The IL60’s overall balance was somewhat forward in the upper midrange. There was also a lack of ultimate transparency and delicacy in the mid to treble region, along with less than stellar rendering of low-level detail and microdynamic expression. Add less extension and power at the very bot- tom and, good as the IL60 was, it was no Prelude. Hardly surprising. When I took Guitar Standards downstairs and played it on my pricey 2-channel system (Audio Physic Avanti III loudspeakers, Hovland HP-100 preamp, Musical Fidelity Nu-Vista 300 amp), it was another experience entire- ly. Also not surprising.
In 5.1 Mode
Adding the IL36c center-channel and the IL10 surrounds made the already fine- sounding 2-channel system explode, thanks mostly to the IL36c’s first-class per- formance. It was the most impressive speaker in the system, and a genuine bar- gain at $500. I can’t tell you how it might mate with any other brand of L/R speaker, but it sure made a strong case for Infinity’s entire IL60-based, 5.1-channel Interlude system! The efficient (91dB) IL36c sounded powerful compared to the wimpy center- channel “afterthoughts” supplied with many midpriced systems, and its handling of the human voice made dialogue easy to understand. Here, it shared the IL60’s slightly forward timbral balance (which could be due to a peak or a dip in the fre- quency response of reproduced voices), but that only enhanced and clarified dialogue
off-axis allowed it to fire directly at my ears without calling attention to itself. The larg- er, more expensive IL30 ($598/pair) uses the same drivers in a much taller (36 vs. 155⁄8 inches) and heavier (34 vs. 18 lbs) cabinet. It goes lower (48Hz vs. 56Hz), but because bass management sends 80Hz and below to the subwoofer, I’m not sure anything would be gained—unless you were planning to play DVD-Audio discs, which bypass your receiver’s bass-management system.
It was hard to fault the 5.1-channel IL60 system’s portrayal of macrodynamics, its
ability to play loud without strain, and its spatial presentation. Flanking my Philips 55PP9701 55-inch HDTV, the IL60s pro- duced a tall, wide, weighty soundstage, its size commensurate with the picture. Pans
I have no reservations whatsoever about recommending this high-performance system for movie-soundtrack play- back—for the money, its performance was hard to beat—but if you plan on using a single system for movies and
Interlude 10 2-way surround speaker
that claimed that the $2000/pair Infinity Interlude IL60 offers 90% of the perfor- mance of the $10,000/pair Infinity Prelude MTS. I wish that were true. While the C.M.M.D. drivers are probably equal or close to equal in quality to the Preludes’, the
driver configuration, cabinets, and (probably) the crossover design are not in the same league, and shouldn’t be expect- ed to be. That aside, the IL60 is a smooth-performing, bargain- priced, low-coloration, nearly full-range speaker that does include the unique R.A.B.O.S. bass-optimization system—not available in other brands, regard- less of price.
In designing such a high-per- formance speaker system to this price point, Infinity chose its com- promises carefully. The IL60 is a dynamic, nearly full-range speak- er that can play extremely loud without strain, in the process los- ing only a bit of transparency, del- icacy, low-level resolution, and timbral richness. These are rea- sonable concessions, especially in the context of home theater (though some may find the speak- er’s styling clunky and less than living-room-friendly).
For the home-theater enthusi- ast with a problematic room and
without making it sound edgy or bright. The IL36c was notably free of chestiness or boxiness, and, thanks to the tweeter’s sub- jectively flat, smooth response, sibilants were rendered with great naturalness. Hori-
I have no reservations whatsoever about recommending this high- performance system for movie-soundtrack playback.
Interlude IL60 4-way floorstand- ing tower speaker
don’t think you’re getting the $10,000 Infin- ity Prelude MTS system, or even 90% of it (see “Conclusions”), for less than one-third the price. What might have been a cabinet resonance created a mild congestion in the midbass/lower midrange that reduced clar- ity somewhat, and the IL60’s wide front baf- fle (compared with the Prelude’s tall, slim midbass/HF tower) prevented it from imaging and “disappearing” as effectively as the Prelude.
zontal off-axis performance was exemplary, with no audible dips across a wide window, thanks to the three-way driver configura- tion with its vertically configured 4-inch midrange and tweeter—something you sel- dom see in a $500 center-channel speaker.
Because it uses the same bass driver and tweeter as the IL36c, the IL10, used for the surrounds, proved a decent low-cost com- plement to the front-channel array, its sim- ilar timbral balance and overall perfor- mance helping to create the proverbial “acoustic bubble.” The C.M.M.D. tweeter’s smooth, non-peaky performance on- and
across the front stage were seamless, while music mixed for the front three channels was full-bodied and dynamic. There was nothing polite about this system.
Film vs. Music
The downside of placing a large powered woofer in a full-range speaker built to a moderate price point is that the cabinet— the place where most costs are cut—is prone to resonances that can cloud the sound, cre- ating congestion and a mechanical quality. The IL60 had traces of these characteristics, though they were by no means pronounced.
serious music listening, I caution you to give the Interludes a good listen first. You might be better off spending the same amount on speakers that offer greater timbral delicacy, macrodynamic expression, and low-level resolution of detail, and that give up some bass extension—especially if you listen mostly to classical or other kinds of acoustic music.You can always add a subwoofer later. On the other hand, if your musical tastes lean toward rock, this system does. Rock.
Conclusions
I came across a classified ad on the Internet
few placement options, the R.A.B.O.S.- equipped IL60 might be the only solution. For others with space limitations, this rela- tively slim tower with a sophisticated 3-way system atop a powered subwoofer offers almost full-range performance without the need for a room-cluttering subwoofer.
Add the Interlude IL36c—among the most impressive center-channel speakers at any price—and a pair of the small but rugged Interlude 10 surround speakers, and for less than $43000 you can have one of the best val- ues in a high-performance home-theater speaker system.
