Beacon Surround Speaker

Allowed 30 hours for breakin. The black vinyl looks plain but finish texture looks natural with a silvery sheen that stands out when light hits it just right. The speaker is sized for easy placement and a bit shorter in depth than others. The woofer material and tweeter looked impeccable, fit and finish was very good especially given the price point. There is enough bottom end support w/o a midbass bloat. What stood out above others at or even higher in price was in detail resolution. Among the best in resolution at its' price point. Detail was very good without sounding too dry or overly analytical (such as Quad S-2s and Infinity Reference 152) but they follow in their ability to resolve detail while retaining enough musicality. Some glare in the middle to upper mids that seemed to get a bit better after playing them a while, mostly affecting voices but never fully went away, perhaps more time needed. Not as airy as what I'm used to but really good for movies and good enough for music given the price. The soundstage and instrument separation were good, etc. Imaging VG. My impression of efficiency is closer to 90 dB overall. Pros: resolution, dynamics, imaging, efficiency Cons: Tonally I felt something was off in comparison to what I am used to (opinion and reason I returned them) and could be strident at times. I'm used to Focal & Triangle, both were more $. Still, a solid 4.5 stars, IMO.These should be used with a more neutral to warmer sound. Pros: Resolution 5/5, dynamics 4/5, imaging 5/5, Efficiency 4.5/5 all within its' price point. If you want a small speaker more oriented to home theater but still decent for music, for the price it will be difficult to find another set of speakers that outright outperform the KLH Albany IIs. Cons: Tonally I felt something was off in comparison to what I am used to (opinion and reason I returned them) and could be strident at times. I am used to Focal 807Ws and Triangle Zetas, both retailed at more money. Still, a solid 4.5 stars. I also have Cambridge Minx XLs (also retailing at this price). The KLH have more resolution, detail, are more dynamic and image better and have more PRAT but the Minx XLs while smoother, have a more natural tone to me.

My first impression is this, I haven't had time to break these in and sit and listen intently. However based upon what I already know; these speaker grills are a problem. They are made from mdf wood or some other type of wood product. This results in an overly thick grill. These grills will affect the dispersion and off axis frequency response. They seem to know this so they've routed the edges near the woofer. You can see in the picture that the tweeter hole is probably thicker than necessary. It could be a bigger opening for the sound to get out. I will update this review in the future. I love the KLH speakers. I have a matching system. I have a windsor 12, story center, cambridge mains and beacon dipole surrounds. I'm currently waiting for a tv stand for storage then I will get a new receiver. Most Likely a Sony DN-1080. Pro: Nice drivers Cons: frugal speaker grills

Splendid surround speakers, at any price. Dipole only. I prefer the phase effect in my system. But, as always, it's a personal choice. Be aware--these are heavy speakers. You will likely need good quality stands or a sound wall mounting rig.

Dipole Surround. Very well packed for shipping. The speakers arrived totally undamaged. I added them to my home theater and man do they sound great. They add another dimension to both movies and music. I would highly recommend these speakers to anyone. Pros: As stated above, great sound with movies or music Cons: None

Good sound for the rear speakers in my cinema room Pros: Full sound