Styling is simple and understated, with a matte-black look and a more refined front waveguide treatment than the older version. It is generally seen as plain but more polished than before.
Across reviews, the Ri71's walnut, white, and black finishes are a real plus, with walnut especially well liked, though the exposed drivers and lack of grilles make the styling more assertive than discreet.
Reviews repeatedly note there is no Wi-Fi platform, so AirPlay-style network streaming is effectively absent.
The speaker appears easy enough to drive for ordinary AVRs and mainstream amps. Reviews cite a benign 6-ohm presentation and explicitly say expensive high-power amplification is unnecessary.
There is no Fluance companion app, leaving source and tone changes to the remote and physical controls.
Codec and signal support are solid for the price, with AAC and aptX-family Bluetooth plus HDMI ARC, though the omission of USB and optical narrows digital-audio flexibility.
Bluetooth support is better than average here, with aptX HD commonly highlighted and some reviews also noting AAC, SBC, and aptX Low Latency.
Bluetooth pairing is generally described as fast, easy, and stable for everyday playback.
Build quality is repeatedly described as strong for the class, with decent cabinet feel, useful bracing updates, and a more thoughtfully executed budget crossover than many cheap rivals.
The MDF cabinets, internal bracing, curved sides, and front slot port are consistently described as solidly built for the class.
Because the Ri71 lacks Wi-Fi or network audio, Chromecast-style casting is not part of the feature set.
The M2 is generally described as more mature, smoother, and more coherent than the original, with fewer tonal distractions, though budget limits still show up in scale and dynamics.
Even when the speakers sound large and expansive, reviewers often describe the presentation as integrated and coherent rather than smeared or disjointed.
The remote buttons and main controls usually register cleanly, though a few reviewers found the endlessly rotating tone and volume controls less intuitive than ideal.
The cabinet is slim, visually easy to place, and more modern-looking than the prior version, though the overall presentation remains budget-minded and not luxurious.
Most reviewers like the classic bookshelf look and visible drivers, but the no-grille design and slightly old-school finishes will not suit every room.
Detail is good for the class rather than elite, with solid transient information and improved midrange clarity when the speaker is high-passed or paired with a subwoofer.
Detail retrieval is one of the Ri71's clearest strengths, especially in the treble, ambience, and subtle instrumental textures.
For TV use, dialogue stays centered and intelligible, making the Ri71 a credible soundbar alternative.
Reviewers found it surprisingly clean for its size, with some tests showing little obvious distress, but compression and grain can emerge near its limits or when it is run full range without a subwoofer.
The speakers stay composed at sane loud levels, but multiple reviews note some bass strain, honkiness, or treble edge when pushed very hard.
Dynamic headroom is acceptable for moderate rooms and casual theater use, but the speaker shows its size limits with compression and reduced bass authority as playback levels climb.
Dynamic expression is strong for the size, especially once bass duties are shared with a subwoofer.
Bass and treble controls are useful and widely appreciated, even if they are basic rather than app-driven EQ.
The general consensus is that the M2 is smoother and more neutral than the original SS-CS5, with tamer upper treble and respectable midrange balance, though bass remains limited and minor treble or upper-mid quirks persist.
Consensus points to a balanced, near-neutral tuning with good bass weight for the size, though some listeners hear a slightly forward upper range or limited deepest bass.
HDMI ARC is a major selling point and usually works well, but a few reviewers ran into picky or inconsistent behavior with certain displays.
These speakers fit budget home theater use well, whether as mains, surrounds, or even height channels, especially when paired with an AVR and crossed to a capable subwoofer.
The Ri71 integrates unusually well into TV setups thanks to ARC, stereo width, and easy subwoofer expansion.
Using standard speaker wire between the active and passive cabinets is flexible, but the included cable is basic and the one-box electronics create some asymmetry.
The SS-CS5M2 plays louder than many expect from a small budget bookshelf, but it is not an output monster and loses authority when asked to deliver big full-range bass at higher levels.
