After the Hype! Revisiting the SONY CORE SSCS5 Bookshelf Speakers!

These cheap n' cheerful Sony's were introduced all the way back in 2014. Can they still deliver good value today, in 2021? Let's talk!
Review Sample Provided by: Purchased from Best Buy
This review is free of sponsorships, affiliate links, and financial compensation.
Link to my original Review of the Sony SSCS5:
• Review! The Sony CORE ...
Want to buy em? Then here's the cliche Affiliate Link:
shop-links.co/cf1SVocwTEs
BDI Media cabinet I use: bit.ly/38ozr11
The Affiliate Link has nada to do with what's said in the video.

[@ZeroFidelity]

Note: This video is meant to be short and succinct. For a full-on review of these speakers, click on the description box and follow the link! Meanwhile, the Sony Core's are still legit. Not miracle workers by any means, but the value is still there! EDIT: For those of you who aren't familiar with my old videos - this is straight up old-school Zero Fidelity! I put no thought into what I wanted to say. I just sat down in front of the camera, hit the record button, and bam - video.

[@IsaacChew]

This review is just fine. Good camera works is ok. But we really just need to hear what you have to say.

[@anonymousdonor8084]

I was waiting to see which models complete at retail. I have a home in Asia so no discounts and probably double. Klipsch? You mentioned powered speakers that might competitors; which ones? Audio Engine? Any chance of a future comparison video? My room is 30’x20’… Btw, there’s a LF thunk in your audio (I listen on headphones). Not a big deal but just an fyi.

[@rmzidann]

I bought these speakers 2 weeks ago for and am stunned. On a separate note, have you ever listened or familiar with XiangSheng Tube DAC -05B? Very curious about that DAC

[@luisbaltodano227]

Thanks for revisiting these great little speakers. I bought my set two months into the pandemic, and my purchasing decision was based on your original review (and I saw many), so thank you. I have been extremely pleased with the sound quality, and the sound stage has left many people not believing what they are hearing. I know these speakers may not be the best compared to higher end, but for my apartment setting in Queens, NYC, this set of speakers sound amazing.

[@Michael-bj4sz]

Hey Sean, thanks for bringing back the “after the hype” videos

[@bentackson8894]

Sean, reminiscing as well as recapturing the past is one of the best things to do in a while. In our local parlance in Ghana, we call it "Sankofa ". A nice one there!!!! A Happy Holiday season we wish You!!!

[@Axela05]

I've owned these SS-CS5 speakers for about 18 months now (picked them up for $73.00), and I absolutely love them. I picked up the STR-DH190 for $98.00 to power them perfectly at 100w rms each, and for $171.00 total, I can't begin to tell you how impressed I am. They perform beautifully in my home office/music room, with surprisingly solid bass response, especially at higher volumes. Taking everything 1 step further, if you have the space to accommodate a 2.1 setup, the Sony SA-CS9 active subwoofer can be found on sale for $98.00 at times, and will really round out your setup. Just run your speaker cable from the receiver to the subwoofer, then from the subwoofer to the speakers, and you're good to go :) Great review BTW!

[@savanaviolenta]

Lucky you. Where I live the speakers cost 250$ and the receiver strdh190 around 300, but I bought them along with PS HX500 and all my setup is Sony and they all work together beautifully and they are all Hi Res audio. Love Sony.

[@GlaciaDay]

This is still the most valuable budget pair of speakers in my opinion. Honestly it sounds a lot better than some 300 or 400 dollar ones.

[@sheek1982]

🤣😂

[@tordb]

@@sheek1982 Not sure why you're laughing. These blow Klipsch, SVS and Martin Logan out of the water.

[@Frequincy100]

I didn’t expect an after the hype for these but I’m happily surprised

[@danmorrow9029]

I bought these last night ($88), along with the center channel on sale ($85), I went ahead and bought the 10" Sub ($114). This is for a 3.1 setup in my 12 x 14 home office paired with a 4k 55" TV. I will use for movies and music. I have a Sony AVR to run them (STRDH590). Hopefully this will make a decent budget system.

