| Author |
Thread: Athena Technologies AS-B2 vs JBL NSP1II Home Theater Speaker System Review |
    
Brian Mitchell |
| Posted on Thursday, June 12, 2003 - 04:45 pm: |
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Athena Technologies AS-B2 / AS-C1 with AS-P400 vs. JBL NSP1II with PB-12 5.1 Home Theater Speaker Systems
What does a $1000 home theater speaker system sound like these days? There is a lot of competition in this price range, but here I will examine the popular brand named, JBL speaker system against the lesser-known Athena Technologies speaker system. Both are 5.1 packages which top off just over $1000 MSRP.
JBL Overview
JBL is the industry leader when it comes to professional THX movie theater speaker systems and they have been making speakers for over 50 years. However, I wonder how much of this technology makes it into one of their lowest cost speaker packages? The NSP1II is composed of four N24II satellites, a voice-matched N-CENTERII center speaker, and the PowerBass PB-12 Subwoofer.
JBL Speaker Description
The N24II satellite speakers are not a micro speaker like the Bose cubes, nor are they the size of a small bookshelf speaker. They measure just under 10-inches tall and 6-inches wide which hold a 4" cone woofer and a 3/4" titanium-laminate dome tweeter. The N-CENTERII center speaker was surprisingly a lot larger than the satellites at 20-inches wide, holding two 5" woofers and the same tweeter as in the satellites. Each speaker cabinet is made of durable plastic, which proved impenetrable during an accidental drop. The satellites are remarkably lightweight which leads me to conclude there is not much of a speaker magnet inside.
JBL Subwoofer Shakes It Up
The PB-12 is no lightweight contender. It's a 12-inch downward firing, ported 250-watt subwoofer. It's not too large of a black box, compared to other subwoofers, and could easily be inconspicuously hidden. Only the red or green indicator lights reveal its character. If the sub is hooked up correctly and working, it displays green lights. If the sub is powered on, but in stand-by mode or not receiving a signal, then red lights are displayed.
JBL Setup a Breeze
Calibrating the system proved to be very easy. Since the four satellites are the same, I only had to adjust the level of the center channel down 4db on the receiver. The subwoofer was connected via single RCA cable. You must make sure you set your receiver to the SMALL speaker setting, since the satellites cannot handle a full-range signal. If you forget, you are certain to hear lots of distortion.
JBL System Final Thoughts
My first impression was this system definitely packs a punch. The PB-12 subwoofer is a guaranteed room shaker. The satellites and center speaker are well matched as advertised and they do deliver a fun movie experience. The subwoofer added more realism to explosion and fight scenes, while drawing my attention away from the sometimes, edgy sounding satellite speakers. As an audiophile they are not the best speakers I have heard, but they are sure to please just about any first time buyer.
Athena Overview
Athena Technologies is a relatively new Canadian based speaker company. This review takes a look at their line of Audition Series AS-B2 bookshelf speakers, AS-C1 center channel speaker and AS-P400 subwoofer combination. Each speaker is traditionally box-like with a silver baffle giving it a modern, contemporary look. The laminate cabinetry is on par with other speakers in its price range, but its not as well finished as the Aperion bookshelf speakers. Although, I definitely liked the black/silver look of these speakers.
Athena Speaker Description
The AS-B2 is a 2-way bookshelf speaker with a 6-1/2" Injection Molded Polypropylene woofer and a 1" Teteron dome tweeter. The AS-C1 center speaker holds two 5-1/4" woofers and the same tweeter. The AS-P400 is 10-inch front-firing, ported 100-watt subwoofer. This subwoofer is unique in that it has volume and crossover controls on the front of the subwoofer for easy adjustments. It also has a red/green indicator light.
Athena Setup Just as Simple
Calibrating this system was also a snap. I had to adjust the center speaker down 2db to match each speaker level at 85db with the AVIA setup DVD. I also used the SMALL speaker setting with the subwoofer crossover set at 90Hz on the receiver.
Athena Not For Bass Lovers
When I switched from the JBL system to the Athena I first said to myself, "What happened to the bass?". It was very apparent the Athena AS-P400 is not as powerful or loud as the JBL PB-12. The Athena sub is tinier in size, has a smaller driver, and has a less powerful amplifier so I shouldn't have been a surprised. I carefully double checked my settings and noticed the sub volume was almost all the way up. It is just not capable of below 40Hz output. Although, for what the Athena sub loses in low-end depth and room shaking boom, it makes up for in tight musical qualities. The AS-P400 is a quick, accurate, non-boomy sub that won't bother the neighbors.
