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Advice / Help on Apartment Speakers for College Student?

2K views 13 replies 9 participants last post by  arnyk 
#1 ·
So I'll be in charge of picking up some speakers for my apartment, so I'd thought I would see what you guys thing would be our best bet.

We've got a small apartment, and want to have some speakers in the living room to listen to when we have some parties or hang around. The speakers will be set in the living room (don't have dimensions yet since we haven't moved in, 4 bedroom apartment is 1300ish sq ft total, so small living room)

The speakers will be primarily used for music...in fact 95% music). Our budget is $200 for every thing, which I know is not much, but we are just some students looking to get the best sound for our money. The source of the music will be iPod/iPhone (mini rca jack).

I'm still not sure if a soundbar is the way to go, or just some bookshelf speakers. I was looking at the Klipsch Promedia 2.1, but I'm hesitant to get computer speakers, as I'm not sure if they would do the job.

Any thoughts on the best way about this?

thanks in advance
 
#2 ·
If you can save up a little more, Sweetwater has the JBL LSR305s for buy one, get one half off, making the total $225. Read up on those. They compete well with the best powered monitors in the $400 to $500 class: http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/LSR305
 
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#4 ·
#6 ·
$200 for everything is next to impossible in new equipment. You could check Ebay for used, but to some extent, with used equipment, you have to have enough knowledge to know what equipment is worth buying.

Both Polk Audio and JBL/Infinity/Harmon have EBay site where they are closing out products, you can find some real bargains there -

http://www.ebay.com/sch/TV-Video-Home-Audio-/32852/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=&_ssn=polkaudio

http://www.ebay.com/sch/TV-Video-Ho...?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=&_ssn=harmanaudio

In an apartment, I would advise against a Subwoofer for music, unless it is student housing and other people won't mind.

These might not be too bad -

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Polk-Audio-...83?pt=Speakers_Subwoofers&hash=item5afdcd2783

http://www.polkaudio.com/products/monitor40

Bass response is not super deep, but you can't expect that from a bookshelf speaker.

I also disagree on the advice to get a cheap AV Receiver. You are spreading your already lean money much too thin on a bunch of amps you are not even going to use. Far better to find a bargain on a stereo amp.

This is a decent Stereo Receiver, but as you can see it kills your budget -

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_022RS300/Yamaha-R-S300.html?tp=47041

Though I might be skirting the rules a bit, I have one of these amps for about $100. I have the original box, so I can ship it. Probably only $15 to $20 to ship -

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_580TX8...arch=Onkyo+TX+8255&osp=onkyo+tx-8255&tp=47041

If a window pops up over this link, simply click the "X" to close it and you will be able to see the specs on the amp. The amp is in as near mint condition as is possible. I take very good care of my equipment. Fully functional, 100% working, I used it up until a few weeks ago when I bought a new amp.

Here are the specs from Onkyo TX-8255, 50w/ch, AM/FM -

http://www.onkyousa.com/Products/model.php?m=TX-8255&class=Receiver&source=prodClass

You can see the amp here in my set up. It is the amp on the Left -



And you can hear the amp in this video -



The Yamaha amp on the right acts as a Pre-Amp for the Onkyo on the Left, but you are hearing the Onkyo Receiver driving the 12" DIY speakers.

If you are interested, I will pack it up and take it to a Shipping Store and see how much it will cost to ship, though I would need your location, really just the city and state.

Two other speakers that are nice but again pushing your budget to the limit (note price is EACH) -

http://www.frys.com/product/7237393?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG

http://www.frys.com/product/6937347?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG

Naturally the bigger speakers is also going to be the better speaker, though equally the more expensive speaker.

These Sony floorstanding are not the peak of music fidelity, but they sound OK -

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA1J718W4492

The price is for a PAIR.

