Rich, precise, dynamic — warm.
These are all words we use to describe speakers and audio products in general, but they sometimes leave me wondering what that really means.
In testing the PS Audio Aspen FR5 speakers recently, all the words above came to mind, but I wanted to figure out what that really means. In many ways, the word “warm” specifically is too vague, too general. Also, when we say warm we usually mean it is slightly hot to the touch, like a burner on your stove that was used to cook your eggs a few hours ago.
To dive into the topic, I had to play a lot of songs — and I mean a lot. Over several weeks, I connected an Onkyo TX-8470 2-Channel Network Receiver (which I am also reviewing) and used my personal turntable, a laptop running the Tidal app, my phone, and anything else I could think of. I put the speakers on the included stands and sat back on my sectional and tried to really let the sound engulf me as a way to determine what warm really means.
That’s when it finally hit me.
The FR5 speakers are warm because they cover a full spectrum of frequencies, from “35Hz to beyond 20kHz” as they claim. The enclosures make sure the sound hitting you on a sectional is the sound the artists intended. They are described as “full range” which means you will hear subtle details in the music you don’t hear in the car or on your fancy earbuds.
Let me start with a song that has become a total earworm for me — it’s by the band The Coronas and it gets deeply stuck in the synapses. It’s called “If You’re Going” and it is a very interesting test song. In the car, you hear the lyrics, the guitar — the medley is pronounced and catchy. However, it wasn’t until I listened to the FR5 speakers that I noticed there is a lot of “extra” audio in the song, almost like sonic dissonance. It’s a very full, somewhat chaotic song but you really only hear it on the speakers.
Next, I went back to an album I’ve loved since it came out. Peter Gabriel’s I/O is a sonically pleasing album, but “warm” and “full” don’t do the album enough service. You hear the drums as though they are playing right next to your eardrums, as though the band was in the room with you. Now, I will say the FR5 bookshelf-sized speakers can compete with floorstanding models I’ve tested, and the sound doesn’t fill every corner of the room, but you start to appreciate words like arm because you can hear the full sonic spectrum. Warm means transported, moved. It means the product captures both your heart and your mind.
I love anything by the band My Morning Jacket, and that was another test (using vinyl) that brought it all home to me. I like how the speakers sitting on the stands hit you right between the eardrums when you listen, moving you to another plane of listening.
The set costs a cool $3,499 but I would say they are worth it for the audiophile and also from the movie fan and even the casual listener who can appreciate good quality. The stands add an extra $500 which seems worth it. The speakers also come in black or white.
Overall, I loved the sound and testing out what warm even means. In the end, for me, it means the product is worth the price.
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