Arendal Sound 1723 Monitor / Center THX & Subwoofer 2V Review

When it comes to achieving high-fidelity sound in a home theater or audio setup, the choice of speakers plays a crucial role. Monitors are often overlooked in favor of tower speakers, but they offer a compelling blend of size and performance. Unlike their larger tower counterparts, monitors provide greater flexibility in placement, fitting seamlessly into environments where space is at a premium.

One of the key advantages of using monitors in your setup is their size-to-performance ratio. Monitors can be used as main speakers in a stereo setup or a surround sound setup, monitors can serve as both main and surround speakers, ensuring a consistent and immersive experience.

In this review, we focus on the Arendal 1723 Monitor THX speakers, part of a 5.1 setup that also includes the 1723 Center THX as well as the 1723 2V subwoofer.

Unboxing

Before we get into the specifications of each speaker, it's worth mentioning the unboxing experience. The packaging itself is robust, featuring triple-walled boxes—a pretty uncommon find.

Upon opening the box, you'll notice distinct corner protectors and additional cardboard slats reinforcing the longest sides of the box to resist pressure bearing down on the box. Thick foam encases the top and bottom and each speaker is wrapped in a soft drawstring bag.

Going one step further when unboxing, white gloves are provided to prevent smudges on the finish. The speaker grills are stored separately in their own cloth pouch, positioned away from the main unit, and nestled securely within specific foam cutouts. The package also includes a well-crafted owner's manual.

Specifications

The 1723 Monitor THX, priced at $2,599 a pair, is a two-way MTM (midwoofer-tweeter-midwoofer) design featuring dual 8-inch woofers and a waveguide-loaded dome tweeter. The tweeter is a 1.1-inch synthetic soft tweeter that sits in a circular aluminum waveguide. A waveguide like this has many advantages such as controlling the tweeter's off-axis response across its operational range, resulting in a more dispersed top end. It also aids in controlling dispersion at the bottom end of the tweeter's frequency, ensuring that it closely matches the directivity of the woofer and aiding in driver integration.

The drivers of the 1723 Monitors include two 8-inch woofers with long pulp fiber cones, an inverted dust cap, and a nitrile-butyl rubber surround. The crossover frequency between the tweeter and woofers is set at 1.5kHz, which should preserve smooth directivity.

The 1723 Monitors carry the THX Ultra certification, indicating they can achieve THX Reference levels (105db peaks) in a room of up to 3,000 cubic feet. This certification is not only about attaining high volume levels; it also means the speakers have passed rigorous testing protocols to ensure high performance and reliability.

On the rear of the speaker, you’ll find rhodium-plated copper terminals that support bi-amping. Each post is designed to accommodate various wire connections, including banana plugs, spade connectors, pin connectors, and bare wires. The aluminum backplate is recessed into the cabinet for a sleek and integrated look.

Above that, there are two 2-inch diameter ports which include port plugs that allow you to configure them as a completely sealed design, resulting in a bass extension down to approximately 58Hz ± 3dB. If you prefer not to use the sealed configuration, the bass extension is stated to reach down to 34Hz ± 3dB. These speakers have a sensitivity of 89dB and a nominal impedance of 4 ohms, making them compatible with a wide range of amplifiers.

The Arendal 1723 Monitor THX speakers are constructed from high-density fiberboard (HDF) and feature internal bracing designed to enhance cabinet strength and reduce unwanted panel vibrations that can cause audible distortion. The speakers are available in Black or White satin, as well as Black or White gloss finishes. They measure 25-inches tall, 10.8-inches wide, and 15.7-inches deep, and weigh approximately 59 pounds each. While the 1723 Monitors do not come with pre-attached feet, they include small adhesive rubber feet that can be attached to the bottom of the speaker to preserve the finish.

Constructed from High-Density Fiberboard (HDF), the subwoofer includes magnetic grilles, a feature rarely seen in subwoofers. The rear panel provides a pair of RCA inputs and outputs, as well as balanced XLR inputs and outputs. The 1723 2V also comes with a port plug for those who prefer a sealed operating mode. Rubber feet provide approximately 3/4-inch clearance from the ground. The 1723 Subwoofer 2V comes in matte black, matte white, gloss black, and gloss white finishes. This sub is pretty massive, weighing approximately 133 pounds and measuring 28-inches tall, 19.7-inches wide, and 23.6-inches deep.

Arendal Sound App

The Arendal Sound App offers convenient control over the 1723 Subwoofer 2V, allowing you to adjust the PEQ bands to suit your room's acoustics. The app features a test tone function to ensure proper setup and a time delay setting adjustable in 0.25ms increments up to 50ms, which is particularly useful for multi-subwoofer systems with varying distances. The app also includes a grouping feature, enabling synchronized control of multiple subwoofers.

