New Arx Model Reviews & Comments.

New Arx speaker models are entering the market and are making a very strong impression.  Excerpts follow and run the gamut of all Arx models, the A1 bookshelf, the A2 LCR speaker, and the amazing A3 tower.  This is what superior components, low distortion, and good design sound like:

Based on my initial listening impressions (less than 8 hours), I can safely say that the Arx A2 is a vast improvement over the Original Acculine A2 (non-r version). The Arx A2 addresses my major criticisms of the Acculines, such as weak bass, and the unforgiving nature of the Neo3 tweeter on bright tracks such as mainstream pop music. If you were impressed by the original Acculines, you’ll be thrilled to hear the improvement of the Arx line.

The Planar tweeter and SplitGap woofers work exceptionally well together…I think that Jon Lane and the folks at TAI have a definite winner on their hands. A big kudos to you at releasing this speaker at this price point. The Arx are a definite win for the value-oriented audio enthusiasts.

-”Miwo”, writing at the AVS forum.

I’ve been listening to the Arx A3 for the past 24 hours using a Rotel receiver and my Neuhaus Laboratories T-2 amplifier, using vinyl records, CDs and iTunes music as my sources.  A full review will have to wait until they are completely broken in but for now I would like to report that the Arx speakers are noticeably better than the Acculines and the difference was apparent pretty much from the moment I hooked them up…The sound was detailed, rich and sweet in a way that just makes you want to stand up and cheer.  Stereo imaging is excellent and the speakers have a big sound that really creates presence and impact…Even at 24 hours in, they are definitely keepers and I am looking forward to complete break-in and a full review.

-Don Lindich at The Sound Advice Blog.  Don continues at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

Arx is noticeably better than Acculine in every way and rate in an entirely different league. I did not think it was possible, especially since the price stayed the same.

Arx’s clarity, detail and precise sound definition are stunning and unequaled for the money.

What I was not expecting is Arx’s warmth, richness and great sense of naturalness. Often when speakers go to extremes with clarity they sound harsh or bright and Arx has commendably avoided this.

The Arx A3 speakers also have a big, full sound that creates real presence in the listening room.

Writing in listener comments at our own forum, “daggerNC” notes:

And here is one my most important criteria when I judge speakers (and other components in the chain) – imaging and sound staging. I’ve got to be able to sonically “see” the musicians on the stage (real or studio): Steve dead center with his guitar, drums behind him, the sax to the left and back about 8′, cow bell on the left side of the drum set, backup vocalists either left and/or right of Steve, etc. And…….I can “see” the sound stage pretty well with these little bookshelves! Nice, but what really exceeded my expectations is something that is very special that only truely “good” speakers can do: portray all the different instruments and singers as unique sonic entities so that you can “see” the individual musicians with your ears. If you are present at a live performance (acoustic in a smaller venue is best) you hear all the musicians playing together, but you also can distinctly see and hear the bassist and the drummer and the lead guitar and the rhythm guitar and the keyboardest, etc. It’s not just hearing the instruments and vocals all mashed together, but hearing all the individual elements playing together to make one. It’s a very cool effect, and adds to the realism of the playback. Kudos to the Arx A1′s for doing a really decent job at this – not at the level my electrostatics could do, but d@mn, for these little inexpensive speakers???

So, bottom line…the A1′s are here to stay.  My initial impressions conclude with this: somebody’s stupid here. Either Jon is for offering such a great little speaker at such a low cost, or we (speaker buying public) are for not scooping these up at this price point!

Another AVS poster, “Tawaun da Bomb” has just started to get to know his Arx A3 and has this to say:

I just received my Arx 3′s and it will be a very tough speaker to beat for $499 a pair, very nice deep tight bass, very detailed mids and excellent topend extension…

Other comments related to The Audio Insider by phone and email are consistently enthusiastic: Arx make music.  They have the ability to look inside a recording and lay out in space the “flesh and blood” of the recording.  Arx are transparent, detailed, dimensional, and musically-satisfying. 

Thanks to all for validating our design goals and we look forward to posting more comments and reviews soon.