Anthony Gallo Acoustics Home Theater Loudspeakers

Whether listening at low or high volume levels, I found that the AV Reference Center and Main speakers delivered clear sound across a wide range of frequencies. Vocals distinctively standout, and background details not only don't get lost, but very fine details are brought out to the listener, but within proper balance with the musical performance.

The AV Reference Speakers delivered powerful upper bass, that was clear and not muddled. When using the AV Reference speakers without the Powered Sub on, their bass response was actually better than you would expect for their size. Examples of good upper bass performance was exhibited by Medeski, Martin, and Wood's Uninvisible which features an outstanding Hammond B3 performance, as well as the mid-bass on DVD soundtracks, such as the Lord of the Rings Trilogy.

The AV Reference Mains are equally at home in a two-channel stereo system or as part of a home theater system in conjunction with a center channel speaker, surrounds, and subwoofer.

The Reference AV Center, which has a slight modification in the tweeter design, produced the most well-balanced center channel presence I have heard in this price-class of loudspeaker. The vocals were spot on, and the sound was very 3-dimensional.

Good examples of excellent mid-range vocal reproduction was on Norah Jones distinctive rendition of Don't Know Why, the harmonies in Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody, and the Dave Matthews/Blue Man Group's Sing Along.

I found that the AV reference Center and Mains did an excellent job reproducing brass instruments, reminding me of horn-loaded speakers (such as the Klipsch B3 and higher-end Klipsch speakers).

For example, cuts from Brian Setzer's Ultimate Collection, which features heavy big-band brass performances, exhibited unusually good presence, which, in some other speakers, would not sound as bright and distinctive.

The AV Reference Center and Mains (along with the TR-2 sub and A'Diva T's also had no problem with the dynamics and performance of the reference Telarc recording of the 1812 Overture.

Audio Performance - A'Diva T Compact Satellite Speaker

The A'Diva T speakers, which were used as surrounds, performed their job well. The A'Diva T's provided the right surround balance in DVD Dolby Digital and DTS cuts from films, such as Hero, Master and Commander, Kill Bill Vol 1, and U571.

Although very compact, the A'Diva T's held their own in reproducing surround effects that balanced with the AV Reference Center and Mains.

However, the A'Diva T's screw-on speaker connection terminals were very small and did not grasp and hold bare speaker wire very well. Using a Clip-on speaker connector would have been easier and quicker to work with.

Audio Performance - TR-2 Powered Subwoofer

Despite its compact size, the TR-2 is a heavy unit with a powerful built-in low frequency amplifier. It has a unique horizontal, cylindrical design, with no visible port. The driver is situated on one end of the cylinder, and the connections and controls on the other end.

The TR2 produced excellent, deep, tight bass, where needed. Also, with its array of controls on the rear panel, the user can create an excellent transition balance between the TR2 and the rest of the speaker setup.

I found the TR2 powered subwoofer to be an excellent match for the rest of the speakers. DVD soundtracks with LFE effects, such as Master and Commander, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, and U571, the TR-2 showed no noticeable fatigue or excessive drop-off, producing LFE effects at full impact.

In addition, as a music subwoofer, the TR-2 reproduced the bottom end of the famous sliding bass riff on Heart's Magic Man without dropping off at the deepest end, preserving the full impact of the riff.

What I Liked

1. Reference Center and Mains provide excellent all-around performance.

2. Speakers can be either wall or stand mounted.

3. TR-2 Subwoofer provides excellent, tight, deep bass response.

4. A'Diva T provides excellent surround sound support for rest of the system.

5. Very smooth transition between the rest of the speakers and TR-2 Powered Subwoofer.

What I Didn't Like

1. Screw-on speaker terminals on the A-Diva T speakers are too small to grab and hold the speaker wire.

2. Vocals on some CD recordings sounded a little too crisp. This may be due to the speakers bringing out the details of the mix are not noticeable in more forgiving speakers.

3. Reasonably-priced for the high-end user but expensive for the purely budget minded.

Final Take

As I stated in my introduction, there are literally thousands of loudspeakers on the market, and many times the choice, despite all the technical specs, is determined by how they sound to you.

The Anthony Gallo AV Reference Center and Mains use a spherical housing for each mid-range/woofer speaker. By combining several spherically-housed speakers with a unique tweeter design, Gallo has come up with excellent home theater speaker design.

In addition, the A'Diva T speakers, with their compact single-speaker and spherical housing are an excellent complement to the AV Reference Center and Mains, delivering just the right sound texture and surprisingly strong output for surround applications.

The TR-2 powered subwoofer provided excellent, tight, distinctive bass for both home the theater and music applications. The TR-2 is definitely one of the best subs I have heard in a while.

According Anthony Gallo, the AV Reference Mains and Center, are designed to sound best when wall mounted. However, even though I used the alternative stand option for this review to make it easier to move them to different system setups, I found that their sound quality using floor stands was excellent.

Wall mounting provides an aesthetically pleasing setup with wall-mounted Flat Panel LCD or Plasma Televisions. However, you do have the option of floor or table mounting using optional stands. When using the stand option, place the speakers as close to the wall as possible.

For great surround sound that doesn't sacrifice quality just for effect, I give these Anthony Gallo speakers 5 of 5 stars.