Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
I wanted speakers with really good sensitivity, as the single-ended EL84 amp that I like to listen to can't put out more than 7-8 watts.

I could write a long flowery narrative about how wonderful those speakers turned out to be, but instead I will just say that nothing else of this size is capable of pumping out that much sonic energy.

Also, the fidelity is nothing short of remarkable.

Price Paid:  $100.00 from Craigslist

Summary:
These are good speakers and compare in sound to my Cerwin Vega LS-8's. I recently brought down my Klipsch RB-5's and started to use them in my family room and I am amazed how much better the RB-5's sound. So, that's why I only gave them a four star rating.

Strengths:
Great highs

Weaknesses:
Don't seem to have enough bass (because there small). Also, the imaging (as compared to my RB-5's) is not as good.

Similar Products Used:
Klipsh: RB-5, Cerwin Vega LS-8's, Bose 201's

Price Paid:  $150.00 from UBID

Summary:
I started out my experience with Klipsch speakers back in '78 with the original Heresy, which was for me a revelation even after owning the very musical Scott S-15's. Actually, I wouldn't have plunked down the $675 on the Heresys then if I hadn't gone for the Polk 10's and had not been so disappointed. So it is 30 years later and I was dying to try Klipsch again and after reading the very positive reviews on this site I decided to give the SB-2's a try. Klipsch designs still sound quite a bit different than other good speakers today and that horn sound may or may not be someone's perfect cup of tea, but I've always been partial to their involving up-front presentation and these diminutive 15 in. tall bookshelves are true to their pedigree. They are very well built with a solid cabinet and get a knock-on-rock pass score with the knuckle rap test. Of course, the finish is 'bout as plain as you can get, no nice choice of fancy wood finishes and no gold plated bi-wire posts, but since sound is what you're after brothers and sisters, point blank these perform way beyond their size. I have them set up on the short wall in a 12 X 20 apartment living room for audio/video dual-duty and have the Sherwood receiver send the bass signals to a Boston Acoustics VR-500 sub, the SB-2's getting the signal from about 120 Hz on up. Tonal balance I find to be very good for music and movies, if a little tilted up in the upper midrange and recessed just a wee bit in the upper treble. Imaging is just great with the music panoramically laid out from speaker to speaker and there's so much of it that it's easy to trick yourself into thinking that you're running towers and that there is a center-channel speaker running! I've tried them on the long wall to with similar results and let me say that you're not thinking 'speakers' when you're listening since the music is so evenly distributed across the front stage. Modern horns are very low-distortion transducers and the midrange-treble driver in the SB-2's is no exeption. The response is very smooth without any of those nasty peaks that can so ruin your after-work relax time. These speakers are not reticent, however and those not caring for up-front horns and guitars, etc. may not like these. I do though, and love how the Klipsches let you really get into the rhythm and pulse of the music. It's as if all the music from bass to treble is effortlessly coming from the speakers making it seem more intimate and open than many other direct radiators out there. Are there much better speakers to be had? Sure, but at this price, who cares? With the extra money you'll save you can start your own big-screen TV fund and not feel remorseful that you're depriving yourself of quality sound. The 6.5 in. woofer SB-2's have been replaced by the new B-3's which are said to have improved upper frequency response. They are over $300 a pair though and with no big changes in materials or design it may be more practical to take advantage of the several close out deals out there in infoland.(Check out Vanns.com, Ebay and Ubid) so I'll give the nod on these enthusiastically for movies and for all types of music.

Strengths:
Sound for size they're hard to beat.
Smooth, balanced sound, great soundstage
and workmanship

Weaknesses:
Vertical dispersion limited due to horns' directivity

Similar Products Used:
Mirage, PSB, Wharfedale, Paradigm

Price Paid:  $179.00 from Best Buy

Summary:
These speakers are fabulous! I bought them for my home office as an open box item several months ago, but they have recently been replaced by SB-3's, due to a terrific bargain I found on the new speakers (see my SB-3 review for details).

They were primarily used in my home office, and accompanied by a Kenwood VR-7070. The high end on these speakers was amazing, but I was really amazed at the actual amount of bass that these speakers produce (given their size).

What really wowed me is that I as I walked through the house, I could hear these powerful little speakers as clear as day anywhere I went (which, by the way, was physically behind the speakers)!!!

I now have them in my bedroom, with a Yamaha rx-v496 powering them, and I must say that they are a pleasant way of falling asleep!

Strengths:
Crisp highs
Amazing bass for the size (not sub quality, but still amazing!)

Weaknesses:
Grills are finicky

Similar Products Used:
Infinity SM102
Klipsch SB3

Price Paid:  $325.00 from Friend

Summary:
I am a huge fan of klipsch. I bought the sb-2's for surrounds. I agree with some of the other reviews that say they sound much bigger than they are, but I think they lack a little in the high end. I don't they sound bad, just lack a little. I have the klipsch kg4.2 towers and the horns in them sound much more crisp. I do love how the sb-2's sound for surround. I think they would do a good job for mains in a small to mid-sized room. They have pretty good low range for such a small package.

Strengths:
Good full range sound, Good quality sounding bass.

Weaknesses:
Highs are somewhat dull in my opinion, but please don't let that keep you from a purchase. They do sound very clean.