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Gear / Technical Help => Playback Forum => Topic started by: plucks on April 23, 2009, 10:28:26 PM
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while packing, the movers knocked over one of my speakers! So I get a check back and it's time to get me something other than the Onkyo theater system speakers from 2002.
So, is there anything around the $500 mark that has a nice full frequency range but wont break the bank? I do have a basic woofer already.
thanks!
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Still enjoying my VR-1s! Available used within your budget.
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Still enjoying my VR-1s! Available used within your budget.
what he said!
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Still enjoying my VR-1s! Available used within your budget.
what he said!
I concur. Keep your eyes open on audiogon.com for a used pair of VR-1's :)
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How about these:
http://store.audioholics.com/product/2564/66340/usher-audio-s-520-bookshelf-speakers--pair-black-
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B&W 602 S3's sound amazing...the companion LCR 600 center speaker is the money too.
http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?from=R40&_trksid=p3907.m37.l1313&satitle=B%26w+602&category0=
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B&W 602 S3's
fyi Phil - these are the bookshelf version of my speakers, just to give you some reference.
good recommendations in here
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thanks Tim. i think i remember yours well! Always been a fan of the B&Ws.
The VR1s look nice too....any others?
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They were B&W's largest bookshelf speakers, since discontinued, so they incorporated a lot of the technology of the higher end models (e.g. kevlar cones). If you read the reviews, people claim they just keep sounding better as they upgrade the components behind them. I've got two pairs of them, the the LCR 600 center and the lowest end Velodyne 12" sub and I'm quite happy with my system. At some point I'll replace my Denon with a Rotel and my sub with a DD series Velodyne and I'll be even happier.
B&W 602 S3's
fyi Phil - these are the bookshelf version of my speakers, just to give you some reference.
good recommendations in here
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I have a pair of B&W 601 DM's, the kevlar woofers with rubber surrounds and titanium tweeters. They sound very nice to my ears. There are also Epos, NHT, and PSB to look at in that price range.
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I have a pair of B&W 601 DM's, the kevlar woofers with rubber surrounds and titanium tweeters. They sound very nice to my ears. There are also Epos, NHT, and PSB to look at in that price range.
Second those recs, also infinity makes a nice 2 way (look on stereophile.com for review and measurements: Primus 362??), Paradigm monitor series. Might want to peep the monitor section on Audiogon too. Happy shopping!
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How about these:
http://store.audioholics.com/product/2564/66340/usher-audio-s-520-bookshelf-speakers--pair-black-
I agree with this recommendation. FWIW I paid $300 in 2008 for mine.
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Speaker are like cars, the first buyer takes a big depreciation hit.. I just bought a set of HHB Circle3 active speakers for only $349. They sold for around $1100, and they are good enough to be used as reference monitors.
check ebay for Dynaudio or Tannoy monitors, they should meet your budget, or under..
Good Luck.
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Over the VR1, depending on the upstream gear...
I like the Epos m12.1. bigger soundstage, better bass response and a more "forward" presentation.
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http://cgi.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/srch_fs.pl?searchstring=epos&B1=go
!!!!!
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I've always liked Polk speakers. I use seven of them in my home theater setup, and couldn't be happier with them. They have a wide range of bookshelf speakers in the sub-$500 range:
http://www.crutchfield.com/g_37900/Bookshelf-Speakers.html?tp=186&nvpair=FFBrand%7cPolk+Audio
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in this economy I would keep an eye on the pawnshops. maybe leave a card and tell them to call if they get anything high end in.
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damn'd good idea right there.
I've found some real deals on speakers in pawn joints.
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Plus..., just to sew a seed....
Hydra-Audio is currently developing a line of monitors that will be:
1. absolute furniture grade cabinetry and design (exotic woods and venere finishes)
2. good componants (8" mid bass driver and plannar tweeter)
3. highly efficient (92db @ 1m)
4. custom designed Xover (by me)
5. well under $500 per pair.
:)
give me two months to refine the prototypes, get them to folks to review for me (private reviews / feedback rants..etc), and I should be ready by mid to late summer.
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nick-
add me to your list ;)
i don't have any speakers, so i'll be glad to be one of the reviewers!
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:)
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I was sitting on the fence about buying a set of monitors, and today I did an A-B-C shootout between the Mackie MR8, Yamaha HS80M, and M-Audio BX8a Deluxe. I found the Mackie too muddy, the Yamaha too bright, and the M-Audio just right. After I brought them home and set them up, properly positioned, I was even more impressed with them - the imaging is out of this world, and I found the treble, midrange, and bass to be very well-balanced. Of course, your ears may vary... but I'm quite happy with these monitors.
