Note that this is a discontinued product. You may want to visit the brand's page here to browse their newer products.
What reviewers think
Bloggers and YouTubers have tried this product—so we've summarized their strongest opinions below. Links to full reviews follow.
Product Strengths
- A DPC array includes a 1.1-inch Beryllium dome tweeter and a 1.1-inch Textreme TPCD ultra-lightweight dome midrange driver, helping match the timbre of other S-Series speakers
- The first in-ceiling model able to achieve THX Certified Dominus, especially one designed for the largest private theaters of up to 6,500 cubic feet
- Promises staggeringly good frequency response across a wide listening area for great sound
- Has a flat surface when installed, leading to less diffraction and reflections
- Has a back box that's four millimeters thick and bituminously damped, to reduce sound leakage
Product Considerations
- The flagship and most expensive offering in the Perlisten in-ceiling speaker line
- Using in-ceiling speakers for bed-layer channels is not ideal and should generally be discouraged
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Offers a more ideal frequency response in the listening position, compared to typical in-ceiling speakers
- Offers sonic advantages due to less diffraction and reflections, compared to on-ceiling speakers
Takeaway: The S3ic is a technologically advanced in-ceiling speaker that delivers excellent sound quality and broad coverage. It is a great choice for creating a high-performance home theater experience.
All
S3ic
reviews
Manufacturer details
- Enclosure Alignment: 3-way acoustic suspension
- Driver compliment: DPC Array: 28mm Beryllium tweeter, 28mm Textreme TPCD mid, Woofers: 165mm Alum frame, Textreme TPCD
- Sensitivity: 89.7dB / 2.83v / 1.0m
- Impedance: 4 Ω nominal / 3.2 Ω min
- Frequency Response: 57 - 30kHz (-6dB), 43 - 33kHz (-10dB)
- Typical In Room bass extension: 48Hz (-6dB), 31Hz (-10dB)
- Overall Dimensions: 343.3 diam x 194.8mm depth (13.5" diam x 7.7" depth)
- Weight: 20.4lbs. (9.4kg), 11.8lbs. (5.4kg) without enclosure
- Recommended Amplifier Power: 50 - 250W (with 80Hz HPF), 50 - 150W (full range)
- SPL capability @1m: 113.7dB peak, 111.0dB peak <3% 2nd, 3rd Harmonics
- Certification: THX Dominus, THX Ultra
Featuring the same Beryllium tweeter, Textreme TPCD midrange and TPCD 7" woofer as our in-walls and highly regarded in-room speakers. This enables a flat frequency response angled for 30-degree main listening window with off axis and power response to match our in-wall S-Series speakers for flawless timber matching needed for true immersive audio.
A solid 4mm thick aluminum back box for consistent sound with limited sound transmission into other rooms. This ability to be used not only for in-ceiling surround but in-ceiling LCR or in-wall wide speakers and THX Certified Dominus for surrounds. Better coverage for even response across more seats with no compromises!
The perfect solution for high end Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, and Auro-3D applications. Featuring an innovative new waveguide array controlling Mid/High frequencies, centered by our finest 28mm Beryllium dome tweeter and 28mm TPCD ultra-lightweight dome mid. Optimized for in-ceiling applications where a 30 degree reference axis i...
Brand highlights
Taking a step back to look at reviewers' thoughts of the brand's entire lineup—not just this product—what stands out most is the following:
- The DPC (Directivity Pattern Control) array, with its computer-modeled waveguide and specific driver arrangement, delivers exceptional soundstage cohesion and image placement, creating a more immersive listening experience.
- The brand employs a multi-driver design with carefully chosen materials, such as beryllium and thin-ply carbon diaphragms, to achieve ultra-low distortion and precise sound reproduction.
- Perlisten products are designed for seamless integration, achieving true timbre matching across their range of in-room, in-wall, and in-ceiling speakers, ideal for creating comprehensive audio/video systems.
- They are the first to achieve THX Certified Dominus status, indicating these speakers offer high output with low distortion, and can fill large rooms without compromising sonic quality.
Select products
R5T
- Positioning: The entry-level model in the R-Series lineup.
- Description: Offers a great balance of performance and affordability, featuring the DPC-Array technology for precise sound control. Uses 165mm woofers made from HPF pulp, providing a rich bass experience, similar to the R7T but with fewer woofers, making it ideal for smaller rooms and tighter budgets.
R7T
- Positioning: A mid-range model in the R-Series, offering advanced features at a competitive price.
- Description: Features DPC-Array and long-excursion woofers, delivering low distortion and excellent directivity. Shares many technologies with the S-Series, like the S5T, but at a more accessible price point.
S5T
- Positioning: A high-performance model in the S-Series, designed for slightly smaller rooms.
- Description: Features advanced DPC-Array and thin-ply carbon diaphragm woofers, offering nearly the same SPL and sensitivity as the S7T. Provides a full-range performance similar to the flagship S7T but in a more compact form.
S7T
- Positioning: The flagship model in the S-Series, representing the pinnacle of Perlisten's audio technology.
- Description: Features DPC-Array and beryllium dome tweeters, delivering exceptional accuracy and dynamic range. Offers the most sophisticated sound experience in the lineup.
Our take on the brand
Look inside the brand
Our interview with the brand
What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?
As for as tech breakthroughs, we have our patented DPC array: a tweeter inside two midranges. This improves sensitivity and dynamics through such light drivers (3g or less).
Across our entire line, you’re getting 3D soundstaging, detail, dynamics, and low distortion. Most noticeable to the listener is the way sound propagates throughout the room: we focus on a wide dispersion left and right, and slightly limit it top to bottom to minimize first reflections on the floor and ceiling. This makes the speakers easier to place.
As you move up price in our line, the extent to which we do this passive beamforming on the vertical axis descends into a lower and lower frequency.
What's your approach to customer support?
What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?
What other products pair best with yours?
Perlistens are generally not difficult to run. Take the S7t for example: High 80s, low 90s sensitivity. That can run with anything. But, because Perlistens can play so loud, they do like a lot of power to fully show off.
Two brands we generally pair Perlisten with: On the upper end is Audioflight from Italy. On the budget friendly end, Primare. But they've been paired with so much—we haven't come across a pairing they don't work with unless it's a 3W triode tube amp due to insufficient power.
What if you spend more?
What competes at this price?
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Our Summary
Product Strengths
- Truly outstanding sound quality, delivering a near-electrostatic, audiophile listening experience in a disappearing, in-wall package
- Uses planar magnetic thin-film drivers (PMD) which can be highly detailed with excellent transient response
- PMDs are quite reliable because the spread-out "voice grid" is great at dissipating heat
- PMDs are super-easy for an amplifier to drive, as they are "an almost perfectly resistive load"
Product Considerations
- Horizontal center channel use of the Insight P4i requires stud modifications due to its size
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- The Insight series squeezes most of the sound quality of the Wisdom Audio Sage Series into a less imposing, less costly package
Takeaway: The Wisdom Audio Insight P4i speakers provide excellent sound quality in an in-wall design, and are a great way to get high-end audio without large, free-standing speakers. They could be worth buying for those who want the best possible sound without compromising on interior design.
Video review
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