Through the course of my testing, I found this app to be really helpful, especially when compared to the alternative of having to access the rear of the sub to make any adjustments.

Setup

As mentioned earlier, Arendal provided a complete 1723 Series 5.1 system for testing. They recommend roughly 50 hours of break-in time once connected, so I played background music for the first few days. My room measures 20 feet by 17 feet and is acoustically treated, with my main listening position about 11 feet from the speakers. I found the ideal placement for the speakers to be approximately 22-inches from the wall, with a slight toe-in toward my listening position.

Amplification and processing are managed by a Trinnov Altitude16 and Trinnov Amplitude16, delivering 400 watts per channel at 4 ohms. I experimented with room correction equalization on and off. For movies, I used a Kaleidescape Strato S, and for music playback, I used a R_Volution 8K Media player, which holds a large collection of music files, as well as an Apple TV for Apple Music.

Performance

Knowing the sound signature of these speakers from previous reviews, I started with one of my go-to movies for testing bass performance: “Pacific Rim.” During the scene where the Kaijus attack Hong Kong, the layering of different sound effects is clearly audible through the speakers. The sound imaging from each speaker is impressive, creating a compelling sense of reality. You can distinctly hear each sound moving from one speaker to another, and you can feel the detail of the robotic arm punching through the building.

When the cargo ship flies through the air and crashes against the buildings, the 1723 2V subwoofer delivers intense, powerful bass. However, the subs aren't doing all the heavy lifting; the speakers complement the subs with sudden dynamics and a wide range from calm to intense, showing no signs of strain.

In terms of midrange performance, the speakers offer a neutral yet detailed sound. This is evident in "You Gonna Need My Help" by Muddy Waters. The song features Waters' deep voice accompanied by guitar riffs and a steady blues rhythm. The 1723 Monitors capture his vocals clearly, preserving the details in his delivery. The texture of the instruments, from the guitar strings to the bass allows for each element of the song to be distinctly heard and appreciated. This track showed the speakers' capability to handle complex and dynamic audio content effectively.

For the center channel, I found the intelligibility to be quite good. Since the 1723 Center is essentially a 1723 Monitor in a horizontal orientation, I never had any issues hearing the actors' dialogue. The detail and dispersion were impressive, particularly noticeable while watching "1917," especially during the scene where the attack is called off. In this scene, I focused on how well the speaker handles Benedict Cumberbatch's deep, slightly raspy voice. The 1723 Center reproduced his voice clearly while capturing the nuances of its depth, maintaining clarity even when pushing the speakers close to 100db.

Regarding the speakers' dynamic range, I tested multiple scenes from "The Batman," including my favorite, the Batmobile scene. The quiet moments between characters are portrayed with clarity but when the action picks up, the speakers seamlessly handle the transition. The sudden roar of the engine, gunshots, and even the explosion towards the end of the scene are rendered with intensity, without sacrificing detail. The transition is smooth, making it feel like an organic evolution of the scene rather than a jarring shift. One thing to note is that in my opinion, these speakers perform best at higher volumes, with anything over 75dB really bringing them to life.

Conclusion

I approached this review with high expectations, considering my previous experience with the 1723 THX Towers last year. These expectations were not only met but exceeded. Despite being more compact than the 1723 Towers, the 1723 Monitors deliver uncompromised performance. The sound quality of the 1723 Monitors is nearly identical to their larger counterparts, proving that exceptional performance can indeed come in smaller packages.

Each speaker in the 1723 series, including the Monitors, Center, and Subwoofer 2V, retains the exceptional build quality, design, and high-end technology that Arendal Sound is known for. Whether you're immersed in a blockbuster film or enjoying your favorite musical piece, the 1723 speakers consistently deliver outstanding performances. They capture the dynamics, subtleties, and energy of the sound, all within a more compact form factor. While these speakers are certainly not cheap, their performance justifies the investment.

FAQ

What is the difference between Arendal 1723 and 1723 S?

The 1723 S lineup is essentially a scaled-down variant of the original 1723 series, featuring 6.5-inch woofers instead of the 8-inch ones and housed in more compact cabinets. However, the sonic qualities remain very similar.

What is the difference between the Arendal 1723 Monitor and Tower?

The primary distinction between these speakers lies in their depth of sound and their capacity to deliver bass. If your arrangement doesn't include a subwoofer, the larger Tower speaker would be the optimal choice. However, the Monitor offers excellent clarity and precision, making it a great option for those who have space constraints or prefer a more compact setup.

Does Arendal make In-Ceiling speakers?

In-ceiling and In-Wall speakers are something Arendal has talked about but they are not coming in the near future. We would recommend going with the 1723 Height S speakers.

What brands have a similar sound to Arendal?

Triad, Sonance, and Kef are speakers with a balanced sound comparable to the Arendals.