Athena Satellites Shine
The sound staging and imaging of the AS-B2 and AS-C1 are excellent for a budget speaker system. The AS-B2's cast an amazingly wide soundstage and can reproduce the subtleties in movies and music. I particularly liked the AS-B2's with stereo music and DVD-Audio multi-channel surround sound. The speakers are very detailed, demonstrated no distortion, and were a pleasure to listen to.
Cosmetic Comparisons
Both speaker systems come with a 5-year warranty and optional matching speaker stands or brackets can be purchased. The JBL NS1II speakers come in either black or white, while the PB-12 sub only comes in black. The Athena system only comes in black with the silver accent baffle.
The Competition
In order to give some perspective to this review, I can recall comparisons of two other sub/sat speaker systems I have reviewed -- the Aperion 5.1 with S-12 ($1499 MSRP) and Polk Audio RM6700 with PSW303 ($1099 MSRP). My ranking for each category is listed below.
Complete System Package Ranking
1. Aperion Intimus 5.1 with S-12
2. Athena AS-B2/AS-C1/AS-P400
3. JBL NS1II with PB-12
4. Polk Audio RM6700 with PSW303
Subwoofer Ranking
1. Aperion S-12
2. JBL PB-12
3. Athena AS-P400
4. Polk PSW303
Satellite/Center Speaker Ranking
1. Athena AS-B2/AS-C1
2. Aperion 522D-LR/522D-C
3. Polk Satellites/Center
4. JBL N24II/N-CENTERII
Mixed Results
You can see from my mixed ratings, that each system has its positives and negatives. For me, the best bang for the buck is a mix-and-match purchase. I would get the Athena AS-B2/AS-C1 speakers with the SVS 25-31PCi (MSRP $549) subwoofer reviewed here. Better yet, why not add one or two extra speakers to complete a 6.1 or 7.1 speaker system.
I Pick Athena, You Decide
Your purchase decision also depends on your taste. JBL and Athena offer two very different sounding systems. The JBL system adds more excitement to action movies, but can't keep up with the Athena system in the music category or tonal accuracy. In my opinion, the Athena system is the better sounding system, even without the deep bass.
| JBL Pros | | JBL Cons | | Great for movies | | Not as good for music | | Small in size | | Lacks detail | | Room shaking bass | | | | Athena Pros | | Athena Cons | | Wide soundstage | | Lacks low-end bass | | Accurate imaging | | Very detailed |
Product Pages, Pictures, and Links
JBL N24II Satellite Speakers
JBL N-CENTERII Center Speaker
JBL PB-12 Subwoofer
JBL NSP1II 5-speaker package
Athena AS-B2 Bookshelf Speaker
Athena AS-C1 Center Speaker
Athena AS-P400 Subwoofer
Price Comparisons
JBL NSP1II
JBL PB-12
Where to Buy Athena?
Best Buy
One Call
Test system
Yamaha RX-V2300 Receiver
Eighth Nerve Acoustic Room Treatments
BetterCables.com Speaker and Interconnect Cables
Panasonic TU-HDSU20 DirecTV/HDTV Receiver
Yamaha DVD-C920 DVD Player
Remember I am just one man with one opinion. If you own any of these products, or have a comment or question feel free to add your thoughts below.
Brian Mitchell
Founder & CEO
eCoustics.com |
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Relevant Product Info
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| Posted on Tuesday, June 17, 2003 - 02:25 pm: |
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We at athena TECHNOLOGIES would like to thank Brian Mitchell for his comprehensive review on our athena TECHNOLOGIES Audition series speakers and subwoofer. The end result of the review basically states that the athena products are better suited for music. This is actually the goal of the entire brand! We feel that any speaker should accurately reproduce music properly as movie soundtracks are mostly music based as well.
The only part of the review where we would question would be the subwoofer low frequency limits. The sub has been tested here in our anechoic chamber, and it does extend to the mid 20Hz range. What might have happened is that the other subs in Brian's test room are higher in sound pressure, and its possible that SPL was mistaken for low bass extension. Granted the AS-P400 is a 100 watt, 10" platform, so it is only reasonable to expect a certain amount of sound pressure. Its also possibly a placement issue as a sub will sound different in each environment due to room size, building materials, etc.
To sum up, the review is excellent and we are very happy with the results. Again I'd like to thank Brian Mitchell for his time and for the review.
Cheers!
Joe Fraser
athena TECHNOLOGIES |
Anonymous |
| Posted on Saturday, June 28, 2003 - 10:12 pm: |
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is the Athena asp400 sub video shielded? |
Anonymous |
| Posted on Wednesday, July 09, 2003 - 12:38 pm: |
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Hi Brian,
How does Polk Audio RTi28 compare to Athena AS-B2/AS-B1 and Aperion Intimus 522D? I think RTi28 should be compared with AS-B1? Any views about AS-B1 and RTi28.
