Coverage note. Speaker Ranking currently covers 4 Parts Express models across passive speakers. These are the products in our database, not a complete list of everything Parts Express makes.
What this page covers. The Parts Express models ranked here span passive speakers, including Parts Express C-Note, Parts Express Overnight Sensations MT and Parts Express Samba MT. Use each model’s category position to compare it with alternatives of the same size and use case.
This page lists all 4 Parts Express speakers ranked on this site across passive speakers. Each model is shown in the category where it competes, with its current rank and the size of that ranking.
Use the category position rather than the brand name alone: speakers from the same manufacturer can perform very differently by size, price and product family.
Prices on this page were last checked October 15, 2026 at 5:41 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers
Ranked #49 of 178 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers - Parts Express C-Note: $159.98 per pair Parts Express $159.98 eBay
Pros: CEA2034 spinorama shows a reasonably flat response in the critical midrange with good directivity control near the crossover point, courtesy of a waveguide-integrated tweeter. High power handling let it play very loud in a large room with no sign of bottoming out: unusual for a $160 pair. The MDF cabinet felt stout in hand despite the unfinished, DIY flat-pack construction. Measured bass extension of 90Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 83dB.
Cons: Reduced bass output and a resonance peak around 700Hz both show up clearly in the measurements; worst-case distortion above 1kHz sits about 40dB below listening level. Ships as unfinished MDF flat-pack cabinets, requiring assembly and finishing (gluing, painting or veneering) before use.
Full Parts Express C-Note review and specifications →
| Released | Jun 2017 (9 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | about 39.0Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 90Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) - the reviewer explicitly flagged this measurement as unreliable below 70Hz, so no -10dB figure is given |
| DIY Kit | Yes |
| Dimensions | 11H x 7.5W x 9.5D in (unfinished MDF flat-pack) |
| Drivers | Dayton Audio DSA135-8 5” woofer, Dayton ND25FW-4 1” soft dome tweeter (waveguide-loaded) |
| Frequency Response | 43Hz - 20kHz +/-3dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms |
| Power Handling | 60W RMS / 120W max |
| Sensitivity | 83dB (2.83V/1m, measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 4.07 (spinorama.org) |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.78 (spinorama.org) |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported |
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Ranked #76 of 178 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers - Parts Express Overnight Sensations MT: $174.98 per pair Parts Express $174.98 eBay
Pros: A popular build-it-yourself bookshelf kit designed by Paul Carmody, with Erin’s Audio Corner measurements showing bass to 67.4Hz at -3dB and a score of 5.84 with an ideal subwoofer, good for a kit that costs under $200 a pair. Measured bass extension of 67.4Hz (-3dB).
Cons: You assemble and finish it yourself. The on-axis response is uneven (0.62 band deviation) and the in-room response only moderately smooth (0.44), and Parts Express showed it out of stock when checked.
Full Parts Express Overnight Sensations MT review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | about 51.2Hz (derived, log-interpolated between spinorama.org -9dB/-12dB points) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 67.4Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| DIY Kit | Yes |
| Drivers | 5.25” woofer, 1” dome tweeter (2-way kit) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 3.37 (spinorama.org) |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 5.84 (spinorama.org) |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
Ranked #141 of 178 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers - Parts Express Copperhead Desktop Kit: $119.98 per pair Parts Express $119.98 eBay
Pros: Inexpensive, beginner-friendly CNC flat-pack kit with a compact 8 x 5-inch desktop footprint and only one 3.5-inch full-range driver per channel. The point-source layout avoids a conventional woofer/tweeter crossover and, when listened to around 20 degrees above the driver as intended, can produce precise near-field imaging. Erin measured roughly 81dB sensitivity, consistent with Parts Express’s specification. The included baffle-step network improves lower-midrange balance, while the optional series inductor reduces the driver’s rising top end; Erin recommends retaining it. Several remaining narrow peaks can be corrected with desktop software EQ. Bottom porting conserves desk space, and unfinished MDF invites custom finishing. Measured bass extension of 98.1Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 81dB.
