Sony SS-CS5M2 3-Way 3-Driver Hi-Res Compact Bookshelf Speakers (Pair)

Why it's worth it

The SS-CS5M2 gives you a 5.12-inch woofer, a tweeter, and a separate super tweeter in a compact cabinet. CNET has long noted how unusual a real 3-way layout is at this price, and that hasn't changed.

Sony has been making a version of this speaker for years, and it keeps showing up on shortlists for one reason: you get three drivers where competitors give you two. A 5.12-inch woofer covers the bottom, a high-precision tweeter handles the treble, and a wide-dispersion super tweeter extends the top end. Splitting the work that way keeps the woofer out of the vocal range.

If you're stepping up from a soundbar, this is the least risky place to start. These are passive, so you'll need a receiver or an integrated amp, and a basic one is fine. Nothing here is hard to drive or fussy about placement. The bass reflex enclosure gives you more low end than the cabinet size suggests, though it also means keeping some distance from the wall behind.

From our review of 8 bookshelf speakers

What we like

• +Sony has been making a version of this speaker for years, and it keeps showing up on shortlists for one reason: you get three…
• +If you're stepping up from a soundbar, this is the least risky place to start
• +The super tweeter gives these an airy, open quality on cymbals and strings that budget two-ways often flatten out
• +At 13.2 inches tall and narrow, they fit places the Klipsch and the KEF won't

What to know

• –The cabinet is where Sony saved money
• –Dynamics are modest. These sound composed at moderate levels and get congested when pushed, so a large or loud room isn't their…
• –The finish is plain black vinyl with no alternatives