Customer Ratings & Reviews

Overall, I like these speakers because they produce a clear and balanced sound. They are the perfect replacement for my rear left and right surround channels. The 5-inch woofer provides the right amount of lows to complement the mid and highs. The addition of the top tweeter allows the speaker to reproduce higher frequencies beyond the 50,000 Hz range, therefore allowing it to meet the high-resolution audio standard. Even though our ears cannot hear tones above 20,000 Hz, the additional frequency response allows for a more linear response within the audible range. This means that the speakers reproduces all sound frequencies at their original, intended volumes without emphasizing or muting any specific range. Thus, making it the perfect speaker for my home theater system. While I will be using these speakers for my rear surround channels, I also tested them as standalone stereo speakers. Compared to my full-range floor standing speakers, these bookshelf speakers were comparable in clarity and range in the mid and highs. As for the lows, these speakers produce a good base note, but don’t expect them to reproduce the lows found in a larger woofer; they are only rated down to 45 Hz. In spite of this, they still produce great sound when used in a stereo setup. Add a subwoofer and you’ll have high quality sound with additional lows. This same subwoofer will complement these speakers when used as your primary speakers in a home theater system. The speakers are very much capable of being the main drivers in a surround sound system. The only con I found when listening to the speakers, sometimes the sound can be too bright if you’re standing directly in front of the speakers. So, like with any speaker, it’s important how you position them in your setup. Make sure there is proper distance between the speakers, as well as some room behind the speakers. And if it’s still too bright for your taste, simple adjustments to treble and bass will balance everything out. In a stereo setup, I personally wouldn’t use these speakers without a subwoofer. But in a home theater system, these speakers are a perfect choice for clear and balanced sound. Pros: Hi-Res Audio, decent bass, well-made cabinet, accepts banana plugs (see pic) Cons: lacking deep base, sound can be bright at times

not bad but definitely not great. the bass overtakes the clarity at higher volume levels. if you plug the port , it sounds pretty good, especially if you have a sub.

This is my second pair. Are there better speakers? Yes, These speakers deliver significant value for the price range. They only lack deep base that many in recordings are front and center. In a small room with a good amp you can make ample adjustments compensate for this.

We selected these speakers to replace older, heavier, larger speakers, that I could not lift, for use with a vintage stereo system with turntable. These suit my purposes beautifully.

It’s good just not as crystal clear as I’d expected. The gen 1 always go on sale for less than 100 bucks. Not sure this one is 3x better to justify the price tag

Great sound for for the price I paid. Sound really fills the room!

It is a well made speaker, good balance and to my ears, it sounds perect for its price and size. If you get a good deal, go for it.

BOTTOM LINE: You cannot go wrong purchasing these updated Sony SS-CS5M2 bookshelf speakers. I am currently using the pair in our media room, powered by a 100-wpc stereo amplifier, with our HDTV and for playing audio CD’s. I believe these speaker’s bass response is more than acceptable for my everyday use. But do occasionally kick-in a small subwoofer to add a little “floor ratting” bass to the mix. RATING: After using for the past week, these Sony CS5M2 earned themselves a solid 4-Star Rating for overall accurate soundstage, bookshelf size dimensions, acceptable low end, and numerous connection options. Add another Star if you can pickup at sale pricing. TL;DR BACKGROUND: I am in my mid 70’s and have been listing to component stereo systems since I was 13. Have owned and used numerous bookshelf and floor standing speakers, from all the major brand venders, in various sized rooms for over 60 years. Although I prefer the soundstage output of much larger floor standing speaker systems when listening to music, my wife who gauges speakers with her “eyes” versus her “ears” prefers much smaller speaker systems. So, we compromise with bookshelves with a hidden subwoofer. CS5 vs. SS-CS5M2: I must mention the CS5M2 is a welcomed update from the older CS5 version. Now with a newly developed 5.12 in woofer, advanced cabinet design (I believe with modified internal bracing to reduce unwanted resonance), updated crossover, improved tweeter design coupled with a new “wave guide”. SENSITIVITY: Note that the original CS5 has a published sensitivity level of only 87 db. After researching, I cannot locate any information on the SS-CS5M2 sensitivity level. Therefore, I assume it's about the same making these speakers a tad power hungry to effectively drive output at music creation levels. Here is where “room size” plays into the mix by deploying these speakers in a small to medium sized environment. Anyway, that’s what I would recommend. FREQUENCY RESPONSE: Not certain why Sony publishes two different frequency responses for these speakers? The FEATURES states “Hi-Res Audio With a wide frequency response of 53-50,000 Hz” (I assume ±3dB). Then in the Q&A SonyListens states “…extended bass response down to 45Hz (vs. above 53Hz)”. Well, which is it, 45-Hz or 53-Hz? Sony, please advise! 3-WAY SPEAKERS: Yes, technically this is a 3-way speaker system with crossover components that will separate the frequencies to each of the three drivers. Please recognize most speakers of this form factor size are 2-way with a single woofer coupled with a single tweeter. And most 3-way speakers use a dedicated woofer for the low-end, a mid-range driver, along with a tweeter. This Sony system to me is basically a 2-way system, but with the addition of a super-tweeter that will extend the high frequencies way beyond human listening capabilities. Would I prefer this “Hi Res” system over a traditional 2-way set of speakers? Certainly, why not. Can I hear the extended high-end? Ahhhh, hard to tell; but my neighbor’s dog certainly can. PRICING: When the original CS5’s came out, I almost purchased a set on a Black Friday sale for $75. But I purchased a competitor’s similar spec’ed pair that was on sale for $55 that sadly I ended up returning in less than a week because they just sounded muffled. Moral was, I should have purchased the CS5’s. Anyway, most consumer items these days has increased due to inflation (except LED HDTV’s). And these updated SS-CS5M2 are no exception. Therefore, the current MSRP I believe is in line with the overall speaker build quality. When these are on sale, they are cost effectively priced for a value set of bookshelf speakers that provides possibly a “best buy” in this price range. .

I'm very happy with the speakers although the description is misleading because they are not wireless.