Home Theater Review

High Points
• At $299 each you'll be hard pressed to find a better looking or better built monitor loudspeaker than the Verus Grand Bookshelf from Aperion Audio. Tell your audiophile friends you spent more than you did for they would have no reason not to believe you.
• Even though its driver compliment may seem minimal and its materials a bit basic, the Verus Grand Bookshelf's sound is anything but, possessing ample amounts of audiophile goodness that should make any enthusiast happy.
• For those of you who like to bi-wire or better yet bi-amp your speakers, the Verus Grand Bookshelf will accommodate with their two sets of five-way binding posts, something not commonly found on affordable monitor speakers.
• When mated to higher end components, you'll be amazed at just how much better the Verus Grand Bookshelf speakers will sound, for when treated right they compete with loudspeakers costing double and in some instances three times as much.

Low Points
• While the term bookshelf may sound appealing, to get the most from Verus Grand Bookshelf loudspeakers you're going to want to place them on stands - especially if you're using them as stereo mains in a two-channel or home theater system. Adding stands of any variety means more money; however Aperion Audio sells some elegant stands for the Verus bookshelf speakers for $47 each.
• You'll have to mate the Verus Grand Bookshelf to at least a single subwoofer to match its floorstanding brethren's low frequency performance. Luckily Aperion Audio offers the Bravus 8A subwoofer at $299, which should fit the bill nicely in moderately sized rooms.

Competition and Comparisons
At $299 each there are a number of bookshelf/monitor loudspeakers that square off against the Verus Grand Bookshelf. Paradigm's Mini Monitor loudspeaker is one such speaker as is their Studio 20 v.5 loudspeaker, which is a bit more at $798 a pair but then again it does outperform the Verus Grand Bookshelf.

Another competitor would have to be Polk Audio's newly redesigned RTiA Series, specifically the RTiA3 bookshelf speaker at $400 a pair. PSB's new Image B6 is also a notable competitor at $495 a pair.

For more on bookshelf speakers including the latest news and reviews please visit Home Theater Review's Bookshelf Speaker page.

Conclusion
For just under $600 a pair and sold direct via their own website, the Aperion Audio Verus Grand Bookshelf loudspeakers are an absolute delight for they have a finish indicative of Revel Salon2s with a sound equal in tone and musicality to their costlier siblings, the Verus Grand Towers. While they need a subwoofer or two to go full-range and require stands to sound their best, the Verus Grand Bookshelf loudspeakers are still a value leader and among the best in their class.

Additional Resources
• Read more bookshelf speaker reviews from Home Theater Review's staff.
• Explore subwoofer options in our Subwoofer Review section.
• Find an amplifier to pair with the Verus Grand bookshelf speaker.