YAMAHA NS-333 2-Way Bass Reflex Bookshelf Speakers (Pair) - High-Fidelity Audio for Home Theater & Music Listening - Perfect for Living Rooms, Studios & Gaming Setups

I recently upgraded my AV equipment, purchasing several items from Amazon (Pioneer VSX-821-K 5.1 Home Theater Receiver, Glossy Black, and Yamaha NS-C444 2-Way Center Channel Speaker, NS-333 2-Way Bass Reflex Bookshelf Speakers (Pair), and Yamaha NS-SW210BL Advanced YST II Subwoofer - Each (Black)). The reviews were key in making my choices, as were considerations of size (due to the fit into the entertainment cabinet) and "wifely boundaries" concerning what could go where. Floor towers were out! ).I'm amazed by the diversity of opinion - although largely favorable - expressed in the reviews, as with the reviews for the Yamaha NS-C444. Using Amazon reviews is, for me, a necessity. Filtering them for relevance and credibility is also necessary, eh?Growing up in the early hey days of Rock n' Roll (Chuck Berry, anyone?), my hearing is not what it once was. Still, the audio quality of the Yamaha speakers exceeds expectations. The response across frequencies is pleasing, with no overemphasis that I can detect (based on many hours of listening to a variety of music on Pandora).An obsessive audiophile or musicologist might find something lacking, and prefer studio grade speakers. Of course, such speakers cost an arm and a leg. For a fussy consumer like myself, these are perfect. For me, the speakers are optimal fits on the price point-performance graph.As noted, the "piano finish" on the bookshelf and center speakers will be pleasing to most. The subwoofer has a lesser quality but adequate finish on wood.The size and weight of these speakers are listed in the specifications. However, they seem larger and heavier than I anticipated. Which is not a problem, per se, but if space is tight, some careful measuring is in order.Having read the power specifications on the Yamaha pages, the power demand is less than anticipated. The Pioneer receiver easily handles the load, generating minimal heat even over several hours of listening to music at a moderately high volume.The audio environment for the equipment is located in a large ca. 25x25 room with a twelve foot ceiling and one wall that is almost entirely glass. The auto sound setup feature of the Pioneer made the appropriate adjustments - at least to my ears - for the system. Room size might be a relevant consideration for others, but the system has no problem filling the local environment with pleasing sound.Finally, the Yamaha speakers are a significant audio upgrade over the more expensive but much older JVC speakers they replaced. Alas, wifely veto precludes replacing the older JVC rear speakers (which admittedly blend into the wall quite nicely).