drichardson

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
Less than 1 month

Price Paid:  $0.00 from audiogon

Summary:
Theses speakers are truly awesome. I've listened to the Snell E/II's and the C's in Virginia and they sound great but I spent money on a powered sub instead. The opprotunity to own the Snell's came again and I jumped on it. These speakers are so even and smooth its ridiculous, nice and lush in the midrange. There is a tight hit in the 40hz region of the bass (can be smoothed out with an eq). Also for speakers with just an 8 inch woofer they produce huge amounts of bass - even for movies (turned off my two 15 inch subs just to make sure)! The top end is like velvet. The one word I could use to describe these speakers is smooothhhh! I just wish I could find the appropriate stands for these speakers.

Strengths:
Great natural sound, good bass, smooth top end and midrange

Weaknesses:
Stands are hard to find.

Similar Products Used:
VMPS,JBL,Infinity Reference,Polk Audio SDA SRS, B&W, Definitive Technology

Price Paid:  $910.00 from Don't remember deale

Summary:
I bought the E-III's in 1991 to replace a tired set of Polk 7C's. Had not planned on spending quite so much, but dealer threw in the stands. Have used them extensively with NAD 7240 / 5340 /6340 components of 1989 vintage and an almost classic B&O 8000 table, playing most types of music and movie audio, and have yet to find real fault with them. They have the ability to reproduce almost everything I throw at them without strain, and have proven themselves extremely durable and of very high quality.

Strengths:
Quality of construction and componentry is excellent. Highly effecient! Wide and even frequency response. Able to deal with anything from the Dixie Chicks to Megadeath with aplomb!

Weaknesses:
When played LOUD, has a tendancy to "load up" in the bottom registers. Particular about room placement. Tend to sound a little "bright" on overproduced music.

Similar Products Used:
Advent 2 JBL L-212 Polk 7C OLD AR-3's Infinity RSM's

Price Paid:  $0.00 from crackheads house

Summary:
as much as this post may seem like a joke, i just was walking down the street tonight by a recently closed crackhouse in my neighborhood (not a joke,its not funny) and saw a pile of crap the new owners put out on the street while cleaning up. my friend pointed out the snells and i looked and saw the nameplate. They are in pretty good shape save for bad woofers. hope to have them up and running soon as i am amazed at the build quality and solidity of the cabinets. for that i will give them four stars . NOTE: these are the older E II models not the EIII but im not sure the difference. Anyways, it was a score for me!!!

Strengths:
solidity, bipolar design, build quality

Weaknesses:
got them with bad woofers (but who can complain for what i got them for)

Similar Products Used:
infinty cs3007 infinty rs4 jbl 4311b

Price Paid:  $440.00 from ebay

Summary:
I love the sound of the early to mid 90's snell's, especialy the J and E series. Warm, musical, and very pretty to look at (real wood finish).
I fell in love with them from the first time I listned to them. The music I usally listen to, are: ambient, Jazz, and the experimental type, like Nils P. Molvaer, Biosphere, Kruder Dorffmeister, Stina Nordenstam, Toshinori Kondo, subgud, and the like. But since most of these are about defining moods, and audioaural space, wich require a lot from your speakers especialy in the midrange, wich for most speakers spells fatique, or to boxy.
But the Snell delivers, with a warmth I havent found anywhere else. Not at the price anyway.
You can find them on occasion on ebay, and for 300-500 dollars they are are a steal.
I recomend a decent amp for these speakers, like something from NAD.

Strengths:
Soundstage and definition. Snell's online support, they realy care about their customer base.

Weaknesses:
Loosing a little controll at very bass heavy music. Is not realy a problem caouse it only happens when it is played loud, and at very low bass(techno) sub 40hz. Most music do not dwelve for long in this neighbourhood.
And if you bi-wire it with a good amp, it goes away.
They're not made anymore.

Similar Products Used:
Snell JIV, Paradigm S60's. QB's. Polk, Mission, Kef, Dali, wharfedale, B&W.

Summary:
I owned a pair of these many years ago, and ended up taking them back and trading them in for Signet 280s. Back then, I didn't have the critical ear I do now, and was seduced by their prodigous bass and high efficiency. After listening to them for about a month though, I began to expirience listener fatigue. There was persistent, omni-present treble "glare" that, although not horrible, slowly became maddening. Also, the sound from the speakers seemed a little "scooped" in the midrange, as if the drivers just couldn't quite pull it together. I'm sure their brightness was aggrivated by my other eqipment, but I read an audio review at the time with the same conclusions. My dealer let me take them back and trade them for the Signets, which, although not the rock stars the Snells were, were amazingly balanced and trasparent speakers. I still have them, too bad they are not made anymore

Strengths:
Highly efficient, strong bass

Weaknesses:
treble glare, midrange coherence