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  • Review count
    49
  • Helpfulness votes
    407
  • First review
    October 21, 2009
  • Last review
    August 4, 2017
  • Featured reviews
    0
  • Average rating
    4.1
 
  • Review comment count
    10
  • Helpfulness votes
    4
  • First review comment
    December 7, 2013
  • Last review comment
    July 22, 2017
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    0
 
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  • Answer count
    26
  • Helpfulness votes
    58
  • First answer
    December 1, 2010
  • Last answer
    June 5, 2017
  • Featured answers
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    10
 
 
havanajoe8's Reviews
<< 1 2 3 4 5 >>
 
The T15 are those bookshelf speakers whose high versatility is built to impress. Engineered with Polk's proprietary Dynamic Balance technology, they're primed to improve your home theater experience and take on your entire arsenal of tunes without fail. Think brighter highs, a wide-open mid-range and surprising bass response - the perfect entry into high-performance audio. What~s more, it~s easy to setup, supports Dolby and DTS, and connects to most home theater receivers, stereos or home theater processors. The best part is that it won't drain your wallet! Go big on great sound made for everyone. Add the T15 bookshelf stereo speakers to your home audio setup today.
 
  • My Best Buy® Elite Member
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Customer Rating
5 out of 5
5
Excellent value!
on May 8, 2014
Posted by: havanajoe8
from Mansfield, MA
My apartment is odd- it's basically two small apartments connected together separated by a door. In the larger room I have a home entertainment system with a real stereo system- receiver, sub-woofer, larger speakers, etc. However, the kitchen is in the smaller room and I like to listen to music while having coffee. About six months ago I bought the Insignia 50 watt mini bookshelf system and connected my iPod to it via an Apple iPod dock. It's on top of the refrigerator. I like the system, but the speakers were never quite right- I felt that the 4 inch drivers were a little small and with the bass ports on the back the bass would hit the wall and I felt like it sounded a bit weak and muffled. I decided to go to Best Buy to see what I could get as an upgrade. I had done a little research online and I wanted to compare three speakers- these Polks, the Pioneer SP-BS22-LRs and the Insignia NS-SP213s. The Pioneers are power-hungry, and since this system is only 25 watts per channel I eliminated them first- plus they still had a rear bass port. The Insignias sounded ok, but seemed a little muffled. These Polks sounded the clearest, but I could not really tell how they sounded in the store, so I took them home. I'm VERY happy with the results! They are a little bigger than the original Insignias but not too big. Binding posts connected easily too. At first the sound was just ok. It took about an hour of breaking them in for them to really shine. First thing I noticed is that they are efficient- comfortable listening level with the Insignias was 16 on the volume setting, with the Polks it's 12. Second thing I noticed is that the upper midrange is much more clear- voices really carry, especially higher pitched ones. Finally, although they don't have exceptionally deep bass the response is certainly better than the Insignias. Not sure if it's because of the bigger woofers or if it's the bass ports being on the front but there is no longer any muffled bass. I'm hearing details in my music that I generally only hear through my main stereo system. If you have limited space and reasonable expectations I think you can't go wrong with these speakers!
My Best Buy number: 2159931860
What's great about it: Great sound quality for limited space
I would recommend this to a friend!
Sound Quality
5 out of 5
5
+18points
20of 22voted this as helpful.
 
Add Bluetooth compatibility to your laptop with this convenient and compact micro USB adapter.
 
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Customer Rating
3 out of 5
3
WILL work with Windows 8.1 with driver update
on December 7, 2013
Posted by: havanajoe8
from Mansfield, MA
I bought this because my laptop did not come with Bluetooth installed and I wanted to stream music to my Insignia stereo system. Found this adaptor as an open item for $3 off so I bought it. Initially it didn't work, the drivers included are for XP/Vista/7 and I have Windows 8.1. I went to the Broadcom site and downloaded the drivers- still didn't work. Then I went to the manufacturers site for my laptop and downloaded Bluetooth drivers there (but not for my model, for a different model). Still didn't work. Tried the Broadcom drivers again, this time it installed perfectly. Works pretty good, I get about a 25 foot range before it won't connect. Sound is great going from my laptop to my stereo. One minor issue, it seems to require a lot of resources- if I am doing anything else on my laptop while streaming music the music starts to get "glitchy". I have to close all other programs and just stream the music, and even then there is an occasional "skip" now and then. But overall I am happy with it, it allowed me to move my stereo to a location that would not have worked had the streaming not been possible.
My Best Buy number: 2159931860
What's great about it: Small
What's not so great: Took some work to get it to work with Windows 8.1
I would recommend this to a friend!
+1point
1of 1voted this as helpful.
 
Play back audio from a wide range of sources with this Insignia~ NS-SH513 compact shelf system, which features Bluetooth technology, a USB port and a CD player for flexible use. The FM tuner features 30 presets for simple station recall.
 
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Customer Rating
3 out of 5
3
Good but limited
on November 20, 2013
Posted by: havanajoe8
from Mansfield, MA
I am moving into a bigger apartment and will have room for a small stereo system for background music. I was interested in this system due to the USB connection plus the ability to play CDs (my girlfriend has tons of them). Overall I am happy with the system except for one glaring issue- random works only with regular CDs. This means no random with MP3 CD-Rs or with USB. Not only that, but if you change sources or turn the system off and then on again it forgets what song you were on last and starts from the first track! I have over 1,500 MP3 files so this is unacceptable. I tried using Bluetooth, which gave me the ability to use my phone and shuffle tracks that way, but the sound was not very good- may be a reflection on my phone, as it's a cheap one. Finally I realized that I could connect my iPod and get what I wanted that way. One strength of this system is that it offers so many connection options- Bluetooth, USB, RCA, CD and FM. Once I got the iPod connected I was happy- sound quality is quite good, a little weak in the bass but good highs and mids. Volume is plenty for a small room. Remote works well, has a lot of range and the unit looks nice- understated and "adult", not too bright or high-techy. Black wood finish matches my main stereo system so that is a nice bonus. I decided to keep this unit, happy with it but just cannot understand how the random only works with CDs... This would be a 4 or maybe even a 5 star item if that one feature existed!
My Best Buy number: 2159931860
What's great about it: Great sound and connectivity options
What's not so great: No random on USB? Really?
I would recommend this to a friend!
Sound Quality
5 out of 5
5
Ease of Use
3 out of 5
3
Features
4 out of 5
4
+25points
29of 33voted this as helpful.
 
This Y cable connects portable audio players and other devices with a mini stereo jack to devices with stereo RCA jacks, such as computers or home theater receivers. Gold connectors maximize signal transfer for clean sound.
 
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Customer Rating
5 out of 5
5
Worked perfectly!
on November 5, 2013
Posted by: havanajoe8
from Mansfield, MA
I bought this cable to connected the headphone/audio out from my 39" Insignia TV to my receiver. Good, tight connections, and the sound is phenomenal!
My Best Buy number: 2159931860
What's great about it: Good connection
What's not so great: N/A
I would recommend this to a friend!
Durability
5 out of 5
5
Ease of Use
5 out of 5
5
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
 
Fill your room with big and balanced sound with this Logitech Z313 980-000382 3-piece speaker system featuring a 4" subwoofer and a control pod to easily adjust the volume and headphone controls.
 
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Customer Rating
4 out of 5
4
Pleasent Surprise
on August 30, 2013
Posted by: havanajoe8
from Mansfield, MA
Went to Best Buy with my father to get some more items for setting up his new TV and he insisted that I pick something out for myself. My Insignia 2.1 speaker system was starting to go, so I decided to get a new 2.1 system, but I didn't want to abuse his generosity and pick out something too expensive. Saw these speakers on sale, decided to try them, even though they are a lot smaller than the Insignias. Out of the box the sound was about what I expected- flat and boomy. However, to my surprise they really come alive with a bit of equalization. After about 20 mins of making small adjustments I have to say that I'm quite happy with the results. Reducing the 125 HZ range will immediately reduce most of the muddy, boomy bass and an increase in the 8 MHZ range will really bring out the high midrange and lower treble which was missing. The big surprise is that there is some really good low bass in the 30-60 HZ range if you boost it- not boomy at all, surprisingly accurate for such a small subwoofer. Nowhere near as good as my 10 inch 100 watt Sony subwoofer on my stereo system, of course, but for a desktop subwoofer it's quite impressive. If you spend the time getting the settings right you'll really like the results, the quality is there you just have to find it. Volume is more than adequate for the desktop. I don't like the control pod. It uses a thumbwheel volume control, which in my experience is the first thing to go with heavy use. I'd suggest setting it about 75% and then never touching it again, use your PC volume controls instead. There is a headphone jack on the control pod but no secondary input, which is disappointing- with the Insignia system I could plug in my iPod and listen to music with the PC off, but not with this system. I would have been happier if the control pod was gone and the controls were built into one of the speakers, as there would be less wires and one less item on my desk. These are minor gripes, at the end of the day sound is what matters and for the price the sound quality of this system is very, very good with some tweaking!
My Best Buy number: 2159931860
What's great about it: Good sound with proper tweaking
What's not so great: Awkward control pod
I would recommend this to a friend!
Sound Quality
4 out of 5
4
+35points
35of 35voted this as helpful.
 
This SanDisk Cruzer Fit 32GB flash drive is designed to fit most laptops, tablets, TVs and car audio systems and features SecureAccess software to help keep your data private. The compact design allows easy portability.
 
