First let me preface my findings on these speakers by saying that I'm not affiliated with the company, I've been a HiFi enthusiast for 15 years now, dance music, and electronica was not used to evaluate these speakers.
I’ve been cash strapped lately and itching for something new. I’ve searched high and low and found the CV’s on Radioshack website. They are CV’s cheapest speaker in their base VE series listing for only $109 a pair. With Radioshack’s generous return policy and free shipping charges to the store they seemed like a no-brainer.
In years past I would never consider the brand, thought of by many as inferior to HIFI and even mass market MidFI brands I would have scoffed at the notion. But desperate times call for desperate measures, so I ordered them. They are rapped in a rather small black cabinet with a 5 1/4 inch woofer and 1 ¼ inch silver Mylar tweeter. They also sport CV’s red surrounds.
Sound:
When reading this you have to keep in mind that they only retail for $109.
They are excellent all around performers and at a their listing price they are an absolute steal. Most impressive about them is their three dimensional and lucid midrange. Voices float in air with excellent detail and separation. The tracks that most exemplify this attribute are Kansas’ “Dust In The Wind” and Paul Davis’ “Cool night“. On “Dust In The Wind “ the voices of both the lead singer and backup vocalist are clearly separated and discernable. Voices are clearly separated in the soundstage. The same holds true for Cool Night, with excellent detail and lucidity of voices. With certain tracks at certain volumes vocals can become thin and brassy.
Moving to the bass: CV’s are advertised as being known for their bass, but the law of physics has done them in here. Bass lines are quick and tuneful and lay a very good foundation for the music. The VE-5M’s are only measured down to 60hz. It should be noted that on bass heavy tracks the midrange can become more congested and less detailed.
On to the tweeter: This in no doubt is the speakers weakness, but I may be over critical here. At lower to mid volumes the tweeter is quite detailed and adds a lot of air to the recordings. On David Bowie’s “Modern Love” a piano in the track is beautifully detailed and discernable in the soundstage. I never really noticed the piano in that track before and was pleasantly surprised. Once pushed the CV’s can become harsh and metallic. This was noted when playing “The Way It Is” by Bruce Hornsby.
Conclusion: When kept within their limits, the VE-5M’s are an amazing bargain. They are lucid, three dimensional, and most importantly musical performers. With excellent clarity and speed easily allowing you to hear the difference between solid state and tube amps. For their asking price I really hope to see a few other discerning audiophiles try these out. Next I have my sights set on CV’s new CMX-6 bookshelf speakers which list for $598.
Pros: At home with Randy Crawford or Stone Temple Pilots. Clear, detailed, three dimensional and musical. Entertaining, will have you listening to songs you haven't heard in a while.
Cons: Voices and instruments can become thin and brassy with certain recordings at higher volumes. Can be a little more fleshed out. Not always consistent. They don’t seem to be very efficient.