Thank you, |
Drew S |
| Posted on Monday, July 14, 2003 - 06:28 am: |
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Im planning on getting the a home theater and I already pretty much got my eyes set on the kenwood VR-6070, but im haveing trouble deciding what kind of speakers to get. i want very detailed sounding speakers that are good for listening to music but at the same time i want something that can bump loud with low-end bass. so im wonderin, is it a good idea to just get the Athena AS-B2/AS-C1 surround speakers and mix it with the JBL PB-12 subwoofer? I'm kinda of new with all the home theater systems so please help me out.
BTW, if u have any recommendations for a reciver that is better than the VR-6070 and at a good price, please let me know. Thanks
Drew |
timn8ter |
| Posted on Monday, July 14, 2003 - 09:07 am: |
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Drew S;
Skip both systems and look at the Atlantic Technology T-70 or the Energy TAKE 5+1. |
superfecta |
| Posted on Tuesday, July 15, 2003 - 12:02 am: |
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What price range are you looking to spend?That would be the place to start.And don't take our word as gospel,audition the speakers for yourself.Some speakers sound better to you because you like to listen to music,some sound better for Home theatre.And some sound great at a high price and some sound good enough for what you want to spend. |
Drew S |
| Posted on Tuesday, July 15, 2003 - 03:46 am: |
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I was first thinking around $500, but i am willing to spend a couple hundred more for deeper bass and better sound (less than $900 though). I want speakers that are good for both music and movies. I do plan on auditioning the speakers but i jus want an idea of which ones are good.
PS thanks for the reccomendations timn8ter, i will look into those speakers and give them a listen the next time i get a chance.
Drew |
G. Miller |
| Posted on Saturday, July 19, 2003 - 04:20 pm: |
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Do yourself a huge favor and stay away from the Kenwood amp and buy a yamaha. |
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Drew S |
| Posted on Monday, July 21, 2003 - 01:37 am: |
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Hey G.
Can't you include a model number? |
Hawk |
| Posted on Tuesday, July 22, 2003 - 12:29 am: |
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Drew:
I personally don't care for the Yamahas. When compared to most other products, their high frequency emphasis can be rather irritating.
If you really want better sound, you must look at an NAD 742. Unlike any other receiver maker I know, NAD has the same pre/pro section built into every model. that means the lowest powered receiver sounds just as good as the top of the line. I heard one in a double blind testing demonstration at a local dealer who used the same source material and the same speakers, where we were able to hear it compared to a H/K 525, a Denon 2803 and an Onkyo 700 (and the volume levels were matched!). The NAD sounded cleaner and more powerful than any of the others, yet it has the lowest power rating. Even more important, dialogue or other sounds in DVD movies that were either muddled or non-existant when played through the other receivers, was crystal clear through the NAD. In music playback, the NAD had an intimacy and immediacy that made one believe it was a live performance, not reproduced. I could not say the same thing about the other receivers. This receiver has an MSRP, but I know it can be had for a little over $500. If you do hear one, you will never listen to another Kenwood again, I can guarantee it. |
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| Posted on Monday, August 25, 2003 - 02:55 pm: |
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Brian, would you get the Denon 2803 or the Yamaha 2300 receiver for the Athena As-B1, AS-C1 and SVS 25-31 PCi speakers/subwoofer? Thanks. |
Cain Puki |
| Posted on Monday, August 25, 2003 - 08:36 pm: |
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If you like the Kenwood...go with the newer model, the 7080...I had the 6070 and I believe it has a problem with heat. I don't have that problem with the 7080 and it sounds much cleaner. The 6070 is now relegated to the kid's playroom. Using it to drive a pair of Athena ASF-2s, wonderful set of speakers. Next week, my OUtlaw 7100 comes in and will be driving all 7.1 speakers....YEAH! |
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| Posted on Tuesday, August 26, 2003 - 05:32 pm: |
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Would just like to throw in my 2 cents.....just bought a pair of Athena AS-B1's after listening to many good speakers at the shop. Listened to some Dahlquists, Missions, and higher-end BOSE(overrated) and hands down the Athena's had smooth clarity, extremely accurate vocals and just an overall natural sound. I agree with the review in saying that the speaker does not seem intended to push extrememly low frequencies but the BASS is extremely tight and sounds the way it should; some people like more intense, unnatural BASS qualities. To end off, I would like to congratulate ATHENA for its wonderful product and making my music sound the way it should. For the first time after a speaker purchase, I am completely satisifed. What makes this purchase even more astounding, this speaker sounded better than the competitors at a fraction of the price!!! |
Anonymous |
| Posted on Friday, August 29, 2003 - 05:52 pm: |
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I see the Athena AS-B2 speakers were tested with the Yamaha RX-V2300 so they must match up well. How would the Denon 2803 or an HK match up with them? |
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