SVS Ultra Bookshelf Speakers Gloss Black

It is odd to see that all the reviews of these speakers are from the United States - nothing from UK! It may be that we don't like American speakers over here, they are too forward, brash and base heavy (well, many of them are!) - while English speakers are warm, intimate, and far more likeable. Also SVS are more associated with home theatre and beefy subwoofers, not for stereo listening. With the recent introduction however of their bookshelf models, that prejudice can be blown away. I started off with the smaller Prime Bookshelves, a smaller and trickle-down version of the Ultras, in order to find a suitable match for my Peachtree Nova 150, which I had been lured into buying. I found them excellent, but felt I could go just that bit better. The niggle persisted, until I caved in and went for the Ultras, which are double the price. I must admit I wasn't too impressed initially, there wasn't a lot of difference, but after a week they came into their own. Splendid power and quality: I could shake the foundations with Paul Simon's "Graceland," yet listen rapt to fine detail of Beethoven string quartets. These are not only rockers' speakers, but for classical lovers too (which I am). The base extension is such that you don't really need a subwoofer - but I already had an SVS SB1000 to beef up the Primes, all the more base for Buxtehude organ earthquake! The main snag of course is price: with the current exchange rate you are paying pound for dollar, so you won't get good value for money. You will get good value for sound though!