Price Paid:  $599.00 from Audio Lab, Cambridge

Summary:
This is a review for the MS 815. Purchased these as left-overs (new, unopened box) for a great price. They are absolutely beautiful to the eyes, and great sound quality. They took a while to break in, but just keep getting better. If you're lucky enough to find them in the back corner of a store (like it did) or on eBay - grab them.

Strengths:
Very smooth, natural sound. No harsh highs or lows. Great detail.

Weaknesses:
You might need a beefy amp to get the most out of them.

Price Paid:  $350.00 from Richers Sounds

Summary:
I havent owned a pair of MS816 but owned the big boys M817's these were very impresive speaker and were bought at an outstanding prize of £350.
The bass is outstanding matched together with the clarity of the mid and Treble.
This are powerfull speaker wattage 200, matched together with a powerful amp and they sing.
Less than three months ago I sold them and bought the new 908s Decleration series. I know the MS817 are nice speakers, but once listened to the 908s you will be overwelmed with the different sound that they produce, they sing with the warmth and power of the 800 series, but are that little extra bit special.
with the 10" sub on the side of the cabinet the bass hard hitting only that of a sub can produce.
They have two ali 4" drivers acting as the mid and one liquid cooled 1" ali tweeter.
The sound is much more superior than the 817's.
They not as big as the 817s,which having getting used them it quite different having that little extra room.
The 800 series are amazing but if you have that extra money to up grade to the decleration series, im sure you will be quite surprised how they perform.

Strengths:
good bass sound overall very impressive

Weaknesses:
to my view there are no weaknesses

Price Paid:  $901.00 from Richer Sounds

Summary:
Well I had a pair of MS816 for a month before I upgraded to the MS817 which were even better. The 816 are very similar to the 817 only the speaker cabinets are smaller, thus the bass is not as noticable in comparison. The only problem I found was that the boxed new speakers (which are big, floor standing speakers) had cosmetic flaws with them, a mark here, slight damage there, so I had to exchange them until I found the perfect pair. Havin said that, once I did, I am a very happy customer.

Strengths:
There looks match there sound, excellent. Well ballanced mix of bass middle and trebble, although bass is a little soft but very marginal

Weaknesses:
None

Summary:
I'd like to add some information to Alan's review. Actually the new owner of MS is Audio Partnership (they hold CambAudio too).
Anyway MS 816 are superb speakers! Perfect quality in all kind of aspects.
They look amaizing as they sound. Good tuned bass, great balance!
Need more free space (that's my opinion.

p.s. Alan you've got it at stuning price!

Summary:
MS is a well established brand over here in the UK, but appears to be little known outside of Europe.

MS went bust near the biggining of 1999. This appears to be due to poor management as a number of their existing products were selling well and getting rave reviews.

MS have been picked up by cambridge audio (the owners of richers sounds) and they have declared that they will continue to use the brand name, and intend to put this speaker back into production!

These floorstanders are exceptionally well controlled and articulate with exceptionally tight bass for the price and size. Probably not the best for dance or club music but wonderful with rock pop and classical. These speakers are so good I now don't use my rel subwoofer on movies!

Best of all as MS went bust I got these for 250 pounds stirling (aprox 400 US dollars). Full price aprox 600 pounds stirling.