The Audio Craftsmen Victoria ranks #111 out of 141 total Large Size Bookshelf Speakers for sound quality. See all Passive Home rankings for every top pick.
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#111 Audio Craftsmen Victoria: $4,000 per pair Active Discontinued eBay
Pros: Two-way bass-reflex design with a 180mm mid-base driver and 29mm tweeter in a distinctive slit-pattern cabinet, well-built overall. Wide, enveloping horizontal radiation of about ±70° through the midrange and lower treble. Low, well-controlled distortion overall, staying below about 1% up to roughly 100Hz at both 86dB and 96dB. Easy to drive electrically (minimum impedance about 7.3 ohms, minimum EPDR 4.4 ohms), fine for most Class AB amplifiers. Best placed closer to the rear wall (about 6 inches to a foot) rather than the typical 1-meter recommendation, reducing a mid-range cancellation dip that worsens with more wall clearance. Measured bass extension of 65Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 83.7dB.
Cons: A notably thin, hollow midrange (a dip roughly 1-2 octaves wide) reduces vocal fullness and “thump,” seemingly from a baffle-step compensation shortfall in the crossover design. Very light bass overall; a subwoofer is recommended for both deep bass (30-40Hz) and even basic mid-bass kick (50-80Hz). Highly aiming-dependent in the treble: toeing the speaker away from the listener (about 30°) causes a significant loss of high-frequency shimmer and detail. A crossover handoff mismatch between the mid-woofer and tweeter shows up in directivity measurements, correlating with the midrange dip. Multitone distortion becomes elevated around 1kHz at higher output levels, confirmed through careful band-pass diagnostic testing and independently corroborated by another reviewer’s similar impression. Limited dynamic range below about 100Hz at higher volumes: driver excursion appears suspension-limited, causing real compression above roughly 90dB for a pair at typical listening distances. Below-average sensitivity (about 84dB versus a typical 85-86dB for bookshelf speakers) partly offsets its easy-to-drive impedance. Not well suited to listening beyond about 10 feet or much above 85-90dB. Discontinued.
How it compares: Just above it: JBL XPL-90 - $2702 cheaper, 1.3Hz higher bass extension (-3dB). Just below it: Sonus Faber Sonetto II G2 - $500 cheaper, 3.3Hz higher bass extension (-3dB).
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 45Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 65Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 15.9”H x 9.1”W x 14”D (405.0 x 230.0 x 355.0 mm) |
| Drivers | 1” tweeter + 4” woofer |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal, 7.3 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 83.7dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 4.87 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.34 |
| Weight | 37 lbs (16.8 kg) |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
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