Digital Trends

Niro 600

March 24th, 2005 | by Yongki Go

Use and Performance

As with other NIRO systems, simplicity in setup is the virtue of this NIRO 600 system.  An obvious advantage compared to a conventional surround-sound system is less wire to connect, because the system uses a single-enclosure surround speaker.  You can be up and running in much less time than in a conventional setup.

For this evaluation, I put the NIRO speaker on top of my Sony 32" TV and the subwoofer on the front corner of the room.  I tried the system with various digital and analog sources, such as a DVD player, CD player, VCR, and TV.  Overall, the unit's operation was fairly simple and logical; this is a very family-friendly system.  I'm glad also to report that the NIRO 600 system ran without a glitch during the testing period. Its digital-signal auto detection worked flawlessly.  I liked also the supplied remote control.  In my opinion, it had a good ergonomic design and was pleasant to use. Also, it could be easily used in the dark because some of its often-to-use buttons glowed.  

Okay, in terms of the NIRO 600 operation, so far, so good; but what about its sound?  Since this was not my first acquaintance with a NIRO system, I did not approach the 600 system without some performance expectations.  And I was glad to find out that the system didn't disappoint me.

In general, the NIRO 600 produced clear and detailed sound.  No matter what program material it played on, it never sounded muddy or congested.  Its tonal balance was good and in stereo mode, it was capable of delivering good soundstage, albeit with a rather diffuse image.  If you are a true-to-the-bone audiophile, you may not be satisfied with the system performance.  But this system was never intended for the purist audiophile anyway, and the musical performance it delivered was more than enough for casual listening.

Where the NIRO 600 system really shone was in home theater application, including for-TV sound enhancement.  Watching TV with it would increase your level of enjoyment than using just the built-in TV speakers.  For DVD-movie watching, although it wouldn't give me the full-blown surround sound of the system with 5.1 or 7.1 separate speakers, the NIRO 600 system nevertheless delivered respectable surround envelopment from a single speaker enclosure.  It might not be quite precise in delivering surround localization, but it was capable of producing believable surround envelopment and ambience effects.  The system also conveyed dialogs with good intelligibility and naturality.  The system's subwoofer was fine for augmenting most movie soundtracks, although it didn't have the low-frequency extension and the high decibel-output capability to keep up with some bass-demanding scenes.  Not a big limitation, if you ask me, especially when you consider the size of the system.