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Customer Rating
4 out of 5
4
Great for leaving on your laptop
on August 11, 2013
Posted by: havanajoe8
from Mansfield, MA
I bought this to be a permanent backup solution for important files on my laptop- fits flush so I can leave it plugged in when I take my laptop with me. My speed test shows about 20 mbps, but in reality it seems to be slow with large files but faster with small files. I have the 16 GB version in my car for MP3s and it's been reliable. Overall I'm happy with this but I do wish it were just a bit faster, and it's a bit pricey, but overall a good solution for a permanent backup solution.
What's great about it: Samll; Roomy
What's not so great: A little slow
I would recommend this to a friend!
Ease of Use
5 out of 5
5
Performance
3 out of 5
3
Capacity
5 out of 5
5
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
 
Designed for use with most 2.5" Serial ATA hard drives, this Dynex~ enclosure features USB 3.0 connectivity and is USB-powered, so you can power your drive without an adapter or cord. The aluminum material offers a durable design.
 
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Customer Rating
3 out of 5
3
Works better with USB 2.0
on August 2, 2013
Posted by: havanajoe8
from Mansfield, MA
Build or modify your own PC:Yes
Level of Expertise:Average
Primary reason for building/modifying PC:Upgrader
I bought this to make a file transfer disk between my old computer (USB 2.0, Windows XP) and my new computer (USB 3.0, Windows 8.0) using a 160 GB HDD I had from an even older computer.. It was simple to put together, 2 screws and a handy screwdriver included. Copying small files via USB 3.0 worked fine; however, when trying to copy some very large files the write would fail with a "delayed write" error. I have the hard drive set for no write caching, so this should not happen. When I tried a USB 2.0 port it copied all the files, at a much slower rate of course. There is nothing wrong with my USB 3.0 port, I use another external drive on it and it always runs fine. It's as if the USB 3.0 is just too fast for the HDD. The manual says that speed will be limited to the speed of the HDD, but that does not seem to be the case. Maybe if I used a different HDD it would work better, but the one I have is the one I have. It will still fulfill my needs, but it will be slower to copy the files than I thought. In the future I may be able to use it for USB 3.0, but for now I'm stuck with USB 2.0 speeds. Nice looking enclosure. Your results my vary, but for me it's not a perfect fit.
My Best Buy number: 2159931860
What's great about it: Easy to put together
What's not so great: Crashed on USB 3.0
I would recommend this to a friend!
Features
3 out of 5
3
+1point
1of 1voted this as helpful.
 
This Logitech MK520 keyboard and mouse feature a wireless design for taking with you on the go. The Incurve keys and palm rest allow for comfortable use.
 
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Customer Rating
4 out of 5
4
Helps cut down on clutter!
on July 28, 2013
Posted by: havanajoe8
from Mansfield, MA
I've been trying to clean up my desk for awhile now. My girlfriend heard me complain that the mouse and keyboard cords are the worst because they have to stretch all the way across my desk, so when she was in Best Buy she bought this wireless combo kit for me. Setup was simple with Windows 8- took away my corded mouse and keyboard, plugged in the USB receiver extender to my USB hub, and placed it on the right back corner of my desk, about a foot away. Everything worked as soon as I turned them on!
The mouse is the better of the two products in my opinion. I love the feel and it's very sensitive without being jumpy. Feels just like my corded mouse, perhaps even a little more accurate.
They keyboard has volume controls, which I really like, but it's missing an LED for the NUM lock and scroll lock keys. The CAPS lock key has an LED, and there is room at the top of the keyboard for some LEDS, so I wish they had put them in. Tactile feedback of the keys is fine. Nice big ESC key in the top left corner.
Overall, what a great way to clean up your desk by eliminating cables.
What's great about it: Works like a corded mouse and keyboard
What's not so great: No NUM lock or scroll lock lights
I would recommend this to a friend!
Design
3 out of 5
3
Ease of Use
4 out of 5
4
+2points
2of 2voted this as helpful.
 
Stay comfortable while you work with this Targus AWE79US chill mat that features dual fans to help keep your laptop cool and open edges for optimal airflow. The L-shaped rubber stops hold your laptop securely in place.
 
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Customer Rating
4 out of 5
4
Usually quiet, dropped CPU temp
on July 24, 2013
Posted by: havanajoe8
from Mansfield, MA
I bought this pad to chill my Lenovo N585 laptop. Before and after temperature reading showed a drop of 10 degrees Fahrenheit. It's usually very quiet, but twice so far it has started noisy and then the noise went away after about 30 seconds. Hopefully this is the fans breaking in!
My Best Buy number: 2159931860
What's great about it: Does the job!
What's not so great: Sometimes starts noisy
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
 
Add 7 Hi-Speed USB 2.0 ports to your laptop for quick and easy accessThe 7-Port Ultra-Slim Desktop Hub adds seven easy-access USB ports to your laptop/netbook/ultrabook - perfect for connecting a keyboard, mouse, thumb drive, charging cable, or any other USB-enabled device.
 
