Parting Thoughts of the PA-6F
Overall, Excellent Buy for the Money Invested
For just under $1000, you can get a complete 5.1 speaker system that consists of two front tower speakers and bookshelf-ready surround and center channel speakers. Its a very good price for what youre getting as surprisingly enough, these speakers sound as good as recognized brands that sell for much more.
The strong points of this system are the PA-6F front speakers and the PA-6W subwoofer. Together they make a formidable 2.1 combination that covers everything from deep, chest-thumping bass to crystal clear treble.
The sub features a 12 inch driver and a built in 200Watt amp. The whole package is quite heavy, weighing in at 56 lbs, but its very well built and sturdy - unlike many of the too-narrow budget subs youll find that accompany some higher-priced 5.1 systems. That the sub is rated down only to 24Hz rather than 20Hz is a concern for me, but from a practical view it didnt seem to make any difference to my listening experience. I did perform side-by-side comparisons with the much more expensive Velondyne sub that is rated to 20Hz. The Velondyne of course is the better sub for explosive and fast bass response. But for most Home Theater viewing where youre looking for lots of rumble, the PA-6W will perform remarkably.
The front speakers are bi-ampable with two sets of sturdy binding posts. However, they dont have the option of carpet spikes - unless you are able to find a third party measure - which could be a problem on a thick rug. Also, the speakers leave a narrow footprint, so they may not be the most stable.
The PA-6Ss are good surround speakers for bookshelf models. They are well suited for a smaller room where the audience has to sit closer to the surround channels than they might like. The side-firing drivers and direct-firing tweeter serve to diffuse the sound in a more circular pattern around the audience, as opposed to direct-firing speakers that need to be a certain distance from the listener before you hear them correctly. The surrounds are a suitable match for the front speakers as theyre a smaller variation, but there isnt anything specifically extraordinary about them.
The center channel speaker, PA-6C, is this speaker systems weakest link. It appears to be par for the course for speaker systems at this price range to go cheap on the center channel speaker; but for once Id like to see a Home Theater speaker system give the center speaker its due. The center channel is even more important than the front speaker for Home Theater. But this center isnt bad, its a good match for the system - it just lacks the kind of air-pushing power you need to get the most from the center stage of your Home Theater. Consider upgrading the center with another ported center channel speaker that employs a design with separate tweeter, midrange and woofers, its an all around superior design but will certainly cost substantially more.
