Best speakers under $350? Pro-Ject Speaker Box 5 bookshelf speaker review.

[@austinnnnnnnnnnnnn]

Bro your structure and delivery just keep getting better. No fill, all on point.

[@NemoPropaganda]

this might sound cheesey but comments like this make it all worth it, thank you!

[@Audfile]

No mascots, no anime figurines. It's awesome.

[@NemoPropaganda]

@@Audfile love anime, HATE figurines. People gift them to me occasionally because I like anime and I'm just like "what am I supposed to do with this?"

[@austinnnnnnnnnnnnn]

@@jillhannant9806 no he just has great format structure and on topic delivery without filler. Project your sad life more lol. Take care.

[@austinnnnnnnnnnnnn]

@@jillhannant9806 be well

[@billbloomfield4972]

I paired these with the REL T0 MKII. Really AWESOME !!!!! Thank you !

[@GU773RSLU7]

I love these speakers. I bought them for my home office set-up. I am using the Rogersound Lab ia255.1 mini amp to push them and paired them with the REL T/zero mklll.

[@maximo90019]

Can’t wait for your view of Pro-Ject Speaker Box 5 S2’ s!

[@NemoPropaganda]

I probably won't review those specifically but we have a ton of speakers in the queue.

[@sdrtcacgnrjrc]

​​​@@jillhannant9806 EDIT// I got incorrect info from the site where I was considering purchasing (Austrian site akustik-projekt). Looking at the maker's website, the tweeter and woofer appear to be the same. ORIGINAL comment: just looking at both: woofer is 150mm (6") as opposed to 130mm (5"). Tweeter is same size but does appear to be different as well. Would love to see/read/hear a comparison (none here on YT) fwiw, the S2's are made in Europe, the others in China.

[@sdrtcacgnrjrc]

@@jillhannant9806 like you don't care where they're made, I don't care what the company is supposed to be, or what else they make. It wasnt clear from your first comment that you had heard both. The 5 doesn't get a great review on whathifi. I'm willing to spend more so will look further. All the best

[@007Sembhi]

I just got a pair of 5S2 They surprised me. Filled a large room up to 95 db

[@jamesoloughlin]

Found your channel from this review on these speakers. Subscribing. Looks like a great channel.

[@NemoPropaganda]

thank you dude!

[@thierry3953]

Just received a pair of these quite small speakers and will test them later but off the bat the disappointment is a bad front finish,seems like they placed the grill on before the paint finish coating had a chance to dry which left a black strip all around the front face and won’t come off. Quick listen while breaking it and I must say small size with mighty balls, quite surprising.

[@NemoPropaganda]

oh man that's a bummer, can you return them? That sounds like a major mfg defect.

[@thierry3953]

If I could upload a pic to show you I would but if one focus on the high quality music these produce then it almost becomes a none issue. Bought on Amazon these are usually sold out in the white finish . Been in this hi-fi hobby for many decades and I’ll say that you are a talented reviewer, spot on with these Box 5 and I appreciate the well constructed reviews you put out 🤙🏼 I actually did put away my reconditioned vintage Ryan speaker MCL-3 for these. Quite superb bookshelves and indeed room filling sound in my 30 x20 space,admittedly I also use a pair of dual 10” active Monitor audio subs with a Quicksilver preamp and Adcom GFA555 II brings out a convincing music presentation and does not hurt either that my preferred source is female vocals. Keep up the good work you are not taken for granted. T.

[@ChrisP1101]

Hello.... curious as to your comparison to the Heco Aurora 300. New to your channel... the Heco was one of the first (seemingly very positive) reviews your gave. Thanks for all of your thoughtful analysis

[@NemoPropaganda]

Hi Chris! Very different sound, the Project is much smaller phsycially and it's sound overall is more on the clean & clear side while the larger Heco is more on the dark & warm side of things with a much fuller sound and significantly more bass. Hope that helps.