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Customer Rating
5 out of 5
5
Very compact!
on July 10, 2013
Posted by: havanajoe8
from Mansfield, MA
I have been using several 4 port hubs all connected together, I consolidated into this hub and I am much happier! Everything runs faster, system found it instantly and it takes up very little space. A little pricey, but worth it!
My Best Buy number: 2159931860
What's great about it: Lots of ports, little space needed
What's not so great: Nothing!
I would recommend this to a friend!
Durability
4 out of 5
4
Ease of Use
5 out of 5
5
+1point
1of 1voted this as helpful.
 
<< 1 2 3 4 5 >>
 
havanajoe8's Review Comments
 
Add Bluetooth compatibility to your laptop with this convenient and compact micro USB adapter.
 
Overall1 out of 51 out of 5
Fails with Windows 8.1
By barrywertz from Zionsville, IN
You're Bluetooth products with this product will fail. They have not come out with version 8.1 windows driver updates. I called the company and they said it will be a few months. I laughed and returned it. I attempted to run it in compatibility mode in other versions of windows and it couldn't verify the product. I called Microsoft as well with no avail.
Customer Avatar
havanajoe8
Mansfield, MA
December 7, 2013
I got it to work with the driver download from Broadcom. Windows 8.1, recent install...
0points
0of 0voted this comment as helpful.
 
The T15 are those bookshelf speakers whose high versatility is built to impress. Engineered with Polk's proprietary Dynamic Balance technology, they're primed to improve your home theater experience and take on your entire arsenal of tunes without fail. Think brighter highs, a wide-open mid-range and surprising bass response - the perfect entry into high-performance audio. What~s more, it~s easy to setup, supports Dolby and DTS, and connects to most home theater receivers, stereos or home theater processors. The best part is that it won't drain your wallet! Go big on great sound made for everyone. Add the T15 bookshelf stereo speakers to your home audio setup today.
 
Overall5 out of 55 out of 5
Excellent value!
By havanajoe8 from Mansfield, MA
My apartment is odd- it's basically two small apartments connected together separated by a door. In the larger room I have a home entertainment system with a real stereo system- receiver, sub-woofer, larger speakers, etc. However, the kitchen is in the smaller room and I like to listen to music while having coffee. About six months ago I bought the Insignia 50 watt mini bookshelf system and connected my iPod to it via an Apple iPod dock. It's on top of the refrigerator. I like the system, but the speakers were never quite right- I felt that the 4 inch drivers were a little small and with the bass ports on the back the bass would hit the wall and I felt like it sounded a bit weak and muffled. I decided to go to Best Buy to see what I could get as an upgrade. I had done a little research online and I wanted to compare three speakers- these Polks, the Pioneer SP-BS22-LRs and the Insignia NS-SP213s. The Pioneers are power-hungry, and since this system is only 25 watts per channel I eliminated them first- plus they still had a rear bass port. The Insignias sounded ok, but seemed a little muffled. These Polks sounded the clearest, but I could not really tell how they sounded in the store, so I took them home. I'm VERY happy with the results! They are a little bigger than the original Insignias but not too big. Binding posts connected easily too. At first the sound was just ok. It took about an hour of breaking them in for them to really shine. First thing I noticed is that they are efficient- comfortable listening level with the Insignias was 16 on the volume setting, with the Polks it's 12. Second thing I noticed is that the upper midrange is much more clear- voices really carry, especially higher pitched ones. Finally, although they don't have exceptionally deep bass the response is certainly better than the Insignias. Not sure if it's because of the bigger woofers or if it's the bass ports being on the front but there is no longer any muffled bass. I'm hearing details in my music that I generally only hear through my main stereo system. If you have limited space and reasonable expectations I think you can't go wrong with these speakers!
Customer Avatar
havanajoe8
Mansfield, MA
One thing to be aware of...
June 6, 2014
...and this is not a complaint, but something to be aware of- these speakers like to be played relatively loud- or, to be more precise, they do not excel at being played too softly... For example, if you have the volume low for background music sometimes the music cuts in and out- especially when a song is fading away at the end. They will often just cut off during the fade.... This does not happen with higher volumes. My review rating still stands, but this is something to be aware of!
0points
0of 0voted this comment as helpful.
 