They are a bit bigger than "bookshelf" though, unless you have tall bookshelves. ;D
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whatcha driving them with? Congrats on the new speakers
They were B&W's largest bookshelf speakers, since discontinued, so they incorporated a lot of the technology of the higher end models (e.g. kevlar cones). If you read the reviews, people claim they just keep sounding better as they upgrade the components behind them.
This has been my experience as well. They're certainly not the end all/be all of speakers but as I have upgraded my system over the years I've been pleasantly surprised at how well the speakers have held up. I'd say they are real workhorses, I've had them in a variety of rooms with various gear and sources and they also perform well and at times they sound spectacular. I'm very happy with the room they're currently in, they really shine now that I have them setup just exactly how I like.
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Ascend Acoustics make some very affordable bookshelf speakers. I have a pair that served as my main speakers for a few years, now they're for home theater only. Very nice, especially for the price.
http://www.ascendacoustics.com/pages/products/speakers/cbm170/cbm170.html
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ok..i've got an awesome lead/deal on the Epos m12i in the works.
What do you all know about "bi-wiring" between the tweeter/sub on speakers?? I am only hooking into a basic sony receiver which i use for my entire setup.
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I bi-wire and I think it has smoothed out my high-end and given me a better defined midrange. I did it a couple of years ago and haven't looked back. Get some good speaker cable :)
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yeah, i've heard it helps tone down the brightness. But if the speaker has the "4" inputs and my receiver only has "2" per left and right, how does that work?
well if i get the "spade" ends to hook into my receiver i guess they are able to go D.P. into each receiver slot ;)
http://www.audioasylum.com/audio/cables/messages/4953.html
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I bi-wire and I think it has smoothed out my high-end and given me a better defined midrange.
Glad to hear its working out for you. No one on TS will judge you for your lifestyle.
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yeah, i've heard it helps tone down the brightness. But if the speaker has the "4" inputs and my receiver only has "2" per left and right, how does that work?
bi-wire doesn't require separate speaker posts on the amp end. just run a bi-wireable cable from the amp and split it at the speakers. Now if you want to bi-amp that reequires one amp for the woofer (or midrange in this case) and another for the tweeter.
I bi-wire and I think it has smoothed out my high-end and given me a better defined midrange.
Glad to hear its working out for you. No one on TS will judge you for your lifestyle.
:lol:
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Tim i realized i asked a dumb question, i revised my initial...
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give your amp a shocker :P
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maybe i'll work for an amp/rcvr upgrade from my sony home theater version in the next few months. I think im going to go for the Epos M12i's!
Really like the B&Ws but i don't see too much out there used...ebay #270384557050. I sent an email about how old, here's the response from a guy in CO:
they were purchased at an estate sale I buy a lot of audio equipment that way with the purpose of selling it on ebay the previous owner is deceased so no info from him! they were tested and do sound very good like most all B&W speakers do. sorry I am not much more help thanks, Dave
- peacefrogdave
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we B&W owners hang onto our gear ;D
those are series II, mine are series III so those are at least 6-7 years old. I think there was a pretty big jump in technology (specifically the tweeter) from sII to sIII
congrats on the new speakers, I read very good things about the Epos!
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definitely thanks for everyone's help on this!!
i'd +T you all, but can't.
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Really like the B&Ws but i don't see too much out there used...
Enjoy the opportunity to shop and consider lots of different gear.....for me that is as much fun as finally getting them. No hurry brother. Have you tried craigshelper.com to search your local craigslist?
Josh
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never heard of craigshelper...i'll take a look!
i'm waiting to find out if the Epos i found are from the infamous first batch that are extremely bright and which the company admitted to screwing up by releasing them, so i would prefer not to go that route.
in the meantime, i found some mint condition 602s2's on ebay for $350.
i've heard the B&w's don't sound as good with a shitty rcvr like the sony I have, but like everyone says, they'll only sound better as the gear is upgraded!
is there really going to be a big difference between s2-s3 602's??
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I had thought that the series III is when they made the jump up to the Nautilus based tweeter but it looks like the series II has that as well and there were some other tweaks done to the III's
http://ultimateavmag.com/speakersystems/903BW/
Given that I wouldn't sweat buying the II's :)
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crap, the 602s i found are actually series I.
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looks like there might be some 602s2 on audiogon,
http://cgi.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/srch_fs.pl?WORD=B%26W&FOCUS=EXY&CTGSK=spkrmoni&submit=Search
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I've heard all of the above, and still like the Epos. the B&W's are a tad smoother sounding..musical perhaps. but the Epos just give me what I want.
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but the Epos just give me what I want.
The Epos include a tall blonde and a stack of $20s?
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hahaha!
has anyone here actually listened to the Wharfedale Diamond 9.2's??
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not here..., but I believe they were recently reviewed in stereophile a few months back.
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going to give the 9.2's a whirl...i'll report back once received and hooked up with those Hydra Cables :)