[@ZeroFidelity]

Hell yeah!

[@Ebergerud]

Track down a pair of small speakers - less than $100 - but 5.1 is very neat with a lot of movies - or - a concert or opera on DVD. I've got older Sonys powering a 5.1 system and it works great.

[@QDem19]

I’m curious to know how you find the sub. I got this sub and was incredibly disappointed, I also have an 8inch sub from Klipsch and the latter is so much better than the former! The Klipsch produces better sound and vibrations when compared to the bigger sub.

[@Ebergerud]

I live in a condo and do without a sub. It still sounds very good, but the volume is never up very high.

[@whyareyouherelol24]

@@ZeroFidelity Just bought myself an Onkyo TX-NR579 AVR today for like $35

[@jeremiahchamberlin4499]

I really liked your conversational style and ‘plain & simple’ (in a good sense) assessment.

[@rli3651]

Good to see you back..Peace be with you

[@ta563]

It is truly a great time to be into audio. I really enjoy the level headed reviews like this; where a product isn't hyped, but the strengths and weaknesses are discussed.

[@matthirn7858]

I just picked up a pair of these and I think you are spot on. They are just a smidge bright, but not annoyingly so. For under $100 they are very nice, a well balanced speaker that images nicely.

[@billfife6569]

Sean. Hope your starting to feel better. Wishing you and your family all the best in the New Year

[@robertmontgomery3892]

I just picked up a pair advertised as used/damaged for $59.00 and it turned out that they were new in box. The shipping box had been damaged at some point but it had been repaired and the contents were in perfect condition with the original packing. Apparently the original purchaser noticed that the box was damaged and returned it to Amazon w/o even opening it up.

[@hifiman4562]

I was amazed when I hooked up these Sonys to a Emotiva A5. And then even more amazed when I high passed the Sonys at 130hz. Very clean! Below 130 was handled by diy midbass module. Crossover minidsp. Next up is a crossover upgrade to sweeten the sound.

[@johnnyvegas5681]

I like when you do a re-look of something you reviewed back in the day.

[@SpikeoutBattleStreet]

It's always good to see you reviewing some budget products. You know kpaceguy is reviewing a sscs system too.

[@DragonettiDean]

I appreciate the honesty and lack of hype of your review. The last bookshelf speakers I owned approximately the size of the Sony's were Dynaco A25's. For the size of the box..... they had a huge sound field.

[@2visiondigital]

Jeez the A25 was a 2 way with a 10" woofer and a Seas tweater. They have nothing in common what so ever. One is one of the most classic speakers ever sold the other is the Sony, a decent value. I own both, how dare someone equate the two.

[@garymcaleer6112]

Appreciate the post. I have a pair for my iMac27 computer audio. They're nothing like my studio B&W Nautilus, but perfect for music & commentary such as yours. Happy holidays, bro.

[@barrettwbenton]

A pretty fair assessment. I have Sony's floor-standing Cores (SS-CS3), which i did manage to catch on sale at $200/pair, and while I've had higher-end speakers in the past, I'm quite amazed at how much these speakers do right, and not just for the low cash-outlay, although that's a pretty big deal in itself. One consideration for me was having something with a relatively small footprint, but still moving a decent amount of air for reasonably-good LF response. But, as you mention about the CS5, it's about a good balance of attributes, and I enjoy these things every time I sit down for an hour or two's listen.

[@TheAboriginal1]

What is your view on the CS3s? I had a pair and swapped them out for different towers. I think the CS5s honestly out-perform the CS3 towers.

[@barrettwbenton]

@TheAboriginal1 I think the main advantage of the 5s over the 3s is in ease of placement, although that's tricky, and a double-edged sword: for me, the ideal placement for the 5s is on stands...which potentially gives them a similar physical footprint as the 3s, while the 3s literally push more air (offering deeper LF response) by virtue of being a mini tower. (The second LF driver doesn't hurt, either.) And, for my music listening, the LF response of the 3s is *just* good enough to feel no need to add a sub, which was also a consideration in my choice.