Cons: Despite the ‘full-range’ label, output rolls off around 120-150Hz and a subwoofer with an unusually high 100-200Hz crossover is effectively mandatory. Native response has resonances near roughly 2.1kHz and 8kHz plus a broad 14-20kHz rise of 5-8dB, so it is not smooth without the supplied network and additional EQ. Distortion already exceeds 3% in places at 86dB/1m and becomes extreme at 96dB. Erin’s multitone test approached -10dB distortion (roughly 30%) full-range at the highest level, accompanied by 3-4dB compression; even a 200Hz high-pass leaves roughly 3-5% distortion and 2-3dB compression. The angled cabinet demands a specific near-field ear height, and its very low sensitivity plus 10W RMS power rating leave almost no clean-output headroom for room listening.
Full Parts Express Copperhead Desktop Kit review and specifications →
| Released | Jun 2022 (4 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 69.3Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 98.1Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| DIY Kit | Yes |
| Dimensions | 8”H x 5”W x 6.5”D (203 x 127 x 165 mm) |
| Drivers | 3.5” Dayton Audio PS95-8 full-range driver |
| Frequency Response | 120Hz-20kHz +/-3dB (manufacturer specified) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms (manufacturer specified) |
| Power Handling | 10W RMS / 20W maximum; 25W RMS with 50Hz high-pass |
| Sensitivity | 81dB @ 1W/1m (measured by Erin’s Audio Corner and manufacturer specified) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 2.11 (spinorama.org) |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 5.35 (spinorama.org) |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, bottom |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Parts Express Copperhead Desktop Kit vs JBL Stage A120
- Parts Express Copperhead Desktop Kit vs RSL CG23M
- Parts Express Copperhead Desktop Kit vs RSL CG3M
- Parts Express Copperhead Desktop Kit vs Pioneer SP-BS22-LR (Philharmonic AAM Mod)
- Parts Express Copperhead Desktop Kit vs Jamo S 803
- Parts Express Copperhead Desktop Kit vs JBL Studio 530
- Parts Express Copperhead Desktop Kit vs KEF Q150
- Parts Express Copperhead Desktop Kit vs Neumi BS5
- See all 10 comparisons
Large Size Bookshelf Speakers
Ranked #141 of 222 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers - Parts Express Samba MT: $329.96 per pair Parts Express $164.98 eBay
Pros: A Dayton Audio designed two-way kit built around the RS180P-4 7-inch Reference paper woofer and the RST28F-4 fabric-dome tweeter, with CNC-cut MDF knock-down panels, the crossover parts and damping included. Erin’s Audio Corner measured deep bass for a bookshelf, about 45Hz at -3dB and 34Hz at -10dB, a smooth predicted in-room response (0.69 smoothness) and wide horizontal dispersion averaging 60 degrees, for a preference score of 4.46. Measured bass extension of 45.4Hz (-3dB).
Cons: The listening window spans 6.0dB between 300Hz and 5kHz in Erin’s Audio Corner’s measurements, less even than the best speakers here, and the preference score only reaches 6.27 with an ideal subwoofer. It is a kit: you assemble the cabinet, solder the crossover and finish the raw MDF yourself, and each kit builds a single speaker.
Full Parts Express Samba MT review and specifications →
| Released | Jun 2022 (4 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 33.7Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 45.4Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| DIY Kit | Yes |
| Dimensions | 15”H x 8.5”W x 11.7”D (381 x 216 x 298 mm) |
| Drivers | Dayton Audio RS180P-4 7” paper woofer, RST28F-4 1-1/8” fabric dome tweeter |
| Frequency Response | 40Hz-20kHz (manufacturer specified) |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal (manufacturer specified) |
| Power Handling | 70W RMS, 140W max (manufacturer specified) |
| Sensitivity | 87dB 1W/1m (manufacturer specified) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 4.46 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.27 |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons