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Aperion Audio
Intimus 5.1
Home-Theater Speaker System
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Description Model:
Intimus 522D-LR speakers
Price: $360 USD per pair
Dimensions: 11.5"H x 7.33"W x 8"D
Weight: 11 pounds each
Model: Intimus 522D-C center-channel
Price: $180 USD
Dimensions: 7.33"H x 11.5"W x 8"D
Weight: 11 pounds
Model: Intimus S-10 subwoofer
Price: $499 USD
Dimensions: 17.5"H x 13.25"W x 19"D
Weight: 52 pounds
System Price: $1399 USD |
Description (cont'd)Warranty:
Five years on speakers; one year on subwoofer amplifier.
Features
- DiAural crossover technology
- 1" fabric-dome tweeter (522D)
- 5.25" polymer-chassis woofer (522D)
- 1" high-density fiberboard (HDF) enclosure
- Gold-plated five-way binding posts
- 10" polypropylene driver (S-10 subwoofer)
- 200W amplifier (S-10 subwoofer)
- Adjustable crossover (S-10 subwoofer)
- Adjustable phase (S-10 subwoofer)
- Cherry or black high-gloss finishes
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Description
I’ll say right now that these are gorgeous
speakers to feast your eyes on. At a compact size of just under a foot tall (11.5" to
be exact) the Aperion Audio Intimus 522D-LR is an average-sized bookshelf speaker. The
finish on my review samples is a beautiful high-gloss black with crisp edges. The
removable grille has a rounded bottom, providing some styling relief from the box-shaped
speaker enclosure. Underneath the grille is a 1" fabric-dome tweeter with a flexible
surface that shouldn’t be poked or prodded because it can easily be damaged.
Underneath the tweeter is a polymer-chassis woofer that is quite rigid in comparison to
the tweeter. Around back is a small 1.25" port. Below the port is a single set of
gold-plated five-way binding posts. The speaker is finished on the bottom with small
plastic feet -- a nice touch to protect the attractive finish.
The Aperion Audio 522D-C center-channel speaker is
essentially the same as the 522D-LR speaker, except that it is designed to be placed on
its side. The feet, the grille, and the binding posts are all horizontally oriented, which
gives the 522D-C a compact profile for mounting on top of your TV.
The S-10 subwoofer is average-sized for a subwoofer in the
$500 price range, with its depth at 19" being the largest dimension. It, too, has the
same attractive high-gloss black finish as the 522D satellite speakers. On the front face
is a 10" woofer made from polypropylene. On the rear surface there is a port, but
rather than a circular shape as seen in most subwoofers, the S-10 has a slot along the
bottom edge of the cabinet. The S-10 subwoofer has a 200W amplifier module with prominent
heat-dissipating fins. This amp module has an on/off/auto switch that, in the auto
setting, allows the subwoofer to turn on when it detects a signal or off when it sits idle
for a period of time. Other controls around back include a volume control, a variable
crossover control adjustable from 40Hz to 160Hz, and a variable phase control adjustable
from 0 to 180 degrees. There are also speaker-level inputs and outputs and line-level
inputs and outputs. If you buy this subwoofer you can sleep well knowing that you will not
find a more comprehensive set of controls in this price range.
Another point I must make about the Aperion Audio speaker
company is their first-class treatment of their products. Along with the Intimus system,
Aperion Audio sent a set of white gloves and a white cloth, great for keeping fingerprints
off the speakers when handling them. Also, each speaker comes wrapped in a dark-blue
velvet bag to further protect its finish -- a great touch!
The 522D speaker is based on the DiAural crossover technology patented
by Ray Kimber of Kimber Kable fame. As for the DiAural crossover itself, the website that
was set up to explain and license users states: "DiAural is a new crossover technique
which allows for proper communication and interaction between transducers (woofer, mids,
and tweeters). This new and innovative process results in fewer parts, less distortion,
lower production costs, and renders the high-frequency and midrange transducers virtually
burnout proof."