[@ChrisP1101]

Much appreciated. Thanks for the prompt response!

[@maximo90019]

Well done, per usual

[@NemoPropaganda]

I appreciate that

[@ToSanJa]

Try them with Magnat MA 400 or Magnat MA 600 little hybrid Integrated amps with some decent tube like Tesla e88cc and Chord Rumour 2 or Audioquest CV 8 dbs speaker cables and Wireworld Stratus 7 power cord for amp. Best buy

[@Audiomainia2310]

Always great content from you brother - I've learned more at my 60+ years from you, and I considered myself and audiophile going back to the mid 80's up ( still love the old school Aiwa and Pioneer SX receivers from back then - more fun to play with ). What in your opinion is the most neutral floorstanding speaker in the $3000.00 range? And have you posted any demos? Would really dig your input Nano. Thanks again b!

[@NemoPropaganda]

oh man, those old school Aiwa's had some serious bass!!! I'm not really into floor standers but the Polk R700 would have my attention if I was shopping between $2k & $3k. No I don't do believe in demos, even if the mic used is very expensive I still don't think it's a good representation of the product. I've heard many car exhaust demos online but then in real life those cars exhaust sound totally different.

[@Audiomainia2310]

@@NemoPropaganda Much appreciated b. I was never a Polk advocate, but I'm more than open to giving them a shot. Thanks again - peace.

[@Cactuspractice12]

Would love for you to review the new version of this, which is apparently leaps and bounds ahead of this. The Speaker Box 5 S2

[@NemoPropaganda]

maybe in the future.

[@Cactuspractice12]

@@NemoPropaganda Ive found a pair on ebay for cheap, and can now afford a Subwoofer too ..what sub would you suggest pairing with these? Just discovering your channel, awesome stuf btw 👍

[@NemoPropaganda]

@@Cactuspractice12depends on your budget but the RSL 10E is easily the champion in value & performance for a paltry $299. You just have to be patient because the sell out often. If you have more cash there are more options but you’ll need to step up to $500+ for anything better.

[@Cactuspractice12]

@@NemoPropaganda Thank you, ill check them out. I'm in the UK and have just discovered a company here called BK, who look reputable (and reasonably priced). Might actually give their P10-150-GEM a try. cheers man

[@emokidsparade8126]

i could see using these speakers with a vista audio spark 2 in a small room or nearfield setup.

[@horrorfan6710]

Thanks for the review by the way the stands that you were using they look really nice what model are they ?

[@NemoPropaganda]

they are Skylan SP-27.

[@t0nyxgq]

Yet another great review! Always enjoyed your style and approach to speaker reviews. Quick question, how do these compare to the PSB Imagine Mini?

[@NemoPropaganda]

thank you Tony! Keeping in mind the Imagine Mini had a retail of $750 they are of course understandably better in almost every way but tonally similar.

[@thomasstanfel7589]

Great job..bro..good review

[@NemoPropaganda]

thanks thomas!

[@nc3419]

As to the upper mids and high, are they/do they present more airy, wispy at times or are they more solid and pronounced? Kind of difficult to describe but I seem to like metal tweeters for the airiness and extension they provide but some soft domes can do this as well. Then there are soft domes that present higher frequencies fuller but harsher sounding. I do have Focal speakers also. I have Cambridge MinX XL which are decent for the money but the highs could be more extended and the mids more natural. Perhaps the 5s would be better in that respect? Any opinions welcome. Gloss finish is nice.

[@NemoPropaganda]

mmmm, okay, hopefully we're on the same page here, I will do my best: I think you're asking about the trebles attack. So the leading edge of the higher frequencies is not sharp nor is it soft, I would call it normal. The top end is more airy but not cushioned sounding like an AMT tweeter. It can have snap to it if the recording calls for it otherwise it's attack seemed mostly neutral to me. Like if you heard it you would not be able to guess if it's metal or soft dome. There is a lot of clarity and air but it will not have Focal level of detail, almost nothing does in this price range.

