Hey everybody! The measurement showing around the 7:00 mark is the stock response. The corrected response is better. This was an editing mistake and we apologize for the trouble! See all the measurements here! www.gr-research.com/store/p90/Sony_SS-CS5_Upgrade.html
Hi DANNY, I called you months ago and you really helped me with the Sony SS-CS5 speakers kit. I really liked the kit. What I'm asking is, what is the status on time of shipping, how long is the waiting time for another kit, for the SS-CS5? Thanks Danny
Hello let me start by saying what a great video. I have a question maybe you can help me. I watched a video recently on CZcams byTech Ingredients on do it yourself flat panel speakers using an audio Exciter. I always like to do fun little projects, but I've never done anything like building a speaker before. Anyway I am a total Laman in this area. I really don't want it to turn out to be a disaster. Because I don't have a lot of money to play around with. But anyway I don't know if you're familiar with their video on how to build a flat panel speaker but I was hoping maybe you were familiar and could give me maybe some pointers that they've missed. And what would be a cheap but a pretty good quality Bluetooth audio amp and receiver you know bang for your buck that I can buy from Amazon. A 2-channel would be great, but a 4 channel may be better. I am looking at pushing a small subwoofer. I would like to use this for a home theater system when I watch movies to hear over a annoying loud air conditioner. Removing the air conditioner is not an option Lol not as long as I live in Oklahoma. Other than movies I will probably use it to listen to podcast ,CZcams videos and play music streaming from my phone. For the time being all I have is my TV speakers which is a Samsung 65 Q-LED and some cheap headphones, Not ideal. Anyway thank you for your time have a great day will be subscribing to your videos.
Hi Danny. Thanks for great content. I’ve tried to solder I suck. That said is this a project I should undertake or would it be better to send you my speakers for this upgrade. Thanks again.
So, I bought a set of these speakers on clearance ($70!!!!) a few months ago. I also bought the GR Research upgrade kit. I am not sharing photos, because its not pretty to look at (completely my fault!) but it is a night and day difference on sound! Please understand that this is completely my subjective view. Original listening setup: Luxman R-117 --> SVS Soudnpath cables -->Energy ESM-2 monitors I was using this setup for years then I switched to these Sony SS-CS5 speakers. Straight out the box they are genuinely impressive. A bit too much treble though, slightly fatiguing to the ears. I listened to them for about 4 months on a daily basis in my home office. I keep the music going all day while I work. Finally built the GR Research circuit and dampener. DUDE!!!! They sounded pretty "big" for a small bookshelf speaker in stock form. Now they sound ridiculously HUGE! The depth and soundstage is just mind blowing. You can push the snot out of these and really keep the integrity of the sound across the frequencies. I am just mad that I waited this long. This combination is so good that I am going to buy another set and do the same thing for my workshop. To anyone that doubts this gentleman's claims.... Don't knock it til you try it! The results are legit and can be duplicated repeatedly (the science works). I know that my setup isn't 100% audiophile techy insanity. I have had a system like that, great for analytical listening but I didn't like it for general listening. Cheers everyone! THANK YOU Gr Research for turning me on to this combo!
I believe that the shimmering cone is a foamed paper-mica blend. It's a neat material; the mica flake immobilizes the paper fibers and makes the paper more rigid without being much heavier.
Hi Danny! I just received my upgrade kit for these little giant killers. It's my first time upgrading speakers and I'm really looking forward to doing this. Thank you for your efforts and sharing your passion for great audio with us. Cheers!👍🙂
Sony used to be the firm that gave their technicians a free card to design. V-Fet, Flamingo, APM square speakers etc. As it turns out here they still produce gems now and then.
Budget audio is how I roll. 🤩 I own a pair of these speakers and played them yesterday against a pair of Fluance Signature HIFI 2 way and a pair of Jamo S 803. I used a simple 70 watt Rockville BluTube LED stereo receiver/amplifier. Hands down, the Sony’s sound much better to my ears than the other two brands. I don’t know anything about the scientific measurements or numbers and really don’t care. I go on what my ears can actually hear and discern. The CS5’s have great bass, midrange and highs. I can clearly hear all the instruments and vocals on tracks. My receiver has treble and bass settings,so I tune the sound to my liking depending on the style of music and audio track. Jazz, Rock, Blues, Oldies, Reggae, Soul, R&B, Pop, Classical, Country, etc all sound great! Some song files sound better using the wireless Bluetooth setting than others. I’m betting any audio device plugged direct line into my receiver would sound excellent as well. These are a very affordable, great sounding, pair of bookshelf speakers for the money. Stupid cheap (in my humble opinion). Thinking of buying a used or refurbished pair to modify and see if there’s a noticeable difference. But “as is” and straight factory stock, they sound fine.
Very nice video Mr Ritchie.. Nice call on using the larger dome as a notch (filler) driver!! Impressive filter design.. More meat, less snake oil! Thank you very much!
I have just finished the upgrade. The sound clarity is OMG astounding. I took my time on this and enjoyed every bit of the upgrade. It was challenging trying to fit all components into that tiny box and at the same time applying the inductor layout principle that Danny went over in one of his cable videos. I ended up building two boards for the crossover, one for the two tweeters and one for the woofer. I did run out of the wire provided for making the additional runs. I built one speaker first and compared it to the original. The original sounded pretty good until I put the upgraded speaker next to it. It made it sounds like a tin can with a muffled sound. Well, not to that degree but it was a night and day difference. I finished the second speaker last night and now enjoying them. The voices and string instruments are so clear. The bass seems less but I think because it is now clearer and not chuffing like before. I'm very happy with my work! Not Danny's. lol. This will satisfy my crave for the new Dynaudio Heritage Limited speakers which listed for $7000.
Audiomac Audiomac do you need to be an engineer to translate the drawing to a finished product? I don't see any indication in the drawing of stacking components which creates one hell of a space issue with the woofer portion.
you can`t really equally compare the sonys with expensive speakers. the driver quality difference is too great, particularly if the volume gets turned up a little
@@hanzen5174 Really? You can hear all that without the speakers? That is amazing. For me, I am sticking with judging speakers that I do have and could verify. I played these next to my Dynaudio Contour 3.3 and my family and friends thought that the sound was coming from my Dyn.
