You only have to venture into a hi-fi and home theatre store to realise that the range of speaker packages available today is huge, and quite often overwhelming. Satellite speakers, bookshelf speakers, wall-mount speakers, floorstanding speakers, in-ceiling speakers…how the hell do you choose what is right for you and your home? How do you sort out the performers from the pretenders?

These are important questions, because speakers, in conjunction with room acoustics, make up the most critical part of a stereo or home theatre system. Why? Because they have by far the largest effect on the overall sound of the system, compared to the other system components.

To assist you in choosing the correct speaker package for your needs, we have put together what we believe to be some of the best performing packages available at the moment. The packages have been grouped into various price categories to suit a range of budgets, with an overview of each category also being provided.

Our goal here is to give you a good idea of the quality speaker packages currently available at various price points, and we will endeavor to update these package suggestions as new and improved solutions are released. Keep in mind that these speaker packages serve as a guide only, and may not necessarily suit your particular needs. Some suggestions have been made at the end of several individual package reviews, outlining alternatives to the set package that may be more suitable to your individual situation.

In light of what has been written above, we always suggest that you come into our store if possible so we can discuss with you what you require in a speaker package. For those of you who cannot make it into our store, the packages listed below can function as a reference point – you can then ring or email us and we will be more than happy to discuss and suggest a solution for you.

This article focuses on speaker packages only. We have intentionally not included any A/V Receiver or amplifier suggestions in this article, as there are many factors to consider, besides the speakers you are powering, when deciding which amplifier to purchase. Sometime in the future we’ll compile an article on selecting the correct amplifier.

The prices quoted for the speaker packages are RRP, however you will often find that ‘go’ pricing will place individual packages into a lower price bracket.

The following reviews often refer to room sizes, so below is an indication of the room size we are referring to:

Small room: up to ~ 16m²

One last thing. When auditioning and choosing between speaker packages, don’t let the process be a stressful one, and don’t take things too seriously. Enjoy the experience and remember to take the most important listening tool with you – your ears. We can guide you in the right direction, but in the end you must choose the package you prefer, as you will be living with the speakers, not us.

These packages, while presenting a higher level of performance, also exhibit a superior standard of fit and finish than lower priced speakers. The packages here consist mainly of speakers produced by specialist manufacturers who build all their own products, and who possess outstanding reputations in the industry. These packages need more room to sound their best so are generally not suitable for small spaces.

2 x Yamaha NS-225F Front Speakers (Floorstanding)

2x Yamaha NS-M225 Rear Speakers (Bookshelf/Stand-mount)

Yamaha NS-C225 Centre Speaker

Yamaha YST-SW225 Subwoofer

 

First up, this Yamaha package should realistically be competing in the price category below this one in terms of performance, but its RRP takes it just over the $2,500 cutoff limit. But don’t let that ‘over $2,500’ be a barrier, as when a discount for this package is taken into account it is a natural competitor for the KEF 2005.2 package. In fact, many people who audition speakers in our store narrow down their choice to these two particular packages, as they both provide stylish good looks and great performance.

This Yamaha package presents very well – in fact we reckon it’s one of the best-looking packages out there. The 225F front floorstanders are a slim-line design in a two tone silver/black finish, and match well with almost any décor. The round steel base plate provides a sturdy platform for the speaker. The matching M225 rear bookshelf speakers are also slim-line units, and sport the same driver arrangement as the front mains (two mid-bass and one tweeter). They have the provision for wall mounting, with keyhole brackets on the back of the speaker, although they look just as good on stands as they do on the wall.

The C225 centre speaker is not simply a surround speaker turned on its side – it contains an aluminium-magnesium dome tweeter that is flanked by four mid-bass drivers, two on either side. Just like the rear speakers, it also comes with keyhole brackets on the rear of the cabinet if wall mounting is required. Rounding out the package is the Yamaha YST-SW225 subwoofer, as seen in the Paradigm/Yamaha package in the ‘$1,500 to $2,500’ category (System 3).

The cabinets of all speakers are solidly constructed and well finished, and use high quality binding posts for speaker wire connections. It’s also little details that are appreciated in this package, such as rubber stoppers on the lower rear section of the surround speakers that prevent the speaker from marking or denting your gyprock if they are fixed to the wall, as well as isolating vibrations. The speaker grilles are held on magnetically, and are quick and easy to remove and attach. Simple, thoughtful inclusions that make the Yamaha NS-225 package stand out from the rest.

