Don Lindich’s Sound Advice Blog

P6 bookshelf speaker (left) with RC1 center channel and P5 bookshelf speaker

The Speaker Company is a new direct-sales company offering a wide variety of speakers from in-wall and ceiling speakers to surround systems such as the subject of this review. You can read my initial impressions of their products here. Offering “Quality Loudspeakers at Half the Price” they source their products from the same Chinese factories producing speakers for the name brands sold at big-box stores. I was excited to review these speakers as they promised to deliver a complete system at a very affordable cost, while backing it with a 5-year parts and labor warranty. What’s more, shipping is free with your order and if you aren’t satisfied, when you return them for a refund The Speaker Company will even pay for the return shipping! With that no-lose proposition in mind, let’s move on to my review of The Speaker Company and their P6, P5, and RC1 speakers.

Product Tour and Overview

Front view, P6 and P5 (with grill)

The Speaker Company P6

$89.97/pair including shipping

Two-way bookshelf speaker with 6.5″ polypropylene woofer and 3/4″ silk-dome tweeter. Magnetically shielded for use near CRT TVs.

Dimensions and Weight

11.75″ H by 7.5″ W by 8.12″ D

11.5 lbs. each

Frequency Response

60 Hz to 20,000 Hz

Bass response of 60 Hz is typical for a speaker of this size and type. It is usable in small rooms without a subwoofer for music reproduction, but will sound best with a subwoofer to fill in the deep bass, especially if you have a larger room. Movie lovers should plan on using a subwoofer.

Rear panel of the P6

Power Requirements

Sensitivity: 89 dB

Impedance: 8 ohms

Power handling: 10-100 watts

Good sensitivity and power handling for a small bookshelf speaker, along with an 8 ohm impedance means this speaker will work well with most any amplifier or receiver.

The P5 is a small twin of the P6, making it ideal for surround speaker duty

The Speaker Company P5

$69.97/pair including shipping

Two-way bookshelf speaker with 5.25″ polypropylene woofer and 3/4″ silk-dome tweeter. Magnetically shielded for use near CRT TVs.

Dimensions and Weight

10.12″ H by 6″ W by 7.2″ D

9.3 lbs each

Frequency Response

65 Hz to 20,000 Hz

Bass response rating of 65 Hz may be a bit optimistic as it is very close to the 60 Hz of the P6 with its larger woofer. Even so, bass from the P5′s 5.25″ woofer is still worlds better than than you will get from the teacup-sized speakers provided with home theater in-a-box systems. This speaker is a perfect surround-sound compliment to the P6, and can be used with a subwoofer for full-range sound reproduction.

Rear panel of the P5

Power Requirements

Sensitivity: 89 dB

Impedance: 8 ohms

Power handling: 10-100 watts

Good sensitivity and power handling for a small bookshelf speaker, along with an 8 ohm impedance means this speaker will work well with most any amplifier or receiver.

The Speaker Company RC1 Center Channel

The Speaker Company RC1

$49.97 each including shipping

Two-way center channel speaker with two 5.25″ polypropylene woofers and 3/4″ silk-dome tweeter. Magnetically shielded for use near CRT TVs.

Dimensions and Weight

6.12″ H by 7.5″ W by 7″ D

6.53 lbs.

Light weight (but not TOO light) makes this center channel speaker easy to balance on a TV.

Frequency Response

65 Hz to 20,000 Hz

Bass response of 65 Hz means this center channel can reproduce the entire spectrum of vocal reproduction. (Human voices can go down to 80 Hz, so center channel speakers that cannot reproduce 80 Hz may send some of the vocals to the subwoofer, which is undesirable. Bose Acoustimass systems are some of the biggest offenders in this regard.)

RC1 center channel with grill

Power Requirements

Sensitivity: 89 dB

Impedance: 8 ohms

Power handling: 10-100 watts

Good sensitivity and power handling, along with an 8 ohm impedance means this speaker will work well with most any amplifier or receiver.

Warranty

The Speaker Company offers a 5-year parts and labor on all speakers. That’s outstanding and on par with the largest brands, and practically unheard of in a budget product.

Cabinets and Finish

Rear view, P6 and P5

All three speakers had cabinets made of MDF covered in black woodgrain vinyl. Construction is solid and cabinets are rigid, but they do resonate a bit when rapped with your knuckles. They resonate much less than the Insignia NS-B2111s, however, probably by virtue of their conventional box design.

