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Best Speakers Below 1500/Pair?

3K views 21 replies 18 participants last post by  BuddTX 
#1 ·
Hi. I have a Denon 2313 receiver, and have a Polk surround sound system. Exception is the subwoofer. an RSL 10s SpeedWoofer. My room is 18 x 22, tile floor. The surrounds are on a high shelf in back, but my dog would knock speakers off of stands so these have to be floor speakers.
To continue my upgrade, I want to get a new set of tower speakers to replace my Polk t50s.
I have narrowed my search down to a few choices:
Klipsch R-28F
ELAC Uni-fi UF5
MartinLogan Motion 20 Gloss Black Floorstanding Loudspeaker
SVS Prime Tower Speaker Black Ash
KEF Q700 Floorstanding Loudspeaker - Black Ash


While most of the time spent with my setup is HT, I really want a pair of speakers that provide great sound for for the Hard Rock vinyl albums that sit idle, mainly because of how disappointing the Polks sound when using the turntable.

I like the reviews I am hearing about the ELAC, but am a bit turned off by the fact they are not 8ohm speakers.

Am I right being concerned about using the ELACs?
Are the stories about the Klipsch over coloring the sound true?
Does the way the MartinLogans look make it worth paying the extra money for them?
Finally, if you had 1000-1200 or so to spend, which of these would you buy?
Other recommendations are welcome.
Thanks in advance!
 
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#3 ·
I'd lean towards the Elac or the SVS, if you're going to go for a full tower you might as well go for a three-way design. The 4ohm impedance on the Elacs shouldn't be a problem, Denon quotes output figures at 8ohms and 6ohms for that receiver, and most well-built receivers can handle 4ohms without crapping the bed.

Still, you're looking at a variety of speakers with very different sound signatures.

The Klipsch is the most sensitive and other than the SVS will have the most bass. They're known for being a bit forward in the upper registers, but also for being good HT and rock speakers.

The Martin Logan has the smallest drivers, the least bass extension, and the second-highest sensitivity next to the Klipsch. It uses an AMT tweeter, which you might like or might not, I'm not a huge fan of them personally, but you should be able to listen to them at Best Buy to hear for yourself.

The SVS has the most bass output and is a true three-way, and though I haven't heard them myself, I know they get positive reviews, and if it's like their other products I'm sure it will be well-built.

The Elac's ace-in-the-hole is the coaxial driver, giving you a point source for your treble and midrange, which will give you improved imaging and clarity. I have a pair of the bookshelves from the Uni-Fi series, and they're awesome music speakers. Andrew Jones knows his way around a crossover, they sounded better to me than many quite-a-bit-more expensive speakers I auditioned.

The KEF uses a coaxial driver as well, but I've never heard any of their offerings.

I'd try to make some time to listen to these if you can. Best Buy carries both the Klipsch and the ML, KEF has a decent dealer network, you'll probably be able to find one that carries them somewhere near you. Elac has a tiny dealer network in the US right now, but you may get lucky. The SVS you'd just have to try at home, but they do offer free shipping and returns.
 
#5 ·
#6 ·
kef direct has a sale on the Q series, the q900 is $1200 a pair
 
#9 ·
I was in the exact same situation as you. Was down to the svs ultra bookshelf and the ascend sierra 2. Ascend were more expensive. Went with the sierra 2 and could not happier. What an amazing pair of speakers. Rock and roll never sounded better! I do have a sub in the equation, which helps out on the bottom end. Give them a try. Each room/person is different. I had to demo a few sets before I settled on the sierra 2.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
 
#11 ·
Sound quality (SQ) is very subjective. As you've seen, you'll get personal opinions and favorites for each brand that you've inquired about. Reviewers have advertising dollars and political agendas that guide them. In addition to YOUR personal tastes, preferences, and source material (vinyl), your room/environment has a major influence. The best advice you can receive here is to audition as many of your choices as possible. Visit dealers that are within your locale. Even better would be to take advantage of vendors who allow you to audition at home without obligation. Take your time....your patience will reward you with SQ that most pleases YOUR ears.
 
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#12 ·
I would look at Philharmonics Philharmonitor...about 1200/pr and 1450/pr get you a custom veneer cabinet! I real RAAL ribbon tweeter, a quality woofer and fantastic Jim Salk cabinet! If you have a subwoofer, there really is a no much need for towers...
 
