When size matters in the bedroom– give the Mirage Nanosat serious consideration

The wife has been most understanding and allowed me to install four surround sound systems in our house (the 6.1 Definitive Technology speakers in family room could pass for a Stonehenge replica), but she put her foot down with regard to the master bedroom. She wanted “something like those little Bose speakers” she had heard (or should I say “saw”) in the past. Clearly I would be focusing on form over function this time.

My research conducted almost two years ago revealed the Mirage Nanosat system to be one of the most highly regarded speakers systems for its size available on the market. Besides the size factor, I was particularly interested the wider sound dispersion accentuated by a floating orb suspended over an angularly mounted tweeter.

I was fortunate to be in the design phase of a new home and had the bedroom constructed to accommodate these speakers in a 5.1 configuration. Specifically, the room was pre-wired for wall mounting the speakers near the ceiling corners and the center channel along the top of the wall at the relative mid-point to the foot of the bed. The speaker wires were run to jacks in an equipment cabinet located in the top of a corner mounted fireplace. From there a coax connection was installed in another cabinet below the fireplace to accommodate the subwoofer. I continued to monitor the market place for the two year period that elapsed, but did not find anything that seemed superior. Happily, the speakers were reduced in price by the time I acquired them for $600 (other reviewers have paid even less).

Build quality on the speakers and subwoofer seem excellent. Their appearance is a bit odd since the speakers are somewhat triangular shaped and the tweeter and orb are covered with a curved wire mesh. Mounting the speakers proved straightforward for this application since it is recommend they be installed upside down when positioned above six feet and are suspended by a single screw in a slotted adjustable bracket. I did find the clearance between the bracket and my 14 gauge wire going to the speaker connection a bit tight though. The manufacturer’s literature suggests these speakers possesses a multi-way bind post capable of supporting banana jacks, but I could see no practical way to connect the wires other than a bare wire connection entering from the bracket area. It also proved impossible for my DIY skills to somehow install the mounting screw to suspend the speaker such a way that the bracket held it completely away from the wall. A bit of felt attached with adhesive to the back side of the speaker where it made contact with the wall seems to have resolved any potential problems.

My efforts were richly rewarded when the speakers and their installation passed the WAF (Wife Acceptance Factor) test and I was finally was able to hear them in action for the first time. The bedroom is now music filled, even at the headboard area along the back wall.

It would be unfair to compare the performance of these speakers with my reference system costing 15 times as much, but when you figure the quality of sound you are getting at this price point these speakers are a screaming deal. Their strength is squarely in the midrange and they do quite well in the bass. If they have a weakness, it would be on the highs. I found myself boosting the treble to the limit in an attempt to get a crisper, cleaner sound on the high-end. I was not totally successful. Additionally, readers seeking a high-end theater experience may wish to consider a stronger subwoofer.

A considerable portion of speaker performance appreciation is a matter of personal taste. However when size matters, I am confident if you give the Mirage Nanosat system an audition with your favorite music you will find the time well spent indeed.