The 225F floorstanders give an upfront performance that is particularly strong in the bass, which is surprising considering their diminutive dimensions. Their movie performance, combined with the C225 centre, creates a soundstage and presence that is very involving, especially for large-scale action movies. While their overall accuracy and clarity may not match the KEF KHT2005.2, their ‘larger’ sound makes a modern movie soundtrack most enjoyable.

The centre speaker’s width and multiple driver arrangement provides a wide soundstage, meaning that people seated to the left or right of the centre speaker will still clearly hear dialogue. The M225 rear speakers produced natural-sounding ambience and effects, handling the many subtle surround effects of Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World just as well as the hard-hitting passages of the movie.

The YST-225 subwoofer integrates very well with this package and does not have to work as hard as it would with bookshelf speakers, as the 225F floorstanders produce a reasonable amount of bass themselves, therefore allowing the subwoofer to produce just the lower bass notes.

If you are after a stylish and well-made speaker package for a small to medium size room, and it will be primarily used for movie and TV watching, an audition of this Yamaha NS-225 speaker pack is well worth your time.

Options: Another strongpoint of this package is the choice you have in terms of speaker configuration. If you don’t like the idea or look of wall-mounted or stand mount surround speakers you can option in another pair of the 225F floorstanders for surround sound duties. Or if you desire a more minimalist look you can substitute the floorstanders at the front for the M225 bookshelf speakers, therefore utilizing the same speakers at both the front and rear. The M225 bookshelf speakers and the C225 centre speaker look particularly attractive when mounted on a wall, flanking a wall-mounted plasma or LCD panel.

→ RRP: $2,695

2 x Paradigm Phantom Front Speakers (Floorstanding)

2 x Paradigm Atom Rear Speakers (Bookshelf/Stand-mount)

Paradigm CC-270 Centre Speaker

Yamaha YST-SW515 Subwoofer

 

This is our second pairing of Yamaha and Paradigm products as a system package and would be regarded as the next step up in performance over the first Paradigm/Yamaha package that was reviewed in the ‘$1,500 to $2,500’ category (System 3). This package is slightly larger overall, with a pair of Phantom floorstanders replacing bookshelf speakers at the front, while the larger CC-270 performs centre speaker duties. Both the Phantoms and the CC-270 are part of Paradigm’s Performance Series.

The Atom bookshelf speakers remain as rear speakers, while the Yamaha YST-SW515 subwoofer takes care of the bass. Because of the larger front speakers and larger subwoofer included in this package, placement in a medium or large room is preferable. This is because larger systems such as this tend to sound ‘boomy’ and overpowering if placed in a small room.

So for the extra $1,000 outlay over the cheaper Paradigm/Yamaha package, what exactly are you getting? First up, this system sounds every bit as good as the lower priced Paradigm/Yamaha system, meaning it performs just as well with music as it does with movies. Both system share similar sound characteristics, but this larger system adds a stronger presence to the front soundstage, with mids improving slightly, while upper bass notes are more convincingly reproduced. In effect the midrange ‘hole’ that is often present in a bookshelf/subwoofer combination has been filled.

This extra presence is obvious during almost any musical piece, and draws you into the experience as the speakers produce a more realistic presentation of the music. Movies and music DVDs also benefit, with action sequences in Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World and high-energy live acts such as Keith Urban’s Livin’ Right Now being best described as ‘bigger’ and more involving. This can be explained by the combination of larger speaker cabinets, as well as more (and larger) speaker drivers, which move more air and therefore create more sound.

The CC-270 is a large centre speaker that matches well with the Phantom floorstanders, as it possesses exactly the same speaker drivers. The excellent channel integration between the front three speakers is well illustrated in Finding Nemo at around minute 61:00, as Marlin and Dory move continuously from the left to right of the screen whilst talking. The CC-270 also adds more depth to male voices, and creates a slightly wider soundstage than the CC-170, while handling high volumes more easily. The Atom rear speakers remain in this package as they are more than able to keep up with the front three speakers, and once again convincingly reproduce the myriad of effects that sound engineers incorporate into a modern movie or music soundtrack.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While the Phantom floorstanders do produce reasonable bass considering their size, a subwoofer is still needed if you want to hear those dinosaur footprints. Cue the Yamaha YST-SW515. This medium-sized unit adds significantly more bass depth than any of the subwoofers mentioned in this article so far, but not at the expense of musicality. Set up properly, the YST-SW515 will fairly rock a medium size room when the situation calls, while also delivering a tight, controlled bottom end kick for music. For a more in-depth read on the YST-SW515, see our earlier review here:

http://www.eastwoodhifi.com.au/sw515.htm

As a combined music and movie system, this Paradigm/Yamaha package is the best ‘bang for your buck’ system in this whole article. Yes, there are speaker packages that are superior to this one, but you will find yourself having to spend significantly more of your hard-earned to obtain an ever-smaller increase in performance – think law of diminishing returns.