My first speakers were Sony bookshelf 2ways, with a 1 inch tweeter and 5.25" woofer. They were $40 a pair. Paired to my entry level Denon back then, they sounded pretty damn good. I always told people Sony is thr value champion i speakers under $500, glad to see others giving them some love too.
@Reid James Of course ultimate value is DIY, though I've never completed a full pair before, just mono setups. The Partsexpress forum and store is a great place to start if you ever want to go that route. Winisd is also a good box dimensioning program.
I have a set of these Sony speakers that sounded way too bassy and lacking in the midrange. So I went inside for a look. The woofer was getting far too much low end and not enough of the lower midrange where I could hear the silence. The super tweeter on both speakers was wired backwards! Fixed that problem. Took the notch filter at the woofer out. Took two layers of wire off the iron-core inductor and put them back together. Now they sound fantastic.! And that super tweeter can be heard now. The mids are there. The bass is still there. The highs are all there. And they don't sound soft and muffled by all that bass!
yay! Back to speaker measurements and upgrades!! Just finished putting the rp600m XO together. Gonna listen to the speakers for a week before switching them out
Hi Danny, Thank you for your help with the installation of the upgraded parts for the small Sony speakers. This was an inexpensive foray into DIY, and it was a blast, with a few frustrations along the way! I wanted to comment on how the kit worked for me. I liked the sound of the Sony’s out-of-the-box, especially for a $100 pair of speakers. They were a bit “bright” and pushy in the mid and upper regions but acceptable and overall pleasant. After completing the upgrade for one speaker, I plugged it in and listened to it side by side with the remaining stock box. I was expecting a difference, but a subtle one. After all, how much can you tweak a small speaker like this? The differences were much larger than I would have imagined, and I went to work immediately on updating the second speaker. After completing that one, I have to say I was blown away. I purposely loaded up one of my favorite CDs that has always been fatiguing to listen to on any system I have used (INXS - Welcome to Wherever You Are). I have listened to this CD on some pretty decent hardware before, but at the higher volumes, it gets a bit overwhelming. With your kit in place, this was no longer the case. Details I had NEVER heard before were now evident, including some ghost notes by the drummer (I dabble in drumming) that were astounding. The sound was strong yet not muddled or overwhelming in any way. A remarkable difference. Further listening just strengthened this observation with other musical sources. Some of the things you and others discuss now make perfect sense; I heard what you talk about on your channel. Separation, speed, non-smearing of music, spatial cues, it was all there. Some music even sounded holographic in spots. It was a very strange yet extremely enjoyable experience! All this and the parts and the speakers are not even broken in yet. I truly could go on with how much difference there is with this upgrade kit, but I don’t want to make this too long. Suffice it to say I am impressed, very impressed, and extremely pleased with the result. You will certainly be getting more of my business in the future. Thank you, Danny.
Great stuff! I love seeing people look more into the deep specs. I am currently upgrading to Arendal 1723s... BUT my current speakers are Paradigm monitor (3000F, 2000C, and Atoms for the rear, with a Defiance V10) which in my opinion is a steal for how they perform (I do have them hooked up to a NAD T758V3 with dirac which definitely helps). My point is people don't have to spend thousands for good sound. I have listened to the sony line you are using and I agree they are a great bang for the buck! Inexpensive doesn't always mean a "cheap" speaker. My monitor series didn't sound that much off at comfortable listening volumes from the step up "premiere" series at less than half the price! No doubt that the more you spend the more you will get, but is a fraction of sound better worth doubling or tripling the cost!?!? Then cost will get so high at some point you are just paying for Aesthetics and not Leaps and Bounds better sound quality. Just wish people would do more research about things instead of jumping into the first thing the salesman wants to throw at them.
@@robvermeulen Just to take your time and pay special attention to the twisting of wires when they go up from the board vs when they are parallel to the board. I couldn't for the life of me put it together just reading the diagram given. It was upside down in comparison to the board he showed on his video and don't know if I could put it together looking at the diagram even if it wasn't. What was helpful was thinking about the connections going from speaker to terminal vs terminal to speakers. It seemed more clear that way for me. I haven't put them in yet and unfortunately, there is no finished layout photograph in which you can inspect to make sure you connected everything properly.
Two years in a row Amazon has had the SS-CS5 for $73/pair between late Nov. and early Jan. I picked up a pair two years ago and then picked up a second pair about 5 months ago. Really love them. I used Equalizer APO the free parametric equalizer on my computer and fixed the peak and dip in response.. Thanks for posting the curves!
Would also really like to see how the SS-CS3 compares as it is almost identical but is floor standing and has two woofers. It is also larger so may resolve some of the cabinet space issues.
@@19fenderman60 actually, there was a small mixup and I got the wrong caps sent to me. I emailed Danny who immediately responded and sent me the correct ones and I'm about to try and do it tonight. My only question is I'm not sure how to connect tube to speaker wires. LOL Also, I'll be pluging them into a completely restored and upgraded Dynaco tube amplifier. I'm very excited to see this all come together. Next up the speaker kit with the upgraded birch before wood spices go nuts. I have a set of Hivi Swan 3 way bookshelves as well to get to and dying to see what upgrades we could accomplish with them too.
@@ynstyne Just bought a pair tonight. Going to order the upgrade. How were the instructions? I've upgraded a couple Fender amps. The instructions were always clear & easy, hoping this upgrade is something I can handle.
I got these Sony speakers on sale for 73 dollars for the pair on Amazon about a year ago. Best Buy puts them on sale for 75 dollars a pair fairly regularly. Usually Amazon and Best Buy put them on sale at the same time. They sound excellent.
I always get a feeling that some Sony engineers just build the stuff they want, and let the marketing and/or accounting figure out how to sell the thing... Not all of them of course, but enough to make life interesting...
I still have the Sony despite owning speakers that cost much much more. It’s cheap but it truly punches well above its weight. Just find that it lacks some weight in the sound but what can you say for that sort of price?
I'd love to see a pair of these updated pairs sent out to the other youtube reviewers to A / B .. .. guys like Jay Iyagi ... and over to Erin to run the Klippel on the before & After versions. Very interesting. HEY SONY !! .. Redesign these & make a v2
Nice work on the Sony! I do have one general question. Why would you put a big and heavy inductor in the notch filter? Why not use a dental floss gauge inductor with high resistance and decrease the value of the actual resistor to get the same end result? Big air core inductors don't come cheap.
