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Review Home Theater August 2000

M&K LCR-45

SUPER SONICS                                       

MRK LCR-45 Satellite Speaker

Can you ever really have too many minis around the house? Not these days I says. Their alias list is long-minimonitors,satellites, bookshelf speakers, etc.  However, by any name they are versatile and downright handy to have around. Throw a pair in the bathroom, on the patio, or in the computer room, or pick up five and a little sub for a manageable bedroom surround system. With some creativity and the electron- ics to back them up (multizone preamps and even receivers with multizone output are cheaper than they’ve ever been), you can almost always find a use for a good set of small speakers. Be realistic about it, though. Despite what some manufacturers who rely heavily on their mini marketing would like you to believe, no satellite speaker is ever going to fool you into thinking you’re listening to a full-range tower – no matter how much processing or acoustic smoke and mirrors the maker employs. When you listen to a satellite speaker, don’t ask yourself if it sounds like a floorstander because you’ll usually come away disappointed. Instead, ask yourself whether or not it will provide quality sound for the environment you intend to use it in, whatever that may be. Context is key to appreciating the value of a good minimonitor. It’s not surprising that M&K, one of the first companies to sell sub/sat combinations, continues to offer a variety of minimonitors and powered subs. The new LCR-45 is currently their smallest satellite offering and, at $199 each, their least expensive. That doesn’t mean it’s a compromised design, however – as features like the solidly built cabinet, neodymium tweeter magnet and phase-focused  crossover network (the same proprietary system used throughout M&K’s speaker line) will attest. Frequency response is 100 hertz to 20 kilohertz, with a sensitivity of 88 decibels and an 8-ohm impedance. I combined five LCR-45s with the well-executed, well-matched VX-100 powered sub ($795) and set out to determine what this tidy little system is all about. The VX-100 is a powerful ally for the LCR-45, and you’re probably going to want it chipping in on both movies and music. With very little in the way of low-frequency reproduction, most satellite designs assume that a sub will always be present. Even those who normally balk at the idea of using a sub with music, myself included, will want to rethink their two-channel exclusivity when using satellites. While the VX-100 is not overpowering with its 8-inch driver and 100-watt internal amplifier, I wondered if a realistic blend could be achieved with the LCR-45’s diminutive 4-inch mid/bass driver. Thankfully, the VX-100 offers a low-pass filter, variable from 50 to 125 Hz, and a phase- adjustment switch to provide some

variety in speaker matching and room placement. After some tweaking on both fronts, I was able to achieve a blend that wasn’t completely seamless but was as close as you’re going to get with many sub/sat combos. The LCR-45s sounded nice with two-channel and multichannel music selections played through a Sony DVP-C650D DVD player and Kenwood VR-309 receiver. (They sounded even better through the Lexicon MC-1 pre/pro and Krell amps, but let’s be realistic here,) They did exhibit some of the graininess in higher frequencies that’s characteristic of minis, and the bottom end was obviously thin without the VX-100, but they were clean and tight through most of the midrange and high frequencies. The polypropylene mid/bass cone hung in impressively at high volumes, and the system delivered a bigger sound with a deeper stage than you might expect by looking at it. M&K claims that this little speaker can handle up to 200 watts, which I’d say is fairly accurate h om my experience with it. The rock-solid build of these speakers significantly reduces cabinet coloration, and the curved mesh grille is a nice sonic and aesthetic touch. Give this cabinet a couple of knocks or simply pick it up, and you’ll quickly see that this is a well-engineered unit. I crossover design in general, and I was pleased to see that, relatively speaking, it’s as effective in this application as it is all the way up the line. Off-axis response is con- wen-spacea rive-way siderably better than you’d expect from this genre of speaker. The first thing to jump out at me about the LCR-45s in soundtrack reproduction was the center- channel image. It’s surprisingly rich, intelligible, and realistic for a verti- cal cabinet that still wouldn’t be a foot tall with shoes on. Dialogue is certainly not a satellite’s forte, and many of them are downright unacceptable as center channels. The vocal capabilities of the LCR-45, on the other hand, will pleasantly surprise you. As the most important speaker in a 5.1 channel setup, a competent center channel is probably the first thing you should look for if you’re planning to build a sur- round system out of satellites. The rest of the surround presentation is solid, although not as surprising. You get considerable tonal consistency with five identical speakers – long pans and other sonic gymnastics are uniform throughout the system. The VX-100 does a nice job of delivering the customary roars and rumbles with- out overpowering the satellites. Adding a second sub would make it more difficult to balance the low end and the satellites, but it would

also add some extra punch g for those who want their teeth to rattle with every explosion. Direct radiators are never my first choice in surround speakers, but the LCR-45s do a relatively nice job of diffusing the rear effects, especially with DTS soundtracks. As always, room size is key. Put this system in an area consistent with its capabilities, and I think you’ll be pleased with the results. The LCR-45 isn’t as aesthetically flashy and versatile in terms of mounting as some of its competition, but I’ll take a cabinet that emphasizes performance over appearance or placement options every time. The speaker is certainly not unattractive (the arced grille is a cool touch), but it’s currently only available in a black or white finish. There are threaded mounting holes on the back of the cabinet (below a pair of well-spaced five-way binding posts), and mounting hardware is included.

Be sure to find the studs, though, if you’re planning to mount these babies on the wall. Granted, the cabinet is small, at 7% inches high by 4% wide by 4 deep. However, at 9 pounds apiece, drywall alone isn’t going to do the trick. You can’t go wrong having some extra satellites on hand. That doesn’t mean, however, that you should run out and buy the first set you see. There are a lot of minis out there right now – and a wide range of quality to go with them. Whether or not M8zKs LCR-45 is the best- sounding of the bunch is a matter of opinion, but believe me when I tell you that this is one of the best- built speakers you’ll find in this price range. Compare the LCR-45 with some of the more-mainstream satellites, and you’ll see why build quality and engineering are important, even at this level. As with all things in life, you pay a little extra for quality, but isn’t it usually worth it?  

 Home Theater/August 2000