Topic: Need speaker recommendations

[dgale]

My wife says the floor speakers gotta go, so I'm looking for some recommendations on small speakers for a couple rooms in the house that sound good but are affordable.  I'm not sure how small is small but I'd get bonus points from her for speakers that could be heard and not seen - i.e. small enough to put on a bookshelf or mount on the wall or something like that.  Anyway, I'd be curious on people's recommendations, including an assessment of sound quality vs. size.

Thanks!

[dgale]

Does it matter that much where the sub-woofer gets placed?  Can't they be out of sight to some degree? 

[guysonic]

Does it matter that much where the sub-woofer gets placed?  Can't they be out of sight to some degree? 

The most efficient bass from a sub is when very near or against a wall.  The best 'single' sub position is centered between the stereo set somewhere in front or maybe behind the listening position, but many just place a sub somewhere convenient (in a corner, back of room, setting in the room disguised as an end table or something like that) and level adjust the output for blending volume with front set at the listening position.

Some argue you really need two subs (maybe separately driven from left/right channel signals) positioned near the stereo set front positions to get best effect/imaging, even though they're only putting out <120 cycles in most cases.   

[Sanjay]

I really like the Von Schweichart (sp?) VR-1's.  I picked up a pair for around $500 used and they sound amazing.  Highly recommended.  I also auditioned some Epos speakers and liked them alot.

[cheshirecat]

I recently got a pair of Axiom M22ti-V2s which were in the 4-500 range.  They're nice speakers, but to be perfectly honest I miss my large advents.  Honestly, I think I'm going to be looking to upgrade soon, maybe to the Von Schweikert VR-2s or 4jrs if I can find a good deal on agon.

[Tim]

Usher s520's get very good reviews

http://www.stereophile.com/standloudspeakers/1205usher/

[Chilly Brioschi]

I really like the Von Schweichart (sp?) VR-1's.  I picked up a pair for around $500 used and they sound amazing.  Highly recommended.  I also auditioned some Epos speakers and liked them alot.

Seconded on the VR-1s

I added in the Velodyne VR-1500 sub and I have never been happier.

[Nick's Picks]

the VR1 is nice....., real nice.

I am a HUGE Epos fan.  the M12.2 monitors would not require a sub woofer.  well, not really.
they are a little more punchy and "in your face" sounding than the Von Schweikerts.  Better bass response for sure.

[OOK]

Paradigm makes great sounding affordable speakers.  I have a set of montior 3's that everyone looks for the sub when they are playing. 

Also B+W makes some affordable speakers that sound fantastic for there size.  They also make some really good expensive ones too, as does Paradigm.


You also might want to consider boston accoustics or Athena speakers...

[Nick's Picks]

boston acoustics?

we'll forget you said that.  this time

[bobbygeeWOW]

I'll second the Paradigm fluffing.

My pre-owned Monitor 5's (that I paid virtually nothing for) give me no end of delight!

Yet another Floyd Toole offspring!

[BC]

I'll second the Paradigm fluffing.

third that, I have some Active Reference20's that sound very nice, quite neutral and have some decent low end kick for a two-way. The active model is not sold any more but you can often find used ref20's on audiogon and ebay for a good deal. They have some other nice small speakers in their product line.


You might also want to consider the PSB alpha and NHT models (Superzero, superone??).

for some more inspiration:

http://buy.audiogon.com/cgia/fsb.pl?spkrmoni

http://buy0.audiogon.com/cgia/fsb.pl?spkrmoni&1&ctg&st1

[Todd R]

From the hard to find category:  I'd really recommend the Soliloquy SAT5's for small, excellent sounding speakers.  As with pretty much all very small bookshelf speakers, these will need a sub for the low-end, but otherwise they sound fantastic.  Only problem is that Soliloquy is now out of business, so these are probably hard to come by.

[carlbeck]

I am running a pair of B&W CDM-1SE speakers & have really become a fan of B&W. They are very neutral, the dissapear into the room & they can rock. They can be had rather cheaply, another bonus is that they are front ported so if you absolutely had to they could be placed on a shelf.

[alpine85]

I couldn't be happier with my pair of PSB Alpha B1's.  Best sounding $300 speaker I've ever heard.  Bought them a couple years ago because of some great reviews I read that compared them favorably with $1000+ speakers.   Just did a search and found this review: http://www.soundstage.com/revequip/psb_alpha_b1.htm

(i like this quote: "If you are one of those guys with $50,000 speakers, you should buy a pair of the Alpha B1s for each of your non-audiophile friends. I can't think of a better way to help them understand what your obsession is all about.")

They are cheap enough that you could use them for front, rear, and center - add a decent subwoofer and you've got a helluva system.

[BC]

I couldn't be happier with my pair of PSB Alpha B1's.  Best sounding $300 speaker I've ever heard.  Bought them a couple years ago because of some great reviews I read that compared them favorably with $1000+ speakers.   Just did a search and found this review: http://www.soundstage.com/revequip/psb_alpha_b1.htm

(i like this quote: "If you are one of those guys with $50,000 speakers, you should buy a pair of the Alpha B1s for each of your non-audiophile friends. I can't think of a better way to help them understand what your obsession is all about.")

They are cheap enough that you could use them for front, rear, and center - add a decent subwoofer and you've got a helluva system.

here's the stereophile review, this looks to be a very well engineered little speaker.

http://stereophile.com/standloudspeakers/507psb/
http://stereophile.com/standloudspeakers/507psb/index4.html

[Nick's Picks]

yup.
great reviews for the PSB, Epos and NHT bookshelves.  all great little boxes for the money