floorstanding Speaker, Bookshelf Speaker, and Subwoofer sections.

The Arena system consists of four satellites (egg-shaped units). The extremely rigid acoustic shell of the satellites (total weight 2.5 kg / 5.5 lbs.) and center channel speakers (total weight 4 kg / 8.8 lbs.), robustly constructed in cast aluminum, provides full acoustic optimization of the drive units. The center channel and satellite speakers are magnetically shielded to eliminate color-fringing effects when placed close to a television, each containing a 100 mm mid-bass driver, using a fiber pulp cone. The dedicated center channel loudspeaker is equipped with a supplementary bass driver to augment power handling. Mounted in its throat (concentrically) is a 19 mm titanium dome tweeter using a neodymium magnet system--ported and crossed over at 1.75 kHz, mid to high and 80 Hz from mid to bass. Crossovers are second-order low pass and first-order high pass networks. A recommended 15 to 100 watts RMS amplifier is required. The subwoofer is awesome and delivers 300 watts RMS...Real Bass!! At -6 dB down at 29 Hz, using a 250 mm (10-inch) driver in a sealed box enclosure, this baby rocks. The BASH amplifier technology utilized is a patented high-efficiency power amplifier circuit topology that has taken the best of Class D and Class AB and created a new class of its own. The power amplifier with its patented switch-mode power supply delivers exceptional performance and excellent bandwidth with long-term reliability. All the cool features--auto mute, volume control, variable phase, and crossover, LF extension, and LFE mode--in an eye-popping enclosure. Available as optional accessories, table stands for the satellite and center channel speakers are fitted with a swivel mechanism, allowing precise adjustment. The same stands are also equipped with a wall mounting plate and a carefully considered cable management system. Speaker cable can be hidden from view by routing it through the rear of the table stand or wall bracket right through the center of the ball joint, or through the column of the elegant floor stand option.

Everything was set, placed, and attached, and plenty of break-in time was allotted. It was time!!
Click to Page 2 for Critical Listening and the Final Take