Floor Loudspeaker Reviews

On the other hand, the imaging is extraordinarily stable, largely due to the almost total freedom from picket-fencing. Without the center channel, I detected only five small fluctuation cycles across the entire area between the speakers; with the center channel, I found three, and they were so slight as to be barely perceptible even on pink noise. (Of all the speakers I've reviewed, only the Tannoy lODMTIIs [Spring 1997] were comparable to the Linaeums in this respect.)

Everything stays resolutely where it belongs on the soundstage, including sounds located midway between each pair of front speakers (L/C, C/R), even when you change your lateral position relative to them. This is actually imaging overkill for home theater, where it takes a good deal of disparity between where we see something and where we hear its sound coming from before it calls attention to itself.

The centerline
Before adding the Center-Channel Speaker (which I will henceforth label CCS), I re-aimed the L/R Model 10s straight ahead, eliminating their toe-in. The CCS was placed on a low stand directly under the projection screen and calibrated to THX level using the DC-1's pink noise and RadioShack meter. The Lexicon's time-align function was then used to align the CCS with the Model 10s for the minimum change in center fill when comparing three-channel operation with a two-channel (stereo) phantom center.

During set up, I was amazed at how much the CCS sounded like the flanking Model 10s, but I was still unprepared for the seamlessness of their blend when all three are operating. From the center seat, it is almost impossible to tell when the center speaker is switched in or bypassed. On soundtracks, the system's imaging with the CCS engaged is virtually identical to the two-channel configuration, which is to say excellent. But because the Model 10s have such wide horizontal dispersion, toe-in angle does not noticeably affect imaging. These speakers never achieved pinpoint imaging, although as I mentioned before, this rarely happens in the real world.

Magnetic-field radiation from the Model 10s and the CCS is moderately low, but more than enough to distort colors on nearby direct-view picture tubes. The 10s radiate enough to cause problems from less than about two feet, which is acceptable, but the CCS radiates enough that it may not be possible to perch it directly on top of a direct-view set.

Uncolored line
Overall, the Linaeums are among the relatively few speakers I've reviewed that sound so natural and uncolored, they are difficult to describe-but I'll try anyway. Their most noticeable traits are listenability, very respectable dynamic range (little compression), and the ability to handle realistic concert-hall volume levels without any perceptible strain.

The treble is very smooth, quick, and open, and it blends superbly with the lower range. The midrange is completely free from identifiable vowel colorations, and the bass is almost unbelievably deep, considering the modest woofer size.

Nothing seems to ruffle these speakers, up to the almost unreasonable demands of a Home THX system, in which digital-zero level equates to a very loud sound pressure level of 105dB. (It's the kind of loud you hear during the THX trailer in a commercial cinema with a properly calibrated sound system.) Even at that level, I only heard the 10s bottom-out three times: twice during the opening credits of Geronimo and once as the boulder drops during the cave scene in Aladdin. (These bass torture tests were discovered by Tom Norton, and still stand as some of the most demanding we've come across.) Linaeum doesn't make a subwoofer; they deem it unnecessary in view of the Model 10's 35Hz bass range. This is true, but only up to a certain volume level.

Now to the minuses. The Linaeum system is slightly laid-back through the midrange, although not nearly as much as the many "audiophile" speakers that are designed to enhance depth by recessing the soundstage. Although this laid-back character does flatter close-miked music recordings, it would be nice if the Linaeums were a bit more forward or "in-your-face" to do full justice to film soundtracks. Finally, while their dialog intelligibility is very good, they don't render voices or sound effects with as much palpable realism as is possible (and desirable).

While I'm nit-picking, I must also take a pot-shot at Linaeum's placement of the high-gloss logo emblem on the center speaker's grille. It reflects very bright, tri-colored highlights from a video projector's tubes, which is very noticeable in an otherwise darkened room. The emblem belongs on top of the speaker, not on its front.

Wrapping it up
Despite my few complaints, I can highly recommend the Linaeum Model 10 and Center-Channel Speaker for any system that does double duty for home theater and music, although they tend to favor musical material over soundtracks. The price is certainly reasonable, but if you listen at THX levels (and your neighbors let you get away with it), you need to budget for one or two good subwoofers, not because the Model 10 is deficient in the LF range, but because high-level movie-type bass demands more power capability than one 8" woofer per speaker can deliver.