The AS-06s shine because of their elite cabinet design and quality driver construction. The speakers are made of medium-density fiberboard (MDF), a dense, consistent wood material that ensures both great sound and minimum resonance. The woofers, meanwhile, are built for high performance, high efficiency, durability, and--of course--topnotch sound. The cones' injection-molded polypropylene stays rigid during the most extreme excursion, yet is light enough to enable fast movement, which means an accurate and tight bass response. Plus, the rubber surrounds are the best available, and provide quiet woofer movement and durability.

The Teteron tweeters, however, are the speakers' focal point. Arguably the most important element of a high-performance speaker, each tweeter disperses loud, clear, and accurate highs in a wide window from its unique faceplate. The durable synthetic Teteron material is also specially contoured to reduce distortion and fit into the custom-designed bezel, which amplifies and optimizes the tweeter's dispersion. Teteron is even impervious to moisture, so it won't change over time, nor does it have any inherent ringing problems--unlike the tweeters built into many conventional home theater speakers. And the best part is that Athena uses the Teteron tweeter in all its Audition series models, making it easy to create a seamless sounding home theater system.

Additional audio specifications range from an 8 ohm impedance to a sensitivity rating of 89 dB to power handling of 125 watts. And as with all quality speakers, the AS-06s boasts sturdy gold-plated five-way binding post terminals that work with audiophile-grade cable up to 12 gauge in thickness. Want to use standard pins or banana jacks instead of bare wire? No problem. All this in an attractive matte white housing that looks great on the patio or in the home.

Though the AS-06 speakers work with almost any home theater system, they sound particularly good when teamed with other speakers from Athena's Audition series (all Audition speakers are timbre matched for the best possible performance). In addition, each speaker comes with a flexible mounting system, making it easy to install on a wall or below an overhang. Finally, the speakers--which measure 8 by 13.1 by 8.4 inches (W x H x D) each--are protected by a five-year warranty on parts and labor.

What's in the Box
Two AS-06 speakers, two mounting brackets, user's manual.