I picked up several pairs, only the 1st did I pay $118! Got pair with wire and banana plugs included for $99 through Worldwide! $68 were the cheapest, well worth that price! Prepandemic prices were real good.
This would be a great first time speaker upgrade path for many of us. When I say many of us, those of us who have not used a solder iron in years, or the first time doing anything like this to anything kind of guy. Call it the "Confidence Kit", do one of these to the inexpensive Sony pairs and then say upgrade those SVS Ultra speakers you love so much, or order one of Danny's kits and build your own. I might just do this myself, it looks like a very fun and inexpensive project!
@@summerforever6736 I don't buy that for a minute, parts do matter. And having worked around manufacturing for years, I have witnessed it one too many times. Look at the crap cars we get today, over engineered with cheesy parts. I rest my case.
@@michaelwright1602 unless you have 100% hearing most people cant tell the difference !! he is showing a graph means very little ! People fall for the gimmicks! And this guy is taking advantage of it !! He is a SNAKE OIL SALES MAN !!
I have my SONY SSCS5s connected to my Denon RCD-N10 streamer and a huge Behringer 2092A dual 8" subwoofer. I also use the SONY 7506 cans in studio and at home. Audio NIrvana...all on the cheap.
I feel like these Sony's would make great value and very sensible as surround speakers for a theatre setup. Particularly when their off axis response is so good after the upgrade.
Danny. How about a shootout video of these modded Sonys and popular stock KEF LS50, LS3/5a or comparable, with commentary?! See how close it gets. If it gets anywhere close, ...
How would you compare this set up to the Elac‘s Unifi 2.0, since they’re both around the $500 ballpark? By the way thanks for the videos absolutely love watching and absorbing your knowledge.
I'd love to see your take on a 3-way bookshelf speaker with the Silver Flute brand of woofer as the starting point. It's such a good and reasonably inexpensive driver. They have 5, 6.5 and 8 inch versions, but the 8-inch one is the ideal for 3-way designs since it can play low enough to essentially negate the typically required subwoofer that most bookshelf setups need to sound right.
Nice! Japanese engineers really know what they're doing. The insignia bookies of this decade?! I applied your upgrade kit to my pair of those and it's a huge improvement. I've had a pair of the floorstanding version of these (SS-CS3) for about a year and a half now and they're amazing for the money IMO. I got them on sale at $198 for the pair. I'd be interested in your thoughts on that version, and if you come out with an upgrade kit for it, I'd definitely be interested.
These CS5's with the GR Research upgrades would make a fantastic budget surround sound system with matching speakers all around you. You could do a 9-speaker base layer with LCR, Wides, Sides, and Rears for less than $4k and only have to add a couple decent subwoofers and some inexpensive Atmos ceiling speakers...I bet a complete 9.2.4 speaker system could be done for under $7k.
It would be interesting to see how you could improve the emotiva line of speakers, the b1+ are praised for their clarity and I just got a pair, and I am blown away. Wondering if there's a plan to test these in the future?
Per your review I actually bought a set of these. They look like ants sitting on my LaScallas “you love so much” lol. Haven’t had anything but Klipsch Heritage in years. I was impressed!
Nice video! Does the upgrade kit you sell come with instructions? I was expecting to see how you put in the components and do the upgrades in the video but apparently this video doesn't cover that part.
Would you please do a review on the Edifier Luna Eclipse as it is the only speaker I have heard lately and would like to use as a reference guide to what other products you review - Love your channel - Thanks
Great Danny , wonder if inductance should be placed horizontal or vertical , or may be combined, is it any issue that one inductance magnetic field mix with other one .
I know you have done an upgrade video on the Dynaudio Special 40, but have you done measurements on the Dynaudio Emit M20 speakers. I have a pair, and just curious on how they measure.
Just stumbled on your channel and I'm really digging it! Any chance I could ask to test a pair of Emotiva Airmotiv B1+ bookshelves? The reason I ask for those specifically is because they have an AMT at $250/pair (at the time of writing), which is normally unheard of.
Good, back to the good stuff. I own the ATCs and can't wait. ASR forum says they measure particularly bad. They have low bass, but i really like the detail they have in the mids and highs. Is there a measurement that hints at the amount of details a speaker can deliver?
Detail resolution, damn, essentially that's everything. A speaker's perceived level of "detail" is multiple important factors combined. Perceptual masking is a contributing element so assuring a smooth or slightly elevated response thru the upper mids/highs. Most importantly however would likely be driver/loudspeaker settling time. A CSD (cumulative spectral decay) measurement would help expose loudspeaker cabinet coloration and ringing, as well as driver settling times. Time alignment and the ability of the loudspeaker to recreate the recorded event with phase uniformity across the spectrum is important. Other factors include; re-radiated rearwave energy from inside the cabinet back thru the driver ... certainly unwanted and negatively impacts detail perception. Thermal compression and the magnetic nonlinearities (Bl uniformity) associated with the individual drivers is vital. Crossover design and parts quality is also an important part. Iron core inductors can blurr the signal via stored energy. Playback of a recording, thru a loudspeaker system ... and relying upon those speakers to recreate that recorded event via revolving "detail" ... or simply tracking the input signal and launching that recreated image into the room... is a monumental ask! Essentially everything impacts detail, some elements perhaps more than others. Also it's important to note it's not just avoiding distortion or nonlinearities. There's also errors of omission. Once that particular detail is lost, no amount of high end listening room treatment can resolve it back. Everything matters.
Do you do a video about assembling this? Any idea what wireless headphone you would recommend in the $100-$200.00 range ? Thanks. Thin walls at the house.
I'd also love to see him take a look at two others: 1. Presonus Sceptre S8 or S6. 2. Dynaudio BM6a. Classics. Curious how impressed he'll be by #1 and how the response looks on #2. For a third I'd love to see him get a Focal 6be or Twin be. These are the top speakers in my book.
It appears you used the stock frequency response graph (~1:44 in the video) for the upgraded frequency response graph (~7:10). I assume the composite frequency response graph (~6:20) red line is the correct upgraded one?
