The R7t is the flagship tower speaker of the Perlisten R-Series, which carries technology down from the S-Series. Perlisten, based in Verona, Wisconsin, first showed it at the Florida Audio Expo in Tampa in February 2022, with a suggested retail price of USD 4,995 per speaker. It is designed as a standalone 2-channel speaker that can also take its place in multi-channel systems.
Key specs that matter
The R7t is a 4-way design, with a bottom-firing port that can be closed with the supplied bungs to turn it into a sealed box. Sensitivity is 90.0 dB at 2.83 V and 1 m, and impedance is 4 ohm nominal. Between 80 Hz and 20 kHz the listening-window output is held to a 1.5 dB tolerance either way. At the minus 10 dB points the range is 27 Hz to 32 kHz in reflex form and 38 Hz to 32 kHz when sealed. Typical in-room bass extension is 19 Hz with the port open and 30 Hz with it closed. The recommended amplifier power is 100 to 400 W RMS. Peak SPL capability at 1 m is 116.0 dB while second and third harmonic distortion stays under 3 percent. The cabinet is 1268 mm high, 230 mm wide and 350 mm deep, and one speaker weighs 48.0 kg.
Engineering and use context
Above the woofers sits a patent-pending Directivity Pattern Control (DPC) waveguide built around three 26 mm silk domes, arranged to match the other R-Series models. The silk diaphragms were developed in-house. Perlisten states that the array uses beam forming to control directivity down to 500 Hz. The four 165 mm woofers use HPF, a Hybrid Pulp Formulation cone material that mixes long fibre hardwood, bamboo and wool, and it took two years to develop. The speaker is THX Certified Ultra for LCR duty and THX Certified Dominus when used as a surround, with the Dominus rating covering rooms up to 184 cubic metres and viewing distances up to 6 metres. Its enclosure uses high-density fibreboard of varying thicknesses, braced inside by four planks running horizontally and vertically, and the curved front baffle is CNC milled from 1.65 inch HDF. An aluminium bottom plate carries footers with rubber bases for hard floors or spikes for carpet. Production takes place at a partner facility in China, and the warranty runs five years, or six with registration.
Pairing
The recommended power band calls for a solid-state amplifier or AV receiver that stays comfortable driving a 4 ohm load. The two pairs of binding posts also allow bi-wiring, with jumpers supplied for a single cable run. In a home cinema the tower can anchor the front channels next to R-Series centre and surround models, and the sealed setting makes sense when a subwoofer handles the lowest octave.
Alternatives
The Perlisten R5t is the other tower speaker in the R-Series.