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Gear / Technical Help => Playback Forum => Topic started by: Jhurlbs81 on November 27, 2013, 12:27:18 PM
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Hey Everyone-
I'm trying to help my brother buy a pair of speakers for his new house and wanted to get some advice from everyone. He is looking to spend less than 1k on a pair of speakers that will be used primarily to listen to records and other digital music sources. He's open to bookshelfs and a sub, but I am trying to steer him more towards a full range, tower-type speaker. He sent me a link to Fluance's website and I suppose they sell a tower speaker with 4 x 5" drivers that he is looking at for $450/pair. For a non-audophile just looking to get good sound from a passive speaker what would you guys recommend? I recommended he go to like a Tweeter type store and do some comparisons, but apparently they're not in business anymore. I told him to look at Athena's, but apparently they went out of business as well..
What would you all recommend for less than 1k?
Thanks for your opinion,
Jesse
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used on audiogon would be best bang for your buck
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How does 193.79 sound... not sure that includes shipping.
I have seen good reviews on the following...
The Dayton Audio B652 - 34.80$:
http://www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-b652-6-1-2-2-way-bookshelf-speaker-pair--300-652
The Dayton Audio Sub-1200 12" powered Sub - 109.00:
http://www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-sub-1200-12-120-watt-powered-subwoofer--300-629
And that should leave you enough for a pair of 31" Sanus Stands BF31B - 49.99$:
http://www.parts-express.com/sanus-bf31b-foundations-31-speaker-stand-pair--240-767
Understand the Bookshelf speakers are not magnetically shielded. This system won't break the bank and should be very enjoyable for a non-audiophile and audiophile alike.
If he gets this system please report back how he likes it.....I love a story with a happy ending :P
Peace OOK
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Agree on the Audiogon - best route out there - I had a $1k budget myself and got a pair of killer Soliloquy 6.3's local at this price - best bag for your buck for sure
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Thanks for the replies guys.
Thanks! ;D
Jesse
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Audiogon if used is cool and he or you recognize what you find there.
If looking for a less research intensive new speakers option, a good "bang for the buck" manufacturer of speakers that measure and perform very well is PSB (https://www.google.com/search?q=Most+are+silent+these+days%2C+&sourceid=ie7&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-ContextMenu&ie=&oe=#q=psb+speakers&rls=com.microsoft:en-us%3AIE-ContextMenu). They have both floor-standers and bookshelves in that price range. I'm considering their outdoor speakers.
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I doubt your brother is interested in anything this large, but a pair of Cerwin Vega CLS-215 (or whatever the current version of that speaker is called) is one of the best price/performance deals for new, true full range, very high clean output capability speakers with good sound quality. A pair can be had for around $1k if you shop it. Some will laugh at the CW heritage but I've heard those things do justice to full-scale symphonic classical music as well as full range live music recordings at near-live levels. In hot rod terms, it's a serious 'sleeper' speaker for this crowd. Belive it or not.
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Have you heard them yourself? I keep hearing them in recs, but have not heard them myself.
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PSBs? No I haven't but I'd like to. Friends who's ears I trust have and have spoken highly of them. Measurements done by the third-party Canadian National Research Council convince me that they are at the very least based upon good, non-snake-oil audio engineering practices and worth a look. I trust both of those things more than reviewers, but there are a couple write-ups I've seen from reputable sources which have reinforced my take that they are probably one of the better price/performance options around currently.
Edited my post above to mention a unsuspecting sleeper speaker I have heard, but which few will find managable due to their shear size.
But again, if someone knows what they are looking for, great deals can be found on Craig's list or Audiogon for speakers. I picked up a second pair of mid 90's era B&W802matrix3's for $1100 including shipping off the 'gon a few years ago.
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good info, thanks. I love B&W's!
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If you or anyone here ever come across a single cherry-veneered 802M3 please let me know. I picked up the second pair primiarily to have 3 matching across the front. If I found one more I'd have 5 matching all around. As it is the 4th is in the center in back, not doing that much.
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I understand that you are looking for tower or floorstanding speakers, but bookshelf speakers will really give you the best sound in the under $1000 category. I agree with the other posters who are encouraging you to go the Audiogon route. I picked up a pair of Silverline Minuet a couple years ago in like new condition for $330 (retail is something like $700) and I absolutely love them. I pair them with a Qinpu A-6000 Mk II amplifier that I bought on Amazon.com for $250, a Pure i-20 iPod dock, and some Morrow Audio cables for an awesome bedroom system that cost in total well under $1000.
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http://www.eminent-tech.com/main.html
Lft-16
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http://www.eminent-tech.com/main.html
Lft-16
So ugly only tapers and audiofools could live with it!
Have you heard them Noah? I respect Bruce Thigpen's engineering creds and am curious.
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Also try audioasylum. There is a pair of Maggie 1.6 with upgraded custom co for 550 and right now there are some vanderstien 2ce for around 500 over at audiogon
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http://www.eminent-tech.com/main.html
Lft-16
So ugly only tapers and audiofools could live with it!
Have you heard them Noah? I respect Bruce Thigpen's engineering creds and am curious.
I own them!
I found a pair used on audiogon for about $650. For that price, I don't think they can be beat.
They basically sound like big planar speakers in a more normal size. They image very well.
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Like a lot of other posts have mentioned, audiogon is definitely a good route. I picked up my Rega RS5's for a grand which is a steal in my opinion. They sound great with a sub for 2.1 and especially sound fantastic with the right material in 5.1.
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http://www.eminent-tech.com/main.html
Lft-16
So ugly only tapers and audiofools could live with it!
Have you heard them Noah? I respect Bruce Thigpen's engineering creds and am curious.
I own them!
I found a pair used on audiogon for about $650. For that price, I don't think they can be beat.
They basically sound like big planar speakers in a more normal size. They image very well.
Cool, thanks!
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I'll second the nod for PSB speakers. I own some original Alpha's and Century 300i's (both bookshelf speakers) and am currently running some T-45 towers. The 300's and T-45's I picked up used off ebay and craigslist at crazy good prices and consider them some of my best music-related purchases ever. I would get the T-55's or T-65's if I could do it over again since I want a bit more low end and the 6-1/2" drivers would probably sound a little fuller than the 5-1/4" drivers. Might pick up a sub and go the 2.1 route.
I also have some Athena AS-F2.1 towers, also picked up on craigslist, and they pale in comparison to the PSB's. The Athena's have almost zero mid-range compared to the other speakers. Even bought a more powerful receiver, HK-3490, because a review on Stereophile said they need a lot of power in order to sound good. I've held on to them since I'm curious how they would sound w/ a tube amp in case I ever man up and get one.
Here's a good site for PSB stuff: https://dmc-electronics.com/Default.htm The couple of times I emailed them about speakers they even quoted me a lower price than what was listed on their site. They also sell on ebay and audiogon.