In this review, we will be comparing SS-CS8 and Story, two Passive Center Channel speakers from Sony and KLH.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Sony SS-CS8 and KLH Story first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Sony SS-CS8 | KLH Story |
|---|
| Brand | Sony
Japan · founded 1946 | KLH
United States · founded 1957 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-Dome | 1" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 4" Mica Reinforced Cellular (MRC) | 2 x 5.25" woven Kevlar |
|---|
| Frequency response | 55-25k Hz | 48-23k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86 dB | 91 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 145 watts | up to 150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 5.00kg / 11lbs | 7.27kg / 16lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 5.75" x 16.93" x 8.66"
146.0 x 430.0 x 220.0mm | 7-1/8" x 19-1/8" x 9-7/8"
181.0 x 486.0 x 251.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Sony SS-CS8 and KLH Story 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-CS8 |
KLH Story |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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.
Drivers
Both SS-CS8 and Story are 2-way speakers.
Sony SS-CS8KLH Story
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-CS8 |
KLH Story |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 4-inch
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
SS-CS8 features a 1" polyester fiber Soft-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 4" Mica Reinforced Cellular (MRC) Woofer. On the other hand, the Story features a 1" anodized aluminum Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" woven Kevlar Woofer.
Frequency Response
SS-CS8 has a frequency range of 55-25k Hz whereas Story has a frequency range of 48-23k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 48Hz, the Story can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the SS-CS8's min frequency of 55Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel 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-CS8 is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the Story which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. SS-CS8 sensitivity is rated at 86 dB and the Story's is rated at 91 dB. This 5 dB difference makes the KLH Story a more sensitive speaker compared to Sony SS-CS8, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Center Channel 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.
Story can handle a max power of 150 watts RMS, whereas SS-CS8 has a max power handling value of 145 watts RMS, 5 watts less than the Story.
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-CS8 features Binding post type posts and Story has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Sony SS-CS8's Post terminals
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-CS8's and KLH Story's external dimensions. Sony SS-CS8 has external dimensions of 146.0 x 430.0 x 220.0mm (5.75 x 16.93 x 8.66inch) whereas KLH Story has external dimensions of 181.0 x 486.0 x 251.0mm (7-1/8 x 19-1/8 x 9-7/8inch).
KLH Story is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 56mm wider, 35mm taller and 31mm deeper than Sony SS-CS8.
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-CS8 is approximately 946.0cm2 / 146.6inch2 and base area of the KLH Story is approximately 1219.9cm2 / 189.1inch2. The SS-CS8 requires 22% less surface area than the Story which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The Sony SS-CS8 weighs 5.00kg / 11lbs and the KLH Story weighs 7.27kg / 16lbs. This makes the Story 45% heavier than the SS-CS8.
Here is a comparison of how SS-CS8 and Story's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Center Channel class.
Weight
All Center Channel Speakers
What's in the Box of KLH Story?
Here are the items that come with the Story:
- Center-channel loudspeaker
- Grille
- 2 Foam ports
- 4 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- Manual
 High Frequency Response |
25k Hz
vs
23k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
146mm
vs
181mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
946cm2
vs
1219cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
169USD
vs
480USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
150 watts
vs
145 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
91 dB
vs
86 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
5.25 inches
vs
4 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
48 Hz
vs
55 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
| General |
Sony SS-CS8 |
KLH Story |
| Brand |
Sony |
KLH |
| Speaker Type |
Center Channel |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 145 watts |
up to 150 watts |
| Sensitivity |
86 dB |
91 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
55-25k Hz |
48-23k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
4" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
Mica Reinforced Cellular (MRC) |
woven Kevlar |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
146.0mm (5.7") |
181.0mm (7.1") |
| Width |
430.0mm (16.9") |
486.0mm (19.1") |
| Depth |
220.0mm (8.7") |
251.0mm (9.9") |
| Weight |
5.00kg (11lbs) |
7.27kg (16lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-veneer |
n/a |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Walnut |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
n/a |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
2 years |
10 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
2 years |
10 Years |
These sit in different price classes - KLH Story costs roughly 2.8x what Sony SS-CS8 does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | KLH Story digs deeper - 48Hz against 55Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | KLH Story is more sensitive (91dB vs 86dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | KLH Story is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (145W vs 150W). |
| Size | depends | Sony SS-CS8 is easier to place; KLH Story is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Price | A | Sony SS-CS8 is cheaper - $169 against $480, about 65% less; arguably a different class. |
A Sony SS-CS8 B KLH Story
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
The usual trade-off: KLH Story measures better, Sony SS-CS8 costs about about 2.8x the price% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 55Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Sony SS-CS8 much easier to justify. In a large or open-plan room, KLH Story has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Sony SS-CS8 is the easier speaker to get right.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.