The T15 are those bookshelf speakers whose high versatility is built to impress. Engineered with Polk's proprietary Dynamic Balance technology, they're primed to improve your home theater experience and take on your entire arsenal of tunes without fail. Think brighter highs, a wide-open mid-range and surprising bass response - the perfect entry into high-performance audio. What~s more, it~s easy to setup, supports Dolby and DTS, and connects to most home theater receivers, stereos or home theater processors. The best part is that it won't drain your wallet! Go big on great sound made for everyone. Add the T15 bookshelf stereo speakers to your home audio setup today.
 
Overall5 out of 55 out of 5
Excellent value!
By havanajoe8 from Mansfield, MA
My apartment is odd- it's basically two small apartments connected together separated by a door. In the larger room I have a home entertainment system with a real stereo system- receiver, sub-woofer, larger speakers, etc. However, the kitchen is in the smaller room and I like to listen to music while having coffee. About six months ago I bought the Insignia 50 watt mini bookshelf system and connected my iPod to it via an Apple iPod dock. It's on top of the refrigerator. I like the system, but the speakers were never quite right- I felt that the 4 inch drivers were a little small and with the bass ports on the back the bass would hit the wall and I felt like it sounded a bit weak and muffled. I decided to go to Best Buy to see what I could get as an upgrade. I had done a little research online and I wanted to compare three speakers- these Polks, the Pioneer SP-BS22-LRs and the Insignia NS-SP213s. The Pioneers are power-hungry, and since this system is only 25 watts per channel I eliminated them first- plus they still had a rear bass port. The Insignias sounded ok, but seemed a little muffled. These Polks sounded the clearest, but I could not really tell how they sounded in the store, so I took them home. I'm VERY happy with the results! They are a little bigger than the original Insignias but not too big. Binding posts connected easily too. At first the sound was just ok. It took about an hour of breaking them in for them to really shine. First thing I noticed is that they are efficient- comfortable listening level with the Insignias was 16 on the volume setting, with the Polks it's 12. Second thing I noticed is that the upper midrange is much more clear- voices really carry, especially higher pitched ones. Finally, although they don't have exceptionally deep bass the response is certainly better than the Insignias. Not sure if it's because of the bigger woofers or if it's the bass ports being on the front but there is no longer any muffled bass. I'm hearing details in my music that I generally only hear through my main stereo system. If you have limited space and reasonable expectations I think you can't go wrong with these speakers!
Customer Avatar
havanajoe8
Mansfield, MA
Ignore my last comment
July 9, 2014
I figured why they were cutting out. I had the volume on the receiver turned up high and would then control the volume on the iPod. It was the weaker iPod signal that was causing the speakers to cut out. By lowering the volume on the receiver and keeping the volume on the iPod output higher the speakers no longer cut out when adjusting the volume.
0points
0of 0voted this comment as helpful.
 
Only at Best Buy Enjoy your music with this Insignia~ boombox, which plays CDs and cassettes for flexible listening options. The 10 AM and 10 FM presets help you find your favorite radio programming with a simple touch.
 
Overall4 out of 54 out of 5
Gift for my Girlfriend
By havanajoe8 from Mansfield, MA
My girlfriend has been using a boombox on her shelf for the last 10 years or so and one of the speakers finally stopped working. This Insignia unit made a nice little replacement for it! She likes the sound quality, it's small enough to sit on her shelf or she can take it outside when she sits on her patio. Only disappointment is that it only plays regular CDs, not CD-R/RWs with MP3s. Her old one didn't either but it would have been a nice option. However, the unit DOES have an aux-in port so she can hook her iPod to it with a small patch cable. Overall very pleased!
Customer Avatar
havanajoe8
Mansfield, MA
My mistake! It DOES play CD-R/RWs!
February 15, 2015
We re-tested this unit with a different CD-R with MP3s and it played just fine- first disk may have been the issue. 5 stars now, I wish I could edit the review! My bad, I hate making mistakes on reviews!
0points
0of 0voted this comment as helpful.
 
Listen to music and more on the go with these Insignia~ speakers that deliver 1.5W RMS total system power to ensure quality sound. The magnetic design enables easy portability.
 
Overall1 out of 51 out of 5
Very low volume!!!
By nervedoc from Grapevine, TX
I purchased these speakers to plug into my Samsung laptop to listen to some business audio presentations. The sound on my laptop was not loud enough, so I wanted an external pair of speakers to boost the audio capability. These speakers are not even as loud as my built in speakers! There is no additional volume control on the speakers either.
Nice design, but inadequate! Returning back to Best Buy!!!
Customer Avatar
havanajoe8
Mansfield, MA
Settings?
February 28, 2015
I'd suggest checking your various sound mixer settings on your computer as these speakers should be plenty loud; at 3/4 volume I can hear music clearly in the next room. Make sure your volume control is up and each slide bar on the mixer is up as well, and finally raise the volume on any music/video software you are using. Any of these being set low (or even worse, more than one being set low) will limit the maximum volume of the speakers.
+3points
3of 3voted this comment as helpful.
 
