I need to buy bookshelf speakers, but put them on the floor with no
stands. They will have to squeeze against a wall and in between
furniture in a carpeted living room. They will be used mainly for
background noise at dinner parties and occasional wild dancing by
pre-teen kids (my life sure has changed since the days of my Onkyo
pre-amp and Advent speakers!). No they cannot be bigger than
bookshelf size, but must be on the floor.

Question 1: Sony SS-MB350H or Cambridge Soundworks Model Six, the
latter which I cannot listen to ahead of time because they have no
store here, but for which they have a money-back guarantee.

Question 2: What about just going with the Radio Shack mini metal
speakers. You know, the black metal boxed speakers that are about 5
inches wide and 9 inches tall and are like the professional Fostex
6301 or Roland MA-12 self-powered audio monitors used by video
editors? Frankly, if I listen to them in the store and like them, I
don't know of any reason to not buy them.