In this review, we will be comparing two different type 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.
Sony SS-CS5 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter
- 0.75" Super Tweeter
- 5.25" Mica Reinforced Cellular (MRC) Woofer
- 53-50k Hz Frequency Response
- 87 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 6ohms
- Power Range:up to 100watts
- Weight:4.50kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 335.0" x 7.0" x 8.6"( 335.0 x 178.0 x 220.0mm )
Sony SS-CS3 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter
- 0.75" Super Tweeter
- 2 x 5.12" Mica Reinforced Cellular (MRC) Woofer
- 45-50k Hz Frequency Response
- 88 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 6ohms
- Power Range:up to 145watts
- Weight:10.60kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 922.0" 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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Sony SS-CS5 and Sony SS-CS3 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
Both SS-CS5 and SS-CS3 are 3-way speakers.
| 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.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
High Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. 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. While using an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
SS-CS5 can handle a max power of 145 watts RMS from the amp the whereas SS-CS5 has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS , 45 watts less than the SS-CS3.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
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
Size of a speaker can sometimes become 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.
Woofer Size 
Height 
Base Surface Area 
Price per pair* 
Max Input Power 
Sensitivity