The T15 are those bookshelf speakers whose high versatility is built to impress. Engineered with Polk's proprietary Dynamic Balance technology, they're primed to improve your home theater experience and take on your entire arsenal of tunes without fail. Think brighter highs, a wide-open mid-range and surprising bass response - the perfect entry into high-performance audio. What~s more, it~s easy to setup, supports Dolby and DTS, and connects to most home theater receivers, stereos or home theater processors. The best part is that it won't drain your wallet! Go big on great sound made for everyone. Add the T15 bookshelf stereo speakers to your home audio setup today.
 
Overall5 out of 55 out of 5
Excellent value!
By havanajoe8 from Mansfield, MA
My apartment is odd- it's basically two small apartments connected together separated by a door. In the larger room I have a home entertainment system with a real stereo system- receiver, sub-woofer, larger speakers, etc. However, the kitchen is in the smaller room and I like to listen to music while having coffee. About six months ago I bought the Insignia 50 watt mini bookshelf system and connected my iPod to it via an Apple iPod dock. It's on top of the refrigerator. I like the system, but the speakers were never quite right- I felt that the 4 inch drivers were a little small and with the bass ports on the back the bass would hit the wall and I felt like it sounded a bit weak and muffled. I decided to go to Best Buy to see what I could get as an upgrade. I had done a little research online and I wanted to compare three speakers- these Polks, the Pioneer SP-BS22-LRs and the Insignia NS-SP213s. The Pioneers are power-hungry, and since this system is only 25 watts per channel I eliminated them first- plus they still had a rear bass port. The Insignias sounded ok, but seemed a little muffled. These Polks sounded the clearest, but I could not really tell how they sounded in the store, so I took them home. I'm VERY happy with the results! They are a little bigger than the original Insignias but not too big. Binding posts connected easily too. At first the sound was just ok. It took about an hour of breaking them in for them to really shine. First thing I noticed is that they are efficient- comfortable listening level with the Insignias was 16 on the volume setting, with the Polks it's 12. Second thing I noticed is that the upper midrange is much more clear- voices really carry, especially higher pitched ones. Finally, although they don't have exceptionally deep bass the response is certainly better than the Insignias. Not sure if it's because of the bigger woofers or if it's the bass ports being on the front but there is no longer any muffled bass. I'm hearing details in my music that I generally only hear through my main stereo system. If you have limited space and reasonable expectations I think you can't go wrong with these speakers!
Customer Avatar
havanajoe8
Mansfield, MA
Paired with a small sub- MUCH better!
May 3, 2015
I ended up finding a small, flat subwoofer designed to slide under a couch. It had an 8 inch driver and fits behind the speakers on my refrigerator. SO much better now! The 5.25" drivers on these Polks handle mid-range fine but were lacking bass. With the sub connected and handling the bass these speakers really shine! Great little system!
0points
0of 0voted this comment as helpful.
 
The T15 are those bookshelf speakers whose high versatility is built to impress. Engineered with Polk's proprietary Dynamic Balance technology, they're primed to improve your home theater experience and take on your entire arsenal of tunes without fail. Think brighter highs, a wide-open mid-range and surprising bass response - the perfect entry into high-performance audio. What~s more, it~s easy to setup, supports Dolby and DTS, and connects to most home theater receivers, stereos or home theater processors. The best part is that it won't drain your wallet! Go big on great sound made for everyone. Add the T15 bookshelf stereo speakers to your home audio setup today.
 
Overall5 out of 55 out of 5
Smooth and pleasant
By Perfectionist
Bought four of these little fellows to serve as front and surround satellite speakers, along with two other speakers and a Klipsch subwoofer in a 6.1 surround system (using a Sony STR-DH750 7.2 surround receiver). These little speakers produce a warm, balanced, and detailed sound, that is very pleasant on the ears and produces absolutely no listener fatigue. After taking off the grille of one of them when playing at a loud volume, I observed the woofer pumping away with quite a bit of excursion for such a small driver. This observation, along with the tight, punchy sound the Polks were emitting, makes me believe that even if used without a powered subwoofer, these little guys could produce very nice bass for bookshelf speakers. The soft dome tweeter is unbelievably pleasant on the ears, yet detailed, and the woofer is very tight and punchy.
Customer Avatar
havanajoe8
Mansfield, MA
With a sub...
June 7, 2015
...they are even better! I've been using these on my kitchen stereo system connected to a little 25x2 receiver/CD player unit with an iPod on a dock connected via the AUX in. They've always sounded good but were missing that lower octave. I finally bought a small 8 inch powered sub and routed the speaker output through the sub and then into the Polks with an 80hz cutoff- MUCH better. With the sub handling the bass the Polk drivers produce much better midrange now, they sound about 90% as good as my main system which has much larger speakers and a 10 inch sub, plus a 200 watt receiver.
0points
0of 0voted this comment as helpful.
 
