Strengths: A very nice speaker that is well balanced, it can play metal, jazz, acoustic, electronica.. I’ve yet to find a genre that it can’t play well. They lean to the darker side which makes them very friendly speakers, they can be very revealing in a friendly way and don’t sound harsh or bright at all. When setup right they throw a huge soundstage with lots of width and very 3D. To sum them up they sound smooth and natural and big, with an enveloping sound ( speaker placement is crucial to get a balanced sound ) but at the price they are one of the most balanced and emotionally engaging speakers ive heard. Female vocals will bring you to tears.

Weakness: Soundstage depth is good but could be a bit better. They could also be a bit more transparent sounding. Male vocals at first sounded a bit smooth, but after owning them for a few years now and then listening to other speakers it makes the other speakers sound forced and unnaturally forward with vocals.

Best value is the Sonus line. Go very very low. 30hz no problem. Drops sharply lower than that.

I do not understand how people keep parroting the sparse reviews on these. They do not have the perfect highs absent of grain. That is in fact their minor weakness. There is at times slight grain. Better than most speakers dont get me wrong, but you are not going to top the top end speakers with these. However they do top most others in the price range.

I use Dynaudio C1 as my reference speakers. As they are perfect monitors in my book and while not cheap not outrageously out of reach either.

The Liuto hold up well. First of all, they go much lower. Thats instantly noticeable. You will not need a sub unless you want to feel 20hz rumbles on soundtracks.

Liuto are not as clean and defined as the C1. This is a tall order as C1 to my ears are so good. Liuto are not bad simply not as defined here. They sound "smoother". I went back and forth on this. Some tracks sound good this way, others worse. Personal taste.

The Liuto are very attractive in a room. Nice cabinet. The "leather" is fake. This is one area that bothers me. It looks great, but dont call it leather if it isnt. Leatherette? Leather like ... but its not actual leather.

Overall they are very enjoyable. The low end being especially impressive. Not everyone has a huge budget. This are not cheap but they are that one speaker that does most very well. A solid choice for someone that doesn't want to chase speakers and just have a set that does full spectrum well.

If their is a color tilt to the sound I would say its warm. The sound is very "dark chocolate". Deep, full, luxurious looking with the occasional bitterness. Its hard for me to place but at times I would hear a slight issue around 1800 - 2000khz. Fleeting harshness that had me wondering if its me or the speaker. Its not the only speaker I have this experience with.

I have used these for years now. While my fav C1 have only one weakness to me - low end drop below 40hz, the Sonus extends fully to 30 and in fact below. Obviously below drops sharply as does out ability to hear it.

I have tired subwoofers to no avail and firmly believe for music subs are nothing more than nuisance and noisemakers. There are always time issues. Sure they may be fun for movies but for music they drive me crazy. The Liuto to me are fantastic towers will all the low end one could want. I never say "I wish I had more low end) because they have it and its tight. Never tiring and they wake up and shout with rock and metal no problem. Sound consistent at quiet or loud levels.

Like all good speakers they sound best with good source. Bad production or clipped mastering will be revealed.

Probably the best looking speaker I have had. Everyone thinks they look good. If you have a spouse that dislikes speakers looking like a frat pad, these dont. They look like finely made cabinets and blend in with class. Like all speakers placement changes everything and these are sensitive to placement.

You might find these on Ebay & Co. If you find a pair, why don't you take a chance ? Because normally, they can sound precise, warm and fun at the same time ! But this was only the case in one of the three pairs I've tried . . . . . . The two others were quite dull, not transparent enough - even after long time running-in . . . . . . So IF you can try them in advance, go for it ! Ideally, they sound very transparent but homogenous, tight and deep in bass presence and all in all just very very good ! Mids and highs can be perfect, means not hard, just natural and authentic as they should be. Might be the speakers of your life, IF you find the right pair !!! Looks and built are no issue - really perfect, even today in 2016 ! Good luck !