The Sony SS-CS3 ranks #37 out of 44 total Large Size Floorstanding Speakers for sound quality. See Top Recommended Speakers By Attribute for all the top speaker suggestions.
#37 Sony SS-CS3: $450.00 Discontinued
Pros: Affordable entry-level floorstanding tower offering solid sensitivity (88.6dB SPL at 2.83V/1m), making it easy to power with standard budget AVRs. Harmonic distortion remains reasonably low at moderate listening levels (86dB SPL) when high-pass filtered above 80-100Hz with a dedicated subwoofer. Front-ported design allows relatively close placement to front boundaries without excessive port occlusion.
Cons: Severe cabinet and driver resonances plague the passband between 100Hz and 600Hz, imparting audible coloration and chesty resonances to male vocals and acoustic instruments. Irregular frequency response peaks and dips make automated receiver room correction difficult to equalize effectively. Poor low-frequency extension (F3 of 72Hz, F10 of 39Hz) for a floorstander, combined with rapid distortion escalation below 80Hz at higher SPLs (96dB+). Supertweeter driver adds crossover complexity without providing audible high-frequency benefit within the human hearing spectrum. Discontinued.
How it compares: Just above it: Focal Aria Evo X N°2 - $1949 more, 0.4Hz lower bass extension (-3dB). Just below it: Infinity Reference 253 - $50 cheaper, 1.7Hz lower bass extension (-3dB).
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 39Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 72Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 36.3"H x 9.1"W x 10.2"D (922 x 230 x 260 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 0.75 in. supertweeter, 0.98 in. polyester main tweeter, dual 5.12 in. MRC woofers |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal |
| Sensitivity | 88.6dB (measured average, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 25.4 lbs / 11.5 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, front |
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