I owned a pair of 10T’s for about a year until 12/96. I powered them with either a BEL 1001mk.2 (not quite enough power), or a Classe CA-300 (good match). I have a small listening room, and the 10Ts were used with their stands. The low frequency capability of this speaker is exceptional. There is never a sense of “one-note bass”, the low end being powerful, detailed, and full. The rear port makes room positioning more critical because of the interaction with the rear wall. Farther out is better. I was bothered by a lack of smoothness in the mid/tweeter crossover region. Just before I sold them, I listened to them without the stands. The lack of smoothness disappeared! They sounded great. Too bad I had a deposit check in hand.
One of the worst things a reviewer can do is assume an optional product – like speaker stands – is necessary, and then not take the time to evaluate the basic product. This was true of the Stereophile review of the 10Ts, and other reviews, too. If you are interested in the 10Ts, please try them first without their optional stands.
In listening to a friend’s 10Ts in a larger room, the stands seem to be okay. He uses a BEL 1001 mk.3, which does have enough power for these hungry babies. A notice for buyers of used 10Ts: occasionally one of the mid/tweeter heads can show small cracks – 2″ long – due to curing of the material over time. These cracks do not appear to extend completely through the head, and so are cosmetic. Aerial will repair these cracks for you, possibly under warranty. Michael Kelly is an honorable person who is very committed to customer satisfaction. You can feel comfortable buying a used Aerial due to their high level of customer support. The 10Ts are very good speakers – enjoy.
Overall Rating: 8 LPs