I bought a cheap($130?) Sony receiver from BB to power my computer speakers. I was frankly astonished at how good it sounded.Open up the cabinet and you see one reason why. Actual discrete poser transistors....not chips. And a fairly beefy linear PS. Biggest issue on quality was the crappy spring loaded speaker terminals, which I eventually broke try do shove the pins on Reality Cables in. I ordered real binding post from parts express, but have never gotten around to doing the work to install. So yeah.....Sony makes surprisingly good but inexpensive gear. Sorry if a bit off topic.
How about a kit for the SSCS 3 towers? I know they haven't received the accolades the bookshelves have, but I think they have similar components and may have some hope. I bought a set for rear surrounds, but occasionally hook them up for hi fi for a change of pace. I like the sound when teamed up with a good amp and a sub, but can see room for improvement. Some no rez for sure. I just think it would be cool to make them right.
Would you recommend any upgrades or improvements for the Q Acoustic's 3030i? Mine sound great but, I know they could be improved upon. I'm buying your kit for my Sony's. Looking forward the project,Thanks.
just picked up a set of these last week based on a lot of good YT advice, glad to know I got something that can be upgraded. l used to pick up near you at the Cryovac place
Danny I just picked up a pair of these and just looked to see if you had reviewed them. I’m curious, is the upgraded SS CS5 better than the base X LS Encore? Or should I send the Sonys back and order the Encores?
The white speaker on the far left looks like a miniature washing machine! 😁 I am thinking of buying the Sony SS-SC5s a speakers for my 5.1 system. Nice and cheap.
It's funny. That little sony reminds me of a very cheap "realistic" brand pair of speakers I had as a kid. I removed the thick as lead plastic mesh cloth grills, braced and sealed the sh!t out of the flimsy leaky press-board cabinets, upgraded the single electrolytic cap on the tweeter and they were some of the best sounding speakers I had ever heard. I didn't fully appreciate how good they were till I finally bought an expensive pair of other speakers and they didn't sound as good as my modified cheapos.
I was given a pair of new KEF Uni-Q's (Black with front ports) as a gift from a Client and They fit right under my TV Lying down instead of a SoundBar and I am amazed at how they project sounds around the Bedroom. Using SP/DIF Optical from TV to a DAC to a Rotel 9030A that I have had forever. The Bass is Lovely and I Like the Idea of a concentric Tweeter.
@NeilBlanchard 1 year ago "The woofer trim ring is tricky to remove, but it can be done. After the 4 screws are removed, there are 4 posts that are hot glued into shallow holes - at the top, bottom, left and right. Basically the midpoints between the screws. With a thin pry tool, you can get it out, with care to move the tool as close to each post as you can."
Hey Danny I’m wanting to upgrade my Kef Q100’s. Would upgrading my Q100’s be better than upgrading a pair of these Sony SSCS5’s? They are so cheap and I hear everyone gushing over the value you get out of these for your money. Thanks for any help you can give. Great channel. I’m gonna post in the Kef Q100 video as well in hopes to reach you and get others options. Thank you sir.
I'm not a fan of speakers that requires the help of subwoofers or other separate "woofers" for a full range sound. That's why i'll never stop using floorspeakers. Maybe they don't dig down to 20Hz , but as long as they can make my livingroom table vibrate, i'm pleased.
I'm the same way. Unless it's space related why buy bookshelf speakers that you have to still push with a subwoofer. I miss the mini refridge style speakers like I have from the 90's Sansui. Can't remember the model number rigjt now but they still work great. I'm looking to modernize my setup with some new speakers but I prefer towers because I'm just not sold on the budget bookshelves.
Hey everybody! The measurement showing around the 7:00 mark is the stock response. The corrected response is better. This was an editing mistake and we apologize for the trouble! See all the measurements here! www.gr-research.com/store/p90/Sony_SS-CS5_Upgrade.html
Fixed. Thank you
Hi DANNY, I called you months ago and you really helped me with the Sony SS-CS5 speakers kit. I really liked the kit. What I'm asking is, what is the status on time of shipping, how long is the waiting time for another kit, for the SS-CS5? Thanks Danny
Just discovered your channel, so glad I did. Any chance of you having a look at a pair of Jamo D830's. Would be awesome.
Hello let me start by saying what a great video. I have a question maybe you can help me. I watched a video recently on CZcams byTech Ingredients on do it yourself flat panel speakers using an audio Exciter. I always like to do fun little projects, but I've never done anything like building a speaker before. Anyway I am a total Laman in this area. I really don't want it to turn out to be a disaster. Because I don't have a lot of money to play around with. But anyway I don't know if you're familiar with their video on how to build a flat panel speaker but I was hoping maybe you were familiar and could give me maybe some pointers that they've missed. And what would be a cheap but a pretty good quality Bluetooth audio amp and receiver you know bang for your buck that I can buy from Amazon. A 2-channel would be great, but a 4 channel may be better. I am looking at pushing a small subwoofer. I would like to use this for a home theater system when I watch movies to hear over a annoying loud air conditioner. Removing the air conditioner is not an option Lol not as long as I live in Oklahoma. Other than movies I will probably use it to listen to podcast ,CZcams videos and play music streaming from my phone. For the time being all I have is my TV speakers which is a Samsung 65 Q-LED and some cheap headphones, Not ideal. Anyway thank you for your time have a great day will be subscribing to your videos.
Hi Danny. Thanks for great content. I’ve tried to solder I suck. That said is this a project I should undertake or would it be better to send you my speakers for this upgrade. Thanks again.
So, I bought a set of these speakers on clearance ($70!!!!) a few months ago. I also bought the GR Research upgrade kit. I am not sharing photos, because its not pretty to look at (completely my fault!) but it is a night and day difference on sound!
Please understand that this is completely my subjective view.
Original listening setup: Luxman R-117 --> SVS Soudnpath cables -->Energy ESM-2 monitors
I was using this setup for years then I switched to these Sony SS-CS5 speakers.
Straight out the box they are genuinely impressive. A bit too much treble though, slightly fatiguing to the ears.
I listened to them for about 4 months on a daily basis in my home office. I keep the music going all day while I work.
Finally built the GR Research circuit and dampener.
DUDE!!!! They sounded pretty "big" for a small bookshelf speaker in stock form. Now they sound ridiculously HUGE!