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#22 ·
I own 7 Dennis Murphy speakers, including 4 "custom" Philharmonitors, and they are awesome!
That said, Dennis is coming out with a "new" version of his BMR 3 way speakers:
I've already knocked 2" off of the height on versions with the pre-fabricated Parts Express cabinets. That's as far as I'm going to take it--any change in the baffle will require a redo of the crossover, and bass reach is one of the strongest features of the BMR's, so I'm not going to sacrifice that. I haven't advertised the shorter version because I wasn't sure I could get the baffles routed. I'm having a new guy do a test pair to see whether that's a go. If so, the price will be $1,350/pr.
http://www.avsforum.com/forum/89-speakers/1348949-philharmonic-audio-dennis-murphy-58.html#post50921113

That said, I know it is 700 dollars above your ceiling, but also look at the Phil Slims
http://www.philharmonicaudio.com/slims.html
 
#13 ·
That’s a pretty decent list, so go out and audition as many as you can (or order a couple different speakers and compare … SVS has free shipping both ways). What concerns me is your tile floor. Highly reflective surfaces are not at all conducive to good sound, so think about a large area throw rug, especially if you’re thinking about a bright, energetic speaker such as the Klipsch. I also suspect that the tile floors did not do anything good for your Polk speakers. I would tend to go on the warm side with wood/tile floors, even with a throw rug.
 
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#15 · (Edited)
https://www.musicdirect.com/speakers/wharfedale-diamond-250-tower-speakers

Also consider these, I haven't listened to this particular model but have heard good things. I have really enjoyed the Wharfedale speakers I have heard in the past. Nice warmer sound, no shrill fatiguing highs, very detailed for (your rock) music.

 
#16 ·
Lots of stand mount speakers being recommended even though the OP wants towers.

With a tile floor I'd be leery of Klipsch and SVS Primes and while I love my Martin Logan LX16, their towers are just too expensive IMHO.

The Wharfedales above or the KEFs would be better choices IMHO.

Or these below; I liked the bookshelves almost as much as my Martin Logan LX16s; the LX16s sounded a hair better for classical, acoustic and jazz but the stand mount versions of these sounded as good, (or better in the case of piano), for every other genre of music.

25% off at the moment.

You can google reviews on them.

Basically a B&W sound signature with a hair more detail at a fraction of the cost.

https://www.qacoustics.com/floorstanding-speakers/concept-40-floorstanding-speaker-pair.html
 
#17 ·
Liking all the feedback folks, thanks!
The Polk towers are about a foot off the wall, and cannot come any farther out. Speakers on stands would last about a week so I have to go with towers. Yes, the speakers are coming at a solution from different directions, and the speakers may not directly address my needs but most reviews talk about the qualities of speakers in a very neutral way.
If the setback from a wall is really a big issue, aren't the Boston M350 the best choice?
Or is the "boominess" factor not as big a deal?
Thanks.
 
#19 ·
Stereophile is prone to positive reviews but had a hard time doing so with those speakers.

"Whether or not Boston Acoustics' M350 will be a worthwhile purchase will depend very much on the speaker's excessive upper-bass energy not being a problem in the prospective owner's room and system. Other than that, the M350 offers a neutral tonal balance and is commendably free from overt coloration. Its only real failing is the congestion in the lower midrange, but this only occasionally got in the way of my enjoyment of the music, and must be put in the context of the M350's price."

Read more at http://www.stereophile.com/content/boston-acoustics-m350-loudspeaker#f9lXTol45kcwlLeZ.99


The manufacturer wants them at least 2 feet from a corner but interestingly say only 3 inches from the back wall or more.

The Q Acoustics need to be 8 inches from the back wall, (without the port plugs which allow them to be placed closer), and 20 inches from the side walls.

Their outriggers make them very stable.

Most other towers want at least as much room as the BAs.

If you are able to try the Boston Acoustics in your home with easy returns by all means give them a try.
 
#18 ·
its really hard to recommend awesome speakers for someone else considering the room plays such a big role. if I put my 5k speakers in my gym downstairs in the basement, they wouldnt sound nearly as good where they are at now. get the right tool for the job.
 
#20 ·
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