Bottom Line
Choose the Ri71 if you want real stereo sound, HDMI ARC, and standout value. Skip them if you need Wi-Fi-era conveniences or deep bass without adding a sub.
Best for
Listeners who want a simple 2.0 or 2.1 upgrade for music and TV, especially anyone tempted by a soundbar but willing to place two real speakers. It suits small to medium rooms best and rewards buyers who care more about imaging and tonal balance than app features.
Not for
Buyers who need Wi-Fi streaming, USB or optical inputs, or built-in voice-assistant features should look elsewhere. It is also not the best fit for large rooms or bass-heavy listening unless you plan to add a subwoofer.
Verdict
Fluance's Ri71 gets the hard parts right: convincing stereo imaging, strong detail, enough output for normal living-room use, and unusually good TV integration for powered bookshelf speakers thanks to HDMI ARC and a well-executed subwoofer output. The AMT tweeter gives the sound a crisp, spacious character, while the overall tuning stays balanced enough for both music and movies. The tradeoff is feature depth. You do not get Wi-Fi streaming, an app, optical input, or voice-assistant extras, and the speakers can sound a bit strained in the bass or slightly sharp when pushed hard without adding a sub. Within those limits, they are one of the better $400 soundbar alternatives.
Pros
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Ease of setup is one of the Ri71's strongest usability wins, especially for people moving up from TV speakers or a soundbar.
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Even when the speakers sound large and expansive, reviewers often describe the presentation as integrated and coherent rather than smeared or disjointed.
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Stereo imaging is excellent for the money, with stable center focus, wide separation, and convincing placement of voices and instruments.
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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.
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Detail retrieval is one of the Ri71's clearest strengths, especially in the treble, ambience, and subtle instrumental textures.
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The subwoofer output is a real strength, and the automatic 80Hz high-pass behavior makes 2.1 expansion especially effective.
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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.
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Basic setup is straightforward: connect the speaker wire, power the active cabinet, choose a source, and go.
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The MDF cabinets, internal bracing, curved sides, and front slot port are consistently described as solidly built for the class.
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Output is strong for a compact powered pair, with enough headroom for living rooms and small home-theater use.
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For TV use, dialogue stays centered and intelligible, making the Ri71 a credible soundbar alternative.
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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.
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The Ri71 integrates unusually well into TV setups thanks to ARC, stereo width, and easy subwoofer expansion.
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Bluetooth support is better than average here, with aptX HD commonly highlighted and some reviews also noting AAC, SBC, and aptX Low Latency.
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Dynamic expression is strong for the size, especially once bass duties are shared with a subwoofer.
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Bluetooth pairing is generally described as fast, easy, and stable for everyday playback.
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Vocals are consistently reproduced with clarity, body, and stable placement, whether for music or spoken content.
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Analog RCA and HDMI inputs sound good, and some reviewers preferred wired sources over Bluetooth for the best bass weight and overall refinement.
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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.
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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.
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At roughly $400, the pricing is seen as competitive rather than ultra-cheap, especially given the ARC input and AMT tweeters.
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Several reviewers praise the sense of height and scale the Ri71 can throw when positioned well, especially versus compact soundbars.
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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.
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Bass and treble controls are useful and widely appreciated, even if they are basic rather than app-driven EQ.
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For a real bookshelf pair, the cabinets are compact and manageable enough for shelves, consoles, or stands, though they are not tiny desktop speakers.
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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.
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HDMI ARC is a major selling point and usually works well, but a few reviewers ran into picky or inconsistent behavior with certain displays.
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The included remote is genuinely useful, covering source, volume, playback, LED brightness, and tone adjustments, though it is plain and occasionally quirky.
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The speakers stay composed at sane loud levels, but multiple reviews note some bass strain, honkiness, or treble edge when pushed very hard.
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The on-speaker volume knob and rear tone controls are handy, but their placement and endless rotation drew mixed reactions.
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The front LED provides useful source and status feedback and can be dimmed or switched off, but brightness and color-coding drew some complaints.
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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.
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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.
Cons
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The Ri71 does not offer real surround virtualization; its appeal comes from honest stereo width rather than simulated Atmos effects.
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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.
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Reviewers repeatedly call out the missing optical input as one of the biggest connectivity omissions.
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Wi-Fi streaming is absent altogether, so reliability for network playback is effectively a non-feature.
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There is no Fluance companion app, leaving source and tone changes to the remote and physical controls.
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Reviews repeatedly note there is no Wi-Fi platform, so AirPlay-style network streaming is effectively absent.
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Because the Ri71 lacks Wi-Fi or network audio, Chromecast-style casting is not part of the feature set.
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There is no built-in Alexa-style assistant layer here; the Ri71 is a straightforward speaker system rather than a smart speaker.
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Without Wi-Fi networking, Spotify Connect is not available as a native streaming option.
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Because there is no onboard voice-assistant platform, there is no meaningful assistant responsiveness to evaluate.
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No built-in voice-assistant system means there is no voice-recognition feature to speak of.
FAQ
Is the Ri71 a better buy than a budget soundbar?
For music quality, stereo width, and dialogue placement, most reviews prefer it to similarly priced soundbars. A budget soundbar still makes more sense if you need a single-box layout or virtual surround effects.
Do these speakers need a subwoofer?
Not necessarily. The Ri71 has usable bass on its own for casual music and TV, but a subwoofer is the recommended upgrade for larger rooms, deeper movie impact, or bass-heavy music.
What inputs are missing?
The main omissions repeated across reviews are Wi-Fi streaming, optical input, USB audio, and app-based control. You get HDMI ARC, Bluetooth, RCA, and a subwoofer output instead.
Are they easy to set up?
Yes. Most reviewers describe setup as plug-and-play: connect the passive speaker, power the active one, pick HDMI ARC, Bluetooth, or RCA, and start listening.
Reviews we analyzed
Video Reviews
Article Reviews
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