Price Paid:  $30.00 from Kmart

Summary:
Over the last year or so I've become to really like these little speakers. They're one of the best sounding set of speakers I've ever heard for their size. I use them almost every day at medium to loud volumes on my old 150watt Technics receiver and they do not fatigue the ear at all. They can handle the volume up to about 70%. The little 4" woofers can really pack a punch!

These speakers make a great set of desktop speakers although you wouldn't want to put them too close to the edge of your desk. They do tend to jump around a bit even with the little rubber pads on the bottom.

Overall these are a great pair of speakers! Do keep in mind these are only 4-6 ohms average which may overheat some amplifiers or receivers rated at 8 ohms.

Strengths:
Good bass from the 4" woofers. Great overall sound from high to low.

Weaknesses:
Low wattage. They can only handle a max of around 50 watts per unit, rated at 40.

Price Paid:  $15.00 from Fry's Electronics

Summary:
I purchased the KLH 970A's from Fry's Electronics for fun. I thought it might be interesting to see how they would hold up against some of the equipment that my fiance's brother owns. I tested them out as a center channel speaker (he normally uses a Paradigm center) matched with the floor-standing Paradigms, Titans in the rear on an Onkyo amp and, I daresay, these little KLH's sounded a heck of a lot better as a center than did that Paradigm! I was very much surprised as to the clarity and clean sound that came from such a cheap, small speaker. I have these hooked up as replacements for speakers that came with an executive system and they sound much, much better.

Strengths:
Price
Sound clarity

Weaknesses:
Sound clarity (at higher volume levels, though with the proper eq and external sub, they do fine)

Price Paid:  $15.00 from Best Buy

Summary:
This speaker comes in a package of 2 for $30. It is self standing, wall mount, hook mount and can be used outside. It is an unbelievable deal for the price. It will not match a professional speaker but I have not yet found a professional center speaker to beat it. I know this sounds hard to believe but I placed it next to a JBL S-Center II and a Polk CSi40 and it held its own. I used a frequency generator connected to my amp to make side by side comparisons from 300 Hz to 14,000 Hz. Sorry but at the age of 60 I can no longer hear above 14 KHz. It did an exceptional job on direct side by side comparisons with a variety of music. If you are having trouble selecting a center speaker you can use this one until you find what you want. It will only handle 40 watts so you can’t push it hard. You can use 4 of these speakers by placing 2 sets of series speakers in parallel with each other. This is normally a no no. You rarely ever put more that one speaker on the same circuit with an improvement. In my case it worked ok. The lower range sounds great. The upper range sounds full but this is not necessarily the primary objective. Overall the voice is fairly clear with 4 speakers on the same circuit. Yes, I’m still searching for a good professional center speaker with good range but the KLH 970A does ok for now. This is the perfect around the house speaker or patio speaker.

Strengths:
Good frequency range and clarity for the price.

Weaknesses:
The impedance is 4 - 6 ohms and it only handles 40 watts if that is a problem. For $15 it really has no weaknesses.

Similar Products Used:
JBL S-Center II and a Polk CSi40. These speakers should not be in the same class but the KLH 970a actually did better overall. If you don't believe it try it. For $15 you can't lose much.

Price Paid:  $10.00 from Best Buy

Summary:
Conventional wisdom would indicate that these speakers should simply be unlistenable. They're light and hollow, made of plastic, and cost less than the price of a CD. I originally intended for these to be outdoor speakers, but I moved and never got around to putting them up outside. I was experimenting with using different speakers in the living room with my Eosone sub, and just for laughs I hooked these babies up. Should I be ashamed to admit that they sounded really nice? You obviously can't raise the roof with these, but they played loud enough to suit my volume needs. I felt they produced very smooth, natural tones which weren't fatiguing in any way. A previous reviewer mentioned that he could hear detailed reproduction of acoustic guitars; I noticed the same thing. Previous (and much more expensive) speakers I've used would sometimes be too "shiny" in the high end, especially when listening to some CD's. My ears would grow tired of this, and I feel I missed out on much musical detail as a result. I've never seen a frequency response curve for these, but to me they sound fairly flat. I went so far as to listed to the 970a's in the dark, and it really seemed like the sound was coming from well beyond the confines of these slight little black boxes. Mids could be a little beefier; I did feel that vocals tended to sound a bit distant in the mix, and drums didn't have a powerful attack. For bass, you will need to pair them with a sub. Maybe it was because I really expected nothing from these guys that I am so pleased with the product. I currently have them sitting on my desk at work replacing the sats in my PC Works setup- they sound good here too in a near-field setting. Maybe I'll buy another pair and finally put them up outside on the back porch. Anyway, a surprising find for so little $; perfect for outdoors or someone who wants good sound at reasonable volumes. I challenge anyone to pair them up with a sub, close their eyes, and tell me they don't sound like they paid at least $150 anyway.

Strengths:
Smooth, unobtrusive highs that don't fatigue and get in the way of hearing details. Cheap! Don't even look too bad either (get the new versions with the smaller, cooler-looking KLH logo, though)

Weaknesses:
Vocals and drums are a little weak (relatively); These things can really make you challenge your pre-conceived notions about brand names, what is supposed to sound good (and what isn't), and why you should spend tons of money on product that may not provide commensurate enjoyment (maybe this is a strength!).

Similar Products Used:
Radio Shack Minimus series (sounds "canny")

Price Paid:  $20.00 from Best Buy

Summary:
These speakers wail for such a small unit. I bought these to set up a small system for my wife to listen to so she wouldn't try firing up my bad boy system. Hooked up to a vintage Kenwood KR5200 Receiver and Kenwood DP760 Cd Player they sound incredible. Life like highs and mids with acceptable bass considering it is only a 4 inch woofer. I have been a KLH Fan for 12 years and these little guys remind me why.

Strengths:
Great highs and mids with acceptable bass from only a 4 inch woofer.

Weaknesses:
None

Similar Products Used:
Polk RT25