Infinity Classia C336 Speakers

Speaker companies come and go, but a few manage to stake a lasting claim in the loudspeaker market. Infinity, founded in 1968 is one of those companies. One of their first high-end speakers was the Servo-Statik 1 speaker that featured ribbon midranges and tweeters, and although ultra-expensive, they were well received by audio enthusiasts. Marking their 40th anniversary, Infinity is now part of Harman International, a conglomerate of several consumer electronics companies. In addition to higher end models, Infinity now offers more affordable home and car audio speaker systems, such as the new Classia Series speakers.

The Infinity Classia Series is a line of uniquely designed loudspeakers for stereo or home theater systems. The line includes the C336 tower loudspeakers, the C205 bookshelf Speakers, a center channel speaker, surround speakers and a wireless subwoofer.

The C336 is a three-way floorstanding tower speaker with three 6 ½" woofers, a 4" midrange and 1" tweeter, all magnetically shielded. The Classia Series use Infinity's patented CMMD drivers, with diaphragms made of a ceramic and metal compound designed for greater rigidity and higher cone damping. The C336 is a vented enclosure with a rear-facing port. They are relatively efficient with a sensitivity spec of 91dB, so a moderately powered receiver or amp with 75 watts per channel or more will be enough power for them.

The Infinity towers can also be bi-wired or bi-amped for better performance.

The striking visual appearance of the Classia 336 speakers makes them well suited for a contemporary room décor. They are available in black gloss or Cherry wood veneer with silver accent trim. The unique enclosure design features an angled top that gives them a very avant-garde appearance.

Their height, which is taller than many towers, also makes them a good choice for use next to a rear projection television.

I listened to the Classia C336 speakers in my home theater and stereo system. They were combined with the Infinity C205 bookshelf speakers for rear channels and the Infinity PSW310W wireless subwoofer.

As stereo speakers, they have a neutral sound quality, particularly in the bass, mid-bass region. Bass quantity is dependent on speaker placement as a result of the rear facing ports. Placement close to a wall will produce more bass, so fine-tuning the location is important to achieve the right bass balance.

The bass in Steely Dan's “Aja,” on my seldom-played Original Master Recording LP sounded solid and tight with quick transient response. Vocals imaged well with good center positioning.

Midrange and highs had plenty of detail and sounded well balanced with the bass. Mids and highs sounded very clear and detailed in Diana Krall's “How Insensitive” with excellent center imaging and a wide soundstage. I noted the same soundstage in my review of the Infinity C205 speakers.

Perhaps the best demonstration of the speaker's capabilities was Linda Ronstadt's "What's New" with the Nelson Riddle Orchestra on LP. The imaging from the Infinity speakers sounded extraordinary. Her voice seemed to float between the speakers with a broad and deep soundstage.

I've been watching all six seasons of the hit Fox series “24” in 5.1-channel Dolby Digital. The challenges faced by the main character, Jack Bauer are made even more suspenseful and real by the Infinity speakers. Strong bass, clear dialog and an enveloping sound field created by the Infinity speakers draw the viewer into the story.

If you're searching for tower speakers that offer good performance for stereo and home theater at an affordable price, put the Infinity Classia C336 speakers on your short list of main speakers. They have great sound quality for a home theater system and will easily satisfy stereo enthusiasts. It's important to pay close attention to placement because of the rear facing port, but with a little time and patience you'll be rewarded with good sound for music and movies.

• Frequency Response (±3dB): 40Hz – 30kHz
• Recommended Power Amplifier Range: 10 Watts – 250 watts
• Sensitivity (2.83V @ 1m): 91dB
• Nominal Impedance: 8 Ohms
• Crossover Frequency: 500Hz, 2800Hz; 24dB/octave
• Low-Frequency Driver: Triple 6-1/2" CMMD®
• Midrange Driver: 4" CMMD
• High-Frequency Driver: 1" CMMD
• Dimensions (H x W x D): 48-1/2" x 8-1/2" x 10-1/2"
• Weight: 56.1 lb each
• Price: $1798/pair
• Contact: Infinitysystems.com