Price Paid:  $35.00 from Radio Shack

Summary:
I wanted to test a Dyna SCA-35. I did NOT intend lugging large speakers around for the test. I went and got my Optimus speakers and hooked them up. I was immediately delighted in the results. The SCA-35 has only peak 17.5 volts per side. These rear, ported speakers played very loudly with the Dyna integrated. Moreover, to my surprise the Dynaco amp worked. It was very dusty inside and outside. Hurray for Dynaco. Hurray for Radio Shack for a job well done. OK These are not equal to my old Rogers LS3/5a studio monitors. However, the Optimus speakers never sounded as good. Incidentally, the front end was a perfectly restored McIntosh MR 67 and the CD player a Rotel RCD-951. The real test (from my vantage point) came when I cued up the Vaughan William 5th Symphony on Chandos. This immensely spacious recording was well preserved with these speakers, especially side to side. Front to back depth was lacking compared to the AR4X.

Strengths:
Efficiency with a very small tube amp of 17 watts per channel. Decent soundstage. Respectable front to back imagaging. Midrange acceptable for Deitrich Fischer Diskau's sweet, yet soaring in Bach's Cantata No. 56. By contrast, George Jones melodious and sometimes etchy voices comes across with an unusual appeal. Bass performance was a little soft but the tube amp gave a punch that was quite pleasing and surprising.

Weaknesses:
Somewhat pinched bright midrange with some material. No "real" deep bass performance. No resolution in depth perception.

Price Paid:  $20.00 from Radio Shack

Summary:
Great News for Audio Bargain humters! The Pro x 55av are now on sale at the shack for $20.00 each. A super price for a small solid quality speaker. Match with a quality reveiver and sub...your in business for home theatre. These were selling for $80.00 a pair.They have changed the model number a few times but they remain the same. Now the "RCA" has taken over the company they may not make them much longer.(SAD!)

Strengths:
A super speaker at a Great price! They are not studio monitors, The plan is get for twenty bucks each and a good sub, they will pay you back for years to come.

Weaknesses:
Need a sub for sure, may not make them much longer! Radio Shack is now owned by RCA, they may not make thier own speakers. a lot of changes at the Shack.

Similar Products Used:
Minumis 7, orginal LX-5(One of my favorites), JBL Studio Monitors, EPI, Advents.

Price Paid:  $49.00 from Radio Shack

Summary:
I bought these as fronts for my budget home theater system. To tell the truth I thought I had made a mistake when I first hooked them up. I am glad I gave them a chance and let them break in. These speakers are really setting themselves apart from the PRO-X44''s and the PRO-X88''s. I have the 44''s as the surround speakers and they do a nice job in HT. The 88 was in the center channel role but has already been replaced with the PRO-CS5 Center Channel. To my ears the 44''s are just a little shrill and not as full. The 88 was simply not cutting it as a center just lacking in depth and kind of muddy. I use a Denon receiver and the 5 channel stereo option for music. This is where the 55''s really start seperating themselves from the 44''s and 88''s. The 55''s just seem fuller bodied with the best range of sound of the 3 models. I am getting ready to replace the 44''s because they just don''t quite measure up to the 55''s for music. By the way, a good sub is a must for these speakers. All 3 models are extremely well built except for the connectors.

Strengths:
Small Footprint, Extremely Sturdy

Weaknesses:
Cheap Connectors

Similar Products Used:
Optimus PRO-X44AV, Optimus PRO-X88AV

Price Paid:  $25.00 from Radio Shack

Summary:
After buying a Sony DB940 receiver, I ran out of money and needed a very inexpensive "temporary" set of surrounds and center speaker.

At first I bought a set of KLHs from BestBuy, but then I stumbled into the Optimus Clearance Sale at Radio Shack (all the new speakers have the RCA label on them - same speakers, more money). I picked up a pair of Pro-55s for $30 apiece. Then I went back two weeks ago and got another one for center channel for $20 ($25 was the new price, but it was an open-box item with a slight scratch, so they knocked off $5). For the money, I don't think it's possible to do better.

I've been using the surrounds for about 6 weeks, and the center for about 2 weeks. I highly recommend these if you can get 'em!

If you're lucky, they'll still have some at your local Shack (there's only one left, in white, at the one in Gaithersburg).

Strengths:
Great sound for the price, especially for surrounds.

Weaknesses:
Hard to find now

Summary:
I am driving the speakers with a Nachimichi TA1A reciever. These were intended to be a satelites to help fill in the room and allow great imaging despite the seating position in the listening room. My main speakers are dB+ 880's.

In this system, the sound is quite remarkable for such an inexpensive speaker. The weak bass (which would presumably be picked up in a home theater setup) is more than compensated for by the strong bass of the dB+ 880's. All by itself, the imaging and sound stage it generates is wonderfull. It doesn't have the detail and clarity you expect from much more expensive speakers, but then again, it isn't a much more expensive speaker.

I listened to the speakers at a radio shack being driven by a typical boom box, and was very suprised by the strong bass. This bass wasn't heard with my home system. I assume that the response of the boom box accentuates the bass considerably. this will be investigated as time allows.

Strengths:
clean sound, dynamics do not change with power level, low price, decent imaging

Weaknesses:
low frequency lacking punch.