Home-theater experience
The compact dimensions of the 522D speaker require a tall
stand. I put them on 28"-high metal stands that place the tweeters near ear level for
a seated listener, which is ideal. The speakers were located in the usual spot in my
downstairs listening room, which is with the front left and right speakers placed nine
feet away from my listening seat at 30-degree angles relative to the center of the TV. The
surrounds were placed six feet away, 90-degrees relative to the center of my TV, while the
center-channel was placed atop my 32" direct-view TV. The subwoofer was located
adjacent to the front left speaker.
One of the advantages of having identical speakers in all
five locations that make up a typical home theater is excellent timbre matching and
imaging. The Aperion Audio Intimus system did not disappoint in this regard. One example
of both occurs in chapter 3 of The Matrix, a DVD that I only recently acquired if
you can believe it! During this scene there is double knock at Neo’s door and the
visitor responds with "It’s Choi." Choi’s voice is centered between
the left front and center-channel, which would have been a difficult feat to reproduce had
these two speakers not tonally matched and imaged as well as they did.
This excellent imaging extended between the rear speakers
as well. In chapter 37 of The Matrix, Neo blows up Agent Smith. As his
"innards" are splashed towards the screen, the rear speakers take over, with a
solid image forming behind my head -- quite an impressive feat. Another example of the
rear-imaging capabilities is from the DVD The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the
Ring. In chapter 7, when the Ringwraith whispers "Shire" and
"Baggins," the sound travels from the center-channel to the rear. Although this
sound effect was designed for a back surround speaker, the Aperion Audio Intimus created
the image quite well -- well enough that I didn’t miss having a back surround.
A final example of the Aperion Audio Intimus’s imaging
prowess occurs in the DVD Austin Powers in Goldmember. In the opening dance
sequence, Austin has a showdown with Britney Spears. He catches a bullet in his teeth and
spits it out. With this Aperion Audio speaker system, you can practically follow the
trajectory of the bullet as it lands between the left front and left rear speaker!
In terms of tonality, the Aperion Audio Intimus system has
a high-frequency emphasis that I would describe as "crisp." This wasn’t
bothersome for the most part, and it in fact contributed to an exciting presentation of
most movies that I watched. However, this emphasis did prove to be a bit fatiguing while
watching "The Lobby Shooting Spree" from The Matrix. In this scene,
bullets are flying everywhere and the cacophony of bullets hitting concrete was jarring at
times.
 In terms of dialogue
articulation, the Aperion Audio Intimus 522D-C is a solid performer. Listening to Cate
Blanchett’s narration throughout the DVD The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of
the Ring, I was struck by how easy it was to understand the premise of this epic.
However, as good as the 522D-C was on its side position, voices sounded noticeably clearer
when the 522D-C was placed in the upright position. The slight boxy coloration that
affects most horizontal center-channel speakers that I’ve auditioned was completely
gone. If I were to purchase this system, I would definitely place the 522D-C upright, or
order an extra 522D-LR rather than the 522D-C.
Saving the best for last, I was very impressed with
the Aperion Audio Intimus S-10. This 10" subwoofer with its slotted port sounds as
powerful as many 12" subwoofers that I’ve auditioned recently. I set the
crossover frequency of the Outlaw Model 1050 receiver to 80Hz, which allowed the 522D
satellite speakers to blend well with the S-10 subwoofer. In my medium-sized room, the
S-10 shook the floor and walls during the rocket takeoff in Lilo & Stitch.
Using the pod-racing scene from Star Wars: Episode 1 -- The Phantom Menace, a
classic subwoofer workout, the floor vibrated every time a pod flew around the course. In
chapter 44 when the control ship is destroyed, the explosion was reproduced cleanly and
tightly without the usual boominess I’ve encountered with other similarly priced
subwoofers. This is an outstanding achievement from such a reasonably priced subwoofer.
