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 August 1, 2009 Infinity Primus P252 Loudspeakers
Since then, Infinity has made far less expensive speaker systems, for the car and the home. Now, with the Primus P252, the Infinity engineers have come up with a pair of floorstanding speakers for the extremely low cost of $400 USD per pair. Features and design When I inspected the Primus P252, I noticed that its design was very similar to those of the impressive higher-end floorstanders from such manufacturers as Paradigm and Klipsch. I removed the grille from one speaker and inspected the two 5.25" Metal Matrix Diaphragm (MMD) drivers embedded in the baffle, and, above them, the 0.75" MMD tweeter. The fourth-order crossover is specified at 2500Hz. These sleekly designed two-way speakers weigh 35.3 pounds each, and measure 35.75"H x 7.38"W x 11.75"D. The P252 comes in only a black wood-grain vinyl veneer that goes well with the baffle’s sleek, metal-colored trim. A highlight of the design is Infinity’s attempts to lower distortion through their proprietary MMD technology, in which the speaker cones’ performance is improved by anodizing them to make them stiffer and less prone to breakup. Infinity claims that this substantially decreases distortion levels at high volumes. Infinity’s other claims for the Primus P252 include an ability to handle up to 150W from the amplifier or receiver, a good sensitivity rating of 92dB/2.83V/m, a frequency response of 49Hz-20kHz (+/-3dB), and a nominal impedance of 8 ohms. These are all in the ballpark of far more expensive competing speaker systems, but for only a fraction of their cost. System My main source component was a Denon DVD-2910 DVD/SACD/CD player. To determine how well the Primus P252 could handle pure two-channel audio, I used a Denon AVR-2809CI A/V receiver, which delivers 115Wpc and features Audyssey MultEQ. I also used a Furman M-8DX power conditioner. Listening To analyze the Primus P252s’ ability to deliver a two-channel soundstage, I needed a recording that featured a damn good sound engineer and covered a wide spectrum of musical styles. Luckily, Fergie’s debut album, The Dutchess (CD, A&M 0008312), fit the bill. Following Fergie’s huge success with the Black Eyed Peas, this solo CD (2006) redefined her vocal abilities for a wide audience while bringing new fans into the fold with an uncanny mix of pure pop and such diverse musical influences as jazz, reggae, and classical. From the first moments of "Voodoo Doll," as this funk-inspired track kicked in with the sounds of the band’s main saxophonist, the P252s came alive, producing a precise soundscape, the musicians placed in a pinpoint, focused arrangement across the front of the room. I’ve heard much more expensive loudspeaker systems that didn’t initially impress me as much in their delivery of precise bass punch and treble purity. The saxophone was reproduced admirably, with good retrieval of detail, and the Infinitys had enough dynamic range to make it sound almost real. When, after the instrumental introduction, Fergie’s soaring voice comes crashing in, the soundstage came alive with an incredibly vibrant musical resonance that showcased how well the P252s could fill a listening space. The speakers’ reproduction of bass was full and deep, if not subwoofer-deep, which spoke volumes for the P252s’ ability to handle the low end by themselves in most systems and rooms. As I turned up the volume during the middle of the song, when the drums really crash in, I could hear no distortion from the speakers. The P252s had no trouble delivering the full power of the Denon receiver’s 115Wpc. After such a dynamic demonstration of the Primus P252s’ prowess with music, it was time to hear how just the two of them would handle the DTS soundtrack of the Blu-ray edition of Wanted. This movie features a lot of action as it follows the exploits of superagents of an underground crime syndicate, each trying to kill the others first, and the P252s delivered the overwhelmingly powerful sound effects of shattering glass, flying bullets, and exploding bombs. A prime example was the opening action sequence, which begins with a nicely orchestrated musical score that gradually rises to a climax as a big man, being shot at by an unknown assassin, backs into an elevator and plants his right heel directly into the cab’s metal wall. The Infinity P252s delivered the remarkably loud crunch of his heel as, preparing to launch himself out of the office building with as much force as possible, he solidly forces the crumpled metal against the wall. Bullets fly out toward the man as he runs as fast as he can; their loud, shrill clang as they hit the walls and glass of the hallway came through the Infinitys with good clarity and no audible distortion. The P252s did an outstanding job of reproducing the sound effects of the bullets smashing into walls and windows along with an adept reproduction of the musical score as the onscreen mayhem continued. Finally, the man launches himself through a heavy plate-glass window with a huge explosion of shattered glass. That loud, impactful sound effect, combined with the driving musical score, illustrated the P252s’ good power handling and wide dynamic range.
I was impressed with the fact that, without the benefit of a subwoofer or even a center speaker, I was hearing such great high and low frequencies during Wanted’s action sequences. The dialog, too, was crystal clear, without the slightest hint of distortion, even as the sound effects and musical score built to new heights of aural bombardment that an inferior speaker system might very well render as muddled, at the very least. Comparison There are many low-cost tower speakers on the market today, such as the Polk Audio RT600s ($550/pair), which I used for comparison. The Polk RT600 lacked the Infinity Primus P252’s midbass punch and overall clarity. The combination of the P252’s ability to evenly and agilely disperse sound with little to no distortion, even at high volume levels, made it stand out. The Infinity’s capacity to bring out the hard-hitting sound effects and relentless musical scores of such action-packed movies as Wanted without breaking up was nothing short of miraculous. The Polk RT600 tended to blur the low frequencies when playing music and soundtracks at high levels. I heard no such blurring with the Primus P252, regardless of volume. On the contrary, I found the Infinitys did a really fine job of reproducing the low end of Fergie’s "Voodoo Doll." Great speakers at extremely low cost Before hearing the Infinity Primus P252s, but knowing that they cost only $400/pair, I wasn’t expecting much. But I was so blown away by the experience of listening to them that I felt almost compelled to purchase a pair. In these recessionary times, it’s good to know that an audiophile who doesn’t have much cash on hand can still upgrade his or her audio system without going bankrupt. If you’re looking for a pair of small tower speakers at a great price that will enhance the sound of your CD collection as well as your DVDs and Blu-rays, I highly recommend the Infinity Primus P252. . . . Rob Mead Infinity Primus P252 Loudspeakers Infinity Systems Website: www.infinitysystems.com
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Though known
to many consumers as an audio manufacturer that specializes in bringing low- to midrange
car audio speakers to the general public, Infinity also makes speakers designed to appeal
to audiophiles -- in fact, that’s where they got their start. Established in 1968,
Infinity, much to audiophiles’ delight, incorporated their proprietary
ElectroMagnetic Induction Tweeter (EMIT) and ElectroMagnetic Induction Midrange (EMIM)
drivers into their most important loudspeaker models. In the 1980s, these drivers were
used in Infinity’s highly influential Infinity Reference System (IRS), whose 76
EMITs, 36 EMIMs, and many other design elements comprised what many still think was the
very first super-high-end loudspeaker system. But the target audience was not the general
public -- a complete IRS system cost more than $65,000.
