Micca RB42 Reference Bookshelf Speaker with 4-Inch Woofer and Silk Tweeter (Dark Walnut, Pair)

Let me start off by just saying that either the fine folks over at Micca just want as many of us "ordinary" people to be able to enjoy quality sound or they are simply crazy for offering such a fine little speaker at the price they are selling them for. (Oops. Maybe I shouldn't have said that.) First of all, a little background: when I ordered the RB42s, I wasn't expecting them to be as good as they really are. In fact, my initial plan was to use them as a step up from the speakers I am currently using for my PC. You see, I have an older Logitch 5.1 speaker system and while it is pretty good (I like having better sound quality, mostly for gaming, but I also listen to quite a bit of music, watch videos, and even watch the occasional movie or TV show) the system (the speakers all plug into the little subwoofer) is beginning to show it's age and has started to occasionally short out (no sound comes out due to some faulty wiring and the amplifier gets warm and shuts the whole system down). So, I ordered the Micca RB42s just to see how they sounded before I took the plunge and bought another pair (for the surround speakers) along with the center channel version of the RB42 (the RB42-C). (Along with finding a suitable subwoofer, either getting a better one for my home theater and using the old one with my PC or just scrounging one up online that wasn't completely terrible). Let me tell you, I LOVE THESE TINY SPEAKERS! I was simply amazed at how much sound came out of such a tiny package! And make no mistake, QUALITY sound, at that! And while I do still plan on using a subwoofer, I was surprised at how much bass these little boxes produce! While they might not shake the walls, they still have some respectable (for their size) punch and rumble to them. So, I am comfortable saying that I will definitely not be having any trouble integrating whatever subwoofer I end up using with these speakers. I was afraid that I would have to make the sub crossover frequency go higher in order to fill in an audio "hole" which would make the sub more noticable. Something you definitely don't want you subwoofer to do. Like I said, I'm not going to have to worry about that. Now, I haven't pulled off the back to take a look-see at the components/circuits used in the crossover, but the sound alone confirms that what I saw in the pictures is certainly at least close to what's inside. I'm still going to take a look at what's insides of these little beasties (I just can't help myself!), but I'm certain that I won't be disappointed. It just goes to show you what using quality components can do for the resulting sound. Speaking of quality, I have to mention that the cabinets are very solid (knocking on them sounds like knocking on a solid block of wood and not a hollow box) and the dark wood venere finish is very subdued without being overstated or "Look at me! Look at me! I'm a speaker over here!" flashy. Very nice, Micca. Very nice. I should also point out that these speakers have some physical depth to them, so if you're planning on putting them on a bookshelf, make sure your positioning plan has enough space availabe for them. They are ported in the back and seem to like to be a little ways out from the wall (experiment to find a sound that's nice to your ears). They are 7.9 inches deep, so keep that in mind. I also highly recommend driving these speakers with as much power as you can give them (up to their rated wattage, of course). I'm pretty sure they'll sound just fine with less amplifier wattage, but you will be nicely rewarded if you can give them plenty of juice. When I first hooked them up, I happened to be using a vintage Carver TFM-35x amplifier which is rated at 250 watts into 8 ohms, but that's just because I had it sitting on my work table. (I'm currently assembling a veritable Justice League of vintage amplifiers that I am going to refurbish and use in my home theater.) Once I'm ready to put these speakers in position, I plan on using a 100 watt amplifier. However...Now that I've finally heard these speakers, I'm happy to say that I'm going to be moving them (along with a RB42-C center channel speaker which I now have on order and am VERY excited to hear!) into the surround position of my 7.1 home theater system! So, now my current home theater surround speakers are going to be moving to my PC speaker system instead. THAT'S just how much I REALLY LOVE these speakers! And they are MUCH smaller than my current surround speakers, so it's a win all around! OK, I'll quit talking now. Just know that you'll be making a good decision to purchase these speakers for whatever your application is. In my travels around the Internet looking for information about these speakers, I saw people mention that they sometimes go out of stock, so get them while they're hot! You will definitely NOT be disappointed! UPDATE: I spent a lot of time searching for a suitable stand for these speakers. Let me save you a lot of trouble by pointing you toward Kanto SP32PL 32" Bookshelf Speaker Stands. They are a good compromise between quality and cost. I'll let you know how they work out with the MB42s.

Micca's MB42x's were, and still are a beloved pair of entry level bookshelfs, delivering fantastic sound for their price point. The RB42 is a new entry, a little bit deeper, a little bit skinnier, and with the same size drivers. Is it any good? TL;DR - Heckin' yes. The RB42 is great value for money, offering good sound and imaging. I haven't heard a great many speakers, but the RB42 fit the bill if you need something passive, small, and with great sound quality. The RB42 features a crossover, a denser wood cabinet that is a bit deeper, but slightly shorter and thinner, with rounded corners, compared to the MB42. It uses the same size drivers, but the woofer looks to be a different design, and possibly material as well. Other reviewers have stated there's more dampening inside the RB than the MB. The RB also retains its rear porting from the MB. The RB42 seems to need a bit more power than the MB42x, and it needs even more power still, than something like the Jamo S-803, and while I think the S-803 sounds better at lower volumes than the RB42, the Jamo is $70 bucks more, and quite a bit larger, while also being front ported. We know the Jamo also has a bit of a V-Shaped signature to sound like it's digging deeper than it actually is. The RB42 on the other hand seems to be a flatter sound profile, as part of Micca's Reference series, and it's shocking how much low end such a small box produces! The RB42 is genuinely surprisingly good. Powering my pair with a 50wpc Emotiva BasX A100, it can fill my small apartment with sound when used in a 2.0 setup in a living room. When I move into a house and build a real home theater setup, these will most likely be moving to my computer desk, as their size, imaging, and sound stage is really nice. I've been testing them and for certain things, I prefer them to my Jamo's, because they're not as large, and they sound nice and flat when using them with TV or movies, without sounding boring. What's interesting is that they aren't that much different in size from the MB42x. Side by side, and getting the MB42's second, I was surprised how small both of them were compared to the Jamo's, which I thought were a relatively average size for bookshelfs. I could definitely recommend these for someone looking for their first set of bookshelf speakers, or some extremely competent rear channels for their home theater setup. *Disclaimer* - No one has attempted to influence the content of this review. These were purchased by me with my own money. Perception of sound is subjective, and my statements regarding it should be taken as opinion and not objective fact. Also, I am human and therefore make mistakes and I haven't heard everything ever. Reviews should not be considered a substitute for actual ears-on time with a product.