I did an extensive research on available on-walls within my budget, around $300.00 - $380.00 each. My conclusion was that typical center with floorstanders or bookshelves was a better buy. Much better performance and options in the same price range. Be advised that all on-walls need a sub to help provide the best sound quality.
Here is a rundown of what I auditioned, and what I thought, it is listed from my #1 choice to the least favorite:
Paradigm Cinema Series 330: $350.00 each. Very dynamic, clear, good highs, and realistic for an on-wall in this price range. Music played well, movies sounded great, good imaging. Tried them with the 220 as center, but they worked best using three 330's as fronts, as transition from speaker to speaker was seamless. A Marantz SR-5001 was powering them.
Monitor Audio Radius 225: $350.00 each. Very smooth, neutral, clear dialogue, detailed mids, and very "musical". Depending on your sound taste you will want this one or the 330's. Very close call between the two. Good looking, available in beautiful finishes. If you like to hear music the same or more than movies look no further. Movies sound very good, but Paradigm 330 being more dynamic put you in the middle of the action, while the MA R225 is more laidback. This is your typical Monitor Audio sound in an onwall speaker. One of the lower end NAD (T Series) receivers was powering them.
Energy Take: $350.00 each. Too forward, and too harsh; but, in their defense it might have been the room conditions, it was a carpeted 10' x 10' auditioning room with very little acoustical treatments on the walls. In any case they didn't attract me like the Paradigm or MA. You need to audition and get to a conclusion yourself. A Harman Kardon AVR-247 was powering them.
Klipsch RVX-42: $400.00 each in the USA ($279.00 ea. in my neck of the woods). Loud, very loud...The Klipsch Horn was harsh and annoying. When I first heard these speakers I liked them, with a movie it seemed that you were in the middle of the action, but after 15-20 minutes they became annoying to my ears. The store clerk was not the most savvy regarding home audio, even though very savvy in car audio, and played salsa music (lots of horns, bells, percussion), that killed them for me as the highs were simply too harsh. A Denon 887 was powering them, he also demo with an HK-247; no difference.
Klipsch SLX: $180.00 each. Lousy, a sorry a$$ excuse for an on-wall. They maybe good for a bedroom where you play a low volume, as in typical Klipsch fashion the dialogue is clear. A friend of mine bought 5 and he is selling them, after only four weeks of use. He hates them.
These are worth mentioning, but price and other factors kept them out of th previous list:
Vienna Acoustics: $800.00 ea. Forgot the series name, but these are sweet, well balanced, very neutral on-walls. If I was going for on-walls these would be it. Did I mentioned they are beautiful??? Auditioned them at the same store as Energy, and previous to hearing the Energy Take, so they might have spoiled the Energy for me.
Martin Logan Fresco - $600.00 ea. Almost as good as VA, but not there yet.
Paradigm Millenia 30 - $600.00 ea. They also have the Millenia 20, about $100.00 less. Very good, but basically the same sound you get from the Paradigm Cinema 330, which is much less expensive. Not worth the extra money. If you want to spend this much go for the Martin Logan or VA's.
PSB Vision Series - Did not audition, but heard many great things about them. PSB is very well known for its price to performance ratio. They provide excellent speakers at low prices.
Hope this informal review helps you...