[@daniannaci3258]

Informative review as always, Sean. Now I wonder if I should upgrade my Dayton Audio B-652 Air pair in my exercise room. They were $55/pr w/ free shipping last November ☺️. What really caught my eye was that new Luxman L-595 in a camera pan early in your video. Really curious as to your take on the gains achieved moving from the Luxman L-550AxII you previously received and this step-up model with similar internal topology. From Luxman’s specs, it looks to be internally close, if not identical, to the L-595AxII, minus an input and the meters. The volume knob design is awesome, tho.

[@TheAboriginal1]

I got lucky on an open box deal at Best Buy back in 2021 and found these for something like $50 total. I run them on a dedicated 2.0 amp in my library and they are great. I run Klipsch on my main 5.2 setup but these are honestly just as fun for a fraction of the price. The clarity is refreshing especially for genres like classical.

[@cadiehl1]

Mine came in today. I plugged up my 12” Klipsch sub with them and they sounded AMAZING!! $89? CRAZY!

[@RalfWiggam]

I picked them up for under 70 on Amazon, I was looking for desktop speakers to go with the Vista spark. It sounds great after a year of working from home just wanted to thank you for the reviews it helped me make a choice with out the option to go into a store

[@sidewinder2165]

Hi Sean, have always enjoyed n look forward to all your videos. Please keep them coming. Would like your opinion and take on these italian speakers called Zingali with their omniray technology. Are these speakers any good? I'm looking at the Zingali home monitor 2.10 series. Thanks

[@solomonstewart1025]

Yeah, they scale well and they also complement warm sounding vintage such as Sansui and early vintage Sony receivers and amps.

[@ZeroFidelity]

Yep. I had em' on the Iotavx sa3 for most of the time they were here. Great match.

[@smirkingguru]

I have a little surround system in one part of my house running a Sony STR DN1080 with fronts being a pair Q Acoustics 3030i and my rear speakers being these Sony Core SSCS5 Bookshelf speakers. For a 15'x 9' room the Sony's really carry their weight especially at low sound levels. Feel like if I wanted to pull the Q3030i's out and use the Sony's up front in this room, they would be just fine with a sub. I've pushed 100w into them on several occasions and the didn't blink. They are a bright speaker so a little mid/top end roll off with an EQ would do them a favor. Enjoy your reviews.~S.G

[@TrashPanda5150]

Just got these on Amazon for $98. Going to use them with an also recently purchased Audio-Technica AT-LP120XBT-USB-BK turntable and a Pioneer SX-10AE receiver. I think I should have a good listening experience!

[@ethimself5064]

Sounds like they would make great rear speakers for anyone on a budget👍

[@shaheedkhan9166]

i use the core series bookshelf, towers, sub, and atmos modules in my room. Have then hooked up to a sony str-za3100es AVR 5.2.2 setup. sound really good with movies in my bedroom.

[@audiorick841]

Love these after the hype videos

[@charleskatz2606]

Merry X-Mas Sean hoope to hear fro soon in the New Year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@johnstump2433]

I tried them with my classic Pioneer SX-1980 ( 270 WPC ) and they sounded so good combined with a subwoofer that a retired my Klipsch Forte II’s that I was using with that receiver in my small dedicated listening room.

[@yourpalfranc]

I really appreciate you going back to these speakers. I've been leaning toward them heavily as a replacement for my very basic Dayton Audio home theater speakers. I noticed on Amazon that there's a set of companion Atmos speakers. Do you have any experience with the Sony SSCSE speakers? Thanks again for the solid review! ~Frank

[@hifiman4562]

I just got my set of these. Your review was right on. I enjoy them. However, I already had a pair of Markaudio bookshelves. Those are superior in my opinion. There is even greater clarity. So, I'll send the Sonys back. I needed to see what they could do. No regrets. I just got better with Markaudio.

[@pm4898]

Short and sweet loved it. Are you planning on doing more revisit vids? I like the concept.