Grill cloth and emblem

Grilles affix firmly to the cabinets and are well-finished with tight-knit cloth that was free of imperfections. Emblems were even and firmly attached. All in all, design is basic and utilitarian, but well-executed with a quality feel.

Drivers

All three designs share drivers and design elements, key to their sonic matching.

 

One of the dual woofers on the RC1 center channel

Woofers showed some small imperfections where adhesives were used, but were solidly mounted and perfectly sealed to the cabinets.

 

Silk-dome tweeter used in all three speaker designs

The same tweeter is used on all three speakers. A plastic guard prevents it from damage- a thoughtful touch, especially on a budget product. Tweeters were flawless, with no visible imperfections whatsoever.

Port on the RC1. The same port is used on the P5, P6, and RC1

The port is a simple, smooth plastic tube- no fancy ducting or curves here. Ports are located on the front of the P6 and P5, making it easy to use them on bookshelves (though of course they should be used on stands to sound their very best!)

Rear view- RC1 center channel

The port is located on the back of the RC1, so you will want to make sure that there is some space behind it so it can breathe if you are using it an entertainment center or television cabinet.

Connections

5-way binding posts, identical among all 3 TSC speakers

Binding posts have removable plastic plugs, allowing the use of banana plugs as well as bare wire

All speakers used the same plate with gold-plated 5-way binding posts. The holes were aligned so it was easy to insert bare wire and avoid a short, but the knobs are close together and a little bit hard to grip.

Stereo and Music Listening Tests

For music I tested the P6s with an Onkyo TX-SR805 digital receiver with CDs. I also used my vintage NAD 7175PE stereo receiver with CDs and a Pro-ject RM-5 turntable with Sumiko Blue Point No. 2 cartridge for vinyl playback. I did not test the P5s as stereo speakers because in my opinion, the P6s are very close in price and have better bass response, making them a better choice for two channel music listening. Anyone considering these speakers would be best served by spending a bit more on the P6s and making a little more space to accommodate them.

The speakers were not placement sensitive and sounded good both close to the wall and a few feet in front of it. Of course, bass response was better when the speakers were closer to the rear wall.

The midrange is quite full, with lots of detail. You never get a sense of something in the midrange being missing, as you often do with small, inexpensive speakers. The bass is never loose or muddy… it is obvious this speaker isn’t trying to be something it isn’t by going deeper than it should, and losing bass definition and clarity in the process. I’ll take more defined, tighter bass any day and use a subwoofer to fill in the low end if I have to, rather than have a boomy bookshelf speaker. Treble frequencies sound a tad recessed, perhaps an effect of the very full-sounding midrange. This keeps the speaker from crossing into the realm of fatiguing, bright sound, which can be a very good thing. Stereo imaging was surprisingly good, the P6s floating images in the air quite effectively. The speakers sound precise and detailed but lack a little midrange warmth. It seems the designers at The Speaker Company went for an accurate sound, rather than a warm or euphonic sound. Even when playing vinyl, the P6s did not sound especially warm. What is noticeable in retrospect is they don’t have any glaring flaws that draw attention to themselves.

Not having a sample of The Speaker Company’s powered subwoofer, I used a Polk PSW111 I had on hand and it proved to be a good match. It was easy to balance the sub to the P6s and as would be expected, using the sub made the speakers come across as much more punchy and dynamic. If you can use a sub with these it will definitely take your enjoyment up a few notches.

The P6s sound good at low volume levels and do not sound thin when played softly. When I really turned up the volume level there was no cabinet resonance noticed, but the speakers started sounding strained and detail was lost. They are best used at moderate to moderate-high listening levels.

Surround Sound Listening Tests

For television listening tests I used the Onkyo TX-SR805 with a Dish Network satellite TV receiver providing a digital audio signal over the optical connection. For movies I used the TX-SR805 with a Toshiba HD DVD player for DVD and HD DVD, and a Sony PlayStation 3 for Blu-ray. Both disc players decoded audio internally and sent the signal over HDMI, allowing me to experience the speakers with both Dolby Digital and lossless surround sound formats.

In surround sound use, this system really came into its own. The P5s make perfect surround speakers to compliment the P6s, and are easy to place and disperse sound widely by virtue of their small size. The RC1 center channel sounds open and clear and reproduces vocals effortlessly. The RC1 center channel was especially pleasing, adding to my enjoyment of everything from sports to television talk shows. To really put it to the test I played a variety of male and female singing voices from musical features such as Hairspray and Enchanted. Vocals were reproduced effortlessly and thanks to the full bass response of the RC1, male voices didn’t sound weak or thin. The system did a great job reproducing the ambience of any environment, from the echoes of the dragon’s keep in Shrek to the sound of the Saturn V liftoff in Apollo 13.

