In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by Sony. Sony SS-CS5 is a Bookshelf speaker whereas the SS-CS3 is a Floor-standing speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Sony SS-CS5 and Sony SS-CS3 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Sony SS-CS5 | Sony SS-CS3 |
|---|
| Brand | Sony
Japan · founded 1946 | Sony
Japan · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-Dome | 1" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Super tweeter | 0.75" super tweeter | 0.75" super tweeter |
|---|
| Woofer | 5.25" Mica Reinforced Cellular (MRC) | 2 x 5.12" Mica Reinforced Cellular (MRC) |
|---|
| Frequency response | 53-50k Hz | 45-50k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 100 watts | up to 145 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 4.50kg / 9.9lbs | 10.60kg / 23.3lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 13.1" x 7.0" x 8.6"
335.0 x 178.0 x 220.0mm | 36.30" x 9.05" x 10.24"
922.0 x 230.0 x 260.0mm |
|---|
SS-CS5 and SS-CS3 are members of Sony's CS series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
What size room are the Sony SS-CS5 and Sony SS-CS3 speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision
factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size
and max power parameters:
| Listening Environment* |
Sony SS-CS5 |
Sony SS-CS3 |
| Near-field |
Average |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Good |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Bad |
Poor |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
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Drivers
Both SS-CS5 and SS-CS3 are 3-way speakers.
Sony SS-CS5Sony SS-CS3
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Sony SS-CS5 |
Sony SS-CS3 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Super Tweeter
|
0.75-inch |
0.75-inch |
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
2 x 5.12-inch
|
SS-CS5 features a 1" polyester fiber Soft-Dome Tweeter, a 0.75" Supertweeter and 1 x 5.25" Mica Reinforced Cellular (MRC) Woofer. On the other hand, the SS-CS3 features a 1" polyester fiber Soft-Dome Tweeter, a 0.75" Supertweeter and 2 x 5.12" Mica Reinforced Cellular (MRC) Woofer.
Frequency Response
SS-CS5 has a frequency range of 53-50k Hz whereas SS-CS3 has a frequency range of 45-50k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 45Hz, the SS-CS3 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the SS-CS5's min frequency of 53Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
SS-CS5 and SS-CS3 have the same Impedance of 6 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. SS-CS5 sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the SS-CS3's is at 88 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Sony SS-CS3 a more sensitive speaker compared to Sony SS-CS5, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
SS-CS3 can handle a max power of 145 watts RMS, whereas SS-CS5 has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 45 watts less than the SS-CS3.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
SS-CS5 features Post type posts and SS-CS3 has a Post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Sony SS-CS5's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both SS-CS5 and SS-CS3 have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Sony SS-CS5's and Sony SS-CS3's external dimensions. Sony SS-CS5 has external dimensions of 335.0 x 178.0 x 220.0mm (13.1 x 7.0 x 8.6inch) whereas Sony SS-CS3 has external dimensions of 922.0 x 230.0 x 260.0mm (36.30 x 9.05 x 10.24inch).
Sony SS-CS3 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 52mm wider, 587mm taller and 40mm deeper than Sony SS-CS5.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Sony SS-CS5 and Sony SS-CS3 in scale.
Comparison image of Sony SS-CS5 and Sony SS-CS3 Size and External Dimensions
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the Sony SS-CS5 is approximately 391.6cm2 / 60.7inch2 and base area of the Sony SS-CS3 is approximately 598.0cm2 / 92.7inch2. The SS-CS5 requires 35% less surface area than the SS-CS3 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.