| Search AudioEnz | |
| Articles | |
|
Current
reviews |
|
| News | |
| Community | |
| Buying | |
| About AudioEnz | |
About AudioEnz |
The goddess of wisdom
Upgradable speakers make for a good idea
By Michael Jones
March 2001
Athena S1 loudspeaker. $799/pair
Athena P1 subwoofer. $799 each
You
buy a pair of speakers, place them on stands or the floor and that's pretty
much it. Oh sure, you can play around with the positioning of the speakers,
but unless you buy a new pair, that's it.
Unless you buy upgradable speakers from Athena Technologies.
With speakers from Athena you can buy a pair of bookshelf speakers and later, when finances or needs change, you can add on. For instance, you can go from a pair of bookshelf speakers to a set of floorstanding powered towers. And there's a lot more to it than that.
But first, who are Athena? Named after the Greek goddess of wisdom and military victory, Athena are the newest arm of a long-established loudspeaker company called Audio Products International. You're undoubtedly familiar with the API speaker brands Energy and Mirage.
What makes the Athena speakers unique is their easy and well-thought out upgradability. For example, first you could buy a pair of the S1 bookshelf speakers for $799. A few months later, buy an accompanying P1 subwoofer for $799. Later, buy a second P1.
Now the fun really begins. On the top of the P1 and bottom of the S1 are a set of rails. Slide a S1 onto the rails of the P1 and you have a floor-standing speaker. The rails connect the two speakers physically and electrically as well.
Throw a switch on the P1 subwoofer and the sub's equalisation is altered to match the characteristics of the S1 - no trial and error here. So it's easy to build up to a pair of floorstanding speakers with powered subwoofers.
I had the smallest models in the Athena range to test. The S1 is a two way bookshelf unit with a 25mm teteron dome tweeter (a parachute material) and a 140mm woofer.
The
Athena P1 is an active subwoofer. This means that there is an amplifier
built into the cabinet, which means that a main power cable needs to be
run to each P1 in your system. Inside the P1 is a 165mm woofer in a bandpass
system, vented from the front-facing port. A 75 watt mosfet amplifier
powers the subwoofer.
On the front of the P1 are a number of controls. When using the P1 with the S1, all you need do is the throw a switch to S1 and set the volume level of the P1.
Around the back of the P1 are (count 'em!) eight binding posts and a phono socket. This is all part of the flexibility of the P1, allowing it to be used in a number of ways. The manual clearly outlines how to hook up the Athena system.
The Athena speakers are finished in a cherry vinyl veneer that looks at first - and even second - glance like real wood. The front of the S1 is a curved plastic baffle. Separate grilles for the woofer and tweeter fit nearly flush on the baffle, making for an attractive finish.
Fire up the Athena system and you're immediately presented with a big sound quite out of keeping with the small scale of the S1/P1 system.
The Athena system has a deliciously warm and inviting tonal balance, which many people will find very enjoyable. As this balance comes from the S1 satellite speaker - rather than from turning up the subwoofer - it's a deliberate design decision.
And it's a decision that I think is a good one. For example, I would anticipate that many Athena system will be used with AV receivers, which often have a leaner tonal balance than a good audiophile amplifier. By balancing the speaker towards tonal warmth, the designer has ensured that it will sound good with likely partnering equipment.
The broader midrange is where much of this warmth lives. The result is a warm, inviting sound that allows instruments and voices to breath and to portray some of the body that is often lacking in reproduced sound. The downside to this is that some voices could occasionally sound a little thickened. I suspect that the immediate impression of some people will be that the highs are down, but they're there all right. The highs are very clean and lacking in hash, but still detailed.
The bass from this system certainly packs a kick. Some TV programs (and many DVDs) have a surprising amount of bass in them, and with them the P1 can deliver. Sure, it won't plumb the depths that a larger subwoofer can, but the S1/P1 combination has a great solidity to its sound.
Concluding thoughts
The Athena loudspeaker range is, as far as I'm aware, unique in its easy
upgradability. Being able to change from a bookshelf speaker to a powered
tower to a full home theatre system, without having to get rid of any
components is a nice touch.
The Athena S1/P1 fill a unique niche. They'll appeal to many people.
Want to comment on this review? Click here for Feedback