The Arendal 1961 Tower ranks #19 out of 54 total Large Size Floorstanding Speakers for sound quality. See Top Recommended Speakers By Attribute for all the top speaker suggestions.
#19 Arendal 1961 Tower: $1,900/pair Arendal Sound
Pros: Exceptional output cleanliness for a slim tower: Erin measured under 1% THD to about 100Hz at 96dB/1m and only crossed 3% near 80Hz, while compression was better than several physically larger competitors. The response and listening window are broadly neutral, early-reflections and sound-power directivity are well controlled, and the waveguided dome supports stable imaging. A sealed HDF cabinet, four 5.5-inch woofers and a ten-year warranty provide serious theater-grade engineering in a tiny footprint.
Cons: Erin measured F3 at 62Hz and F10 at 43Hz, so the four woofers prioritize clean output over deep extension; a subwoofer remains necessary. Sensitivity is a moderate 86.5dB and impedance dips below four ohms, which may challenge budget AVRs even though a competent power amplifier has no issue. The optimal axis is roughly 5° above the tweeter and radiation begins narrowing around 1.3kHz, so seat height and toe-in deserve attention.
How it compares: Just above it: KEF R11 Meta - $1600 more, 3Hz higher bass extension (-3dB). Just below it: Emotiva Airmotiv T2+ - $901 cheaper, 3Hz higher bass extension (-3dB).
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 43Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 62Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Drivers | Four 5.5-inch woofers; 28mm waveguided soft dome |
| Enclosure | Sealed HDF |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal; dips below 4 ohms (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 86.5dB/2.83V/1m (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
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