Sony SSCS5 3-Way 3-Driver Bookshelf Speaker System (Pair) - Black

Product Information

SS-CS5 speakers are relatively cheap but made with premium components and several beneficial features. They include a super-tweeter for increased frequency response and cleaner sound. They also have MRC cones in the woofers for smoother bass.

Another exceptional and affordable bookshelf speaker, the Elac B5.2 is perhaps the only speaker I’d consider superior to the SS-CS5 within this price range. This speaker offers a neutral, extremely-detailed soundscape, defined by accuracy across the spectrum. The mid-range sounds and treble are clear and accurate when listening to music with low volumes or high volumes. As vocals tend to fall into the mid and upper frequencies, these speakers provide exceptional voice reproduction. The Sony SS-CS5 is for music enthusiasts who want to start their journey into the world of high-fidelity audio on the right foot.Ideally, bookshelf speakers are an excellent choice for anyone looking to enjoy powerful sound without sacrificing floor space. Sony SSCS5 and Klipsch R-41M are some of the most affordable bookshelf speakers in the market. The speakers generally designed to accommodate both professional and home entertainment needs without breaking the bank. These speakers feature a bass reflex system designed to enhance the low-frequency performance. The system uses a carefully tuned port to reduce distortion and improve overall bass response. Sound quality and performance It's enormously important to understand that there is absolutely no possibility of having any pleasure in life at all without skill. Money doesn't buy pleasure ever."-Alan Watts Thanks to the 3-way, 3-driver system, the Sony SSCS5 speakers will give you a well-balanced audio output across all frequency ranges. What this means for you is you’ll have clear and detailed audio, regardless of whether you’re listening to music, watching movies, or gaming. Impressive high-frequency performance While the Jamo S 803 is undoubtedly a good-quality speaker, I don’t particularly like its midrange reproduction. When compared to the SS-CS5, mids feel flat and slightly colored. However, the bass feels deeper and more pronounced, so if neutrality is not as crucial as an energizing low-end, you should consider the S 803. Sony SS-CS5 vs Polk Audio T15

The SS-CS5 offers a broader sound and a somewhat smoother midrange than the Pioneer SP-BS22-LR, but it has a weaker treble according to this Sony SSCS5 review. SizeThe speakers include Klipsch’s signature 1″ Linear Travel Suspension tweeter geared towards a more faithful and authentic sound. The tweeter suspension utilizes exceptionally rigid and lightweight Kapton material. This material provides effortless detail while ensuring that the high-frequency sounds are replicated precisely across the sound spectrum. Overall, R-41M provides better tonal balance, but the SSCS5 wins with its superior clarity and detail. Compact bookshelf design Aside from being small, the Sony SS-CS5 bookshelf speaker is also lightweight enough for you to be able to handle it. The speaker comes at a weight of 9lbs 14oz, and putting it on your shelf or on your desk will be very easy. Therefore, you can forget about the struggle of having to carry a very heavy speaker around your house. The ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2 bookshelf speakers are a step up in terms of price and performance compared to the Sony SSCS5. These speakers feature a custom-designed tweeter and woofer, along with a sophisticated crossover, which will give you a more refined sound. The ELAC speakers also have a larger cabinet and a more robust build quality, which contributes to their improved bass response.

Requires external amplifier or receiver: Being passive speakers, they need to be connected to an external amplifier or receiver, which may add to the overall cost and complexity of your setup.

Sony SSCS5 Review Conclusion

While their sound quality is impressive for their size, they may not give you the same level of detail and clarity as the Sony SSCS5 speakers. These speakers are an excellent choice for those looking for a compact, wireless audio solution without needing additional components. But if you prioritize sound quality and are willing to invest in an external amplifier, the Sony SSCS5 will probably be the better option. Manufacturer’s warranty The Sony SSCS5 is a bookshelf speaker that offers deep sounds and it does it with a great clarity. Not only will the sound from this speaker fill your room, but you will also hear a lot of nuances. There is some great bass, very present mids, and a very accurate treble. Bass response may not satisfy bass enthusiasts: Although the bass performance is adequate for casual listening, you might consider other options if you value powerful depth in your bass. Next, use a flat head screwdriver (or similar) and something to protect the front baffle of the speaker (I used a small piece of thin cardboard). Pry up the woofer where its dowels are glued into the cabinet at the bottom, left, and right. The glue makes an interesting ccchhhhh sound as it releases. I have included a picture that shows the attachment locations in green, and one dowel in red. Remove the tweeter baffle to get an angle on the dowel at the top. Pry up the last dowel, and remove the woofer.

In this review of the Sony SSCS5s, we’ll dive into the details of these speakers and discuss their performance, build quality, features, and more. The Sony brand I had a pair of Sony's SS-CS5 bookshelf speakers to evaluate, and the first thing that stood out was that it's a three-way design. Most three-ways have woofer, midrange, and tweeter drivers. But the SS-CS5 sports a 5-inch foamed mica-reinforced woofer, 1-inch dome tweeter, and a 0.75-inch dome "super" tweeter. So it's more like a two-way design, with a super-tweeter that extends the high-frequency response up to 50KHz. Now sure, humans can, at best, only hear up to 20KHz. But I find that speakers and headphones with extended high-frequency responses tend to sound better in the frequencies we can hear. They don't sound brighter, just clearer.This post shows the impact of shorting the resistor in the woofer crossover. Instead of adding and removing the short for every measurement, I used the 2nd speaker from the pair. The 2 speakers don't measure quite identically (though they do image quite well). The major impact of shorting the resistor is to fill in the slight dip in response between 2 kHz and 4 kHz. Originally, the woofer and tweeter don't quite reach each other at the crossover point. Instead of each of them being 6 dB down, they're more like 8 dB down, and thus there's a depression in the frequency response there (even though they match well in phase). Shorting the resistor extends the woofer's response to meet the tweeter's, yet the slope of the woofer's high frequency attenuation is actually increased (which is also a good thing in this case). The tweeter response isn't changed, so there's no concern about decreased power handling. Here's the process for modifying the crossover (shorting out one resistor). This mod depends on the frame (or some other baffle widening) being in place. This mod by itself likely wouldn't be an improvement to the spectral balance of the speaker. The T15 only weighs around 8 lbs and its dimensions are 7.30-inch x 6.5-inch x 10.70-inch. It means you can place them wherever you want. At 7.125″ wide by 13.25″ high by 8.75″ deep and weighing about 9.4 pounds each, these speakers are an ideal size if you want them on shelves or speaker stands. For best results, these bookshelf speakers should be paired with a separate subwoofer that can cover the bass frequencies down to 20 Hz, which is the lower limit of normal human hearing.