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Digital electronics - Many speakers are adept at capturing signals from digital devices, and this includes emerging Bluetooth features with wall mounts. I set up the Chronos with the 509s bi-wired, and the crossover on the Integra DTR 7.8 receiver set to 80 Hz on all five channels. First off was a mix of two-channel CD and 5.1 hi-rez music, followed by movies in both regular DD/DTS, and DD+/Dolby TrueHD codecs. Cosmetically, the major difference between the Chrono and its higher-end siblings is in the use of cabinet materials. The Chronos use low-resonance MDF, finished in either silver lacquer or simulated wood veneer.
The center-channel 505 has dual ports, and surround-channel 502s a single port. Both the center and surround speakers sport a single set of binding posts. Unless I someday move my comfy chair, the designated speaker locations in my listening room are as rigidly defined as Newtonian physics. I placed the towers along my front narrow wall, about 8 feet apart, and the center speaker beneath my TV. I put the surrounds on my own trusty stands behind my chair and along each side wall.
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My review system comprised a pair of GLE 490 floor-standing towers, a GLE 455 center speaker, a pair of GLE 420 surrounds, and an AS 85 SC powered subwoofer. All of the satellites share similar drivers - a good thing, since it helps ensure that the tonality will match all around. And the satellites' midrange/bass drivers use the same aluminum cone material found in Canton's high-end speakers.
The Canton Chrono speaker system proves that you cannot judge a book solely by its cover . It provides a realistic soundstage, with imaging that is particularly well-suited for surround sound film reproduction. If you’re looking for a 5.1 system in this price, you’ll definitely want to put the Canton Chrono series on your audition list. As expected, the 509 floor-stander had excellent off-axis frequency response, particularly in the mid and high-frequency range. I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of mid-bass energy the AS 525 SC was generating in both film and music. I did not expect, and did not perceive, a significant amount of low bass impact from the modest-sized sub.
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I was surprised the 10-MX II did not have speaker wiring included in the package because at such a reasonable price, this system may be the first surround sound system for many buyers. But still, quality cabling is one of the first upgrades an audiophile will make, so the cables may be redundant. I connected the speakers to a NAD 1752 A/V surround receiver and used the dual RCA cinch connectors on the subwoofer. The surround speakers topped floor mounted stands and the center channel found a home on my rear projection Mitsubishi HDTV, angled down slightly to my primary viewing headquarters, also known as the sofa. With the mini satellites on stands, I was able to move the speakers about the room until I was satisfied with their positions.
Overall, I was very impressed with the apparent quality of construction. It also says a lot that many visitors to my theater during the evaluation period said, "Wow, who makes those?" The AS-2 SC subwoofer is really the only speaker where "setup" comes into play. I would like to have seen some additional information and suggestions regarding crossover frequency, particularly when the AS-2 SC is mated with other Ergo speakers such as the 1002 towers I had in for review.
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The soundfield was moderately wide and movie soundtracks exhibited the same proportionate dynamics as two-channel music reproduction. The AS 85 SC powered subwoofer is small by contemporary standards, both in its size and power (Canton claims 150 watts of "music power"). But it does sport a front-firing 9-inch driver along with a front port. The rear panel has controls to adjust volume, crossover, and phase.
In the end, I set the sub's crossover at its highest setting and let my Atlantic Technology P2000 preamp/processor perform the signal surgery. I ended up settling on an 80Hz crossover around the room, though the towers could probably easily handle 60Hz. Unlike some of my colleagues at Avodah Publishing, I was first exposed to consumer electronics with 12-volt products.
You'll also find jacks for stereo/mono line input and stereo line output, as well as speaker-level inputs and outputs. A "normal/narrow" switch compensates for room size by altering the crossover's response . • GLE 490 ($1,399/pair) 1-in soft-dome tweeter, 7-in cone midrange, two 8-in cone woofers; 41 ¼ in high, 42 ¼ lb • GLE 455 ($499) 1-in soft-dome tweeter, two 6 ¼-inch cone midrange/woofers; 18 in wide, 15 1? I'd recently checked out the company's DSS 303 iPod sound system ("What's Up, Dock?" September 2008) and was impressed by that wonderful bit of Euro-engineering. So it was with great interest that I greeted Canton's new, revamped GLE Series home theater speakers, touted as a "high value" line that uses trickle-down technology from the company's more expensive products.
Even the Karat AS 200 C subwoofer maintains a slim profile - it's less than a foot wide - which isn't easy to pull off in a relatively big box harboring a down-firing 10-inch driver. With the Canton AS-10 subwoofer primed and ready, I relentlessly pounded the system with bass music to see if it could keep up. Tracks from LL Cool J and The Beastie Boys that are notorious for deep bass dropped frequency response to low levels without being too boomy. Over time, I was able to properly adjust the gains to compensate for some undue reverb below 100Hz. The Chrono line uses the drivers and crossover technologies of Canton’s Ergo speaker series (the Ergos sit below the well-known Vento and Karat lines, followed by the top-of-the-line Reference series).
Removing the front grilles reveals a high-gloss polished lacquer finish, which I thought made the speakers look aesthetically much more elegant than a simple black box. When you take into account that the system sells for only nine large, the value to performance ratio makes this Canton Movie System especially attractive. The almost complete lack of musical accompaniment seemed to magnify background sounds, like wind blowing through the scrub brush, or the soft padding of socked feet on carpet. The Chronos were up to the task of re-creating the sudden, random acts of violence that were almost a constant presence.
Nonetheless, I was bowled over by the brilliant large sound coming from the small cubes. The center and surround speakers have screw-type speaker terminals to connect them to an amplifier. The terminals accept a wide gauge of speaker cable or banana plugs, but I found the design awkward.
The subwoofer is a bandpass design with the driver facing rearward and completely enclosed with only the port visible. A volume control and adjustable crossover frequency knob are conveniently placed high on the back panel of the subwoofer. I've had some experience with cube speaker systems in the past that left me with a bad impression of what accurate music reproduction is all about.
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