11.19.2008 — Snap AV, a multi-product manufacturer (with lines that include everything from projection screens and mounts to cabling and A/V furniture) has introduced its latest speaker product: the Episode HT-650 LCR.

The Episode HT-650 LCR is a multipurpose loudspeaker that can address just about any home theater installation other than an in-wall/in-ceiling job.

Its versatility, in turn, enables installers to simplify their product selection and ordering processes.

Installer-Friendly Speaker Has Multiple Mounting Options

The Episode HT-650 LCR is a boxed speaker, but it can be wall- or stand-mounted. Because of its front firing ports, it can be placed in a cabinet without any negative effects.

The speaker features:

• a unique driver array with dual carbon-fiber midrange drive units
• a 41⁄2-inch planar magnetic ribbon tweeter that can be removed and repositioned within the cabinet to accommodate vertical or horizontal speaker placement
• two front-mounted contour switches designed to compensate for behind-the-screen placement and boundary interaction

Snap AV says the speaker achieves a rated sensitivity of 95 dB and a frequency response of 70 Hz to 20 KHz.

Installation Comes with No Surprises

In the CE Pro editorial conference room, I used a trio of HT 650s as a left-center-right configuration (then, later as a stereo pair rear surrounds).

Initially, the speakers were unpacked and placed on 36-inch stands that flanked our drop-down screen. Running QED speaker cables, which were terminated with banana plugs from our Anthem electronics, I inserted the bananas into the speakers' five-way binding posts.

I then switched the front-mounted compensation switches to the appropriate off positions.

Buttoning up the installation, I positioned the center channel horizontally. Using a drill gun to remove the vertically mounted tweeter, I carefully unscrewed the screws from the tweeter's baffle and pulled the clips off the back of the tweeter.

Dropping the tweeter into the horizontal slot in the speaker's enclosure, I reconnected the tweeter's wiring and re-secured the tweeter back into the cabinet.

The entire installation, including the tweeter repositioning and the toeing in of the speakers, did not take any longer than a typical speaker installation.

Speakers Have Solid Sound Stage, Firm Image

Before I start any formal review, I always run the speakers through a break-in period.

After that, I ran a few music CDs to hear how they sounded without a sub and in two-channel. Using recordings from John Pertucci, Two-Ton Shoe, Bonarama and Dave Matthews, I found the Episode speakers threw a solid sound stage with a firm image.

The speakers also provided some midrange resolution, but it was somewhat colored by what I believe was cabinet resonance. I also heard a hint of tinny-ness with cymbals and a bit of compression in the all brass Bonarama CD.

Switching over to a theater set-up, we added a subwoofer and surrounds and listened to the AIX Records sampler DVD, the Led Zeppelin "How the West was Won" DVD-Audio and DTS' Don Henley's "End of the Innocence" disc.

Listening to the HT 650s as part of a theater ensemble produced more favorable results. With the sub filling in the bottom end, the midrange coloration was less apparent and the top-end tinnyness was also mitigated.

Episode Speakers: A Problem Solver

The Episode HT-650 LCR isn't perfect, but it is a versatile problem-solving speaker that can do a lot of things for installers looking to simplify their product lines.

The speaker is more than capable of delivering a fun and satisfying experience as a complete system solution.

If installers use the speaker in their home theater installations, it will meet the performance needs of their clients.

MSRP: $800 each.