The depth and soundstage is just mind blowing. You can push the snot out of these and really keep the integrity of the sound across the frequencies. I am just mad that I waited this long.
This combination is so good that I am going to buy another set and do the same thing for my workshop.
To anyone that doubts this gentleman's claims.... Don't knock it til you try it! The results are legit and can be duplicated repeatedly (the science works).
I know that my setup isn't 100% audiophile techy insanity. I have had a system like that, great for analytical listening but I didn't like it for general listening.
Cheers everyone!
THANK YOU Gr Research for turning me on to this combo!
I believe that the shimmering cone is a foamed paper-mica blend. It's a neat material; the mica flake immobilizes the paper fibers and makes the paper more rigid without being much heavier.
Danny, Keep up the great work! And thank you for all of your hard work and finding/building the unicorn products for us.
Hi Danny! I just received my upgrade kit for these little giant killers. It's my first time upgrading speakers and I'm really looking forward to doing this. Thank you for your efforts and sharing your passion for great audio with us. Cheers!👍🙂
Sony used to be the firm that gave their technicians a free card to design. V-Fet, Flamingo, APM square speakers etc. As it turns out here they still produce gems now and then.
Budget audio is how I roll. 🤩 I own a pair of these speakers and played them yesterday against a pair of Fluance Signature HIFI 2 way and a pair of Jamo S 803. I used a simple 70 watt Rockville BluTube LED stereo receiver/amplifier. Hands down, the Sony’s sound much better to my ears than the other two brands. I don’t know anything about the scientific measurements or numbers and really don’t care. I go on what my ears can actually hear and discern. The CS5’s have great bass, midrange and highs. I can clearly hear all the instruments and vocals on tracks. My receiver has treble and bass settings,so I tune the sound to my liking depending on the style of music and audio track. Jazz, Rock, Blues, Oldies, Reggae, Soul, R&B, Pop, Classical, Country, etc all sound great! Some song files sound better using the wireless Bluetooth setting than others. I’m betting any audio device plugged direct line into my receiver would sound excellent as well. These are a very affordable, great sounding, pair of bookshelf speakers for the money. Stupid cheap (in my humble opinion). Thinking of buying a used or refurbished pair to modify and see if there’s a noticeable difference. But “as is” and straight factory stock, they sound fine.
Wow, discovering this channel is very fortunate. Thank you!
This is the kind of content I came here for. Great work 👍
first time here and that frequency analysis review sold me.
Very nice video Mr Ritchie.. Nice call on using the larger dome as a notch (filler) driver!! Impressive filter design.. More meat, less snake oil! Thank you very much!
OH HELL YEAH! Mine were just delivered - looking forward to adding this kit.
I have just finished the upgrade. The sound clarity is OMG astounding. I took my time on this and enjoyed every bit of the upgrade. It was challenging trying to fit all components into that tiny box and at the same time applying the inductor layout principle that Danny went over in one of his cable videos. I ended up building two boards for the crossover, one for the two tweeters and one for the woofer. I did run out of the wire provided for making the additional runs. I built one speaker first and compared it to the original. The original sounded pretty good until I put the upgraded speaker next to it. It made it sounds like a tin can with a muffled sound. Well, not to that degree but it was a night and day difference. I finished the second speaker last night and now enjoying them. The voices and string instruments are so clear. The bass seems less but I think because it is now clearer and not chuffing like before. I'm very happy with my work! Not Danny's. lol. This will satisfy my crave for the new Dynaudio Heritage Limited speakers which listed for $7000.
This or the Encore or the other pop diy speakers?
Audiomac Audiomac do you need to be an engineer to translate the drawing to a finished product? I don't see any indication in the drawing of stacking components which creates one hell of a space issue with the woofer portion.
@@flyingjeff1956 no but if u have questions, call Danny. He is really quick on answering you.
you can`t really equally compare the sonys with expensive speakers. the driver quality difference is too great, particularly if the volume gets turned up a little
@@hanzen5174 Really? You can hear all that without the speakers? That is amazing. For me, I am sticking with judging speakers that I do have and could verify. I played these next to my Dynaudio Contour 3.3 and my family and friends thought that the sound was coming from my Dyn.
My first speakers were Sony bookshelf 2ways, with a 1 inch tweeter and 5.25" woofer. They were $40 a pair. Paired to my entry level Denon back then, they sounded pretty damn good. I always told people Sony is thr value champion i speakers under $500, glad to see others giving them some love too.
@Reid James Of course ultimate value is DIY, though I've never completed a full pair before, just mono setups. The Partsexpress forum and store is a great place to start if you ever want to go that route. Winisd is also a good box dimensioning program.
Great work and channel. Would be fantastic to have a sound demo before and after alterations.
What a great vid! I love finding these little DOODS with just a little love can punch waaaay up and above the belt
I have a set of these Sony speakers that sounded way too bassy and lacking in the midrange. So I went inside for a look. The woofer was getting far too much low end and not enough of the lower midrange where I could hear the silence. The super tweeter on both speakers was wired backwards! Fixed that problem. Took the notch filter at the woofer out. Took two layers of wire off the iron-core inductor and put them back together. Now they sound fantastic.! And that super tweeter can be heard now. The mids are there. The bass is still there. The highs are all there. And they don't sound soft and muffled by all that bass!
Great to see this find! Looking forward to the other upgrades!
yay! Back to speaker measurements and upgrades!! Just finished putting the rp600m XO together. Gonna listen to the speakers for a week before switching them out
Just ordered the upgrade kit! Love the original CS5. It does everything very well. I cant wait to get my soldering iron out to improve it!
Hi 👋🏻 How did the upgrade go? How does it sound? I’m really eager to know your experience with the kit. Thanks 🙏🏻
Hi Danny,
Thank you for your help with the installation of the upgraded parts for the small Sony speakers. This was an inexpensive foray into DIY, and it was a blast, with a few frustrations along the way!
I wanted to comment on how the kit worked for me. I liked the sound of the Sony’s out-of-the-box, especially for a $100 pair of speakers. They were a bit “bright” and pushy in the mid and upper regions but acceptable and overall pleasant. After completing the upgrade for one speaker, I plugged it in and listened to it side by side with the remaining stock box. I was expecting a difference, but a subtle one. After all, how much can you tweak a small speaker like this? The differences were much larger than I would have imagined, and I went to work immediately on updating the second speaker. After completing that one, I have to say I was blown away.