[@ZeroFidelity]

Yup!

[@pm4898]

@@ZeroFidelity I know of three pieces you could revisit 😀

[@harveybanister4502]

I got these speakers from Amazon for $73. I've got them hooked up to an old Hitachi sr603 that puts out 30w per channel into 8 ohms. Plenty of power for these speakers in a small room.

[@ericnortan9012]

I have the towers that i use for my surrounds, I have very large fronts. Once in a while I listen to them for music just for fun. They sound really good with a sub. Supposedly they don't sound as good as the bookshelves but I wouldn't know.

[@NemoPropaganda]

He lives!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm a big fan of this series!!

[@erickruse4679]

I picked up a pair based on the hype and the "unicorn" status I've been watching videos about. I can see what the hype is about on tracks that mostly stay above 200hz. But the sub 200hz performance was the deal-breaker for me. They have volume sub 200hz, but it's a hollow boom-box-with-a-base-port sound. Ended up running straight to the RP600m's, at a discount, and I'm pleased.

[@fotbollemittliv1]

Witch speaker would you pair with a bluesound powernode n330? Triangle bro3? I want to play at high volumes and i like base. Please can you give me an advice. Budget on speakers 600$

[@iVisionX01]

I have these speakers and the center speaker too and they're awesome.

[@JorgeGonzalez-vb2cs]

I have them too, they sound great especially for the price😸

[@Princeton_James]

I'm new to speakers but it seems like Sonys core series has a center channel, sub, reciever and floor standing as well. With the reciever would I be able to run these all together as a 5.1 system?

[@CelticF8]

For what its worth . . . I experienced a change in sound for the better after a couple weeks break-in of daily use. My theory is that the 5.12" woofer is a bit too stiff initially out of the box. Mids improved and mid-bass. Also, with the rear porting, I find the best improvement to bass at 9 to 14" from the wall. I use a very mild toe-in (6 degrees) with the front speakers 12' apart on either side of my Sony 4K LCD panel. I get an excellent soundstage and instrument separation this way. My listening/watching distance is at 12'. One of the reasons these speakers get mixed reviews is that they are very specifically designed and very finicky about placement. Equal distance triangle configurations sound best to me for front stereo. So, if I were to use them as computer stereo speakers with a class D amp, I'd try inside of 4' apart at 3.5' listening distance. Right now, I am configured for 5.1 surround home theater but often listen to music in strict stereo mode. Sony SSCS5s are my front and rear surround speakers. My rear set is side firing at ear level and the front surrounds are ear level while sitting, too. I use a couple of different AVR modes for listening depending on bass constraints for others in the household. My leanest sound to suppress bass transference through the walls is strict stereo mode without the SSCS5 rear surrounds, subwoofer and center channel (neither are Sony). I just add +6db to the bass on my Denon AVR and occasionally I will subtract -2db from the treble. This allows me to get away with more volume. These speakers like that! Just pushing the front pair with extra bass from the amp is a totally satisfying experience. In my opinion, these do not behave as nearfield speakers and easily fill a 20' x 25' room. Of course, with the house cleared I will often listen with all 5.1 speakers, too!

[@leekyoverhere]

Hey I got these on Black Friday and I wanted to know besides speaker wire what else will I need to have a nice functional set up for a home studio. Like do I need an Amp or a receiver or anything like that? I have an audio interface as well I just don't know how to get these speakers powered up

[@torokun]

Do you think it’s worth replacing 3 way crossover controller on these?

[@9mmmike642]

These work great as rear channel speakers with my old 5.1 Onkyo AVR at 80 WPC.

[@clint4004]

Would a Cambridge CXA 81 pair well with the Sony SS-CS5's ? Any recommendations?

[@kennethabbott3856]

Could you buy a dozen of them, stack them on their sides in banks of six, wire them in series/parallel to keep the impedance acceptable and make a cheap, functional line-array?

[@deeplyclosetedindividual]

Loving these take 2s!

