value. I don't know anything in the price range that can compete
smoooooth midrange
lively highs without being fatiguing
great soundstage

Not many.
These are bookshelf speakers, so they are not full range - bass drops off in the low 50s.

This was my first attempt at DIY speaker building and to be fair, this is probably more accurately described as speaker assembling as GR research designed the crossover and cabinet diimensions to match their drivers and tweeters.

anyway, the whole process from research to ordering to building was very fun. Danny at GR Research offers incredible customer service and knows how to work with a Noob like myself.

I've been listening to them for about 2 months now and I would say they are fully burned in. They are simply astounding speakers - smooth mid range, clear high end that is lively without being overly bright. They just sound fantastic and I'm thoroughly enjoying them. They also offer remarkable bass for the driver size. (They are rear ported and are 3db down at about 50 hz.) I have since added a subwoofer to cover the sub 50hz range and I'm in audio nirvana.

In short, I think these are a bargain and well worth the effort to build. If you can solder and do very basic woodworking, you can build your own speakers.

I have compared them directly to my previous Boston Acoustics CR77s (excellent speakers at about $300) and also to B&W's new 686 bookshelf speakers at $500.

The AV2s trump them both and other reviews suggest they can take on the mighty Paradigm studio 40s, but I've not compared them yet.

Customer Service

outstanding. I think Danny runs a one man show, but he has a solid reputation as a crossover designer for other speaker companies. He is patient with newbies and he ships quick and designs DIY kits that a complete novice can navigate.

Similar Products Used:

B&W 686, CM1
Paradigm Studio 20
Boston Acoustics CR77