Another example of tight, loud, and low sound-effect reproduction is in chapter 32 from The
Matrix. Once again, when the helicopter hits the building, the Aperion Audio Intimus
S-10 subwoofer reproduced the LFE channel with full impact and extension.
Comparison
Other similarly priced speakers that I had on hand for
comparison with the Aperion Audio Intimus 522D speakers included the Axiom Audio Millennia
M3Ti SE bookshelf speakers and the Mirage OM-R2 surrounds. Ringing in at $275 per pair,
the Axiom is a slightly larger speaker than the Aperion Audio Intimus 522D. The Mirage
OM-R2 is a bipolar surround speaker that retails for $500 per pair. For a subwoofer
comparison, I used the Paradigm PDR-12, which is a $419 subwoofer with a 12" woofer.
When comparing the Aperions with the Axioms, the biggest
difference was their tonality. As stated earlier, the Aperion Audio Intimus 522D has a
noticeable crispness to its high-frequency response. By comparison, the Axiom Audio
Millennia M3Ti SE sounds more neutral, although slightly darker than the Aperion speakers.
This was apparent when watching "The Lobby Shooting Spree" from The Matrix.
As I mentioned, the Aperion speakers could get a little fatiguing sounding, where the
Axioms weren’t that way at all. In terms of imaging, both speakers were quite
similar, with a slight edge going to the Aperion speakers. The Intimus 522Ds centered the
vocals more solidly on "Just the Way You Are" from Diana Krall’s Live in
Paris [Verve 4400652522].
Comparing the Aperion Audio Intimus 522D as a surround
speaker to the Mirage OM-R2 reveals two very different listening experiences. Where the
Intimus 522D shines is in discrete effects, such as in chapter 8 of the DVD Minority
Report. This scene shows a Lexus advertisement as John Anderton walks through the
subway station. There are distinct voices heard from the advertisement, which emanate from
the surround channels. The voices are precisely placed in the scene, and the Intimus 522D
reproduced them accurately. With the Mirage OM-R2, however, the voices are slightly less
distinct. Where the Intimus 522D falls short when compared with the Mirage OM-R2 is in
surround envelopment. In chapter 5 of Minority Report, the scene takes place in the
"Pre-Cog" room. Because of its hyper-precise imaging, the echoing of this room
is distracting through the Intimus 522D and the sense of space is not as great. On the
other hand, the Mirage OM-R2 sounds less distinct, which renders the space better and
provides a more believable surround experience.
Comparing subwoofers, the Aperion Audio Intimus S-10
subwoofer held its own against the Paradigm PDR-12. When watching the opening scene from
the DVD Dinosaur, the foot stomps of the T-rex were equally visceral through the
Intimus S-10 and the PDR-12. Ultimately, the PDR-12 proved to be the deeper-playing and
louder subwoofer. However, the Intimus S-10 produced tighter bass than the Paradigm model.
Conclusion
The Aperion Audio Intimus home-theater speaker system
excels in several important areas. The highlights for me were the precise imaging from the
Intimus 522D speakers and the roof-rattling bass performance from the Intimus S-10
subwoofer. In fact, with its remarkable resolution and precise imaging, this system would
not be out of place with electronics typically paired with much more expensive speakers.
However, because of its high-frequency emphasis, prospective owners should be careful
about matching these speakers with appropriate-sounding electronics. So, if you are in the
market for a stunningly finished home theater, even above the Intimus’s price range,
you should definitely audition the Aperion Audio Intimus system.
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System |
| Receivers - Outlaw Audio Model 1050,
Sony STR-DA5ES |
| Sources
- JVC XV-721 DVD player, Pioneer Elite PD-65 CD player, Sony DVP-NC650V SACD/DVD
player |
| Cables - Sonic Horizons, TARA Labs |
| Monitor
- JVC 32" direct-view TV |
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