Options: Consider using the Paradigm Titans (RRP $599) as rear speakers if you desire a perfect tonal match across all five speakers, as their speaker drivers are exactly matched to the Phantoms and CC-270. If you require your rear speakers to be hidden or have no room to wall or stand mount them, a pair of in-ceiling speakers such as Opus One’s C0873 (RRP $219/pair) provide a great solution. While they won’t quite match the Atoms for performance they are cheaper and more appealing from an aesthetic point of view.

→ RRP: $3,246

2 x B&W DM602 Front Speakers (Bookshelf/Stand-mount)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2 x B&W DM600 Rear Speakers (Bookshelf/Stand-mount)

B&W LCR60 Centre Speaker

B&W ASW600 Subwoofer

While here at Eastwood HiFi we tend to go on and on about Paradigm speakers, you’ll be glad to know that we do indeed carry other premium speaker brands. Bowers and Wilkins (or B&W) are based in the UK and are arguably the best known and regarded loudspeaker manufacturer in the world, and their 600 Series (Version 3) range of speakers are one of many in their catalogue.

The V.3 incarnation of the 600 Series has been around for a few years now, and the DM602s are the largest bookshelf speaker in the range. The DM602s were chosen as the front mains for this review in preference to the model above them, the floorstanding DM602.5, as they outperform their larger siblings and are cheaper to boot. They are one of the largest bookshelf speakers available from any manufacturer, and it’s interesting to note they are the only other speaker in the DM600 Series that share the same size mid-bass driver with the top-spec DM604.

Here the DM602s are partnered with the LCR60 centre speaker and the compact DM600 bookshelf speakers, while the 10" (25cm), 150 Watt B&W ASW600 subwoofer takes care of the bass. Together these speakers form a very attractive-looking package, and they are available in a range of finishes to match your furniture and room décor. This system will work well in a medium size room.

The DM602s exhibit similar sonic characteristics to the larger floorstanding DM603s that were reviewed here. That is, they give a forward and punchy presentation that is well suited to modern pop and rock. And just like the DM603s, the DM602s can’t quite match the high frequency detail or midrange smoothness of a price-comparative Paradigm speaker, such as the Phantom or Monitor 5. This shortcoming is more obvious in the often repetitive beat of music than in the more random nature of DVD soundtracks, but as was noted in the DM603 review, this shortfall may not be an issue in your particular situation. The DM602s have actually won several awards from various UK magazines.

As a movie package these speakers are very impressive – they’ll belt out action movies and rock concerts as loud as you please, but they don’t forget about the more subtle sound effects that you hear in a well recorded movie soundtrack. Surround sound effects are carried convincingly by the DM600s, and work with the front three speakers to create that broad and involving wrap-around soundstage that makes large-scale epics such a joy to experience. The LCR60 is a robust centre speaker that integrates well with the other speakers. Voices sound natural and effects are well produced, but it cannot create a soundstage as wide as the Paradigm CC-270.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The ASW600 subwoofer is a great little unit that produces very tight bass. Its sealed enclosure (as apposed to Yamaha’s subwoofers, which are ported) does away with the annoying ‘chuffing’ sound that can be heard from some ported subwoofers during times of extreme bass output. And while tight and controlled bass is a desirable trait, the ASW600’s small enclosure and low-powered amplifier ultimately limit how deep it can go. It will match, if not exceed, the Yamaha YST-515 in terms of tightness of bass, but cannot go as loud or as deep.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This package may be a little pricey (thank our ordinary exchange rate with the UK for that), but it is stylish, well finished and built, and provides good performance, especially with movies. It is a feasible alternative to a similarly priced Paradigm speaker package, especially if aesthetics are just as important as the sound.

Options: If you are happy with the B&W sound but would like to add some more bass to the mix, consider the ASW650 subwoofer (RRP $1,799). It is a larger version of the ASW600, and runs a 12" (30cm) driver with a 200 Watt amplifier.

 

→ RRP: $3,896

 

→ Colours: Black Ash, Sorrento and

Calvados

→ Website: www.e-hifi.com.au/main.asp?page=products/bw.asp