In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers. Aperion A5 Atmos 5.25" Immersive Reflective/Height Module is a Bookshelf speaker whereas the CC5 is a Center Channel speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Aperion A5 Atmos 5.25" Immersive Reflective/Height Module and Magnepan CC5 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Aperion A5 Atmos 5.25" Immersive Reflective/Height Module | Magnepan CC5 |
|---|
| Brand | Aperion
United States · founded 1998 | Magnepan
United States · founded 1969 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 5.25" | — |
|---|
| Frequency response | 90-30k Hz | 200-20k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 3 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-80 Watts watts | — |
|---|
| Weight | 3.40kg / 7.5lbs | 5.90kg / 13lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 5.7" x 7.1" x 7.9"
144.8 x 180.3 x 200.7mm | 10.5" x 36" x 5"
266.7 x 914.4 x 127.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Aperion A5 Atmos 5.25" Immersive Reflective/Height Module and Magnepan CC5 speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision
factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size
and max power parameters:
| Listening Environment* |
Aperion A5 Atmos 5.25" Immersive Reflective/Height Module |
Magnepan CC5 |
| Near-field |
Good |
Good |
| Small Room |
Good |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
No way |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that A5 Atmos 5.25" Immersive Reflective/Height Module is a 2-way design whereas the CC5 is a -way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
| Driver |
Aperion A5 Atmos 5.25" Immersive Reflective/Height Module |
Magnepan CC5 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
x -inch
|
A5 Atmos 5.25" Immersive Reflective/Height Module features a " Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Woofer. On the other hand, the CC5 features a " Tweeter and x " Woofer.
Frequency Response
A5 Atmos 5.25" Immersive Reflective/Height Module has a frequency range of 90-30k Hz whereas CC5 has a frequency range of 200-20k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 90Hz, the A5 Atmos 5.25" Immersive Reflective/Height Module can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the CC5's min frequency of 200Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
A5 Atmos 5.25" Immersive Reflective/Height Module
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
A5 Atmos 5.25" Immersive Reflective/Height Module is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the CC5 which has a nominal impedance of 3 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. A5 Atmos 5.25" Immersive Reflective/Height Module sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the CC5's is rated at 88 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Magnepan CC5 a more sensitive speaker compared to Aperion A5 Atmos 5.25" Immersive Reflective/Height Module, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf Speakers
A5 Atmos 5.25" Immersive Reflective/Height Module
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Aperion A5 Atmos 5.25" Immersive Reflective/Height Module
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Aperion A5 Atmos 5.25" Immersive Reflective/Height Module's and Magnepan CC5's external dimensions. Aperion A5 Atmos 5.25" Immersive Reflective/Height Module has external dimensions of 144.8 x 180.3 x 200.7mm (5.7 x 7.1 x 7.9inch) whereas Magnepan CC5 has external dimensions of 266.7 x 914.4 x 127.0mm (10.5 x 36 x 5inch).
Aperion A5 Atmos 5.25" Immersive Reflective/Height Module is 734.1mm narrower and 121.9mm shorter than Magnepan CC5 but it is also 73.7mm deeper.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Magnepan CC5 needs about 221% more floor or shelf area. Aperion A5 Atmos 5.25" Immersive Reflective/Height Module is 74mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Magnepan CC5 is 122mm taller.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the Aperion A5 Atmos 5.25" Immersive Reflective/Height Module is approximately 361.9cm2 / 56.1inch2 and base area of the Magnepan CC5 is approximately 1161.3cm2 / 180.0inch2. The A5 Atmos 5.25" Immersive Reflective/Height Module requires 69% less surface area than the CC5 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.