Customer Reviews

Athena Technologies AS-F2 Dual 8" 2-Way Floorstanding Speaker (Single)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The Athena FS-2 floorstanding speakers are some of the best reviewed anywhere, probably because at their price-point, they are unsurpassed in quality. Mid-range frequencies are crisp; bass reproduction is sharp; and higher frequencies for percussion instruments are vivid without being fatiguing. All-in-all, as many have said before, the overall sound quality can best be described as "transparent" (i.e. the listener hears the music as if "there".)

I replaced some older Pioneers with these as mains in my HT setup. And although I'm not fond of the silver front, the sound quality more than makes up for introducing a mismatch color scheme in my all-black system. If you are unfamiliar with speaker manufacturers, note that Athena's parent is Audio Products International Corp. (API), which also markets speakers under the names Energy, Mirage, and Sound Dynamics. And if the FS-2 is a little out of your price range, buy the lower-priced FS-1, which has one 8" Woofer vs. the dual configuration of the FS-2, with a slightly smaller frequency range.

One final caution: As of the time of this review, Athena only has four authorized "etailers": Best Buy, OneCall, BestPriceAudioVideo and AudioAdvisor. So be careful when price comparison shopping.

I debated the star rating for a while... for the price, these are 5 star speakers, but then what would I rate a better, much more expensive speaker?

I've been blown away three times while auditioning speakers. The first time was a pair of Sonus Faber Grand Pianos - $3,500 /pair at the time. They provided what I can only describe as a religious experience. The second time was when I listened to the Athena F2's. They filled the room with music that was effortless and unstrained, and created a soundstage that brought the music to life.

The third time I was blown away was when I heard the price of the Athena F2's. I purchased them on the spot and I've been happy ever since.

These are fantastic sounding speakers for the money. Only trouble is they are listed on Audio Advisor's own website as being priced "$399 PER PAIR". An Amazon pricing error? If you are planning on purchasing these speakers, check out this price discrepancy.