Infinity Speaker System C336 User Manual

testreports  
Daniel Kumin  
up of CD and DVD cases, remote controls,  
and coffee cups into teetering towers of  
terror. What were they thinking?  
SETUP  
Run five speaker wires, and you’re done  
with setting up the main channels. The  
PSW310W wireless subwoofer sports a  
little Wi-Fi-style stubby on its rear panel,  
and its deck-of-cards-sized transmitter  
has a stub of its own. The transmitter,  
which accepts a single signal cable from  
a receiver or preamp’s subwoofer output,  
found the sub immediately. And once I  
switched the transmitting channel a cou-  
ple of times, I experienced no interference  
on the audio system — or on my studio’s  
Wi-Fi or cordless-phone systems.  
MUSIC & MOVIE PERFORMANCE  
I ran the C336s by themselves in stereo  
for starters, and I was quickly convinced  
of their full-range abilities. But I was less  
happy with their tonal balance where I  
initially placed them — close against the  
front wall and flanking my 52-inch Sam-  
sung TV. They sounded progressively bet-  
ter the further I moved them away from  
the wall; I ultimately wound up with  
nearly 4 feet between the wall’s surface  
and the speakers’ front baffles.  
Infinity  
Classia Series home theater speaker system  
he bar for Infinity’s speaker  
designs stands pretty high, for a  
couple of reasons. First, there’s  
tradition. Infinity’s history encom-  
nection (although you still have to plug it  
into the wall to make it go “boom”).  
The C336s have a neutral sound, with  
The Classias (Classiæ?) bear an obvious  
family resemblance to Infinity’s still-cur-  
rent Gumby-browed, flat-panel-drivered  
Cascade Series (reviewed in September  
2006 and available on the S&V Web site).  
But the newer models are larger, being an  
inch or two wider and deeper, and sev-  
eral inches taller. They use conventional,  
round dynamic drivers, although with  
Infinity’s usual high-tech seasonings —  
in this case, a laminated, metal/ceramic  
“CMMD” composite for both tweeter  
and woofer diaphragms, and a newly  
devised tweeter waveguide (a tiny horn,  
sorta) that’s said to raise sensitivity for  
improved dynamic headroom and sim-  
plified crossover design.  
Whatever its high-tech credentials, the  
Classia suite certainly looks, well, classy.  
These are strikingly handsome speakers  
with an assertively contemporary design.  
Infinity supplied the full system in gloss  
piano-black lacquer (real cherry veneer  
is also available). But the C336s’ sharply  
raked tops precluded my habitual piling  
T
The Short Form  
Snapshot  
passes the imposing Servo-Static and Ref-  
erence Standard Beta and Gamma models  
from Back When Giants Roamed the Earth  
(the 1970s and ’80s — high-end audio’s  
glory days). These were among the most  
sophisticated, capable, and expensive  
speakers then made. Second, there’s affili-  
ation. As one of the Harman International  
family of companies, Infinity has at its dis-  
posal some of the very best technical and  
human resources in the world.  
This system’s eye-catching appearance  
promises — and delivers — precise  
performance, and it has a wireless sub  
to boot  
Plus  
:: Controlled, detailed, transparent sound  
Given all that, I was eager to put Infini-  
ty’s new Classia Series to the test. The sys-  
tem that the company sent me included  
the C336 front left/right towers, a CC225  
center-channel speaker, and a pair of  
C255ES surrounds — Janus-headed dual-  
two-way models that can be set for dipole,  
bipole, or monopole operation by means  
of a behind-the-grille switch. Rounding  
out the suite under test was Infinity’s new  
PSW310W subwoofer, a 10-inch design  
with the nifty feature of a wireless con-  
:: Very good dipole/bipole/monopole  
surrounds  
:: Wireless sub delivers the low-end goods  
+
Minus  
:: Need to move speakers well out from  
wall for best balance  
:: Low sensitivity requires lots of amp power  
Price $4,094 (as tested)  
66  
SEPTEMBER 2008 SOUND & VISION  
soundandvisionmag.com  
 

Inetcam Network Card Mobile Gateway User Manual
Ingersoll Rand Remote Starter 150BMG User Manual
Jackson Indoor Furnishings Scaltrol User Manual
Jeep Automobile S51J T R2 User Manual
JL Audio Car Speaker SB GM BURBCNSL 10W3v2 User Manual
JVC DVD VCR Combo HR XV1EU User Manual
JVC Flat Panel Television LT 47GZ78 User Manual
JVC Stereo System UX V9MD User Manual
Karcher Lawn Sweeper KMR 1250 BAT User Manual
Keating Of Chicago Fryer BB TS Fryer User Manual