Output is strong for a compact powered pair, with enough headroom for living rooms and small home-theater use.
In smaller rooms and quieter listening, the Ri71 still preserves detail and tonal balance reasonably well, though bigger spaces may want a sub or a little bass lift.
The on-speaker volume knob and rear tone controls are handy, but their placement and endless rotation drew mixed reactions.
Reviewers repeatedly call out the missing optical input as one of the biggest connectivity omissions.
Price sentiment is highly dependent on street price. The speaker is repeatedly praised when discounted into the 150-dollar range, while full MSRP around 250 dollars is often treated as a tougher sell.
At roughly $400, the pricing is seen as competitive rather than ultra-cheap, especially given the ARC input and AMT tweeters.
The included remote is genuinely useful, covering source, volume, playback, LED brightness, and tone adjustments, though it is plain and occasionally quirky.
Setup is straightforward by passive-speaker standards: reviewers describe easy integration with common AVRs and small amps, especially in budget stereo or theater systems.
Basic setup is straightforward: connect the speaker wire, power the active cabinet, choose a source, and go. Ease of setup is one of the Ri71's strongest usability wins, especially for people moving up from TV speakers or a soundbar.
There is no built-in Alexa-style assistant layer here; the Ri71 is a straightforward speaker system rather than a smart speaker.
Feature depth is deliberately limited: you get HDMI ARC, Bluetooth, tone controls, and sub-out, but no app, Wi-Fi, voice control, or broader smart ecosystem.
One review specifically called out surprisingly convincing apparent height along with width and depth when the speaker was positioned properly near tweeter level.
Several reviewers praise the sense of height and scale the Ri71 can throw when positioned well, especially versus compact soundbars.
Without Wi-Fi networking, Spotify Connect is not available as a native streaming option.
The front LED provides useful source and status feedback and can be dimmed or switched off, but brightness and color-coding drew some complaints.
Imaging is a genuine strength for the price, with reports of precise placement, good center focus, and speakers that disappear well, even if they do not match the depth or holography of pricier models.
Stereo imaging is excellent for the money, with stable center focus, wide separation, and convincing placement of voices and instruments.
A subwoofer is strongly recommended. Multiple reviews say the speaker works much better when crossed around 80 to 120 Hz, which improves bass weight, detail retention, and dynamic composure.
The subwoofer output is a real strength, and the automatic 80Hz high-pass behavior makes 2.1 expansion especially effective.
The Ri71 does not offer real surround virtualization; its appeal comes from honest stereo width rather than simulated Atmos effects.
Value for money is one of the strongest themes in the reviews, especially when the speaker is on sale. At full MSRP the value is still decent, but no longer obviously class-leading.
Value is one of the strongest themes across the reviews, with many writers saying the Ri71 outperforms typical soundbars and many similarly priced powered speakers.
Because there is no onboard voice-assistant platform, there is no meaningful assistant responsiveness to evaluate.
Vocals are generally clear and centered, with better tonal behavior than the older model, but a few reviewers still heard mild sibilance or forwardness on certain voices and recordings.
Vocals are consistently reproduced with clarity, body, and stable placement, whether for music or spoken content.
No built-in voice-assistant system means there is no voice-recognition feature to speak of.
Its slim cabinet and roughly 9.5 to 10 lb weight per speaker make it relatively easy to place on shelves or use in surround and height roles, though it is not unusually compact.
For a real bookshelf pair, the cabinets are compact and manageable enough for shelves, consoles, or stands, though they are not tiny desktop speakers.
Wi-Fi streaming is absent altogether, so reliability for network playback is effectively a non-feature.
As a conventional passive speaker, it offers standard rear binding posts that reviewers considered decent for the price, though one review noted banana-plug insertion depth could be better.
Input selection covers the essentials with HDMI ARC, RCA, Bluetooth, and sub-out, but the lack of optical and USB keeps the set from feeling fully loaded. Analog RCA and HDMI inputs sound good, and some reviewers preferred wired sources over Bluetooth for the best bass weight and overall refinement.