After working all summer on my car, I have decided to turn towards my home. I have been looking for people's opinions on this speaker before I set off on a trek to find them and listen to them. If anyone has any sentiments--good or bad--it would be appreciated.Thanks

natural sound with surprisingly excellent delivery of subtle details; bass you can't shake a stick at, too.

they're HUGE, and they're picky about where you put them.

If you would like to force your neighbors to appreciate the music of Tool as much as you do, pick up a pair of these bad boys. In this price range, they can't be topped for bass output, and unlike other speakers in this class of products (e.g. MTX and Cerwin-Vega dorm room staples), the midrange and high frequencies get plenty of attention. I do recommend the use of a good EQ to control brightness at the top, though.

With its rear-ported design, the SM225's bass response varies with its proximity to the wall. I've found that with most music, it's best to keep them at least 12" from the wall, but angling them tightly into a corner can really put some extra pound in your Dogg Pound.

If your primary interest is a good home theater speaker, look elsewhere. Even with the voice-matched center (SM Video) and rears (SM 85), the left and right channels overpower the dialog. However, they don't fail to impress during action sequences (most particularly the "napalm in the morning" scene from Apocalypse Now).

All in all, this is a top-rate speaker for those who want maximum SPL without sacrificing musical accuracy, and without having to sell a kidney.