[@manikdesilva1]

Dude right on the money. A little sharp but still good enough. Which 2 channel amp so you recommend for these the Yamaha or the Sony (the models that cost

[@martan1769]

Hi, I want to ask you about the combination Triangle BR03 + SA3 + PA3 ... You had a video with the combination BR03 + IOTAX SA3 and it sounds more good but I do not know how it will be when I add IOTAX PA3 amp ... Somewhere I read that the sound won't be as good as with PA3 ... Can you advise me anything?

[@szveszs]

I have a poweramp that can has a 8ohm and 16ohm speaker stuff, can I run through it? Thanks

[@raydionangy]

Hey Sean, interested to know if you think these Sony's are better than the Andrew Jones designed Pioneer SP-BS22-LR. Both these speakers can often be had for less than $100. I bought the Pioneers and think they sound pretty decent for the price.

[@RickMahoney2013]

What are the model numbers of the two that you compete with the Sony’s thanks

[@halferhu]

It seems that in my country they discontinued selling these. Does Sony have a follow up line which is similar price and at least this good? Thanks

[@jmarcguy]

I’m sure I’m ways away from behind on this but what about he 360 audio I keep reading about from outlets like Amazon & Tidal?

[@JorMorera]

I have a polk psw 10 subwoofer, and I was thinking to upgrade my speakers to listen to hard rock and heavy metal specifically. What would a better choice, Sony SSCS5 or polk xt 20?

[@andresr.4370]

Hello, how are you? Good video, I have seen these Sony speakers on Amazon Mexico, their price is around 230 dollars, you mention Klipsch and Polk in the video but you don't mention a specific model, what would these models be? On the other hand, my main idea is to buy a Marantz NR1200 or maybe a Denon DRA-800H, I would like to play with a subwoofer to also watch movies and play on Xbox, what do you think about this?

[@RedArremer]

I got these and the center channel. After balancing the bass and treble on my Sony STR-DH790, I have to say they are significantly better than even $200 speakers I've purchased that were larger than these. I will say that for the powered subwoofer, I preferred to go with the Jamo C 910. It just seemed to be a better-built sub for the same price, and integrates quite well in my little bedroom system with the Sony SS-CS speakers. I'm not a fan of 'bounce-off-the-ceiling' style ATMOS speakers, so I wouldn't recommend going that route either. 45-degree speakers at the top of the walls, or full-on ceiling speakers are the better way to go for ATMOS.

[@stevevinas]

Is this way better then any soundbar or Bluetooth speaker though? I have H.K. studio 6 speaker and the JBL boombox 2 . I'll have to put them next to my ssc5 because im not to sure the Sony would sound better.

[@ericneeds1285]

Do you have a recommendation for speakers that aren't really bright at the top end? I can't listen to sharp highs for long periods of time.

[@nadap1lol]

Is there any alternative in a similar price point that you can recommend?

[@jjguillen65]

Been rocking this speaker for a minute now. I don't care how much they are worth. They are just awesome!!

[@bryanguest2807]

Yep. Handles everything above 80hz flat and clear. What more you want for $100 bookshelf

[@ramondelgado6778]

If you are able to cross them over at 80 hz to 100 hz and add a little sub, these speakers are absolutely fantastic. They make me smile every time I listen to them!

[@jjguillen65]

@@ramondelgado6778 I got crossover at 80hz and they sound fabulous 😁😎

[@Steve-kx4yz]

I'd be curious to see what you think of the RP-600M / 8000F in 2022

[@darthdurkelthewise320]

Random question Sean…What is that cabinet? I’ve seen it before in a Thomas and Stereo video too and I think it looks nice.

[@meropale]

I have to pair bookshelf speakers with a subwoofer to be really satisfied with the sound. Not to fill the room with bass but just to get a fuller more well-rounded sound.

[@fotbollemittliv1]

These or triangel bro3? Ill do it with bluesound n330. I want base.

