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CoNEXTion Sonoma Ten Indoor/Outdoor Speakers: Full Review

Outdoor Speakers with High Fidelity Sound

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CoNEXTion Sonoma Ten Indoor/Outdoor Speakers: Full Review

CoNEXTion Systems Sonoma Ten Indoor/Outdoor Speakers

Conextion Systems
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There is no shortage of outdoor speakers available online or from your local retailer. Unfortunately, outdoor speakers often don't have the sound quality users expect and are treated background music speakers. Many have little, if any, bass and sound more like midranges speakers.

Fortunately, there are some exceptions. CoNEXTion Systems is one of them. By applying a combination of good drivers and a few unique features, the CoNEXTion Sonoma Ten speakers deliver greater fidelity for outdoor music enjoyment. The Sonoma Ten is the company's entry-level outdoor speaker that offers more than entry-level performance.

Features

The Sonoma Ten is a two-way speaker with a 5 ¼" aluminum driver with a 1" aluminum tweeter and two passive radiators. The passive radiators, dubbed SFPC (Side Firing Pneumatic Coupled) provide enhanced bass response, even outdoors. It's the first design I've seen with this feature.

A passive radiator is a speaker cone, but it has no voice coil or magnet and is not connected to the amplifier. A passive radiator enhances bass response much like a port or vent in the enclosure.The Sonoma Ten has two passive radiators, each about 4" x 3", one on each side of the cabinet. The two passive radiators won't cause your patio to shake and roll like an indoor subwoofer, but they serve to fill in the low frequencies and produce a more balanced, full sound quality.

The Sonoma Ten speakers feature a one-piece speaker-bracket assembly designed to make installation easier. Each speaker has four screws to attach the speaker to a wall or under the eaves. The screws are concealed behind two hinged end-caps that open to reveal the mounting holes, the speaker terminals and angle adjustment levers. The back of the mounting bracket is also recessed to provide a wire channel.

The CoNEXTion Sonoma Ten provide up to 40-degrees of adjustment so they can be aimed at the listening area. The locking adjustment levers are also hidden behind the end caps. If wall mounting is not an option, the speakers come with tabletop speaker stands, which could be useful for moving the speakers indoors in the event of inclement weather.

Performance

Critical listening is certainly not an outdoor activity and although the CoNEXTion Sonoma Ten speakers will not replace your carefully selected indoor stereo speakers, they will provide greater outdoor music enjoyment with better fidelity, fuller bass response and improved midrange clarity. Just because a speaker is intended for outdoor listening doesn't mean that it can't provide high quality music reproduction. The CoNEXTion Systems Sonoma Ten speakers, priced at $599/pair will deliver true high fidelity sound to outdoor music listening. The CoNEXTion Sonoma Ten speakers come in a paintable white or black finish.

As an alternative, consider the Sonoma Twenty speaker, a single enclosure stereo version of the Sonoma Ten, priced at $375 each.

Specifications

  • Drivers: Woofer: 5 ¼" aluminum with butyl rubber surround Tweeter: 1" aluminum
  • Recommended amp power: 10 – 150 watts
  • Nominal impedance: 4 ohms
  • Frequency response: 60Hz – 20kHz (+/- 3dB)
  • Sensitivity: 89dB
  • Dimensions (L x W x D): 15.35" x 6.90" x 7.03"
  • Weight: 10lbs
  • Price: $600/pair
  • Contact: coNEXTionsystems.com

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