NextLevel Acoustics Reference Cinema Speakers Review [VIDEO]

Manufacturer & Model

NextLevel Acoustics Reference Cinema Speakers

Link

https://nextlevelacoustics.com/product/reference-cinema/#1653587409629-0dccc74f-7d92

Highlights

Precision imaging. Quick, hard-hitting dynamics. Can be installed in- or on-wall.

Summary

If you're looking for cinema-style performance but don't have the space for bulky MTM speakers, the NextLevel Reference Cinema Speakers should be at the top of your list. Rivaling much more expensive models that monopolize much more of your square footage, the Referece Cinema series visually disappear into your room while creating a soundstage that is not bound by walls.

Speakers can make or break a home theater system, and their performance can be dictated by everything else in your room, including the room itself.



NextLevel Acoustics has been around for awhile now, based out of New England, and they’re mainly known for their high-end sound bar offerings. But the company makes a full product line - over 40 different speaker solutions - including bookshelves, in-walls, in-ceilings, and subs, and they’ve recently added the Reference Cinema series to the list, which can be configured as an in-wall or on-wall speaker. Like the rest of the product line, the Reference Cinemas are designed by industry veteran John Sollecito, who is well-known for his Infinite Slope crossover technology and audiophile-grade speaker designs.

The NextLevel Acoustics Reference Cinema line of speakers is a high-quality, great sounding speaker that fills a void in the market. It’s a cinema-style, MTM horn speaker that doesn’t carry with it a huge space requirement, or a huge price tag. I tried and failed to find another speaker of this design with 8-inch drivers, or an in-wall / on-wall form factor.

For more details on my measurements and evaluation, watch the video below!

NextLevel Acoustics Reference Cinema Speakers

• Woofers: 2x8" Carbon Wool
• Tweeter: 4x4" Horn
• Recommended Amp Power: 70-500w
• Frequency Response: 50Hz-20kHz
• Impedance: 4 ohms
• Sensitivity: 96db (1 watt/1 meter)
• Max SPL: 118db @ 2m

 

[Todd Anderson]

Great review, Travis. Interesting that you felt the NLAs helped to tame some of the harsher sounding mixes (like Point Break). That’s not always easy to do.

I wonder if some of that resulted from a fresh calibration with your Anthem?

 

[Travis Ballstadt]

Great review, Travis. Interesting that you felt the NLAs helped to tame some of the harsher sounding mixes (like Point Break). That’s not always easy to do.

I wonder if some of that resulted from a fresh calibration with your Anthem?

It was definitely thanks to the Anthem. But the biggest difference is that the NLAs were much more easily correctable and fine tuneable, whereas the Triads had a very difficult time making any corrections without shrinking the entire soundstage - it was always all or nothing.
Definitely not the NLAs making Point Break sound better per se, but the NLAs being more amenable to room correction.

 

[Todd Anderson]

Interesting. I love the look and form factor. Were these demoed at Cedia?

 

[Travis Ballstadt]

Interesting. I love the look and form factor. Were these demoed at Cedia?

Yes, they were in the HiSense booth with a UST, Kaleidescape and a Trinnov processor.

 

[Sonnie Parker]

Fabulous review Travis... really enjoyed it... and it sounds like you enjoyed these speakers so much you are keeping them. Congrats!

I never thought I would EVER find anyone else that owned the Delicate Sound of Thunder on LASERDISC... lol. I thought surely I was the only one that ever owned it. We used to watch that regularly. I was glad to finally see the new release... much needed, especially since we no longer have the laserdisc player or S-Video.

Love the video review presentation... very professional. You guys are going to kill it wth these.

 

[Travis Ballstadt]

Fabulous review Travis... really enjoyed it... and it sounds like you enjoyed these speakers so much you are keeping them. Congrats!

I never thought I would EVER find anyone else that owned the Delicate Sound of Thunder on LASERDISC... lol. I thought surely I was the only one that ever owned it. We used to watch that regularly. I was glad to finally see the new release... much needed, especially since we no longer have the laserdisc player or S-Video.

Love the video review presentation... very professional. You guys are going to kill it wth these.

Thanks Sonnie!

An old friend of mine turned me on to that Pink Floyd show when I was in college. He had the LaserDisc, and I had him record it to an SVHS so I could watch it. Then when I could finally afford a LaserDisc player I had to search and search for a copy of the Pink Floyd disc. Finally found one on a newsgroup where you messaged the store, they mailed you a copied inventory/price sheet, and then you could mail them a check to place an order. Picked that and a couple great ELO discs on that order.

 

[Sonnie Parker]

We had a stack of laserdisc back in the day. I think we still have them somewhere here at the house.

I'm tripping out at these video reviews... very cool.

 

[Scottyb]

Hey Travis,
I saw you kept the NLA over your Triads. Now that you've had them a while would you still do it? How much of an improvement would you say t is? The reason I ask as I'm in the exact same bot with Triad Siler In-walls and been debating on going to a wave guide speaker. We, like you, have a Seymour AV screen(one of the best bang for the bucks in the AV industry) so I'm thinking we would experience very similar results as you. thanks for you opinion on this Travis!! If you want, you can PM me.

Scott

 

[Travis Ballstadt]

Hey Travis,
I saw you kept the NLA over your Triads. Now that you've had them a while would you still do it? How much of an improvement would you say t is? The reason I ask as I'm in the exact same bot with Triad Siler In-walls and been debating on going to a wave guide speaker. We, like you, have a Seymour AV screen(one of the best bang for the bucks in the AV industry) so I'm thinking we would experience very similar results as you. thanks for you opinion on this Travis!! If you want, you can PM me.

Scott

Hey Scott. The NLA are head and shoulders better than the Triads, but my Triads were also older builds, so could have been different components if yours are newer.

If you look at NLA’s Instagram, they just posted a video earlier today with Jeff Meier after Jeff calibrated a couple NLA theaters this weekend. His remarks echo what I’ve found. They’re incredible.

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

 

[Scottyb]

Thanks for the update!!

 

[Travis Ballstadt]

I was able to sit down with John Sollecito and pick his brain for an hour a few weeks ago, and dug into the design process of the Reference Cinema series (which will add the Pro Cinema speaker soon, a quad 8" + horn). Pretty interesting, and the performance backs it all up. Really dynamic, clean and explosive.