[@nc3419]

@@NemoPropaganda Good enough description. Second system consists of Triangle Plaisir Zetas which is like my Focal but less of most everything in comparison to my Focals. It was a trimmed down version of the Color series and it's very nice for their budget. Seems the 5s very comparable but with a nice box in gloss. I may decide to get a pair for the second system. I like the Zetas better than the new Borea series. Could use the 5s on a desktop as well I suppose given the size. Thanks.

[@VuNguyen-mh4oo]

How about the Audio Engine HD5 at 450$ and they are POWERED speakers. Do you want to put out a video comparing the twos?

[@NemoPropaganda]

I'm not really interested too much in powered speakers but Audioengine makes great stuff.

[@Kosmoloog]

Just wanted to share my experience, got a pair of KEF Q350, and was not impressed. It sounded boomy, muddy and not very detailed. I returned it, and got the Projects for 199 EU and they blow the KEF away, very detailed and not muddy/boomy. I do have a sub, which I think is needed for pretty much every small bookshelf.

[@KAL-589]

Thanks for the feedback. ❤

[@ziggy8757]

are these better than the elac b6.2? which is a better buy

[@NemoPropaganda]

ummm, they're different, I don't know if I could really say one is better than the other. With the elac you get a little more bass as it's larger but with the Pro-Ject you get a nice painted cabinet and a much better looking speaker that gives a little more detail.

[@carbon_wavelight]

Do these compare favorably to the KEF Q150?

[@NemoPropaganda]

KEF Q150 have a lot more bass!

[@carbon_wavelight]

@@NemoPropaganda thanks!

[@donvittoriosierra]

Interested in how these compare with the acoustic energy ae100. That would be a great comparison. Also, about the video, I noticed that the speaker box 5 looks like it has a different woofer on projects webpage.

[@NemoPropaganda]

yeah, it looks like they might have revised the dustcap possibly. AE100 look decent but $400 for a 4" driver, eeesh!

[@donvittoriosierra]

@@NemoPropaganda It may be great with a sub though. Like you said, if paired with a sub we do want clarity over bass heft :-)

[@williamvezina1944]

How does it compare to the Elac 2.0, I've had these for about 8 months. Sound Stage, clarity, tone, details, imagine dad on, Bass is solid and it's very detailed, got these new for 489.00,sale. They're a 600.00 speaker 😁 Been doing audio for about 40yrs. Did lot's research on these, and they are 5 star across the board, with solid reference reviews. Those speakers are beautiful! Please leave opinion on the Elac 2.0 ub 52, thanks 🤘😁

[@devanhubartt9956]

I love your content! Not sure if you'd be interested, but it would be cool to see you build some diy kits!

[@NemoPropaganda]

Thank you Devan, I love DIY but I can't solder to save my life so I would end up paying someone to do it for me lol

[@rhysholley8289]

How did you mount these speakers to stands. I have just bought a set and the bottom of the bases are completely smooth no mounting hole ? Thanks

[@NemoPropaganda]

I don't recall saying I mounted them to stands.

[@rhysholley8289]

@@NemoPropaganda your right you never but I can see yours are on stands so are they just resting on them ?

[@NemoPropaganda]

@@rhysholley8289 correct! very few speakers bolt to stands and when they do it's usually the stand made for that specific speaker like Focal Chora 806 with the matching Chora stand or Revel Concerta2 M16 with the M16 stand.

[@Birdmacher]

Hey Nemo! Late to the comment game (sorry) but any thoughts on how these compare to your Silverline Minuets? Thanks!

[@NemoPropaganda]

Minuet is much better :)

[@markc5677]

Would you say this has a similar sound signature to the Qacoustics 3020?

[@NemoPropaganda]

I'm not sure bro, I've never heard a qacoustics speaker.

[@rlowes]

I take it they are no competition for the Imagine Mini (if you can find them used)?

