THE 1961 system from Arendal is one of the company's three speaker series, the other two being the 1723 and 1723 S. 1961 is more compact and more affordable, but is otherwise consistent with Arendal's design philosophy and aesthetics. This isn't what you'd call overpriced audio jewelry. It is modern and solidly built and aesthetically pleasing, but most importantly, it performs and offers great value.
The company was founded in 2015 by Jan Ove Lassesen, whose father (also Jan) founded an electronics store in Norway that grew to be the most popular in the country. I first caught wind of Arendal last year from Jim Wilson, who reviewed a 1723 S system recently. I quickly discovered a lot of positive buzz about the company in online forums, with many praising their great sound and aesthetic appeal, as well as their strong performance measurements.
We decided to go with nine tower speakers, four height speakers and four ported subs. Why nine towers? In order to experience using the system with one of the towers acting as the center channel. Now I totally get that a tower serving as a center is not always practical to use with a TV. So Arendal also sent a center channel speaker. However, the main focus of the review is on using the tower speaker to handle all nine ear-level channels.
Arendal's business model is Internet Direct, meaning it cuts out the intermediaries in distribution and retail. The premise is that an ID brand can deliver more value by cutting out overhead. The company's modus operandi is to offer free shipping and a 60-day no-commitment trial period plus trade-ins. And they back all their speakers and subs with a 10-year warranty for passive components, 5 years for electronics.
FEATURES AND SPECIFICATIONS
Esta historia es de la edición August - September 2023 de Sound & Vision.
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Esta historia es de la edición August - September 2023 de Sound & Vision.
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The Big Clean
Chances are you probably do not think about the state of your electronic devices too often. Oh, you might think about all the upgrades you would like to make; where you would put those new tower speakers, or how a second or third subwoofer would really tame those bass modes in your room, or how much more cinematic a larger screen would be. Sure, you think about that part of your system. But how often do you think about the well-being of your system?
Planar-Magnetic Attraction
THE DIPTYQUE DP 115 speakers are a new model 2-way, ribbon, and planar magnetic driver dipole \"isodynamic\" speaker system designed and built in France.
Full-Featured 4K
THE QN95D is one of two televisions we went hands-on with on a recent trip to Samsung's New Jersey QA Lab, the other being the S95D quantum-dot OLED.
Party Animal
FOR ANY party, the Soundcore Boom 2 Plus Outdoor Bass Bluetooth Speaker is an essential invite.
It's the End of the World. How About Popcorn and a Movie?
Attention all preppers! Today's column is right up your alley-or, more precisely-your tunnel to your underground bunker.
Bridging the Analog-Digital Gap on a Recliner
When I shopped for a motorized recliner, I rejected models with their own Internet Protocol address and built-in speakers. No need. I had already placed a smart speaker on an étagère beside the space where I had planned to put the chair. I'd have a smartphone in my hand and the room would be bathed in Wi-Fi.
BACK TO THE GARDEN
AN AQUARIAN EXPOSITION in WHITE LAKE, N.Y.
Big Sound, Small Price
DOLBY ATMOS, once a costly premium, is enjoying a surge of popularity across a range of new audio gear.
Classic Sound with Streaming Smarts
THE TWENTIETH century had its Roaring Twenties; welcome to the twenty-first's Streaming Twenties.
Stand and Deliver
IT DOESN'T seem all that long ago that SVS first entered the audio scene.
