Price Paid:  $530.00 from I don't remember

Summary:
Other speakers have come and go at my house but these remain. I have had these since 1993 and they still serve me very well. They were seriously pushing my meager budget back in 1993 but looking back it is the best money I spent. They seem to do everything well. I hear detail in music and there is a convincing soundstage. The midrange is solid and bass is superb for a speaker of this size. Treble may be slightly bright but not too bad at all. I intend to keep these for a very long time.

Strengths:
They do everything well. Very well built; heavy and solid like large bricks.

Weaknesses:
There is a slight brightness in the treble but it isn't too objectionable. It may just be miscalibrated ears.

Similar Products Used:
Pinnacle AC850, NHT Superones + sub, PSB Alphas + sub

Price Paid:  $500.00 from privately

Summary:
I have owned these babys since 1992. I have the 280 BU (blasck utility) version and have enjoyed them all these years. I agree with review below. I have them mounted on Target, shot filled three post 12 inch stands. This greatly assists in delivering a tight bass down to the mid thirties. I haven't modified them but added a slight felt damper to the tweeter as with the old big box Snells. This helps reduce a slight grain, brightness in the tweeter and rounds out the sound increcibly. I also use a BBE sonic enhancer to time correct (this greatly improves the clarity in my old AAD jass CD reissues) They consistently upset many audiophile friends with their sooundstage. And my stereo buddy only bested me recently but powering his B&W 802's with dual belcanto monoblocks, and a Barclay CD player (wow).. Apparently Signet while putting in the Scanspeak drivers could have been charging about twice the price for them. They received a full Stereophile review and a class C rating, bordering on Class B. The review appeared in 1991 and they made it to Recommended Components. I love em, keep them four feet off the back wall, bi wired with Kimber up top and Monster below. Nad 502 CD to an old Luxman receiver with Straight Wire Osiris. Wonderful, wonderful. May even have them re-veneered and rewired internally and go another 12 years. Next speakers, if I change will be Totem or Harbet

Strengths:
tight bass, soundstage, work well on wide range of music. With rear port need to be placed quite into your sound room.

Weaknesses:
Lack of deep bass, need "warm" amplification and interconnects to really shine.

Similar Products Used:
Tannoy 12 inch golds, Totem Signature 1, B&W 802, many auditions.

Price Paid:  $700.00 from Boulder- out of business now

Summary:
This review is about the 280, not the 280EX...I actually
owned the 280ex for about a week but took them back since
i already owned the 280s. There wasn't much difference in the sound and i really couldn't afford the second pair of speakers at the time. I will say the EXs were a phenominal speaker and exhibited all the excellent traits of the smaller 280...
I've owned the 280s since '93 and they have never dissapointed. Thru the years I've auditioned many speakers
and owned and later sold a few, but i've always held onto
to these beauties. I tried to replace these with a pair
of Proac Response 2s, but the proacs were a little too
polite for my taste...the signets just sounded more "live". I then traded the Proacs for the Thiel CS1.5s...the thiels looked great but were too bright and
i always found myself cranking up the volume as if the thiels were holding back the music. Again, the thiels failed the "live" test. I just found the Signets sounded
more "live" and had better balance than the others. I traded the Thiels for the PBN Montana SP IIs. Now the Montanas are great speakers...balanced, smooth, never fatiguing, and the black piano finish looks great. I've
had the Montanas for about 3 1/2 years and couldn't be happier, but i still love my 280's and would never sell
them. You'd be surprised at how well the signets compare
to the $3500 Montanas.
To sum up, i have never found a speaker for under $2000
that can beat the signet 280s. If you're looking for a compact design for medium rooms which will play extremely
well on all types of music, sound great at all volume levels (within reason), these are one of a kind. Unfortunately, they are no longer made, but if you can find a pair second hand, buy them. My 8 year old 280's look brand new and i've never had a problem with them. I may
eventually sell my Montanas and upgrade to even more expensive speakers, but the 280s will never leave my house.

Strengths:
compact, visually attractive, great balanced sound

Weaknesses:
none at this price point

Similar Products Used:
vandersteen, thiel, PBN Montana, Martin-Logan

Price Paid:  $800.00

Summary:
These are killer speakers. They are so well rounded... sweet highs, awesome mids and bass that rivals a lot of subs. Great soundstage. Excellent detail. I don't really know why they didn't take Signet to the next level in terms of recognition.

Strengths:
These Signets absolutely ROCK! I know there are higher priced speakers out there that may go lower or have a bit more refinement, but they cost a hell of a lot more!

Weaknesses:
Really, none, considering price range. Build quality is outstanding. They can get a little boomey if you push too much bass.

Similar Products Used:
Vandersteens, Infinty, Snell.

Price Paid:  $800.00 from audio store

Summary:
I shopped a lot for speakers and I am still very happy with these Signets. They are very balanced and detailed, particularly on horns, strings and vocals. They also pump out some serious bass, rivaling a lot of subs I've heard. They also look really nice. In this price range I think they are about the best speakers around.

Strengths:
Warm, smooth sound. Great bass.

Weaknesses:
Not super efficient.