[@NemoPropaganda]

correct, Imagine mini while old were $750 when new. The imagine mini are a little brighter but offer up loads more detail & refinement up top and a little tighter & fuller bass. These are more like a poor mans Imagine Mini, tonally they are similar and for $350 these are a great option alongside the larger Emotiva B1+.

[@HPMIKE55]

Great job bro! 😎👍

[@NemoPropaganda]

thanks henry!

[@hansj5846]

Great work. Would be interesting to see a comparison between the standard Speaker Box 5 with the more expensive Speaker Box 5 S2. Is it worth the extra $$? The S2 is $800 in US but only €350 where I'm at so I'm extremely tempted to pull the trigger 🙂

[@NemoPropaganda]

Hi bro, I don't have any plans to reveiw the S2 version at this time, maybe sometime in the future though.

[@johndistasio1112]

Hi Nemo, will these work near field on a computer desk. Thanks John

[@NemoPropaganda]

Hey John, I don't have a desktop setup to test them on so I couldn't really say.

[@audx2338]

I just got them for desktop use. First, the white ones look gorgeous, they aren't TOO big, in fact they pack a 5" woofer into about as small a footprint as you'll find anywhere (but check the measurements for yourself), and sound excellent!

[@triumphator4714]

Would you say 80 euros / 85 dollars for them are crazy underprized? Because I found a deal where I could get these for said prize.

[@NemoPropaganda]

yes for sure.

[@triumphator4714]

@@NemoPropaganda I got them today for the price and they Sound and Look awseome. I also added a subwoofer to it and it rounds up the whole thing

[@NemoPropaganda]

@@triumphator4714 nice! you got a great deal too :)

[@derberti2280]

Would be nice to have the audio a little bit louder on this Video 🙂

[@NemoPropaganda]

this entire yt channel is filmed, edited, and uploaded using an iphone, the quality will never be perfect.

[@derschoenejohnny]

Great Review Which sub could you.recommemd im this price cstegory..i.mean up to 300D?

[@NemoPropaganda]

emotiva SE8.

[@bbarbarot1]

I just got those speakers. What cables do you recommend?

[@NemoPropaganda]

I like the Maze Audio Eden ones sold on ebay for like $80.

[@wa2368]

Would a speaker that costs 370 sound 20 dollars better?

[@NemoPropaganda]

what does that even mean?

[@СтаниславГубин-р4у]

🔥🔥🔥

[@gasolin75]

is it the Box 5 or Box 5 S2 ?

[@NemoPropaganda]

box 5 is what i reviewed, the cheapest one.

[@gasolin75]

@@NemoPropaganda what is the diffrence, the price diffrence is somewhat big

[@NemoPropaganda]

@@gasolin75 I don't know, I only tried the cheaper ones. I'd maybe ask project. My guess is the more expensive one has a better crossover and maybe a different driver? I don't know though.

[@tidiane.b1691]

How do they compare against the focal 806?

[@NemoPropaganda]

Chora 806 is a better speaker by a wide margin.

[@tidiane.b1691]

@@NemoPropaganda I found them for 100 euros, I might buy them for my computer set up. Do they sound good at low volume and is there any correlation between a speaker's ability to play well at low volume and its sensitivity rating? Thank you

[@NemoPropaganda]

@@tidiane.b1691 ya know I'm not really sure about the correlation. I have found easier to drive speakers generally have great low volume performance but I really just don't know if that's the factor or not.

[@TatoGURIELI]

Is this speakers Active or Passive? 🧐🧐🧐🧐🧐

[@NemoPropaganda]

passive

[@deputy3690]

A subwoofer makes everything better for certain as long as it is tuned in correctly.

[@NemoPropaganda]

yes sir!

[@hamiltonlongfang]

You leave a review but don’t let us hear how it sounds? 👎

[@NemoPropaganda]

buy the speakers if you want to hear the sound. I don't work for you.