Price Paid:  $129.00 from adudio advisor

Summary:
I purchased these speakers for a secondary system, which is actually an older system that needed speakers. All the criteria was there, rubber surrounds, metal dome tweeter, five way binding posts, and how could I resist the price? I put them in my primary system when they first arrived and was immediately impressed. My subwoofer was keeping the 80 hz. and lower information to itself and the FRX 3s seemed quite happy. I will add that when the 3s were hooked directly to the amp with full signal, the impression was not the same. With the full signal to deal with, I felt the speakers had much more to deal with and overall sonic performance was somewhat degraded. This may not be exactly fair, as what I normally listen to is not subjected to the full signal of my amp either. I now have them in the system in which I puchased them for and the are a perfect addition. If I had bought these speakers years ago I may not have any thing to compare them to. A very decent speaker that I would not resitate to use in a first rate A/V set-up or as rears in my primary system.(If I ever go multi channel). I have to keep reminding myself of the price. These speakers are worth every bit of the orginal $350.00 asking price.

Strengths:
Very balanced, imaging and depth O.K. Really shows what the Canadians can do with a small speaker.

Weaknesses:
Bass, imagine that.

Similar Products Used:
KEF, B&W, Klipsch

Price Paid:  $200.00 from Hi-Fi Buys (display

Summary:
I bought these speakers to be monitors for my Pro-Tools based digital audio workstation. I wanted some really nice near-field studio monitors, but couldn't afford them, so I went with bookshelf speakers as a temporary fix. Accuracy is critical for me, so I wasn't going to cut these speakers any slack- so with a pristine receipt in hand I plugged them in. After using them every day for six months I must say that I love them. The imaging is great, even at a distance of three feet. The bass is suprisingly full and tight for the size, kick drums boom and resonate without sounding distorted or boomy. Of course they did what all good spearkers should do well- the midrange is warm and articulate, vocals sit perfectly. I just love looking at my EQ set flat while listening to how good these sound. I'm also very glad that my ancient Pioneer receiver has got a new lease on life thanks to these speakers. He couldn't have been more than a couple days away from e-bay when these speakers came along.

Strengths:
The ratio of size to sound is wonderful. The styling is clean and understated. The design is simple and effective. Once again- the imaging at even short distances is superb, they have tight bass and warm, musical midrange. For the money, I can't imagine much better.

Weaknesses:
In the interest of being objective- the only weakness I can think of is that if you had a VERY large room that you wanted solid reinforcement in you might want bigger. Mind you, the room I'm thinking of is bigger than the first floor of my three bedroom home. I just can't think of anything else bad to say about these.

Similar Products Used:
For home- Sony, Philips, Bose loudspeakers In the studio- Currently working with KRK studio monitors and Yamaha NS-10s.

Price Paid:  $299.00 from Glubes

Summary:
These Mirage speakers sound great! They are being powered by my Yamaha RX-V530 and I've been very impressed with their capabilities. I did take the time to listen to some other brands before the purchase including KEF, JBL, but decided that in my price range these had the warmest and fullest sound. If I had more money I definately would have gone for the FRX-3 speakers but since I'm on a budget these did the trick. I think Mirage make a great product and would highly recommend giving these a try if you're looking for a set of speakers.

Strengths:
Great sound! Very balanced and warm. Have cranked them fairly loud without any sign of distortion.

Weaknesses:
None really, but if you have more money go for the FRX-3's which are a bit bigger.

Similar Products Used:
Pioneer Home Theatre Package

Price Paid:  $200.00 from Glubes Sound Studio

Summary:
These speakers are excellent. They're made well, excellent quality throughout, they perform reliably, and they look refined (especially the cherry-wood). I tested the speakers against similar models from psb, bose, sony, and jbl, with the frxone's performing better to my ear, especially compared to the bose speakers (they're all overrated and overpriced). The speakers are great in bringing out the best in sound recordings and really let you hear how crappy 128 and lower mp3s can sound, as well as any noise generated by laptops and such. My setup is: Mirage frx one's as front bookshelf speakers, Mirage's equally excellent 2001 model lf100 sub-woofer, a kenwood 200watt stereo reciever, and a panasonic dvd/cd/mp3 player. I have used this setup in a small dorm room, bedroom, and large dorm room, all with excellent sound. -Bottom line, if you're in this budget range and need speakers for a small-medium sized room as fronts or surrounds, or in a large room as surrounds, at least consider these great speakers.

Strengths:
-build quality -value -great sound for small to mid-sized rooms -accurate, detailed sound, with surprisingly decent bass -Canadian made/owned

Weaknesses:
-needs a sub for real bass ie the matching Mirage sub. -output not high enough for very large rooms/spaces

Similar Products Used:
Various minisystems, kenwood tower and home theater speakers, sony speakers. Various products tested Various reviews consulted and specs checked out