(Electronics)      The first thing I thought when I ukcapned these speakers was  these are not bookshelf speakers . The first thing I thought when I hooked them up and gave them a spin was also  these are not bookshelf speakers!  They are not terribly heavy and could easily be placed on a shelf or hung from the ceiling, but they really sound best on stands by themselves. I also own a pair of SS-B1000 speakers, and those are also impressive for their size (which truly is bookshelf), but the difference in the clarity of the bass is just astonishing. Even at low volume levels, the bass has a presence and realism lacking in the 1000s, though it isn't any louder in the mix, and transients are palpable as much as they are audible. The look is nothing out of the ordinary, but the performance and price certainly merit giving these your consideration. The size is small enough to be able to hide among the furniture if you are so inclined, though they really deserve a clear path from speaker to ear. My only (very minor) gripe would be the spaghetti-thin speaker wires included in the box, which are best replaced immediately. EDIT JANUARY 2010: I finally have something to compare these to   I got my hands on a pair of Tannoy SRM12Bs (aka  Little Red Monitors ). Needless to say, the LRMs alone blow away the SS-B3000s alone, which is why they still fetch $800 a pair even though they're 30+ years old. The SS-B3000s have been relegated to the support role, where they are more than adequate. If you're looking to upgrade a bookshelf stereo, these will definitely do it. They are a massive upgrade from the SS-B1000s that came with mine. But if you're expecting them to go toe to toe with speakers costing five times as much (or more), they won't. If this is the biggest speaker you can reasonably accommodate (small room, guest room, office, etc.), then these are an excellent choice. If you expect them to replace speakers several times their size and weight, sorry again. You can only bend the laws of physics so far.