[Grandarf]

Hi, I'm about to start shopping for a pair of speakers.


Since I live in a condo, I won't be blasting the speakers, so my first concern is sound quality.


Basically, they'll be used for everything: I'm buying a projector (Infocus X1) and those speakers will be my sound source (heard some 5 piece speakers and IMHO they didn't sound very good... so I'd rather go with detailed stereo sound as opposed to boomy crappy surround sound)


They'll also be used to listen to music (obviously), and my musical taste is rather broad, I listen mainly to rock, blues, classical (and I'm trying to get into Jazz).


The type of sound I'd be looking for: detailed, nothing too excessive: Not boomy, not too bright.. Just a good balanced sound; I'm not looking for perfection.


For now, I have a basic, aging about to be replaced Sony CDPlayer with another aging basic Fisher amplifier also to be replaced I'm not sure what I'd get for replacement, but pricewise it would probably be in the 600-750$cdn price range (440-550$US) for each.


So basically thats it! I was in an audio shop last saturday, and heard a very good mall set of speakers (box size 1.5 foot tall, 3/4 foot wide maybe) and was almost blown away by the sound; it was a santana live show playing out of a dvd player. I definitely should have asked for the price but didn't but I'm sure they were way above my price range... They were on some kind of colums too.


I'm willing to pay maybe around 600-1000$cdn (440-730$US) for the pair. Maybe higher but that would be pushing it a bit...


So a few questions:


1) Any recommendations for that price range? My guess is that smaller speakers will be cheaper and might have more detail.

2) Should I get a used pair? I've heard that speakers sound quality dosen't 'degrade'. Any truth to that? Also, a bit reluctant: If the speakers were 'abused' (played too loud), is there gonna be sound degradation, or more chance that the speakers just die soon after I buy them or something like that?

3) I've started to quickly look online, should I go with floorstanding or bookshelf type speakers?


For sure I'm gonna go to a few shops to hear them, but maybe a few pointers for brands, models, etc.. to look for would be a good place to start


thanks!!!

 

[botrytis]

As far as used speakers, you can get a set of Rogers LS2's (based on the BBC monitor and the Rogers LS3/5's) for around 100 dollars a pair on A'gon and ebay. They are great for jazz and vocals.


Dave

 

[F355]

Magnepan MMGs.

PSB image 5T b-stock [cosmetic blem]

ACI

more later.

 

[nutt]

You can definitely make your dollar stretch a little farther buying used speakers. I think Audiogon is the most reliable site, and has a better selection than ebay.


I was in a similar situation to you a couple of years ago, and the best speakers I could find in a small package were the Linn Katan. They retailed for about $900 US, but they are usually available used for much less. I am still using them today, they just got moved around to the back.


One factor that you should consider when comparing bookshelf to floorstanding speakers is that good stands will cost at least $100, so some bookshelf speakers are not as easy on the wallet as they seem.


Tim

 

[djlackey5]

I'm sure you will gett 100 different opinions here, but for small inexpensive speakers, I have listened to and enjoyed PSB and Tannoy models.


As noted above, you can buy more speaker for your money on the used market, just be very careful about the seller. Speakers do degrade over time, especially if played LOUDLY. I've got a great pair of Goodman monitors with blown woofers you can have cheap! (I did buy a pair of used ProAc response 2's from a reputable dealer that I have now lived with happily for five years.)

 

[Pin]

Monitor Audio Bronze 2 MKII is definitely worth checking out.


Pin

 

[Grandarf]

oh I should have mentionned, bang for the buck is pretty important, and price near 440$US (600$CDN) is really the target. To go higher the speakers would have to be really exceptionnal!


The bookeshelf + stand comment is duly noted So one with the stand included definitely gets a +.


So far:


Yawa PSB image 5T

Monitor Audio Bronze 2 MKII

Roger LS2 (Unable to find any info on it....)

Linn Katan (used)


ascend acoustics cbm-170

Paradigm Mini & 5s

Triangle Titus 202

magnepan


All look good! Keep'em coming!

 

[Rick CH]

Being in Canada (which city?), your best bang for the buck if buying new will come from Canadian-made speakers. You've already got PSB and Paradigm on your list, but also check out Energy (the C3 bookshelf or the current XL250 floorstander should be in your price range of $600), Athena, and Dahlquist. Axiom warrants consideration, though it'll be tough to find a place to audition them as it seems they've gone to website sales only (can anyone confirm?).

 

[Tex-amp]

Rick hit it right on as best for the Canadian dollar. If you're interested in going the net-direct route(from the states) check out Ascend Acoustics, too.

 

[Grandarf]

Rick: I'm in montreal, 8) and thanks for the list! Very good idea to stay with canadian products! Now I have more than enough to start looking, thanks all!


Oh and the speakers I heard on saturday were the KEF SQ1 , I'm pretty sure because of the tweeter on top, though at the time I thought it was just some strange design, lol. Anyway, I really thought they sounded amazing!


So just a quick last question. When played at average level (not blasting the speakers), will there be a big sound difference between a bookshelf and floorstanding?


Looking at all those pretty floorstanding speakers exhibit A , exhibit B . etc... I'm starting to fear that I might just have to put a bit of extra $ and get a full sized one... lol, would that be wise? Is there much sound quality to gain?


Anyhow, thursday after work I'll go check(hear) them out, once again, thanks all!

 

[Rick CH]

Grandarf: You're in the home town of Totem speakers; give them a listen too. They are pricier but they do sound good.