I purposely loaded up one of my favorite CDs that has always been fatiguing to listen to on any system I have used (INXS - Welcome to Wherever You Are). I have listened to this CD on some pretty decent hardware before, but at the higher volumes, it gets a bit overwhelming. With your kit in place, this was no longer the case. Details I had NEVER heard before were now evident, including some ghost notes by the drummer (I dabble in drumming) that were astounding. The sound was strong yet not muddled or overwhelming in any way. A remarkable difference. Further listening just strengthened this observation with other musical sources. Some of the things you and others discuss now make perfect sense; I heard what you talk about on your channel. Separation, speed, non-smearing of music, spatial cues, it was all there. Some music even sounded holographic in spots. It was a very strange yet extremely enjoyable experience!
All this and the parts and the speakers are not even broken in yet. I truly could go on with how much difference there is with this upgrade kit, but I don’t want to make this too long. Suffice it to say I am impressed, very impressed, and extremely pleased with the result. You will certainly be getting more of my business in the future.
Thank you, Danny.
Looking good. Its cool to find a gen in the rough.
Good work sir! Love this channel!
Great stuff! I love seeing people look more into the deep specs. I am currently upgrading to Arendal 1723s... BUT my current speakers are Paradigm monitor (3000F, 2000C, and Atoms for the rear, with a Defiance V10) which in my opinion is a steal for how they perform (I do have them hooked up to a NAD T758V3 with dirac which definitely helps). My point is people don't have to spend thousands for good sound. I have listened to the sony line you are using and I agree they are a great bang for the buck! Inexpensive doesn't always mean a "cheap" speaker. My monitor series didn't sound that much off at comfortable listening volumes from the step up "premiere" series at less than half the price! No doubt that the more you spend the more you will get, but is a fraction of sound better worth doubling or tripling the cost!?!? Then cost will get so high at some point you are just paying for Aesthetics and not Leaps and Bounds better sound quality. Just wish people would do more research about things instead of jumping into the first thing the salesman wants to throw at them.
I am glad I found this channel.
Danny, another great video! Plus you get to keep the good poly-caps and air core inductors from the original crossover 🍒
I use these as surrounds in my HT. definitely may do this upgrade for the off axis response alone
This might just sound as my next DIY project. Cheap enough to practice my soldering before doing the Klipsch upgrade I kept postponing 😉
which Klipsch upgrade? I'm done building the RP600m XO but haven't taken the speakers apart to do the rest yet.
@@NakeanWickliffI was indeed referring to the RP600m's. Any tips? 😀
@@robvermeulen Just to take your time and pay special attention to the twisting of wires when they go up from the board vs when they are parallel to the board. I couldn't for the life of me put it together just reading the diagram given. It was upside down in comparison to the board he showed on his video and don't know if I could put it together looking at the diagram even if it wasn't. What was helpful was thinking about the connections going from speaker to terminal vs terminal to speakers. It seemed more clear that way for me.
I haven't put them in yet and unfortunately, there is no finished layout photograph in which you can inspect to make sure you connected everything properly.
Two years in a row Amazon has had the SS-CS5 for $73/pair between late Nov. and early Jan. I picked up a pair two years ago and then picked up a second pair about 5 months ago. Really love them. I used Equalizer APO the free parametric equalizer on my computer and fixed the peak and dip in response.. Thanks for posting the curves!
Equalizer APO is a great tool to clean up so many speakers!
danny this was a real shock to see this cheap speaker do that well
it takes a master to extract that performance
great job
Lovei your attention to detail
Would also really like to see how the SS-CS3 compares as it is almost identical but is floor standing and has two woofers. It is also larger so may resolve some of the cabinet space issues.
Crackin' good stuff Danny!
Ace stuff, Danny.
Looking forward to hearing your views on the ATC SCM 19. Particularly the cabinet and crossover. Thanks
Well done Sir, just discovered you and Liked and Subscribed.
I have a set of these on my computer going out to an older denon amp and they sound really good as is.
Just picked the last pair they had at Best Buy and ordered your upgrade. Now to learn how to solder stuff...
Windgardium Leviosa?
I just bought a pair. Going to order the upgrade. How’d you make out with the upgrade?
@@19fenderman60 actually, there was a small mixup and I got the wrong caps sent to me. I emailed Danny who immediately responded and sent me the correct ones and I'm about to try and do it tonight. My only question is I'm not sure how to connect tube to speaker wires. LOL
Also, I'll be pluging them into a completely restored and upgraded Dynaco tube amplifier. I'm very excited to see this all come together. Next up the speaker kit with the upgraded birch before wood spices go nuts. I have a set of Hivi Swan 3 way bookshelves as well to get to and dying to see what upgrades we could accomplish with them too.
@@ynstyne Just bought a pair tonight. Going to order the upgrade.
How were the instructions? I've upgraded a couple Fender amps. The instructions were always clear & easy, hoping this upgrade is something I can handle.
Thanks for another great video!!
Thanks again, Sensei!
Wow nice! That looks like a promising speaker
I got these Sony speakers on sale for 73 dollars for the pair on Amazon about a year ago. Best Buy puts them on sale for 75 dollars a pair fairly regularly. Usually Amazon and Best Buy put them on sale at the same time.
They sound excellent.
I always get a feeling that some Sony engineers just build the stuff they want, and let the marketing and/or accounting figure out how to sell the thing... Not all of them of course, but enough to make life interesting...
Waiting for the cable episode! Keep the good work Danny!
We have some interesting things in the works.
Great video - just bought them based on this review - what’s a good budget amp to pair them with ?
Would it be possible to create a video on how to measure speakers performance; which software you use, etc. ?
thanks
I still have the Sony despite owning speakers that cost much much more. It’s cheap but it truly punches well above its weight. Just find that it lacks some weight in the sound but what can you say for that sort of price?
I'd love to see a pair of these updated pairs sent out to the other youtube reviewers to A / B .. .. guys like Jay Iyagi ... and over to Erin to run the Klippel on the before & After versions. Very interesting. HEY SONY !! .. Redesign these & make a v2
Wow. Great. Not sure if you are getting better or I am understanding it more.. or both. Fantastic
I bought a pair when they were 74 for a pair in December, killer speakers for the money.