The BIC speakers are probably OK, and have fair bass response (price per pair)-

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882007003

These Pioneer are on sale for $126/pr -

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA3JX1R72362

Again, another pair of Sony that are probably OK -

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA1CZ0C98040

But as you can see, for a total of $200, the best you will get is a boombox, though a Boombox may be OK for your needs.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/lg-500w-mini-audio-system/8523061.p?id=1218878109170&skuId=8523061&st=categoryid$abcat0202002&cp=1&lp=2

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/sharp-cd-dhs1050p-mini-hi-fi-system-350-w-rms-ipod-supported/1305177992.p?id=mp1305177992&skuId=1305177992&st=categoryid$abcat0202002&cp=3&lp=4#tab=buyingOptions

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/sony-540w-mini-hi-fi-shelf-system/1308132318.p?id=mp1308132318&skuId=1308132318&st=categoryid$abcat0202002&cp=4&lp=5#tab=buyingOptions

I think you will get the best quality system, with either the Polk Audio Monitor 40 or the BIC which had pretty decent bass response for a bookshelf speaker, and either my Receiver or one similar to it. My advice, don't get an amp with less than 45 real watts to 8 ohms.

Steve/bluewizard
 
#7 ·
You can see the amp here in my set up. It is the amp on the Left -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mzjrafd19SU&list=UUQ9Jfjqo2nypFgdcr1AMACg

And you can hear the amp in this video -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OfTRgjVX0Y&list=UUQ9Jfjqo2nypFgdcr1AMACg

The Yamaha amp on the right acts as a Pre-Amp for the Onkyo on the Left, but you are hearing the Onkyo Receiver driving the 12" DIY speakers.
You are kidding, right? One cannot "hear" an amp in a video, and videos should not be used for evaluating speakers, either.

The amp is being colored by the sound of your room, your speakers, and your recording setup and equipment. And then, it gets colored again by the OP's speakers/headphones and equipment. Using a video to evaluate an amplifier is about as reliable as a rumor that's been passed on by several people before it gets to you. LOL
 
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#13 ·
I think is a good plan OP, those Sherwoods offer good power and will drive whatever you throw at them. The BICs are a good option for a bookshelf, keep an eye on Amazon however as the Pioneer BS22 and Infinity P163 are often on sale.

Craigslist might be your best bet though, you can pick up a used receiver for around $50 (this is what they are worth despite people's crazy prices), look for something from Yamaha, Denon, Marantz, or Pioneer. This gives you more of a budget for speakers. Perhaps post your local craigslist and we can browse through and give you some good suggestions to pursue.
 
#10 · (Edited)
The Sherwood RX-4105 Stereo Receiver from Parts Express is probably a fine amp for $98, but if this is a 200 watt amp then I am the Easter Bunny.

But, for the money, it is probably a fine low cost amp, and it probably does have plenty of power.

If you really are on a rock bottom budget, then the Sherwood/BIC would be a fair combination. The BIC actually have very deep bass response for a bookshelf speaker -

6.5" bass driver with response down to 43hz at -3db. Best guess on the still very usable -6db would be around 35hz to 37hz. Which is very good for a bookshelf speaker.

Steve/bluewizard
 
#14 ·
The Sherwood RX-4105 Stereo Receiver from Parts Express is probably a fine amp for $98, but if this is a 200 watt amp then I am the Easter Bunny.
I've put one on the test bench and all I can say is: Hop, hop, hop little bunny! ;-)

I've had and destroyed two of them or their predecessor, but the means of destruction were probably my fault. I got 3-4 years out of each.

By looking around and buying "Open box" I was able to pick up a 5.1 AVR by Yamaha for very little more, and it has a lot more useful stuff for the money - things like digital inputs, bass management, equalization, HDMI switching, etc.

https://www.accessories4less.com/index.php

So, the RX 4105 is not too good to be true, and in fact it may be a bit of an obsolete artifact unless of course you can pick one up for like $80 or so. Then it is still IMO a heck of a deal. Surely better than the Tripath-based stuff.
 
#11 · (Edited)
The Sherwood is rated 100 watts per channel (not 200 watts per channel), for one pair of speakers playing.
I have owned some Sherwood receivers and they are nice for the price. The Sherwood will not be weak and
meek, and can drive a lot of speakers out there for loud music.

Sherwood (Inkel), their parent company makes a lot of receivers out there, and/plus parts for some of them
popular name brand companies that are sold in stores and on line.

For one on a tight college budget, it is a good deal.
 
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