Play back audio from a wide range of sources with this Insignia~ NS-SH513 compact shelf system, which features Bluetooth technology, a USB port and a CD player for flexible use. The FM tuner features 30 presets for simple station recall.
 
Overall3 out of 53 out of 5
Good but limited
By havanajoe8 from Mansfield, MA
I am moving into a bigger apartment and will have room for a small stereo system for background music. I was interested in this system due to the USB connection plus the ability to play CDs (my girlfriend has tons of them). Overall I am happy with the system except for one glaring issue- random works only with regular CDs. This means no random with MP3 CD-Rs or with USB. Not only that, but if you change sources or turn the system off and then on again it forgets what song you were on last and starts from the first track! I have over 1,500 MP3 files so this is unacceptable. I tried using Bluetooth, which gave me the ability to use my phone and shuffle tracks that way, but the sound was not very good- may be a reflection on my phone, as it's a cheap one. Finally I realized that I could connect my iPod and get what I wanted that way. One strength of this system is that it offers so many connection options- Bluetooth, USB, RCA, CD and FM. Once I got the iPod connected I was happy- sound quality is quite good, a little weak in the bass but good highs and mids. Volume is plenty for a small room. Remote works well, has a lot of range and the unit looks nice- understated and "adult", not too bright or high-techy. Black wood finish matches my main stereo system so that is a nice bonus. I decided to keep this unit, happy with it but just cannot understand how the random only works with CDs... This would be a 4 or maybe even a 5 star item if that one feature existed!
Customer Avatar
havanajoe8
Mansfield, MA
Made this into a killer system
June 5, 2016
Since my review I've made some upgrades which really turned this into a killer system. First, I replaced the speakers with a pair of Polk T15's from Best Buy- MUCH better sound. Then I added an 8 inch sub-woofer from another vendor. Finally I took an old netbook and set it to boot into Winamp with Milkdrop 2.0. I also added a mini wireless keyboard to use as a remote. Sound is FANTASTIC, and the Insignia works great, plus gives me Bluetooth and CD playback. If you are looking for a mini receiver/CD player to make your own system I highly recommend this!
+1point
1of 1voted this comment as helpful.
 
Enjoy a DSLR-like body and sensor with a fixed lens with this Sony Cyber-Shot RX10 III camera. Powerful zoom ensures you get close up to your subject, and you can also film at up to 4K resolutions. Ultra-powerful intelligent autofocus and heavy-duty image processing ensure this Sony Cyber-Shot RX10 III camera captures the images you want..
 
Overall4 out of 54 out of 5
Small sensor
By BusStop
Bitter sweet, good zoom but small sensor will not give you the professional looking photos of a full frame camera.
Good for traveling anyway.
Customer Avatar
havanajoe8
Mansfield, MA
Hmmm...
July 3, 2017
You really can't compare a camera with a 1" sensor to a full-frame... APS-C would be a closer comparison, but even still, you won't get a 600mm equivalent lens @ 4.0 for less than $12k even with an APS-C camera, and the quality on this camera is about 80% of an APS-C...
0points
0of 0voted this comment as helpful.
 
Bring the party wherever you go with the LG X-Boom speaker cube. Wirelessly stream music from a Bluetooth-enabled smartphone or tablet, or use dual USB ports for playback or recording when connected to a USB device. Download the free LG Remote app from the Google Playstore to control the LG X-Boom speaker cube from any Android device.
 
Overall4 out of 54 out of 5
Great Sound and Bass
By mmcdon
Good overall purchase but the only feature lacking is a shuffle feature if you have a usb connected.
Customer Avatar
havanajoe8
Mansfield, MA
Random
July 22, 2017
Press the "repeat" button until the display says "random". I think it's four or five clicks. You have to do this each time you turn the system on, but it works.
0points
0of 0voted this comment as helpful.
 
havanajoe8's Questions
 
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havanajoe8's Answers
<< 1 2 3 >>
 
Play back audio from a wide range of sources with this Insignia~ NS-SH513 compact shelf system, which features Bluetooth technology, a USB port and a CD player for flexible use. The FM tuner features 30 presets for simple station recall.
 

Will it play burned music CDs?

After buying a new CD, I burn a copy and store master copy for safe keeping. Will this desk stereo have issues playing a burned copy of a music CD?
It will play it but shuffle will only work with standard CDs. If the CD is MP3 shuffle won't work
11 years, 1 month ago
by
havanajoe8
   Mansfield, MA
 
Play back audio from a wide range of sources with this Insignia~ NS-SH513 compact shelf system, which features Bluetooth technology, a USB port and a CD player for flexible use. The FM tuner features 30 presets for simple station recall.
 

