Performance
These robust speakers need to be placed on heavy stands, about 3.5-4 feet wide, and slightly toed in for a full spectral delivery. The amp has to be good, as stereo sound can get greatly colored in the amp itself, which the speaker can do nothing to improve. We were using an Harman Kardon amp, which I like.
The speakers came to us already broken in, so I straightaway started the tests. First off I inserted a Sheffield Labs test CD and ran a few tones and sweeps to check the scene. The speaker can go down low till about 30 Hz odd, though not in a flat way. In highs it touched 18K before wisping off. While I did not have the actual sensitivity rating, qualitatively I can say it would be quite high.
I listened to Sarah McLachlan, Patricia Barber and Jamiroquai; in addition to the pristine recordings from the test discs. What I inferred was a wide and open soundstage; the sort of stuff that appeals to a mature audience. Thump was not there, though low bass frequencies were present, and sounded nice.
The mids were a little forward for my taste: very crisp, and made some vocals sound overemphasized, but not harsh at any point. Sound depth was commendable as a convoy to the impressive soundstage. High frequencies were rolled off and subtle, with no extra sibilance anywhere. This I liked a lot, as I hate too much shine in the sound.
Conclusion
At a price of Rs 8500, the speakers offer bang for the buck. If you're not a perfectionist, the flaws mentioned can be ignored, as the good points outweigh the bad. The design could have been better, it's true, but then true audio quality has nothing to do with looks.
With a sub I’m sure these speakers will rock. They nicely fit the requirement of a bedroom stereo music system (you will need a separate amp) and could be an ideal choice for a quiet musical evening, but not a party.

