SVEN Royal 1R is a familiar speaker system recently revised and modernized. Naturally, the most noticeable addition is the option of remote controlling. In fact, the system remains at its previous position, if we may say so. Royal 1R speakers are slightly minimized; they are intended for those who don’t want a huge system but seeking decent sound. The novelty costs about $150 in retail. For instance, Royal 2R version costs $50 more.
The initial version of the system can be considered a success: though it appeared many years ago, it still stays up-to-date. It’s twice pleasant if good things become more convenient and friendly.
Package Contents
The speaker system comes with a conventional set of contents including:
- the Royal 1R system itself;
- 2 RCA to 2 RCA signal cable;
- 2 RCA to 3.5 mm signal cable;
- audio cable;
- remote control with batteries;
- operation manual and warranty card.
Appearance and design
The appearance of the speakers is traditional to the Royal lineup, so it doesn’t need to be described in detail. The main part of the cabinet is made from 15mm thick MDF covered with vinyl film imitating wood structure. The front panels are thicker – about 24 mm. They are painted black and covered with brilliantly polished lacquer.
The low frequencies are under the responsibility of the original driver whose cone is made of synthetic fibers. The driver has real hi-fi appearance with its metal ‘bullet’ in the center. The tweeter looks more conventional, it’s an ordinary dome inch-size driver with a textile diaphragm. A full-featured crossover is used for splitting the frequencies between the drivers. For instance, the high frequencies are separated by means of a second-order filter with a padding resistor. For the lows, a first-order filter is used, and the impedance is optimized with a Zobel chain.
The speakers have a bass reflex enclosure. It’s easy to notice that the plastic tubes are rear-mounted, so when installing the system, you should keep it in mind and not put it close to the wall. Though in this case it’s not essential.
The controlling is made by means of a button panel we are already well familiar with – it enables you to adjust the volume, as well as treble and bass level, using intricate combinations of buttons. All the adjustments are still cancelled when you switch off the power supply.
A small remote control in a plastic case with rubber buttons helps adjust the volume, treble/bass balance, return to default settings, switch off the system and select an input. There are two inputs, and they are completely independent, as much as the electronic switch permits.
Inside, the system is not very complicated, but there are no obvious bottleneck points either. The preprocessing of signals is made by circuits mounted on a separate plate. Naturally, the main chip providing the quality level is the R2S15904SP processor. The remote terminal is made on a different plate where a TDA7265 microchip is used. There are no complaints as to the mounting.
Practical Testing and Listening
To start with, let’s first consider the frequency response of the system in an ordinary placement on the direct axis. The lower border lies at about 70 Hz, and the total curve fits into the ±5 dB corridor. The middle of the sound range is relatively smooth. There is a peak at around 110 Hz, and the highs are slightly cut. In general, it’s a decent pattern for a speaker system with a woofer of this size. As far as the frequency response is concerned, Royal 1R looks quite decent, there aren’t any critical remarks.
The Z-feature looks typical, and the impedance works smoothly. The bass reflex port is tuned to a little higher than 50 Hz.
According to our personal impressions, SVEN Royal 1R operates well. There is upper bass present, the highs are airy enough. The mids are quite detailed and have decent resolution. The volume is enough for a middle-size room.
Conclusion
In general, such a speaker system is suitable for providing sound for a rather small room as it copes well with all music genres.