Can I connect this to my TV?

Can I somehow use the aux port to connect this system to my TV?
Yes, but only if the TV has a headphone jack.
11 years, 1 month ago
by
havanajoe8
   Mansfield, MA
 
Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G Standard Lens: Whether you're a beginner or professional, you'll love this compact, lightweight lens from Nikon. The normal angle of view captures approximately what the human eye sees, making it a great all-around lens. Plus, the f/1.8 maximum aperture is ideal for creating softly blurred backgrounds and shooting in low light.
 

I have a D90, should I think about upgrading?

Should I upgrade from my D90 and to what Nikon Camera. Also, are SIGMA lenses for Nikon good to use / buy?
I've used Sigma lenses, they work just fine. the camera body is less important than the lenses. If you feel that newer bodies have more features that you would like (faster burst, Wi-Fi, etc) than sure, upgrade; but keep in mind that picture quality won't improve much (if at all) if you are using good lenses!
11 years, 3 months ago
by
havanajoe8
   Mansfield, MA
 
Play back audio from a wide range of sources with this Insignia~ NS-SH513 compact shelf system, which features Bluetooth technology, a USB port and a CD player for flexible use. The FM tuner features 30 presets for simple station recall.
 

does the players remembers the track from mp3cd and usb? or it would always start from the beginning?

does the players remembers the track from mp3cd and usb? or it would always start from the beginning?
Always starts at the beginning and shuffle only works with standard CDs, not CD-R/RW or USB. Major flaw in my opinion!
11 years, 3 months ago
by
havanajoe8
   Mansfield, MA
 
Play back audio from a wide range of sources with this Insignia~ NS-SH513 compact shelf system, which features Bluetooth technology, a USB port and a CD player for flexible use. The FM tuner features 30 presets for simple station recall.
 

Does it have a clock display?

No, it does not
11 years, 5 months ago
by
havanajoe8
   Mansfield, MA
 
The T15 are those bookshelf speakers whose high versatility is built to impress. Engineered with Polk's proprietary Dynamic Balance technology, they're primed to improve your home theater experience and take on your entire arsenal of tunes without fail. Think brighter highs, a wide-open mid-range and surprising bass response - the perfect entry into high-performance audio. What~s more, it~s easy to setup, supports Dolby and DTS, and connects to most home theater receivers, stereos or home theater processors. The best part is that it won't drain your wallet! Go big on great sound made for everyone. Add the T15 bookshelf stereo speakers to your home audio setup today.
 

powerful party speakers for laptop

haveing a party and my brother is the (DJ) so i want something that has alot of sound for a decetn price. also an added woofer would be nice.
They will handle a fair amount of power and should be plenty loud- but they lack a bit of bass. Highs and mids sound great though.
11 years, 7 months ago
by
havanajoe8
   Mansfield, MA
 
Fill your room with big and balanced sound with this Logitech Z313 980-000382 3-piece speaker system featuring a 4" subwoofer and a control pod to easily adjust the volume and headphone controls.
 

Does it works with 220V ?

I know it works with 110 V for sure, and want to know if I bring it to a country that runs 220 V, will it works as well?
110 only
11 years, 7 months ago
by
havanajoe8
   Mansfield, MA
 
Play back audio from a wide range of sources with this Insignia~ NS-SH513 compact shelf system, which features Bluetooth technology, a USB port and a CD player for flexible use. The FM tuner features 30 presets for simple station recall.
 

Does the "random" feature work when playing music from a USB memory stick via the USB port?

No, random only works with standard CDs. It does not work with USB drives or .MP3 CDs. Major flaw in my opinion.
11 years, 11 months ago
by
havanajoe8
   Mansfield, MA
 
Play back audio from a wide range of sources with this Insignia~ NS-SH513 compact shelf system, which features Bluetooth technology, a USB port and a CD player for flexible use. The FM tuner features 30 presets for simple station recall.
 

how many cd's does this system hold at one time

how many cd's does this system hold at one time
1
12 years ago
by
havanajoe8
   Mansfield, MA
 
Play back audio from a wide range of sources with this Insignia~ NS-SH513 compact shelf system, which features Bluetooth technology, a USB port and a CD player for flexible use. The FM tuner features 30 presets for simple station recall.
 

Will not play music though USB Port

Just bought this shelf system and when I insert a USB Stick is says USB CH. It will not play any mp3 files and gives me no options. I press the play icon and nothing happens. One reason I bought this was to play music form a flash drive. It is a 32 Gig flash drive, formatted fat 32. Any ideas?
Make sure all the files are on the stick without being in folders.
12 years ago
by
havanajoe8
   Mansfield, MA