I don't know why it seems a bunch of people here seem to be biased againnst Orb speakers especially if they've never heard them. Don't mind criticism of them or any other product if someone has experienced them first hand but to dismiss something without experiencing it, I think is a bit absurd. For me the Orbs are a must both logistically & quality & cosmetic wise given that I have somewhat limited spacing in an apartment. I personally hate clutter & 5 bookshelf or bigger speakers for me, doesn't appeal to me visually. Orbs give a great pokey sound without overbearing my apartment with noise to call the police. I'm sure there are better bookshelf or bigger speakers on the market but while I'm living in a 1200 foot apartment, the Orbs are best for my situation.