[@jameshopkins7333]

Just got them today. They say 6 ohm. My amp can go either 4 or 8 ohms. Witch should I choose? thanks for the referral. $129.00 shipped

[@myquietreviewsfeaturingc.t9354]

I'm 2 year's late to this video but I just got these used-like new off of Amazon for $68.99 so I'm pumped especially when they're priced now for $198.99

[@ricobonifacio1095]

I got some for 113 dollars and the old dh100 amp from Sony for 40 dollars used. Be here Wednesday. Got a klipsh 400w 12 in sub (yes 200w continuous haha) coming Monday. So my little apartment will be bumping soon.

[@outthefryinpan]

This is kinda a weird comparison, but how are these speakers vs the powered Edifier R1280T ?

[@lalopmdj]

Wich speakers are better for you, PSB Alpha P5 or Sony SS-CS5

[@RJ_Chicago]

Sean, thanks for speaking about these Sonys. I bought them on Amazon in July for $73 for the pair. At the time I was thinking I would have the GR Research modifications done on them. Then I listened to them as is and also with a pair of REL T/9i subs. After that I decided to not do any modifications. It would have ruined the value proposition. Paired with the RELs the combination shines. I true audiophile marriage. Very satisfying. The RELs compliment them perfectly with bass and sub bass which let’s face it these speakers given just their size are not going to produce sufficiently. But the Sonys do deliver pretty good treble and mids. So with the RELs you have the full spectrum covered. Listen to Steely Dan Aja and Gaucho and you will be pleased at the cymbals all the way down to the bass lines. Jazz is produced very well. If I were a reviewer these Sonys below $100 would be one of my bargains if not the top audio bargain for 2021.

[@ralphgrimshire6386]

Hey ya'll, I've been wondering about getting a speaker upgrade kit from GR research. I have a pair of 1 year old Kef Q-150's... upgrade the innards for 290$ or no? Thoughts please?

[@IliyaOsnovikov]

RJ, do you run SONYs full range or via high pass filter?

[@RJ_Chicago]

@@IliyaOsnovikov Hi. Full range.

[@outrider357]

I snagged them for $73 new at Best Buy 2 years ago--great value for my kid's system.

[@diamondbracelette]

Well shit, might as well set up a pair in the GARAGE while your at it XD

[@RickMahoney2013]

Yes on sale for 88 dollars. I bought mine several years ago for about the same price and going to get another pair

[@JamesMartin_music]

These are going for $229 yikes (COVID) So now would you say something different could beat these out? maybe the klipsch r-41m at $159?

[@stevenswall]

Have you heard the Sony SS-HA1? Seems similar with better cabinet rigidity/geometry/materials.

[@AverageUser1040]

Got these on sale at Best Buy for $75, very pleased at that price point.

[@baronvonlichtenstein]

Which Polk and Klipsch do you mean?

[@Koalaz1]

What stands are those?

[@AudioElectronicsChicago]

Great speakers for the price and for what they are!

[@randomtube8226]

Its crazy the amount of good reviews about these speakers there are. But I feel that they did change something since the original. Hard to tell what. Although under 100 is a pretty good value and they do scale a bit. I feel thats all they are worth. So definitely wait and get them when they are on sale. Unless there are two different versions and you are actually getting a better speaker buying the off sale version 🤔

[@stevekehl191]

Good Review!

[@JorMorera]

are these Sony better than Polk XT20 ?

[@RealDiGiPHiX]

Do you live in FL by any chance? I feel like I recognize you from helping you at the best buy I work at lol

[@hi-fihaven2257]

I still use a pair of them for desktop duty!

[@alfredoriveraortiz]

For an entry level hifi would you recommend a stereo amp from sony STRDH190 or yamaha R-S202BL?, thank you

[@ZeroFidelity]

Honestly, both will work just fine. I lean slightly towards the Yammy due to the Yammy's slightly smoother treble.

[@cremersalex]

So owners, is the treble a bit too strong?

[@channel-ls4uv]

I think you could built a nice budget movie theater sound system at home with these. 11.4 format with 4 budget subs and amp, you'll probably still be under 2k.

