Напольная акустика — Cambrige Audio SX50

The SX50 is the smallest passive loudspeaker in the SX series from Cambridge Audio, a British company whose products are designed in London. It is a compact two-way standmount model rather than a tower, sold as a pair and meant for bookshelves, desks, media units or dedicated speaker stands. Cambridge Audio positions it both for two-channel stereo listening and as one part of a home cinema speaker package.

Key specs that matter

Inside each cabinet a 135 mm (5.25-inch) woofer using a treated paper diaphragm works with a 25 mm (1-inch) silk dome tweeter, divided by a two-way crossover. Low-frequency loading comes from one reflex vent placed at the back. Sensitivity is rated at 87 dB, nominal impedance at 8 ohm, and the stated frequency response runs from 50 Hz to 22 kHz. Cambridge Audio recommends amplifiers delivering between 10 and 100 W. Each speaker measures 225 mm high, 161 mm wide and 240 mm deep and weighs 3.0 kg. The only finish offered is matte black, and the drivers are not magnetically shielded.

Engineering and use context

Rigid MDF forms the cabinet walls, and the enclosure was developed with computer-aided modelling to limit panel resonance and internal vibration. Driver placement on the baffle and the crossover tuning were set to keep the woofer and tweeter in phase where their ranges overlap. Because the port fires backwards, the manual asks for about 5 cm of free space behind each cabinet, and two foam bungs are packed with the pair to close the ports and reduce bass output when that clearance is not available. Eight rubber pads are also included for the base of the cabinets. A single pair of positive and negative binding posts on each speaker accepts banana plugs or bare wire, which rules out split cabling to separate amplifier channels, and the manual stresses matching polarity between amplifier and speaker terminals.

Pairing

The easy nominal load and the recommended amplifier power window make the SX50 straightforward to connect to compact integrated amplifiers, stereo receivers or the channels of an AV receiver. With its moderate sensitivity, reaching the same volume takes more watts than with speakers rated a few decibels higher. In a home cinema layout the pair can take the front or surround positions, and the limited bass extension makes a powered subwoofer the logical partner for film soundtracks with deep effects.

Alternatives

The Cambridge Audio SX60 is a larger standmount with a 6.5-inch woofer, a front-firing port and 89 dB sensitivity.