Price Paid:  $4500.00 from www.av123.com

Summary:
This is a most excellent speaker. It has a very inviting sound, smooth midrange, is very transparent, and has a sweet, extended high end: the perfect window on the performance. No syrup here, but no harshness either. I'd term the balance or "voicing": just right. No frequency range takes precedence. Imaging is superb. Instruments seem to float in space at different heights. In addition, front to back depth is among the best I've heard. I’m using a Sherbourn 5/1500A for amplification, and the Ref 3s are comfortable into the mid-90s on music with this amp.

Bass goes very low (to the mid 20s in my room) with very good power and excellent articulation. The leading edges of the notes are there as well as the instruments' bloom and decay: no one note thumpers here. These speakers can definitely be termed “full range” and will work well in a home theater (even without a sub) as well as in a 2-channel music system. A sub is really necessary only for organ music and the really loud low LFE stuff in blockbuster movies.

Finally the fit and finish are superb: the birds-eye maple I have is finished with a high gloss lacquer that must be seen (and touched) to be appreciated. It is beyond high-end furniture quality.

To sum up: for the sound, the finish, the price the Onix Ref 3's are a fantastic bargain.

Strengths:
Bass, midrange, highs, dynamic range, fit and finish

Weaknesses:
Limited finish choices

Similar Products Used:
NHT T5, Infinity 4.1t, Cambridge Soundworks T500, Vandersteen 3A