Optimus STS 800 Floorstanding Speakers

Optimus STS 800 Floorstanding Speakers 

DESCRIPTION

3 way tower

USER REVIEWS

Showing 1-10 of 14  
[Mar 18, 2000]
Joe
Audio Enthusiast

Strength:

Cheap

Weakness:

Discontinued

The is a speaker for low budget, the high is week, need to change the tweeter. DO NOT put these speaker next to the TV. These speakers are not magnetically sheilded. Good Luck.

OVERALL
RATING
4
VALUE
RATING
5
[Dec 12, 2000]
Gary Batt
Audio Enthusiast

Strength:

Bass is produced very well. It can handle lots of power (especially from my Yamaha HTR-5250)! It was cheap for how is performs. Discontinued, but I don't care.

Weakness:

The tweeter that is on these tower speakers play high and clear but, they hiss really easy to get that high sound from the tweeters.

Overall these speakers are built very well and sound the way I would have them for. At least I didn't have to spend $199-$499 per tower speaker for the performance I'd like to hear. And these babies do it for me. Were only like $60 for each tower. I very pleased with the bass these towers produce. If you want one, you can't get one. HA HA :) There is no more.

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
[Dec 12, 2000]
Gary Batt
Audio Enthusiast

Strength:

Bass is produced very well. It can handle lots of power (especially from my Yamaha HTR-5250)! It was cheap for how is performs. Discontinued, but I don't care.

Weakness:

The tweeter that is on these tower speakers play high and clear but, they hiss really easy to get that high sound from the tweeters.

Overall these speakers are built very well and sound the way I would have them for. At least I didn't have to spend $199-$499 per tower speaker for the performance I'd like to hear. And these babies do it for me. Were only like $60 for each tower. I very pleased with the bass these towers produce. If you want one, you can't get one. HA HA :) There is no more.

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
[May 10, 1999]
John Qualters
an Audio Enthusiast

Incredible bargain from Radio Shack. Started shopping for new main speakers to replace my aging but excellent condition Advent 5002. Listened to Klipsch KSF 8.5 and 10.5, AR 328 PS and 310 HO and a few other mid priced speakers. For the money, I was convinced the AR 328's had everything I was looking for. Stopped in Radio Shack for some batteries and decided to check out their LX 10's with Lineaum tweeters. Another pair caught my eye sitting in the corner...the STS 800's. Looked very similar to the AR 328's. Although the set-up was terrible(as is the norm at RS), I was very impressed by the highs and mids from these speakers; liked them better than the LX 10's. They lacked solid bass but I saw the clearance price of $69 ea. and coupled with their 30 day return policy decided to take them home. Had them now for 4 days and actually get better bass response than I expected, however it is a bit muddy. The high and mids are very good with nice imaging. Speakers look very nice but the cabinets could be a bit beafier(only 28 pounds). I believe this would tighten up the bass. Not sure if I am going to keep them as a good deal of my listening is modern/classic rock and they don't provide me with the bass response I'm looking for. I suppose I could add a good sub but then I get into the price range of the AR's(which I'd rather have for show!). If you listen to light rock or Jazz, I highley recommend giving these a try. For the price, you can't do any better.

OVERALL
RATING
4
VALUE
RATING
[May 17, 1999]
T.A.
an Audio Enthusiast

I have given this speaker alot of 'listening' in two days and I have concluded that the STS-800 is a better value than the LX-10 and a better design, (for much as the same reasons as the review below), with exception being the tweeter. Want the same imaging as the LX-10, but the cleaner low end of the STS-800? Then disconnect the STS's tweeter and add a Linaeum tweeter module (from RadioShack) for $29. I've done this and it sounds cleaner than the LX-10s. Really. Try it. Go on. (you still here?!)

