Premier Acoustics PA-6F Speaker System
I just did a review of a 5.1 speaker system by a company called Premier Acoustics. The review can be read here on HomeTheaterFocus.
They look like nice speakers, great build quality etc, and they're still fairly inexpensive. and while the sound exceeds the price range in my opinion, I think PA went a little too far to make the speakers look like something really special. They have that look of Klipsch with copper drivers but without the horn tweeters.
There is a very active discussion on these speakers at the HomeTheaterForum, where members express a bit of suspicion about the company. They have all the hallmarks of a White Van product. Their 'imitation' of other established brands didn't endear them to real audio hi-fi enthusiasts, and rightly so.
I think these speakers are pretty good. For $1K, the price you can find them for online, you'd be hard pressed to fill a larger room (20'x20' or greater) with better sound. You can find smaller speaker systems (satellite or bookshelf systems) from brand names for about this price. But Premier Acoustic's PA-6F line will be a better fit in a bigger living room than many satellite / bookshelf systems that cost more. Smaller speakers won't have the impact and soundstage in a big room. You need bigger drivers to push the amount of air required to make the sound knock you back into your seat. The PA-6F system isn't comparable to the high end finely-detailed (and expensive) speakers they try to look like. But they give surprisingly high-quality sound for the price. If you're budget is in the $1K range for a complete speaker system, you can't go wrong.
Plus
I was impressed with the sub. It's a big ugly box, just what you need a sub to be. I've tested many a sub, quality brand name 5.1 sets often use a narrow design in a 10 inch or even 8 inch sub. But this PA-6F's sub is a real monster. It's a full 12 inch powered sub, rated at 250 Watts. It'll produce sound down to 24Hz. It would be splitting hairs at this price range to remind PA that higher end subs will take you down to 20Hz, which is considered the deepest the human ear can perceive. In fact you'll likely only feel bass that deep in your chest.
The front tower speakers were nice too. Even without the sub, they provided enough bass for most pop and rock music. The sub and tower together are the real strength of this package and make a killer one-two punch for 2.1 stereo music.
Minus
The minus of this system is the center speaker. While it provides adequate voicing to the midrange, any action up front will sound a little weak unless assisted by the front left or right channels. A good center speaker should be able to produce impact in the low midrange. But, it's common for a complete kit to go a little cheaper in the center and rear speaker.