Nice work on the Sony! I do have one general question. Why would you put a big and heavy inductor in the notch filter? Why not use a dental floss gauge inductor with high resistance and decrease the value of the actual resistor to get the same end result? Big air core inductors don't come cheap.
Because in the audiophile world, expensive always = better 🤣
I picked up several pairs, only the 1st did I pay $118! Got pair with wire and banana plugs included for $99 through Worldwide! $68 were the cheapest, well worth that price! Prepandemic prices were real good.
This would be a great first time speaker upgrade path for many of us. When I say many of us, those of us who have not used a solder iron in years, or the first time doing anything like this to anything kind of guy. Call it the "Confidence Kit", do one of these to the inexpensive Sony pairs and then say upgrade those SVS Ultra speakers you love so much, or order one of Danny's kits and build your own. I might just do this myself, it looks like a very fun and inexpensive project!
YES IF YOU ARE A FOOL
@@summerforever6736 I bet you are a lot of fun at parties. Ha Ha!
@@michaelwright1602 this guy is taking advantage of people who easily fall for some graph improvment you may cannot even hear listening to!!
@@summerforever6736 I don't buy that for a minute, parts do matter. And having worked around manufacturing for years, I have witnessed it one too many times. Look at the crap cars we get today, over engineered with cheesy parts. I rest my case.
@@michaelwright1602 unless you have 100% hearing most people cant tell the difference !!
he is showing a graph means very little !
People fall for the gimmicks!
And this guy is taking advantage of it !!
He is a SNAKE OIL SALES MAN !!
I have my SONY SSCS5s connected to my Denon RCD-N10 streamer and a huge Behringer 2092A dual 8" subwoofer. I also use the SONY 7506 cans in studio and at home. Audio NIrvana...all on the cheap.
I have these Sonys with a Schiit Loki EQ. Very nice.
I feel like these Sony's would make great value and very sensible as surround speakers for a theatre setup. Particularly when their off axis response is so good after the upgrade.
The off axis is ridiculously good with these. Love mine. They can really fill a smaller to midsize room with great sound!
Danny. How about a shootout video of these modded Sonys and popular stock KEF LS50, LS3/5a or comparable, with commentary?! See how close it gets. If it gets anywhere close, ...
How would you compare this set up to the Elac‘s Unifi 2.0, since they’re both around the $500 ballpark? By the way thanks for the videos absolutely love watching and absorbing your knowledge.
I'd love to see your take on a 3-way bookshelf speaker with the Silver Flute brand of woofer as the starting point. It's such a good and reasonably inexpensive driver. They have 5, 6.5 and 8 inch versions, but the 8-inch one is the ideal for 3-way designs since it can play low enough to essentially negate the typically required subwoofer that most bookshelf setups need to sound right.
Are you going to offer a replacement crossover and binding post option? Would definitely purchase with that upgrade option. 😀👍
Ive always thought Sony was underrated in their speakers and headphones. Really good sound for amazingly low prices
Are they? I thought they were always considered best bang for buck and best innovation... For decades.
Sony took world championship in car audio back in the day for Hi-Fi, shucks thier amps the chick was using lists for 3k today and she had 2 of em
Their modern stuff isn’t horrible. Especially for the incredibly low prices they’re available for
I love to see a collab with cheapaudioman. That is a pretty big upgrade to the Sony’s! Thanks Danny!
This guy and cheapaudioman are entirely different. Which one of them is TRYING to sell you parts? Which one listens?
You should do sound demo's before and after?
Seems like common sense, I'm very disappointed
Would love to see you do the Polk Monitor 70 as well as the CS2 Series 11 Center Channel
Nice! Japanese engineers really know what they're doing.
The insignia bookies of this decade?! I applied your upgrade kit to my pair of those and it's a huge improvement.
I've had a pair of the floorstanding version of these (SS-CS3) for about a year and a half now and they're amazing for the money IMO. I got them on sale at $198 for the pair. I'd be interested in your thoughts on that version, and if you come out with an upgrade kit for it, I'd definitely be interested.
These CS5's with the GR Research upgrades would make a fantastic budget surround sound system with matching speakers all around you. You could do a 9-speaker base layer with LCR, Wides, Sides, and Rears for less than $4k and only have to add a couple decent subwoofers and some inexpensive Atmos ceiling speakers...I bet a complete 9.2.4 speaker system could be done for under $7k.
May I also suggest changing the tweeters and woofer as well
When Danny says buy . . . watch out Best Buy!
It would be interesting to see how you could improve the emotiva line of speakers, the b1+ are praised for their clarity and I just got a pair, and I am blown away. Wondering if there's a plan to test these in the future?
Per your review I actually bought a set of these. They look like ants sitting on my LaScallas “you love so much” lol. Haven’t had anything but Klipsch Heritage in years. I was impressed!
Nice video! Does the upgrade kit you sell come with instructions? I was expecting to see how you put in the components and do the upgrades in the video but apparently this video doesn't cover that part.
Same
Good one! Thanks!
Would you please do a review on the Edifier Luna Eclipse as it is the only speaker I have heard lately and would like to use as a reference guide to what other products you review - Love your channel - Thanks
Man I hope someone at Sony is listening ! I'd buy a set after your fix !!!
I just want to say that your channel is awesome! Have you inspected the Polk R200's by any chance?
Great Danny , wonder if inductance should be placed horizontal or vertical , or may be combined, is it any issue that one inductance magnetic field mix with other one .
Yes, face them in right angles of each other.
I know you have done an upgrade video on the Dynaudio Special 40, but have you done measurements on the Dynaudio Emit M20 speakers. I have a pair, and just curious on how they measure.
Just stumbled on your channel and I'm really digging it! Any chance I could ask to test a pair of Emotiva Airmotiv B1+ bookshelves? The reason I ask for those specifically is because they have an AMT at $250/pair (at the time of writing), which is normally unheard of.
Good, back to the good stuff. I own the ATCs and can't wait. ASR forum says they measure particularly bad. They have low bass, but i really like the detail they have in the mids and highs. Is there a measurement that hints at the amount of details a speaker can deliver?
