cost
clear highs and good bass

nothing really for $200/pair

I have a relatively average size living room, approx. 10'x15'in size. I find these speakers perfect for the room size. I shopped for JBL N38 ?? and looked at Pinnacle Classics floor speakers, $400 and $600 respectively. Both JBL and Pinnacle speakers sounded richer, and had tighter bass at loud levels. However, I felt Sony had great high and mid range sound and had only minor bass distortion. Since I have powered subwoofers I didn't care if it didn't have great bass output or produced shattering loud sound. So, I got the SONY. If you have a large living space, don't have powered subs, or like throwing REALLY loud parties, maybe these aren't the best speakers for you. But, I find these $200 speaker great for my 10x15 living room. Its 200Watt is more than enough power if I wanted to watch/listen loudly.

Similar Products Used:

center - POLK cs-245i
rear - PINNACLE ac-400
sub - PINNACLE AC-SUB 100
receiver - TECHNICS SA-DA 10N

Size, looks, bass, and highs.

None for the price.

These speakers rock. They are great for listening to all types of music. I have not performed the modification yet since they are under warrenty still. (I don't think it's nessicary, but everyone ravs about it.) Sony products are great, and i think that everyone that reads this should go out and buy these speakers.

My system-

Sony STR-DE845 Reciever
Sony SS-MF515 Main speakers
Sony DVP-S360 DVD Player
Sony SAW-M40 Subwoofer

Size, looks, bass, and highs.

None for the price.

These speakers rock. They are great for listening to all types of music. I have not performed the modification yet since they are under warrenty still. (I don't think it's nessicary, but everyone ravs about it.) Sony products are great, and i think that everyone that reads this should go out and buy these speakers.

My system-

Sony STR-DE845 Reciever
Sony SS-MF515 Main speakers
Sony DVP-S360 DVD Player
Sony SAW-M40 Subwoofer

read below

read below

to all of you that have these speakers and use them alot check the tweeder. I did not even know it was bad in one of them till i was dusting them and noticed no highs in one of them. YOU MAY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AND NOT EVEN NOTICE.

I have pushed these speakers hard but not to the limit. These are exellent speakers but should not lose a speaker so soon.

If you find the same thing let me know!!!!

Similar Products Used:

read below

Imaging-Dispersion-Warmth-smoothness-detail-clean highs

None, At this price

This speaker is very good for the price.
It offers performance only available for thousands of dollars ten years ago!
It is NOT the speaker to crank Metallica, TECHNO, or RAP.
If you like this kind of stuff, buy a cerwin vega and see god!
If you like imaging, music, warmth, with decent dynamic range, read on.
The 515 uses two 6.5 inch drivers up to 2000hz, crosses over to a 3 inch cone up to 5000hz, and the super sweet dome tweeter takes over from there.
This insures tremendous dispersion allowing a broad and deep soundstage extending well beyond the speakers physical plane.
The high 5000 hz tweeter crossover gives a sweet high end because the tweeter isnt being taken too low down in frequency to cause intermodulation distorsion.
The 515 has excellent high frequency detail, without being bright.
The speaker is voiced on the warm side.
I have them 16 inches out from the rear wall, and 8.5 feet apart.
I sit 10 feet away.
They do an ok job of trying to disappear.
The image stretches almost wall to wall, and the sound is BIG.
I have at my disposal several pairs of true high end speakers to compare em with.
They sound the most like the Vandersteens.
See above similar products used.
They want to be pointed straight ahead in my room, do not angle them in.
Angling them in compromises image width!
I believe for the money there isnt anything close!
To fault them, there is some male voice coloration, and a tizzyness to the highs that will go away as the tweeter breaks in.
The grill is cheap and wants to work its way loose, but who cares?
If you LISTEN to your speakers with grills on, you arent really an audiophile, just a wannabe!
Honest to god, these are really audiophile speakers.
I seldom use tone or loudness controls, and in my room these dont need em.
What is AMAZING is how close they are in overall performance to what I own!
Now for the second part of this review!

DONT MESS WITH THE CROSSOVER-
Someone posted that the crossover in these looked cheap, and recommended replacing it with an off the shelf crossover!
What a mistake!
The overall slope of a crossover is determined not by the apparent complexity and number of its parts, but by the inherent roll off of the drivers themselves!
When you are a HUGE company like SONY, you can MAKE drivers that do what you want withn a MINIMUM of power robbing, phase shifting parts!
I have run computer analysis on the 515 crossover, and it is a work of art!
It appears cheap and simple, but theres a LOT more going on than meets the eye.
Remember, the 515 was designed by the SAME design team that did the Somy M-9!
That speaker was or still is on STereophile magazines recommended list!
An off the shelf crossover has as much chance of working better as a fart does in the wind!
LEAVE IT ALONE.
The Internet is almost in total agreement that this is a GREAT speaker.
I had some well known Canadien speakers here, and the Sonys were better.
You can spend more, LOTS more, and not get better.
Unless you know what you are doing, and are really into it.
Highly recommended!!!!!

