Regarding the Studio2’s (and Voice2) HT performance, we watched the BR of 28 Weeks Later last night. This very gory horror flick has an outstanding DTS Master HD sound track with lots of helicopters, explosions, gunfire and screaming virus ridden zombie people (leave the kids out of this one). Amid the AV chaos this film presents, the actor’s voices were always clear and full intelligible (a real tribute to the Voice2).
My fiancé and I spent the better part of an hour after the film discussing the audio. She loves the HT and literally gushes at the visceral impact that the new Revel quad Fathom combo provides especially with well mixed lossless audio sound tracks. Personally, I attribute much of this to the room and room treatments as we are able to achieve incredible dynamics and bass impact at much lower overall volume levels. I ran 28 Weeks Later at -8 from ref last night and from the opening 20th Century Fox fanfare to the closing credits music, we just sat there transfixed occasionally looking at each other smiling.
Earlier in the evening, I locked myself in the room and listened to Lyle Lovett’s Joshua Judges Ruth. Besides Lovett’s interesting voice and phrasing, this CD is very well recorded and runs the gamut from quiet acoustic, full blown country rocker while mixing in some gospel choir. This has been one of my audition standards and it represents a challenge to the dynamic capabilities of any loudspeaker. The Studio2’s handled this recording better than any speaker I have heard. In fact (and I know it sounds clichéd) but I heard more of the subtle details and really enjoyed the music of this CD more than ever before.
I ran the Studio2’s in Stereo mode and played with and without subwoofer. I admit that I much preferred the overall sound with the Fathoms playing. I have them well integrated and level matched and what they bring to the party for both HT and music is both satisfying and addictive. I suppose having four subs seems like overkill to many (especially 2 channel purists) but done right in the right room it is magical. I say that knowing there is still room for improvement acoustically in my system.
I hate to continue to resort to clichés but for me, it really is all about balance. My Studio2 based system has that balanced quality with loads of headroom and is capable of incredible dynamics. How else do you describe something subjective as audio?
