Cheap Bookshelf Speaker Options: Dayton B452 and Dayton B652

I decided to re-donate my Sony bookshelf speakers.  They were old Sony SS-D201 units and they were connected to my bedroom stereo by a thin tenuous set of wires that emanated from deep within the speaker.

One of those wires was loose and I was having intermittent speaker issues.  So, I donated them back to Goodwill and decided to switch to a set of 30 watt Philips micro stereo speakers  The Philips speaker is shown on the right.

So far, the Philips speakers work quite well.  However, these speakers don't sound quite as nice as the Sony speakers once did.  That puts me back into the bookshelf speaker market.

There are a number of contenders to consider.  For example, Dayton Audio offers well-regarded B652 speakers for less than $50.  I'm also intrigued by their smaller and more budget friendly B452 speakers.  Steve Gutenburg of CNET gave them a positive review saying that "Dayton Audio B452 Speakers Pack A Punch at a Bargain Price."

A more technical Dayton B452 review by Average Joe Audiophile showed similarities between the two speakers but a real performance drop off after 1.5 Khz.  That might be o.k. because I experience hearing issues above that frequency, too!  If nothing else, the Dayton Audio Speakers might be an interesting addition to one of my stereo systems.

Dayton Audio B40 Speakers (Amazon photo)

As of 2025, these Dayton Speakers have been updated to new model numbers Dayton Audio B40 and B65. You can get a pair of Dayton B40 speakers here on Amazon. The B65 is also available on Amazon.

Great Deal on Polk Audio T15 Bookshelf Speakers at BestBuy!

In this week's Sunday AJC, Best Buy was advertising Polk Audio T15 Bookshelf speakers for $59.98 a pair.   That's a great price for brand new speakers from a respected maker like Polk Audio.  According to the Best Buy website, they are 8 ohm speakers that can handle from 20 to 100 watts of power.  They have a frequency range of 60hz to 24 kHz. You can see them from other sellers here on Amazon:


But, if you are in the market for bookshelf speakers, this would be the week to get to Best Buy!

Bookshelf Speakers Under $100

I've been looking at bookshelf speakers on Amazon.com for several months.  I'm not sure why.  I think it is a compulsion.  I read the Amazon and other reviews and I wonder if I should replace my old Sony speakers.  

I'd like my internet addiction to be of some benefit to humanity so I've decided to put together a round up bookshelf speakers that you can buy for less than $100.  Here is the run-down on the leading sub-$100 bookshelf speakers:

Micca Motion Series MB42 Bookshelf Speakers - Retailing for approximately $60, these traditional two-way speakers get rave reviews with very few negatives.  There is a very nice review on the Micca MB42 speakers at Budgetphile.com.

  
According to Budgetphile, these speakers outperform competing Sony SSB-1000 bookshelf speakers.
 

Dayton B652 Bookshelf Speakers - At $51.99, the Dayton B652 Bookshelf Speakers have been the darling of critics for the past year or so.  However, reviews have been declining since this summer.  Apparently Dayton changed their winning formula for cheaper components and people have been less happy with these speakers in recent months.  Dayton needs to change back to their original formula and let people know that deficiencies have been corrected.

Sony SS-B1000 Bookshelf Speakers - If you need some speakers, Sony has them for about $68.00 on Amazon and for similar prices at your local Walmart.  These are some of the best selling speakers on Amazon and people are generally happy with them.  If you read the reviews closely, you'll quickly realize that these aren't audiophile speakers.  But, they offer solid performance at their price point.  Plus, if you like immediate gratification, you can just drive over to Walmart and get them today.

Technical Pro SPH5 Bookshelf Speakers - These speakers are 120 Watt speakers with 8 ohms resistance.  They have a five inch woofer and 3 inch tweeter.  At $39.99, these speakers have an unbeatable price point.  However, there are only two reviews on Amazon.com.  Since those reviews are both five star, these speakers might be worth taking a risk on.  If you are looking for dirt cheap speakers, they are a good deal.

Pioneer SP-BS21-LR Bookshelf Speakers - These two-way Pioneer speakers offer attractive looks at a good price.  For less than $70, these speakers are a great deal. However, these are 6 ohm speakers.  Some reviewers have also complained about a lack of treble.  You might be better servered looking at the audiophile quality Pioneer SP-BS22-LR Andrew Jones designed Bookshelf Speakers.  I think I would watch for the Pioneer SP-BS22-LR speakers to go on sale or buy them used.

As much as I like my thrift store speakers, it's also exciting to have so many nice speaker choices in the sub-$100 price range.   Just be careful.  Speakers are the most important part of your system.