Letters

Regarding the Aperion Intimus 6-IC in-ceiling speaker you reviewed, would you be able to comment on how these would work in a surround system if used in all five locations in the room? I’d be powering them with a Sony receiver rated at 100W into five channels. Are there any special considerations I should take into account? Great review, by the way. I’m thinking I can slip these past the wife and have a real home theater finally!

Grant

One valuable feature of the 6-IC is the fact that it has an aimable tweeter. This will give you the flexibility to mount them in your room without having to be exact down to the inch. You can also tailor the sound by experimenting with the tweeter angle -- this will alter the high-frequency balance to your individual taste. I think your receiver will be more than up to the job, so no concern there. The only other thing to think about is a subwoofer. As good as these little speakers are, you will need to couple them with a sub for deep bass. But not to worry, there are some pretty small subwoofers available these days and placement isn’t that big an issue. So you should be able to get the sub past the wife too! . . . Jeff Fritz

Thank you for helping me to decide on the Naim Uniti. The dealer is recommending Sonus Faber tower speakers. But I had listened to, and liked, the Paradigm Studio 60 speakers. Which would be a better match?

Siggy

While the dealer may wish to sell you the Sonus Fabers, it's you who actually has to buy them and listen to them. Plus I'm very wary of salespeople who want to steer you one way when you obviously want to go another. Trust your ears, not what the dealer says, and go with the Paradigms if that's what you want. . . . Doug Schneider

Naim’s Uniti looks like an interesting piece. Are other companies offering something similar for around the same price or cheaper? I’d like to shop around before I make my decision.

Bruce Hatch

Have a look at the "Pulse!" column we posted on March 1. There are numerous examples of products that offer some of the functionality that you can get in the Naim Uniti. Alternatively, there are a number of audio/video receivers that also offer the same types of features that the Uniti does. What makes the Naim different is that it is more of an audiophile-type product than a receiver, and has more functionality than the vast majority of integrated amps, even those with DACs built in. So in many respects it has few direct competitors. . . . Jeff Fritz

The new SoundStage! Xperience site is quite the looker, as are the models you used for the front page. I like the layout and the navigation -- it looks kind of like the new MSN site, which I also like very much. You guys have outdone yourselves in making a website about audio that is the equal of what MSN has for their main site! Please keep up the great work and, when you get a chance, please review some more lifestyle-friendly speakers and show them in the reviewers’ listening rooms (have them clean them first, however). Keep up the great work and thanks again for pushing the standards for audio publications ever higher.

Tricia