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CNET editors' rating:
4.0 stars
Excellent
Detailed editors' rating - Average user rating: 4.5 stars out of 7 reviews
- See all user reviews
Product summary
The good: Sensational-sounding full-size tower speakers; three-way design; high-tech drivers; form-fitting metal grilles; all-metal connectors.
The bad: They're large (dubious spousal acceptance factor).
The bottom line: If you have the room to indulge your home-theater fantasies on a grand scale, Infinity's Beta towers merit serious consideration.
Specifications: Type of speaker: floor-standing; Dimensions (WxDxH): 10.4 in x 14.6 in x 41.3 in; Color: Black; See full specs
CNET editors' review
- Reviewed on: 03/04/2005
- Released on: 03/30/2004
We imagine most Beta 50 buyers will match the towers with a full set of Beta-series speakers and an Infinity subwoofer. For our Beta review package, we selected the Beta C360 center speaker ($399), a pair of Beta 20 monitors as surrounds ($199 each), and the CSW-10 subwoofer ($999). The entire system retails for $2,794, but when you stop and consider that this ensemble can easily fill even a fairly large home theater with high-impact, feel-it-in-your-guts sound, the price is pretty sane. It's more affordable than most plasma TVs, and it will blow your socks off when you listen to music. Alternatively, you could pick up five Beta 10 satellites and the $799 SW-12 sub, which drops the price to $1,624. Feel free to mix 'n' match among the Beta-series models and build a system that fits your needs.
The Beta 50 is a beneficiary of Infinity's patented Ceramic Metal Matrix Diaphragm (CMMD) speaker-driver technology originally developed for its high-end Prelude MTS models. CMMD drivers are said to be lighter and stronger than conventional paper, plastic, or metal drivers. According to Infinity, CMMD drivers produce lower levels of distortion for a more transparent and detailed sound.The Beta-series tweeters have recently been revised to extend their ultra-high-frequency response out to 40KHz to enhance their performance with SACD and DVD-Audio discs. The tweeter is mounted in a special waveguide to ensure improved high-frequency dispersion throughout the listening room. We also noted that the engineers positioned the tweeter unusually close to the midrange driver, and that close proximity further improves the speaker's sound quality and imaging precision.
The infinity Beta 50 is a three-way, four-driver design featuring dual 8-inch woofers, a 5-inch midrange, and a 1-inch dome tweeter--the lot of them are CMMD drivers. The rear of the speaker houses a biwire set of all-metal connectors.
The Betas' sound quality is significantly improved over that of the Infinity Primus models we tested last year. The new speakers are more detailed and live-sounding overall, and the tweeter's treble range has more sparkle and "air." The new sound is more articulate and precise, so we heard more three-dimensional space in our DVDs and CDs, and when we doused the lights, the big speakers all but disappeared as sources of sound.With the Alien vs. Predator DVD cranked up to a satisfyingly loud volume, the Beta system was a force to be reckoned with. The ungodly shrieks, ongoing carnage, and massive explosions made us jump, and the movie's ominous atmospheres were well served by the all-Beta system. If you love big special-effects movies, the Betas won't let you down.
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User reviews
- Average user rating: 4.5 stars out of 7 reviews
- My rating: 0 stars Write review
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