Summary: AR216 speakers are wonderful. Acoustic suspension design which is much different than AR215S (I own a pair of them too)
I have my 216's hooked up to a classic Onkyo receiver and can't beat the sound!
I prefer to high end HK with Celestion speakers for music only system. If you can find a pair grab em! Classic AR's
Strengths: definition, tight bass, great imaging
Weaknesses: not made anymore
Similar Products Used: AR 215ps, Celestion f2's, Infinity R2's
Optimus 600's.
Would you like to Comment? Join AudioReview for a free account, or Login if you are already a member.
Summary: Actually, I own AR215PS, however, I find there are not much different between 2 modle. 1st, I have to say for $50 a pair, it is a very good speaker. The sound is great. But there are some problem with the soundstage, I think it is the placement problem ~ I use it as computer speaker. It is better than my Sony SAV-815ED
Strengths: Good bass and med range compare with Sony SAV-815ED
Weaknesses: Non fo r this price
Similar Products Used: Sony SAV-815ED
Would you like to Comment? Join AudioReview for a free account, or Login if you are already a member.
Summary: For the Price these are great speakers, I Love the Clear even sound that they produce. Sound much better than the Jbl's that I replace and the bose I auditioned. To bad they don't make these any more because I find the horn loaded design give much better imaging that the new PS226 or S10 with silk domes. You can't beat a well designed horn. The Ratings are for the original list price of 299 a pair and would go even higher since I only paid 40 bucks for them.
Strengths: Great even sound with very good imaging. Good bass for size and clear mids and highs
Weaknesses: none at this price
Similar Products Used: Jbl N26,Bose 301, Old Yamaha
Would you like to Comment? Join AudioReview for a free account, or Login if you are already a member.
Rating Reviewed by: Rick Burns(Unregistered User)
(Audio Enthusiast)
Review Date February 12, 2001
Overall Rating 5 of 5
Value Rating 5 of 5
Used product for 3 months to 1 year
Visitors rate this review 5.00 of 5,
2.00 votes
Review 4 of 19
, from State University, AR
Price Paid:
$129.00
from Sears
Summary: I can't believe how good these speakers sound, especially (and most appropriately) in a small room. While we're having our living room floors re-done, my wife and I moved all of our components (Denon AVR-4800, cheap CD player, turntable, VCR & TV) to another room; disconnected our Paradigm Monitor 9s, CC-370 ctr, PW-2200 sub, and ADP 370-dipoars; plugged in these little apeakers temporarily to the Denon and were amazed at how listening to music can be both a pleasure and very inexpensive. These ACR 216s can easily fill a small room, and though the bass is not going to rattle any windows, the power and accuracy of these were very impressive.
If you're looking for budget speakers for a small room, you just can't go wrong with these! I suspect they'd also serve very well as surrounds once you decided to upgrade to larger floor-standing front speakers, but for my money, I'm simply using them for 2-channel stereo and am enjoying listening to all kinds of music (primarily classical) before we re-connect the Paradigms. On the other hand, I'll probably use these in a second-room set-up when the Denon POA 5200 companion amp (to the AVR-4800) arrives. I just didn't expect much sound could come from such budget speakers!
Strengths: very good range for such a small speaker
Weaknesses: none
Similar Products Used: Paradigm Monitor Series
Would you like to Comment? Join AudioReview for a free account, or Login if you are already a member.
Rating Reviewed by: J. Parson(Unregistered User)
(Audio Enthusiast)
Review Date January 6, 2001
Overall Rating 5 of 5
Value Rating 5 of 5
Used product for 1 to 3 months
Visitors rate this review 5.00 of 5,
2.00 votes
Review 5 of 19
, from Ridgway
Price Paid:
$150.00
from JandR Music World
Summary: It's been some time that I've owed a small 2 way bookshelve speaker,my last pair of AR's of some 15yrs where an enormous, great sounding floor standing pair that had deep bass capabilities. I quess gone are those days. Nether the less I was very impressed with these little 216's. Their ability to sound uboxy and much larger than their size,tight bass ,( I actually could pick out better details in the upper bass on up, than in my last AR's). As I grow older I think my desire for larger more bass output speakers is tapering,but for those of you that are bass heads a good subwoofer could be added to compliment the 216's lack in that area. Depending on placement in your room I think in spite of it's price I think AR has another innovated product,deserving a serious listen.
Strengths: Tight Bass, Unboxy like sound for a little 2 way, overall disperses a well detailed sound, horn tweeter not bright.
Weaknesses: I really could'nt find any
Similar Products Used: AR-9LSi
Would you like to Comment? Join AudioReview for a free account, or Login if you are already a member.