Boston Acoustics A Series loudspeakers—on the beach, which is where I'd like to be right now.
Is it just me or are we really experiencing the beginnings of a new stereo renaissance, a return to dedicated, high-quality, two-channel sound? Could it be that the home theater sector has become almost entirely commoditized so that little besides cost and availability are important to the consumer? In an age when craftsmanship and dedication have become clouded by convenience and fashion, hi-fi—good, old-fashioned, two-channel hi-fi—symbolizes the importance of quality experiences and a more meaningful life. But that’s just my opinion.
D&M Holdings, parent company of classic audiophile brands Denon, Marantz, McIntosh, Snell, and Boston Acoustics, might agree. That last brand, Boston Acoustics, founded by Frank Reed and Andy Kotsatos in 1979, is the latest to pay respect to a heritage of high-quality sound. While in recent years, the company had become best known for its in-car speakers and table-top electronics, the new A Series brings Boston Acoustics back home.
The A Series includes two floorstanding models—the flagship 3-way A 360 ($800/pair), which employs dual 6.5” woofers and a 3.5” midrange unit, and the 2-way A 250 ($600/pair), with dual 5.25” woofers; and two 2-way standmounted designs—the A 26 ($400/pair) and the A 25 ($300/pair). For those still interested in home theater, there is also the A 225C center-channel ($250 each), A 23 satellite ($140 each), and two powered subwoofers—the 300W, front-firing ASW 650 ($500 each) and the 150W, down-firing ASW 250 ($350 each). All of the 2- and 3-way models utilize Boston’s 1” Kortec soft-dome tweeter.
Housed in high-gloss scratch-resistant cabinets with textured tops and magnetic grilles, Boston Acoustics’ A Series speakers are meant to combine high-quality sound with modern style and great value. Eli Harary, senior vice president for Boston Acoustics, said: “With the creation of our new A Series loudspeakers, Boston Acoustics has set the benchmark for loudspeaker performance, design, and value once again.” Involved in the engineering and design were Marantz’s Ken Ishiwata, Karl-Heinz Fink of Fink Audio Consulting, and Kieron Dunk of Industrial Design Associates—big names, big promises. A pair of the A 25 are being sent to Stereophile for coverage in an upcoming chapter of “The Entry Level.” (Woo!) You can read more about Boston Acoustics A Series loudspeakers in Paul Messenger's "Industry Update" in the April 2011 issue of Stereophile, on newsstands soon.
