What these speakers let you listen to
- Amazon price
- $184.99
- Customer rating
- 4.6
- Customer reviews
- 2485
- Typical price over 90 days
- $213.19
- Difference
- $28.20 (13 percent)
The R1700BTs are self-powered near-field speakers for a desk, shelf or small room, delivering 66W RMS from a 19mm silk dome tweeter and a 4-inch woofer. If you stream from a phone, tablet or laptop over Bluetooth, Qualcomm aptX HD carries up to 24-bit audio so you're not stuck with the standard codec. For wired sources, two RCA inputs accept a TV, DVD player, PC or phone, and both inputs can stay connected so you switch sources without replugging cables.
We'd consider these a sensible pick when you want an active pair that handles both wireless and wired sources without adding a separate amplifier. We'd skip them if your priority is room-shaking bass or a fully app-controlled wireless multiroom setup, since the strengths here are simple inputs, physical controls and the subwoofer output rather than network streaming or room calibration.
How the sub out and controls shape your setup
The subwoofer output has a built-in crossover and auto detection, so adding a powered sub is a cable run rather than a tuning project: the speakers see the sub over a single RCA line. The side-panel knobs adjust the EQ, and the wireless remote handles volume, mute and switching between Bluetooth and line-in modes, plus a Soundfield Spatializer button. That means most listening changes happen without opening an app or reaching behind the speakers.
If you plan to connect a sub, check whether yours accepts a single RCA input and has its own level or crossover control, since the sub output carries the low frequencies only and the speaker's own crossover behavior is built in. For desktop use, measure the distance to your listening position and confirm your source can output the codec you want, because aptX HD benefits only when both the phone or computer and the speakers support it. If your main source is a TV with only optical or HDMI output, verify an analog or Bluetooth path before buying.
Where the sound fits and when to pass
For a desk, bedroom or living-room shelf, this brown active pair gives you a tidy two-piece system with plenty of input flexibility and a wired route to deeper bass later. The 66W RMS figure is continuous power, so it covers near-field listening and moderate room filling rather than large-space projection. At $184.99 against a typical price over the last 90 days of $213.19, that's a $28.20 difference, which is a reasonable entry point into an active pair with a subwoofer line out. With 2,485 reviews, buyers have a lot of company in this range.
Pass if you need HDMI ARC or optical inputs for a TV, built-in network streaming, or if you want the app-based EQ and room correction found on some modern speakers. If you're adding a sub, confirm its crossover and connection type match the single RCA sub output, and decide on stands or isolation before you place them on a desk.
From source to room: These shine for desktop and small-room listening where Bluetooth 5.0 with aptX HD and dual RCA inputs meet a subwoofer line out. We'd skip them if you need HDMI, optical, or app-based room correction.
Spec sheet
| Model | R1700BTS |
|---|---|
| Color | Brown |
