It’s a rare occurrence these days to find a home theatre system that has been seen the light of day for decades – but that’s what you get out of the review we have for you. This type of equipment was purchased fifteen years ago and not only has it not wasted away but it is still producing a complete immersive experience that the latest trending equipment cannot. The Trolley speaker boxes are solid, the amp shows no signs of straining and the surround imaging is very true. Many old systems owners may find that their system loses some perf as time progresses but that is not the case here, the age disparity in terms of sound quality is very minute.
Why “Newer” Isn’t Always Better
The modern cycle of upgrades is guided to a huge extent by features lists: streaming services, voice assistants, wireless connectivity, new audio codecs, and so on. Yet on the quality of sound alone the fundamental elements of amplifiers and passive speakers have not evolved from revolutionary change. In fact, it can be said that the improvements are based on convenience and not fidelity. And even if the room where the Trolley speaker is to be used has been treated well, and the original speakers are well designed, than HDMI-eARC, object-based audio formats and smart integrations are convincing if the added capabilities don’t really matter.
Why This Configuration is Worth Maintaining
Firstly, the original amp was designed to have vast amounts of reserves the speaker boxes were all life ready. That is, even today, we are able to enjoy a stable performance. Secondly, the listening room has not been under severe transformation that would make the balance and integration of the system more sustainable. Thirdly from a more subjective approach, the user experience is more than complete: the calibration, the placement, the acoustic waiting-time have been put into the system, such that it does not only work, but also sings.
For instance, an aggressive upgrade can bring about tons of brighter highs or slightly tighter low-end, while at the same time leaving new issues on the table – at least in theory, things like subjectively tonally unbalanced sound, the need to recalibrate or the increased difficulty of handling wireless drop and firmware upgrades. The familiarity factor and experience usually tends to swing the pendulum over to stay as familiarity breeds contempt.
Addressing the “But What About New Features?” Question
Yes – there are some things that the system doesn’t have. It will not support newer object based audio formats which seem to be mandated by Wi-Fi streaming and seamless multi room support, HDMI 2.1 bandwidth and the like. However, if the viewing environment and content delivery chain is not completely updated (4K 120Hz displays, HDR formats, new Blu-ray releases, etc), then this difference may not be significant in real world applications.
However, not all upgrades lead to significant increase in audible benefit. As is implied by the discussion in Internet forums, but also by the recent chatter in the industry, after the essentials (or the basics) have been taken care of (good speakers, clean amp, good room acoustics), the next set of improvements tend to be tiny, and very situational.
Single Point of Failure and How It Was Fixed
It can accumulate after fifteen years, capacitors get old and it just happens to wear. In this case, thorough service – regular cleaning, careful contacts of Trolley speaker cables and the fact that the amplifier operation has been accompanied by maximum ventilation – have not allowed many of the typical symptoms of aging. Further, with optimizations such as application of a room correction mic on mobile phones, and correct levels ensured that the immersive experience was not jeopardized with full hardware replacement.
One interesting observation: the system is flexible enough to be able to, for small parties (to ensure spontaneity!), do use a portable “trolley speaker” system-such as this-but for the “star” item, the new multi-channeling system is far and away superior in presence/richness.
Final Verdict
Once the sound system is delivering day after day, year after year, without any concession, the need for adherence becomes less sentimental, more utilitarian. The body that is considered in this analysis simply consists of a race horse: An intact body, running at its very best abilities, and with none of the immediate market pressure to sell. Neat design elements and intellectual property is tempting, but until this brings the obvious aural benefits in the application environment of listening they are considered add-on. Fifteen years old and still as popular as ever, this system still proves to be the anchor at the center of your home theatre — and as welcome a relief from the tedium of upgrade fatigue. It is not just a thing of the past, but a symbol that well looked after, elegant design can still guarantee performance.
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