I never saw Bee Movie in the theater and with no high-def version to watch on my main system (come on, Dreamworks and Paramount- get those Blu-ray releases going!) it just so happens I decided to watch the DVD on the analog television I was using to review this system. I was about halfway into the movie when I realized that when I had completely removed myself from the reviewing process and was just sitting back to enjoy the movie, the speakers drew me into the show and I enjoyed it fully with its seamless, detailed sound field. Not a high-end experience that wows you, by any means, but when you are listening you don’t feel deprived, either.

The Speaker Company vs. Insignia NS-B2111

 

From left: TSC P6, Insignia NS-B2111, TSC P5

The natural competitor to the P6 is the Insignia NS-B2111 sold at Best Buy. You can read my original review here and see more pictures here.

 

The Insignias definitely take the prize in the looks department, with their classy piano-black front and stylish curved cabinets.

Insignia NS-B2111 5-way binding posts

The binding posts on the Insignias are much easier to access and grip and if such a thing is possible, they make connecting speaker wire a pleasure. They are the best I have seen on a budget speaker- hats off to them here.

Listening Comparison

Listening to the Insignias after the P6s showed them to have the warmth the P6s didn’t quite have, which will likely please those who prefer a warm sound. What was also immediately apparent is the Insignia’s midrange was less full and detailed than the P6s. Surprisingly, given its high-tech carbon fiber woofer, I also noticed the Insignias were smearing some notes in comparison to the P6s. Without a direct comparison, I don’t think I would have noticed it. There was no appreciable difference in stereo imaging, another surprise given the Insignia’s co-axial tweeter. I had expected them to be clearly better. Even with these deficiencies, the Insignias have a soothing, pleasing and warm sound that also has a certain crispness to it. It’s hard to choose between them and it could come down to preference- detailed (P6) vs. warm (Insignia.) If you are on the fence, you may want to buy and try both, keep the pair you prefer, and return the other.

For surround sound use, there’s no comparison- I’d recommend the system from The Speaker Company in every instance. There’s no question that having a complete surround-sound system with purpose-made speakers is much better than trying to adapt one from bookshelf speakers, even good ones like the Insignias. The P5s fit the surround speaker role far better as they are much smaller and easier to place, and by the same token the RC1 is designed to be a center channel from the get-go, and performs its task admirably.

Warranty and Customer Service Comparison

Another place there is no comparison is the warranty. The Speaker Company offers 5 years parts and labor and my experience with the company thus far tells me they really care about the customer and are going to go the extra mile to keep you happy.

Given the complaints I get in my regular email regarding Best Buy’s service even when you purchase their extended warranty, I’m not too bullish about your prospects in that regard if you buy a pair of Insignias. On the plus side, you can walk into any Best Buy store and handle and listen to a pair before you buy, and if you choose to return them or need to replace them in the first 90 days you should be OK. I’d definitely avoid the extended warranty, though. Even at $15 it’s hardly worth it given what the Insignias cost, and there’s a chance they won’t honor it when you need it, anyway

Conclusion

True to their billing, The Speaker Company speakers are a good alternative to competing speakers from big-box stores. Stereo listeners will find the P6 a good choice, with or without a subwoofer. As a surround sound setup, this system is greater than the sum of its parts. The absolutely perfect tonal matching, combined with the open sound and clear vocals of the center channel provides a satisfying experience at a price that will definitely make you smile. If you want high-end sound that will make you swoon you are going to have to open up your wallet and spend several times more, but if you are a casual listener, on a budget or want to add a system to secondary room like a bedroom, you definitely won’t go wrong with these. I recommend they be used with entry-level receivers such as those from Onkyo and Harman/Kardon. You can get refurbished receivers from both brands for well under $200 at www.shoponkyo.com and www.harmanaudio.com.

Looking towards future offerings, I’d like to see The Speaker Company tune the P6s to add a bit more warmth to that detailed midrange, and perhaps offer an affordable dipole/bipole surround speaker to truly complete the home theater surround system. The P5s do a great job in the surround role, but given the strong system performance at the price it makes me wonder how much better it could be with a wall-mounted, wide-radiating surround speaker completing the setup.

See more at www.thespeakercompany.com.