...well, it's not outta control here, just on A.A.

Let's say I have a weakness for a good speaker deal, whether it's an old pair of Boston or Snells at a garage sale, or maybe the much talked-about $50 Insignias. I didn't get the $35 pricing, but I'll survive.

Firstly, if you put these in a high-end shop and only looked at them (but don't listen) from the front, you wouldn't bat an eyelash if the salesman told you they were $1000. They are lute-shape, ala Sonus Faber. The wood is kinda cheezy, like my Dayton BR1s. C'mon... they are $50. I think (err... I KNOW) what people like is the piano black front facia. Couple that with a cool-looking carbon fiber woof, a palatable soft-dome tweeter, and binding posts that belie the price tag... yeah, definitely looks w-a-y more than a Grant.

I was exercising the new woofers with some "Flight of the Cosmic Hippo", and honestly the first mental sonic note was "uh, oh... hollowness". Well, what does one expect. Hell, I have heard a $2200/pr. of Spendors that gave me the same feeling. Actually, the S6 (not positive of that model #) felt like more of a driver/x-over-related problem, the Insigs have a cabinet that talks too much.

These speakers are a bit bigger than I was expecting. Bass isn't too deep - my Dayton BR1s go deeper. Maybe that'll change with some break-in.

That's the bad news, the good is these are very good for a fifty. They are better than computer speakers (although the Insignias don't go as deep as my sub/sat Klipsch PC speaks). The tweeter is not too aggressive, and fairly resolving. I'm listening to "Sublime" now, and it's not even driving me out of the room! :^) Balance is pretty good, they "make sense" of the aural picture. They are fairly open and "big" sounding. Soundscape is pretty large, if you're interested in such things. People balk at the importance of soundstaging, but speakers that don't do this all that well usually draw too much attention to themselves, IMO. That's why I feel it's at least somewhat important.

If anything dramatically changes, I'll letcha know. I'm sure you guys will be waiting with bated breath.

In the end, they are very good for the spent coin, just not anything to write home about.

I will positively have the best looking garage speakers in my condo complex...