Similar Products Used:

Quad 63, Celestion SL-6, KEF 107, Vandersteen 2b,Etc

Imaging-Dispersion-Warmth-smoothness-detail-clean highs

None, At this price

This speaker is very good for the price.
It offers performance only available for thousands of dollars ten years ago!
It is NOT the speaker to crank Metallica, TECHNO, or RAP.
If you like this kind of stuff, buy a cerwin vega and see god!
If you like imaging, music, warmth, with decent dynamic range, read on.
The 515 uses two 6.5 inch drivers up to 2000hz, crosses over to a 3 inch cone up to 5000hz, and the super sweet dome tweeter takes over from there.
This insures tremendous dispersion allowing a broad and deep soundstage extending well beyond the speakers physical plane.
The high 5000 hz tweeter crossover gives a sweet high end because the tweeter isnt being taken too low down in frequency to cause intermodulation distorsion.
The 515 has excellent high frequency detail, without being bright.
The speaker is voiced on the warm side.
I have them 16 inches out from the rear wall, and 8.5 feet apart.
I sit 10 feet away.
They do an ok job of trying to disappear.
The image stretches almost wall to wall, and the sound is BIG.
I have at my disposal several pairs of true high end speakers to compare em with.
They sound the most like the Vandersteens.
See above similar products used.
They want to be pointed straight ahead in my room, do not angle them in.
Angling them in compromises image width!
I believe for the money there isnt anything close!
To fault them, there is some male voice coloration, and a tizzyness to the highs that will go away as the tweeter breaks in.
The grill is cheap and wants to work its way loose, but who cares?
If you LISTEN to your speakers with grills on, you arent really an audiophile, just a wannabe!
Honest to god, these are really audiophile speakers.
I seldom use tone or loudness controls, and in my room these dont need em.
What is AMAZING is how close they are in overall performance to what I own!
Now for the second part of this review!

DONT MESS WITH THE CROSSOVER-
Someone posted that the crossover in these looked cheap, and recommended replacing it with an off the shelf crossover!
What a mistake!
The overall slope of a crossover is determined not by the apparent complexity and number of its parts, but by the inherent roll off of the drivers themselves!
When you are a HUGE company like SONY, you can MAKE drivers that do what you want withn a MINIMUM of power robbing, phase shifting parts!
I have run computer analysis on the 515 crossover, and it is a work of art!
It appears cheap and simple, but theres a LOT more going on than meets the eye.
Remember, the 515 was designed by the SAME design team that did the Somy M-9!
That speaker was or still is on STereophile magazines recommended list!
An off the shelf crossover has as much chance of working better as a fart does in the wind!
LEAVE IT ALONE.
The Internet is almost in total agreement that this is a GREAT speaker.
I had some well known Canadien speakers here, and the Sonys were better.
You can spend more, LOTS more, and not get better.
Unless you know what you are doing, and are really into it.
Highly recommended!!!!!

Similar Products Used:

Quad 63, Celestion SL-6, KEF 107, Vandersteen 2b,Etc

sound quality

none so far

Great sound quality; warm, crisp and clear. Study box construction. They match up perfectly with the sony SS-CN490 center channel. The sound flows smoothly through the front speakers.

Similar Products Used:

JBL

Great Sound and great price

Um, None.

I bought these speakers to replace my old Sony towers as I am upgrading to a home theater set up. I was blown away when I hooked these babys up to my stereo!! Great sound, good bass and mids and highs. I was also pleased when Xmas rolled around and I hooked them up to my Sony STR-DE545 A/V receiver. I also have the SS-MB105's, WM-SA40 subwoofer and the SS-CN490 center speaker. I am very happy with this setup and I LOVE SONY!!!!!!

Similar Products Used:

Older Sony speakers that came with my stereo

I bought a pair of these speakers for $240 from Best Buy to go with a cheap 100 watt per channel Pioneer Receiver I previously purchased. They appeared to be be an incredible value in the store and I was not at all diappointed when I got them home. The sound is musical with low distortion and very little harshness. Bass extension is adequate for my purpose(a bedroom)and I did not have to shell out another $50 or so for floorstands. I could not be happier with the bang for the buck!

First, I'd just like to thank the review from the person who suggested CameraWorld.com for this heavenly pair of speakers - amazing price, amazing speakers, amazing deal! I bought a pair of Bose 501's. Granted, the last pair of Bose I bought were YEARS ago, and I still love those and they're in the bedroom now and are happy there. This new set I bought...blah. So, I had to find something to replace them so that these can go somewhere else - and these Sony's are definitely it! I honestly never thought I'd applaud a pair of Sony speakers, as in the past they were never the ones to watch or buy - but, I applaud them now! Congratulations to Sony for making a pair of speakers at such a great price, and of such high quality. Even with my hardwood floors these speakers sound simply amazing. I highly suggest these for the clarity, and the bass is excellent to boot.
Five stars and my hat off!