[@ZeroFidelity]

Right now, you can get a whole 5.1 Sony rig for under $500. Crazy value. And yep, this opens the door to those 11.4 formats as well!

[@Ebergerud]

At what point do you run into diminishing returns? I have three 5.1 systems and they're very good. I've heard a 7.1 system and I can't tell the difference. 11.1? Would add some complications to the AVR if nothing else.

[@channel-ls4uv]

@@Ebergerud Yep, good point! All depends on the available room size, I guess.

[@bencarignan2711]

I also picked a pair up for $88. I'll probably give them to a niece or nephew to get them started in hifi.

[@SRX2004]

They are now almost $200 on Amazon. Are they still worth it?

[@PlaybackMansion]

Best outro yet

[@DA-ou7hv]

So it would be good to comment on the crossover - how good / cheap is it really and then the box construction too. If the box is decent and the drivers are decent and the cross over is lousy which it likely is at this price - then maybe redo the crossover and bingo really decent speakers. Maybe. What do you think?

[@dcmphoto7437]

I'm super happy with these speakers. They sound fantastic paired with Audiolab amp. Just the right amount of detail and "flavor.". I've heard more expensive speakers that aren't as engaging to listen to.

[@rackans3949]

What audiolab amp do you use for these? I have audiolab 6000a play and thinking about buying a pair of sony's

[@Fer2Music]

@@rackans3949 which one did you buy?

[@rackans3949]

@@Fer2Music i have not bought any speakers yet, but i have canton ergo (91dc) i use with my audiolab 6000a play now and it sounds great. But i have seen others use speakers from focal and elac with great results. What do you have?

[@vineasel5360]

I bought these for $88 about the same time you released this video. They’re wired to my secondary system in my mid-sized workspace. I stream Apple Music on my iMac through a Cobalt DAC powered by some cheap Chinese Class D Fosi amp. If I max out the volume on Apple Music, then run the EQ to tweak the lower-end bass boom, these speakers handle everything like a champ. A bit bright, but they check all of the other boxes. I don’t max out the bit rate when streaming wirelessly, but when I hardwire the computer at one gig I will. Then the Sonys really makes most Spatial Audio tracks shine. It’s actually quite amazing. They’re certainly not on par with my Warfedale Lintons , but theses Sonys will blow away most, if not all, sub-$1,000 speakers. Very impressive! Thanks for the review. Great job as always.

[@owboky102050]

I just got a set from Amazon returns $60.48 ..still trying to figure out the 48cents! Bought a Kenwood 1070vr $45 off of FB market place 130watts and a Polk 12" sub for $100 on there too! All this for my greasy garage!

[@timharbert7145]

COVID lockdown forced the home stereo into the digital age. Picked up these Sony's, a Modi 3 DAC, and a used Sony Blue-Ray player to play CDs thru a mid-90s midrange priced Yamaha. The details heard from the discs I thought I knew was amazing. Great for apartment - just enough bass can be had out of the Sony's with the Yamaha Loudness knob - but not thundering enough to disturb the neighbors. Works perfectly for Roku TV and movies as well. Voices are clear and separated. Hats off to all the audio reviewers on KZbin. Y'all are a real help.

[@joelopez7459]

get a real cd player and be amazed

[@canadianwildlifeservice8883]

Had them. They sounded really good. Bought the Klipsch RP-150M. Returned the Sony's since the Klipsch were better in almost every way. Bought the Sony's again for a "second chance". I WANTED to love them, but the Klipsches had won me over. Sad to say I can't recomended them over the Klipsch reference line for a bit more. However they are BETTER THAN THE POLK T15!!!

[@David-bb7mt]

I think most anything is better than Polk 😆

[@Jayiyagi]

You beat me to it !

[@ZeroFidelity]

GET ON MY LEVEL, SON! haha. So real talk: I only have a couple hours to return them. In fact, I'm heading out the door right now! As much as I'd like to keep these as an affordable reference, I have wayyyyy too much audio gear as is. Lookin' forward to your review lil' 1.

[@ryanschipp8513]

@@ZeroFidelity lol!