From the October 1994 issue of HOME THEATER TECHNOLOGY 
If You Like What You See Here, Don't Miss The Real Thing!
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Product Review

Miller &Kreisel
Home Theater Speaker System

This satellite/ subwoofer system makes a believer out of a skeptic.

by Steve Thompson

Show me.
A good friend of mine calls me Mr. Missouri. Okay, so maybe Im overly skeptical, maybe even a little pessimistic. But Ive never been one to take just anyones word for it. I like to find out for myself.
So when I first saw this funny looking little cube of a speaker, I just had to be skeptical. You normally dont see so many drivers in such a small package. Besides, there are a lot of loudspeakers out there, in every shape and size imaginable. What makes this one any different, besides the way it looks? Show me, I said.
Never one to back away from a challenge, Miller & Kreisel Sound responded with a complete home-theater speaker package, including three of the funny looking S-100Bs for the front channels.
With no less than five drivers packed into a sexy 12x10 12x812-inch box, these little speakers cant help but catch the eye. Three vertically stacked dome tweeters stand at attention down one side, flanked by two midrange drivers.
Of course, we all know that home theater doesnt stop with the front three channels, and this system doesnt stop there either. Slightly smaller than the S-100B, M&Ks S-80 satellites are perfect for use as surround speakers. They use the same drivers as the S-100B, except theres only a single woof and tweet per speaker. Finally, no respectable home theater is complete without a subwoofer. Enter the MX-100, with two 12-inch drivers and 200 watts of power.
I set up the M&K system in my living room. With one magnetically shielded (both shielded and un-shielded versions are available) 
S-100B perched atop my TV at a height of 41 inches from the floor, and the other two on 29-inch-high stands flanking the set about two feet to either side, I prepared myself to futz with the surround speakers. Fortunately, Ive had a lot of systems in this room. With the sofa up against the wall, the only adequate method Ive found to get a nice surround soundfield is to mount the surround speakers on their backs at sofa level pointing up toward the ceiling.
I plopped the sub in the most obvious place: right up front, figuring it might take a little trial-and-error to get it to sound smooth. It turns out I wasnt too far off, having been through this process many times before.
By this time, I was committed. Forgoing a dinner date, I was determined to see how this system performed, even if I starved to death. Okay, you know the drill. Balance the channels using the noise sequencer in the Pro Logic decoder. Now the sub level. I like a nice, smooth transition between the satellites and sub. The best way to get the level right is to listen to something I know.
With its simple acoustic bass line, Marty Willson-Pipers Evil Queen of England from Art Attack (Rykodisc RCD 20042) works for me. Get that string bass sounding like its right there in the room with you, and you can rest assured that youre pretty close. It wasnt difficult to get the transition between the S-100Bs and the sub relatively smooth by ear, and after shifting the sub position a bit and messing with the sub level, I felt good about what I had accomplished.
Now comes the fun part. M&K has always offered their listeners plenty of options. The S-100B includes high- and mid-frequency contour switches on the back panel, each with a high, mid, and normal position, as well as two pairs of binding posts that provide four combinations to compensate for various mounting positions (on a wall, in a bookshelf, on stands, in a corner, etc.). This almost scared me off. But by offering a slew of combinations, this speaker can be tailored to sound really good in just about any room.
It wasnt easy to click through all those combinations, swapping out laserdisc after laserdisc, deciding what sounded natural in my room, and then listening some more. But, after a few hours, I got there. And when I got there, I knew thats where I wanted to be. 
At the risk of sounding like an audio critic, the S-100Bs imaged wonderfully. Panning was smooth and precise across the front soundstage, and the S-80s provided a smooth transition to the rear. Bass was tight and deep, even at the controlled listening levels required by my neighbors.
But enough of that. This 
system kicks. It got my blood flowing and got me excited about what I could listen to next. As a matter of fact, I couldnt get enough, and I found myself frequenting the local laserdisc rental store more often than 
ever before.
And whats more important, Ive lived with this system for awhile now, and I still like it. Even after the novelty factor has long since worn off, I still get excited every time I unsheath a new LD, anticipating the experience awaiting me. As a matter of fact, I dont even think about the speakers anymore, and I think thats probably the most flattering thing I can say about them. This is one system you can really live with.

 1994 Home Theater Technology Magazine

From the October 1994 issue of HOME THEATER TECHNOLOGY 
If You Like What You See Here, Don't Miss The Real Thing!
Subscribe Today To HOME THEATER TECHNOLOGY Magazine
On Newstands everywhere or 
Call (800) 264-9872 To Subscribe - $23.95 For A Full Year