OVERALL
RATING
4
VALUE
RATING
[Feb 25, 2000]
derek
Audio Enthusiast

Strength:

The Bass and mid-range are very good but i would install a better tweeter for those higher pitch sounds

Weakness:

Tweeter

Well i am 16 and i got my big bonus at work in dec. 1999 so i decided to pick up some new speakers because all i had was a little mini system i got 2years ago and i was jelous of my freinds so i go in to radio shack to see what they have let me tell u radio's personal is great if u no speaker language then u know what i am talking about welll i go in and" ask i want something that has good bass and a good mid-range" i was not even considering towers but this guy said that they were floor models and he was lokking to sell them "how much?? i asked "and he said $120 for the pair my jaw dropped so i picked them up i had them running off my mini system which only put out 35 watts per chanell so it sucked but when i saved up i got a reciver and a 101 cd changer and let me tell u the sound was awesome crisp and heavy bass and after i got a bass box and put it under my bed and watched the matrix it sounded awesome and my freinds were so jelous so for the first towers i ever owned they were awesome!

OVERALL
RATING
4
VALUE
RATING
5
[Feb 02, 2001]
tim smith
Audio Enthusiast

Strength:

they can handle some tough bass along with some highs

Weakness:

havent found it yet


they have never let me down. and i use them alot!!!

Similar Products Used:

c-vega re series

OVERALL
RATING
4
VALUE
RATING
4
[May 28, 1999]
William McMillan
an Audiophile

I bought a pair of these along with a set of Lineaum tweeters from Radio Shack for $200.00 total. I've had them for two weeks now. In this time, I also went to Circuit City and listened to what they had. Excluding the +$2000.00 Infinitys and Polks, I would not trade my Optimus setup for any of those others that I heard; regardless of price. I would desribe these speakers as having an open, airy, smooth sound. The bass is clean, and not boomy. There is a little lowend missing from the bottom, but not much. It is adequate without a subwoofer, but I would recommend one if you like a lot of bass. The mids are clean, smooth, and laid back. Not quite as forward as I normally like, but you still hear details very well. I can hear things I have never heard before. I left the original tweeter connected. I like a lot of cymbals and brightness. With the Lineaum tweeters, any stringed instrument sounds wonderfully natural. These things would probably help any speaker. Pianos, guitars, violins, etc sound incredible. These are the first speakers I've had which sound best without the loudness switch turned on. That means I don't have to overdrive the woofers with the 10 db of Bass boost. That will save me from blown woofers which I eventually ended up with in the past. These speakers are real easy to listen to. I can listen for hours without turning them down. I am so satisfied that I am thinking real hard about getting a second pair.
BTW: I am using a 25 year old Sansui 9090 receiver to drive them. It still sounds as smooth and clear as any of the new stuff I've heard.

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
[Jun 18, 1999]
David Smith
an Audio Enthusiast

WOW! I was looking to buy one of the last pairs of LX-10's on closeout when I was reading these reviews. I took the advice of some of the others on this sight, and listened to the STS 800's. They were the last pair the store had and they were floor models, so the manager gave me another $10 a speaker off, so I ended up getting them for $120 for the pair! The tweeter did sound a little harsh to me in the store, so I went ahead for another $60 and got a pair of Linaeum tweeters (especially since my center and surrounds have the same tweeter). After a little handy work, with the new tweeters installed, I have a pair of awesome sounding towers! Much improvement over my wonderful sounding LX-5's! Anyway, for someone on a budget, that can use a screw driver, a drill, and a hot glue gun, this setup is the best you can do for $180 IMHO(or quite a bit more for that matter)!!! Happy listening!!!

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
[Nov 26, 1999]
Brian Singleton
Audio Enthusiast

Strength:

Inexpensive and easily upgradeable package, cabinet is durable and sound quality is above what you would expect in a retail line of speakers.

Weakness:

Grills have never attached securely and are easily nocked off by children, placement of speaker wire jacks is not ideal as they are spring loaded and the wires are easily pulled or knocked out.

I bought these when I worked for the shack on discount and on clearance. If I were someone who was shopping for speakers I would probably pay $200 for a pair of these and feel like I got a great deal, anything more and you might as well start looking for the brand name types, JBL, infinity, ect. Anyway these are an excellent "workhorse" speaker they do movies and music equally well, and they are very durable. I put in a shack "super tweeter" because I thought the high range needed some help, not a necessity but it does make a difference this is the main reason for the four star rating.

OVERALL
RATING
4
VALUE
RATING
5
Showing 1-10 of 14  

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