Matches my R630's better than any other speaker as a center channel speaker.
Accurate and natural sound. Similar attributes to R630 sound.

It only has an 8"ribbon tweeter, therefore the vertical dispersion is very narrow.
These are now discontinued from production.

I purchased only one of these for $630(Can)/$450(U.S.)to use specifically as a Center channel (CC) speaker for HT applications after I had tried a few different CC brands. Naturally, the ribbons being from the R630 family, I was able to achieve the closest timber match to the R630's with this model. At first this speaker was not all as I expected it would be. I found it to sound a little flatter than the R630's with their huge 30" ribbons, but with precise aiming of the narrow 8" ribbon, things improved a bit but it took months before it broke in and the high end opened up a bit more. Now after 9 months I feel that the 3 speakers are a well integrated set of fronts. The sensitivity is also evenly matched between the three. HT music and dialogue sound very natural and vocals are handled effortless by the R58. I discovered that the midrange sounds better when the HT receiver setting for the Center is set to "small" when listening at louder volumes. The woofer is really not optimised to reproduce low frequencies and is more or a mid bass driver. Pushing it too hard with low frequency information at louder volumes causes the midrange to sound muddy and strained.
Unfortunately, I found out a few weeks ago that this model has been discontinued and no longer on Newform Research's product listing. I read that NR are supposed to be developing a "Center channel" type speaker in the future.
I give 5 stars for value. But 4 stars for performance due to it being only an 8" ribbon. I would like to have had a 15" ribbon attached as opposed to the 8" to provide wider vertical dispersion.

Similar Products Used:

Newform Research 630's, Monitor audio CC series