Two years ago, Home Theater Shack hosted a
$1,000 Speaker Evaluation Event that squared-off eight different speaker models (costing $1,000/pair or less) in a home audition showdown. Among the entrants were the Magnepan MG12/QR, MartinLogan Motion 12, Vandersteen 2Ce, Tekton Model Lore, Klipsch RF-62 II, HTD Level THREE, Focal Chours 716V, and the Arx A5 (then sold under the name: The Audio Insider). As the field was whittled down, the listening panel gravitated to the Motion 12s and A5s, eventually crowning the Arx A5 as the champion.
Chane's new A5rx-c shares similar looks to the A5 (above), with quite a few internal improvements.
Reviewers present at the event found the A5s to be forgiving in placement and sonically superior (if not just slightly better than the Motion 12s) to the rest of the group. A definitive theme amongst the review crew was the A5’s ability to seemingly disappear while being played. Other descriptors included “detailed,” “airy,” and “truly amazing.” Pairing their impressions with the A5’s modest price class speaks volumes about the speaker’s ability to deliver show stopping sound. Of course, this all goes without mentioning that the review team felt the A5s were every bit a winner in a follow-up
Evaluation Event that featured speakers worth $2,500/pair.
The Audio Insider has since changed its name to
Chane Music & Cinema and the A5 has recently undergone a revision. In its new iteration, the A5rx-c ushers the A5 model forward with quite a few changes while keeping the same outward looks and TMWWW array. Chane says the A5rx-c has improved thermal power handling in the treble, increased high-frequency extension, and enhanced acoustical matching throughout the design. The crossover has been redesigned to allow for tighter integration, improved mid-bass texture, and better overall slam. Internally, the cabinet has been tweaked to be “slightly quieter” with a few design alterations.
“The end result is a more refined and transparent sound as compared to the original,” says owner Jon Lane. “I wanted a little more sonic X-factor from the model, and, like the other three rx-c models in the lineup, the 5 came through.”
The A5rx-c's dedicated midrange driver is designed for high resolution at higher frequencies.
In just over a month, the A5rx-c (and its sibling, the A3rx-c) will be fully stocked and ready to ship to buyers...and here’s where it gets interesting. Chane Music & Cinema is offering an enticing Group Buy deal to early adopters. Now through the end of February 2015, Chane Music & Cinema is offering the A5rx-c for $379 each (normally $429). In addition, customers who commit to the Group Buy will earn an additional discount of $40 for each pair of the A1rx-c and $34 for every A2rx-c purchased. Matched with this deal is Chane’s 30-day in-home satisfaction guarantee.
Chane Music & Cinema is a valued Sponsor of Home Theater Shack, and we’re happily hosting an A5rx-c Group Buy thread,
here. Feel free to click on the link to discuss the Group Buy with other forum members.
For more information about the A5rx-c (or other Chane Music & Cinema products), visit their website at
chanemusicandcinema.com.
Image Credit: Chane Music & Cinema
