I've already posted this on AVS, but thought I'd share it here too.

A few weeks ago I received an email from the folks at Outlaw Audio announcing the availability of their new bookshelf. Since I was setting up a new theater, I thought it would be interesting to test a pair (or three) of these out. Since I am partial to wood veneer, I ordered three cherry speakers. They arrived a day later (one of the good things about living near the Outlaws) and were double boxed. They are packaged two to a box (not sure why, as they’d be easier to lug around if packaged singly), so one of the boxes had foam in place of the second speaker.

Workmanship is top-notch: the finish is furniture quality, and the cabinets are finished in what appears to be a matte lacquer. All sides save the front are veneered, while the front baffle is finished in black. The grilles are metal and fit into a groove on the front panel. So as not to scratch the cabinet, the edges of the grill that fit into the groove are covered in felt. This would also appear to stop any potential rattling that a metal grill might cause, while still making the grills easily removable.

I am a firm believer in having matching (identical) speakers up front and thus am using them as LCRs. This gives to me a perfect match and panning of action across the screen. Of course, placement will cause response differences (shelf vs freestanding) and Outlaw has tackled this problem with a rather innovative solution. There are two toggle switches on the back: one to adjust the tweeter level (flat, plus and minus 2db) and the other to adjust bass level to tailor the sound to corner, shelf or freestanding placement (flat, minus two and minus four db). This is the first time I’ve seen this much flexibility in a passive speaker (active speakers such as pro monitors offer these types of adjustments as a matter of course) but the last speaker I can recall that offered low end of this kind was the AR 10pi twenty-five years ago.

Listening Impressions:

I set the speakers on 30” Sanus Reference stands. They are about 9 feet apart and 11 feet from the listening chairs. The center is mounted just below my flat panel on the shelf of my Salamander Designs cabinet, which is open in its central position. Here, the bass adjustment switch worked to perfection, allowing me to attenuate the increased low-end response due to the shelf and achieve a seamless match between the left and right speakers. I’ve logged about 10 hours on them so far and have determined in my slightly live room that the -2db switch on the tweeter works best.

Sonically they are very neutral and transparent with an upfront sound and wide and deep soundstage. Subwoofer blending is excellent: the ported woofer of this speaker appears very well behaved. Without a sub, they sound rather lean and I sure wouldn’t want to use them sans sub for movies, but for music you can get by without a sub (bassheads and organ aficionados excepted) but will be missing the bottom octave and half. Outlaw specs them to 54hz (and I have no reason to doubt their claim). Using a subwoofer though, frees up the midrange, makes the sound more fluid and of course adds the missing bottom that makes action movies and bass heavy music so visceral.

Imaging can be downright spooky on the right tracks: I was listening to Herbie Hancock’s Possibilities and heard sounds way to the right of the right speaker. In fact, I had to make sure I hadn’t accidentally turned on Pro Logic II, but was indeed listening to two channel.

I’ve run them through the paces using classical, jazz, vocals, opera, some pop and rock and they always sound good: even handed, not emphasizing one frequency range over another. Clarity is excellent and instrumental timbre spot on. Whomever Outlaw hired to design and build these knows speaker design and good sound.

For $1000 they appear expensive for what you get: a pair of small bookshelves, but I consider these to be reference quality with excellent pair matching and sound. They really achieve studio monitor levels of accuracy in a small, beautiful package with wonderful adjustability. I’d be interested in other’s thoughts about this new kid on the speaker block.

The first feedback arrives! Very intriguing write-up, tony. Thanks for the review.

Thanks Tony. Great write up.

I am sure we will get to read more reviews as the speakers arrive at peoples homes. Would be interesting to to find out how they compare to other top-rated bookshelves that retail for under $1,500...

At this level of quality, beauty is in the eye of the beholder: top-notch sound, great build quality, excellent customer service, a great combination. Hopefully other reports validate my opinion.

Tony that is a great review. Just three questions what equipment was used during your listening? Also do you have your room treated? Lastly, are you comparing its sound against something else?

Thanks for the information. I've been waiting to get first impressions on these speakers.

I used a Panasonic SA-XR57 as a stand alone receiver, an Outlaw 990 and amp as separates. The speakers were crossed over at 80hz to a pair of NHT U1 sub woofers driven by two Outlaw M200 amplifiers.

My room is heavily furnished. Hardwood floor covered with a Flokati rug. All windows have heavy, light blocking pleated shades. There are 3 large bookcases filled with books on either side of the listening chairs.

I compared them to Dynaudio BM5a professional monitors and Genelec 8030a monitors. I also have several other speakers at home to compare them to, but am loath to do "head to head" comparisons as what might be good for me might not be good for you. What I can say is that at their price point (and beyond) the Outlaw Bookshelf is a serious contender.

Last night I watched 24 at reference level. Dialog intelligibility was excellent: I was able to make out the various interplay of telephone and regular communication with ease. Compared to several horizontal centers I have had, I definitely felt it was much easier to "decode" what was going on in this complex show.

It sounds like you're really enjoying these Outlaws, Tony. Great feedback...

Anyone else - surely, many people have purchased these...or maybe not... guess not a whole lot of people want/can afford $1,000 book shelves...

Perhaps, having 20 models, instead of 4 - at different price/performance points, so people have a choice, is NOT a bad thing.

But that would also be straining resources too much - no RIGHT answer to this one...

If you're interested, I'd say give them a listen. They're definitely worth the cost of shipping and you might be as pleased as I am.

I would - the only problem is that I have two sons (5 and 2) - they are extremely curious about anything NEW that comes to the house (they have, amazingly, not destroyed my current floor-standers). The 30-day return policy is no good on speakers which have been "examined" by the two brats.

Such is life - can't get anything home to demo for the next few years.

Anyway - anyone else - PLEASE? Too quiet around here...

Sorry you're having trouble with your sons, or were when you wrote yesterday. I don't remember any destructive "examinations" by my 3 sons when they were little, but my speakers - Acoustic Research AR-4x's pushed by homemade Dyna tube gear, those were the days! - were mounted up at the wall-ceiling corners; no footprints and no temptations. Try a little environmental planning.

I bought a pair of the bookshelf loudspeakers as soon as they were available. I used them as a replacement for a pair of PSB model 300s. The Outlaw speakers are excellent and a definite improvement to my system. The exterior finish of my black speakers is very nice. The sound is very detailed and extremely transparent both in home theater and in playing music. As I described to one person, these speakers seem to enjoy reproducing music, if that makes any sense. I look forward to Outlaw producing a dedicated center channel speaker to compliment the bookshelf speakers. Sig