Danny already did the scm-11 and they measured really well according to his measurements.
Detail resolution, damn, essentially that's everything.
A speaker's perceived level of "detail" is multiple important factors combined.
Perceptual masking is a contributing element so assuring a smooth or slightly elevated response thru the upper mids/highs.
Most importantly however would likely be driver/loudspeaker settling time. A CSD (cumulative spectral decay) measurement would help expose loudspeaker cabinet coloration and ringing, as well as driver settling times.
Time alignment and the ability of the loudspeaker to recreate the recorded event with phase uniformity across the spectrum is important.
Other factors include; re-radiated rearwave energy from inside the cabinet back thru the driver ... certainly unwanted and negatively impacts detail perception.
Thermal compression and the magnetic nonlinearities (Bl uniformity) associated with the individual drivers is vital.
Crossover design and parts quality is also an important part. Iron core inductors can blurr the signal via stored energy.
Playback of a recording, thru a loudspeaker system ... and relying upon those speakers to recreate that recorded event via revolving "detail" ... or simply tracking the input signal and launching that recreated image into the room... is a monumental ask!
Essentially everything impacts detail, some elements perhaps more than others.
Also it's important to note it's not just avoiding distortion or nonlinearities. There's also errors of omission. Once that particular detail is lost, no amount of high end listening room treatment can resolve it back.
Everything matters.
Do you do a video about assembling this? Any idea what wireless headphone you would recommend in the $100-$200.00 range ? Thanks. Thin walls at the house.
Was there ever a follow up test or comparison with these?
I'd also love to see him take a look at two others: 1. Presonus Sceptre S8 or S6. 2. Dynaudio BM6a. Classics. Curious how impressed he'll be by #1 and how the response looks on #2. For a third I'd love to see him get a Focal 6be or Twin be. These are the top speakers in my book.
I have pair of Trio6be and a pair of the mighty Trio 11be's. I literally don't think they can be improved!
It appears you used the stock frequency response graph (~1:44 in the video) for the upgraded frequency response graph (~7:10). I assume the composite frequency response graph (~6:20) red line is the correct upgraded one?
I bought a cheap($130?) Sony receiver from BB to power my computer speakers. I was frankly astonished at how good it sounded.Open up the cabinet and you see one reason why. Actual discrete poser transistors....not chips. And a fairly beefy linear PS. Biggest issue on quality was the crappy spring loaded speaker terminals, which I eventually broke try do shove the pins on Reality Cables in. I ordered real binding post from parts express, but have never gotten around to doing the work to install. So yeah.....Sony makes surprisingly good but inexpensive gear. Sorry if a bit off topic.
Great stuff!
Danny what about B&W HTM61 LCR speaker, the speaker was shown in previous videos it was in right corner of the video. I'm curious, thanks
Are you able to offer DIY manual instead to purchase? I have speakers already
How about a kit for the SSCS 3 towers? I know they haven't received the accolades the bookshelves have, but I think they have similar components and may have some hope. I bought a set for rear surrounds, but occasionally hook them up for hi fi for a change of pace. I like the sound when teamed up with a good amp and a sub, but can see room for improvement. Some no rez for sure. I just think it would be cool to make them right.
Would you recommend any upgrades or improvements for the Q Acoustic's 3030i? Mine sound great but, I know they could be improved upon. I'm buying your kit for my Sony's. Looking forward the project,Thanks.
just picked up a set of these last week based on a lot of good YT advice, glad to know I got something that can be upgraded. l used to pick up near you at the Cryovac place
That is just around the corner from me. It's maybe a mile and a half away.
Danny I just picked up a pair of these and just looked to see if you had reviewed them. I’m curious, is the upgraded SS CS5 better than the base X LS Encore? Or should I send the Sonys back and order the Encores?
The white speaker on the far left looks like a miniature washing machine! 😁 I am thinking of buying the Sony SS-SC5s a speakers for my 5.1 system. Nice and cheap.
It's funny. That little sony reminds me of a very cheap "realistic" brand pair of speakers I had as a kid. I removed the thick as lead plastic mesh cloth grills, braced and sealed the sh!t out of the flimsy leaky press-board cabinets, upgraded the single electrolytic cap on the tweeter and they were some of the best sounding speakers I had ever heard. I didn't fully appreciate how good they were till I finally bought an expensive pair of other speakers and they didn't sound as good as my modified cheapos.
Awesome vid. Have a feeling the price of the Sony speakers will go up after this.
God bless Sony & Danny!
I was given a pair of new KEF Uni-Q's (Black with front ports) as a gift from a Client and They fit right under my TV Lying down instead of a SoundBar and I am amazed at how they project sounds around the Bedroom. Using SP/DIF Optical from TV to a DAC to a Rotel 9030A that I have had forever. The Bass is Lovely and I Like the Idea of a concentric Tweeter.
@NeilBlanchard
1 year ago
"The woofer trim ring is tricky to remove, but it can be done. After the 4 screws are removed, there are 4 posts that are hot glued into shallow holes - at the top, bottom, left and right. Basically the midpoints between the screws. With a thin pry tool, you can get it out, with care to move the tool as close to each post as you can."
Hey Danny I’m wanting to upgrade my Kef Q100’s. Would upgrading my Q100’s be better than upgrading a pair of these Sony SSCS5’s? They are so cheap and I hear everyone gushing over the value you get out of these for your money. Thanks for any help you can give. Great channel. I’m gonna post in the Kef Q100 video as well in hopes to reach you and get others options. Thank you sir.
I'm not a fan of speakers that requires the help of subwoofers or other separate "woofers" for a full range sound.
That's why i'll never stop using floorspeakers. Maybe they don't dig down to 20Hz , but as long as they can make my livingroom table vibrate, i'm pleased.
I'm the same way. Unless it's space related why buy bookshelf speakers that you have to still push with a subwoofer. I miss the mini refridge style speakers like I have from the 90's Sansui. Can't remember the model number rigjt now but they still work great. I'm looking to modernize my setup with some new speakers but I prefer towers because I'm just not sold on the budget bookshelves.
I never liked subwoofers, I now enjoy BS speakers
ALWAYS AWESOME DANNY 'BOY !
would love to see you do some Cerwin Vega AT15 AT12 and AT10"s I'm sure you could make those alot better