Clean mid range and highs

Bass is a little weak. Adding a sub has much improved the sound

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.

Great highs

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

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.

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

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

Vertical dispersion limited due to horns' directivity

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.

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Mirage, PSB, Wharfedale, Paradigm

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

Grills are finicky

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!

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Infinity SM102 Klipsch SB3

Good full range sound, Good quality sounding bass.

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

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.

Size {great for small home theater}, Sound

None

Purchased these speakers for music and home theater use. Great for my kind of music (loud}. Wonderful highs and a surprising amount of base. Horn tweeters are perfect for in your face home theater sound.

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Polk, Athena

Size to quality of sound is excellent. They look solid,not flashy but stylish in a subdued sort of way

Can't think of any.

Is it possible for these speakers to sound so much better after 4 mos of listening? YES, it is possible. Call is burn-in, break-in, what ever you want. These speakers sound like a jazz club, an orchestra, a dance hall, a studio, outside. What ever is playing on them sounds like you heard it for the first time. Everytime. I am continually amazed at the sound they put out. The sound stage is vivid and alive(Once you get the placement right). The horns are clear and crisp. The voices are natural. I'm hooked on Klipsch. My wife and I had talked about Klipsch speakers years ago when we lived in Indianapolis(home of Klipsch) but we forgot about the quality. I don't think there is a speaker this size that could sound any better. Impressive.

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Who cares

Clear,rich sound, small size, look good,Klipsch reputation is apparently well earned

175.00 per speaker( Well,not really a weakness)

Excellent sound for a reasonable price. After reading the reviews listed here, I purchased 2 of these from Best Buy. This was probably the best purchase I have made in a while(after the Denon 685). The music sounds like it is being generated in my living room. I honestly can't bring myself to do anything else while sitting and listening to the music. Its captivating(There's a word for you). They grab your attention and hold it. The horns are beyond comment, the vocals are clear, all other background material that you didn't hear before leaps out and dances around the room. Truly impressive. I almost bought the SB-1's but I have a subwoofer and didn't think I would need the extra base that the SB-1's offered. I was right.These speakers are a perfect match with almost any sub

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who cares

They have a very clean sound and are capable of filling a room meant for a much larger speaker. They sing, sound pretty natural, and can't be beat in the bang-for-your-buck category. Plus they're hella loud, if that floats your boat.

They are pretty directional so you'll have to find out what orientation works best in your listening environment. The black drivers and cabinet are pretty mundane and, while professional and sleek, won't be mistaken for art by you or anyone else. Well, Picasso could call it art but who really likes cubism? Anyone? That's what I thought.

I have been using a pair of SB-2s as my only sound source for over a year now and can safely say I have thoroughly enjoyed these speakers! They sound much larger than they actually are, producing a fullness that is remarkable for their size. The mids are clean and sharp while the highs just scream from the Tractix horn. I would say these speakers sound aggressive but they are not so in-your-face as to be annoying. The highs have a tendency to be a bit stronger than the midrange but they are never overpowering. Be careful, however, because these speakers can hurt you. They will play so frickin' loud your ears will literally beg you to turn them down... and that's only at half volume. Bass response seems to really drop off below the mid 40Hz range but if you're expecting more from a bookshelf speaker, turn your computer off now, find a gun, and rid the gene pool of yourself. These speakers are not meant to play super low and, while they do all but the most bass-intense music justice, you will need a sub if these are going into a theater setup. They won't shake your fillings loose but bass is adequate, sharp, and clean at all volumes. It's done well, just not deep. My only real complaint is that placement is important for these guys. They are pretty directional and if you can't get them set up properly, they won't even pretend to create an even listening field. This is all a matter of set up, however, because when you're in the sweet spot (you'll know it, trust me), it's magical. They open up a little if you take the grills off but the drivers and unfortunately not particularly exciting. The same could be said for the cabinet despite its robust and solid construction. For the money, nothing beats these speakers. You're doing yourself a favor by purchasing them.

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H&K, Infinity, KLH, Polk, B&W, Sony, Bose... for the money Klipsch eats all these guys for breakfast and then asks for seconds.