Infinity has been making great-sounding home and automobile speakers for years, and we recently took a pair of the company's Primus P152 bookshelf speakers for a spin. While the styling left us scratching our heads, there is no denying the impressive performance of this low-cost offering.

The P152 is small bookshelf speaker with many convenient features not always found on similar products in this price range, such as built-in wall-mount brackets on the rear. The speakers are magnetically shielded, so they can be safely placed next to a television. They also sport high-quality five-way binding posts for speaker wire connections.

Each two-way, front-ported cabinet houses a 5-1/4-inch driver that utilizes Infinity's Metal Matrix Diaphragm (MMD) technology, which the company says delivers accurate performance with dramatically reduced distortion. The high end is handled by a 3/4-inch MMD dome tweeter. The front-firing bass port allows the P152 speaker to be mounted in an enclosed bookshelf or entertainment center without deteriorating the sound quality.

In our listening tests, we found the speakers perform very well, especially when compared to other speakers in this price range. Crisp highs and tight bass highlight the familiar Infinity sound that we have loved for years. Limited only by their small size and power-handling capability of 100 watts, we strongly pushed the P152's with hard rock music, and only at high levels did they begin to lose the ability to keep up with the driving bass and bottom end. Listening to country and alternative pop music was a delight, and these speakers can easily fill a small to medium-size room or apartment with rich, respectable sound.

The P152 speakers come with a black vinyl veneer finish, with a silver front faceplate and grey and white drivers. The grills are a futuristic-looking silver fabric, the top of which curves up and just over the front edge of the speakers. This might work if you have a silver and black flat-panel television, but we feel it will appear out of place in a traditionally decorated family room or bedroom.

These are very well constructed little speakers, but this is typical of past Infinity models. Experience shows that you can count on years of dependable service from Infinity products, and we found no reason not to expect the same from the P152's. These solid speakers should stand up to years of wear and tear.

The Infinity Primus P152 bookshelf speakers performed much like we expected, and when you consider the modest price tag of $109 each, their value becomes apparent. If you are looking for a pair of versatile bookshelf speakers that will perform consistently through a range of musical styles, the Infinity Primus P152's will not disappoint.


Pros:  Great value and performance, front port allows for installation in enclosed areas, good warranty length
Cons:  Silver and black styling may not be well suited to some decor styles

Warranty
5 years