Personally, I think if you're only going with a pair of fronts, the added bass extension of floorstanders is worth it. There's also the argument that book shelf speakers plus good stands cost close to floorstanders. I don't know about the PSBs, but you should be able to find the C5s selling in the neighbourhood of $750-$800.

 

[Grandarf]

hey! So a small update, went to a few places after work.


actually its long you might want to stick to the end

------------------------------------


One place looked very good (had TONS of speakers), but I was only there 20ish minutes since the place closed at 6...


Anyhow, the guy there looked very knowledgeable, and said that for the buck for buck, a bookshelf would give a better sound than a floorstander, especially in a small room.


His suggested brand for the price would be Whaferdale, but for my kind of budget, room size, etc.. He recommended, a Quad I think it was L1 or L2 not sure, (by whaferdale if I'm not mistaken) 999$can (OUCH MU WALLET!!), or a KEF Q1 slightly less expensive, 750ish if I remember, or, and I tell you the truth I've never actually considered it as a serious choice until I heard it, a Totem , it was a slim one, either the arro or sttaf, don't think he mentionned the price.


Anyhow, supposedly, canadian products being cheaper in canada is bull since they're manufactured in china or I don't know where and they don't come cheaper than any other brand... Not only that, he said they didn't sound as good... In a quick 10 minutes, he asked what kind of music I listened to, told him I had a cd picked up The Division Bell by Pink Floyd. Put in track3 (didn't really have a track in mind at that time), he put in a cdplayer, and sound played thru Energy C5 floorstanding speakers. Sounded pretty good I thought!


He then put the cd in another cdplayer, and the Totem Arro (strange, very slim speakers floorstanding) played. At the time, it sounded good, but still similar to the Energy, but still better, couldn't really put my finger on what. Then new cdplayer & the Quad (bookshelf), and again, still better then before I thought... couldn't really put my finger where... So I asked to put the Energy back. Well... What do you know... It sounded like shiot Well, not really, but still, hard to explain, but where was the detail, ?coherence?? The song, Poles apart, has a guitar playing fast notes, on the last 2 speakers, I could hear each string as it was being picked, but, with the Energy, much much harder to hear, and sounded like it was... I don't know.. mixed and faded behind, not clear and distinct picks like the 2 last speakers...


Anyway, he was closing, going back tomorrow for sure since he'll close at 8 instead of 6. After some other non-related speaker shopping, I went to another place who unfortunately, in the price range, only had B&W speakers. Bookshelfs and Standing, listened to the first one, the 601 which sounded pretty good, but not as good as the Quads or Arro (still it was a good 350$ cheaper), not as much detail, sounded a bit more like the Energy.. Then he made me listen to another higher end model ( CM2 ?), who unfortunately was more expensive than the Quad, but didn't seen to surpass it in sound quality.. Also a bit lacking in bass to my ears, but still I didn't really notice the bass on the Arro & Quad either so I can't really make a comparison there.


Oh, I quickly heard a PSB 5T at another place also, very Energy like, seemed to lack the 'each string played' detail of the Quad & Totem.


----------------------------------------


Anyhow, so what do you think about the Quad / Wharfedale, Totem and KEF's being recommended?


So far I've heard Quad 11L (might be 12L) and Totem Arro, and to me they both sounded better than PSB 5T, Energy C5 and B&W's.


There's still a lot of speakers that I haven't heard, and I'm just curious to know if anyone relates or differs from what I got so far! Comments, suggestions anything welcomed

 

[Spoonfed]

I have a pair of Quad 12L's (bookshelf model up from the 11Ls, larger woofer/mid) and matching Centre.


I too listened to the Energy at the time of purchase, in my opinion, no comparison to the Quad.


I can fully recommend them.

 

[Ranger Tim]

Be sure to hear the magnepan MMG's if possible. Find out if you like planar designs before you commit to boxes. You'll either love 'em or walk away non-plussed.


It is difficult to find decent conditions at audio stores for auditioning speakers. Room set-up and volume/efficiency differences often influence buyers the most. The louder speaker often impresses listeners the most. Watch out for tone control manipulations and other salesman tricks. I like to be left alone when I'm shopping. Better yet, I like to hear products in my own home, if possible.

 

[Rick CH]

If you liked the sound of Totems, then you probably wouldn't like Canadian speakers with a "laid-back" sound (Energy, PSB). I think you should take a listen to Paradigm's Studio line and Axioms. Their sound may be to your liking.

 

[Grandarf]

Ranger: good advice


Spoon: Can I ask you how much u paid for your Quads?


Rick, but what about the detail? Laid back is one thing, but being able to hear clearly each sound (like each guitar string being played instead of hearing some 'background not really distinguishable guitar notes'), isn't that another totally different thing? Or does being laid-back also involve less sound definition, less sound clarity, less sound distinction? (hard to put into words). I see laid-back as the opposite as a speaker with 'slam'; with an easy, non-fatiguing sound. But IMHO, the detail should still be there... no? Ex: headphones Senn hd600. Laid back, but still very detailed.


I'm also aware that the source and amps were different whent testing the different speakers, that probably has a good effect on the sound too.

 

[BillyD]

Try B&W dm303 dm600 dm601 or Totem mites. They have good detail and imaging. These are all bookself speakers. I am not sure if you want a floorstanding speaker based on your budget.

 

[Rick CH]

Grandarf: You're right that laid-back should not mean less detail. I think this is an example of speakers sounding different from one person to the next. For me, my Energy speakers are clear and detailed (and laid back). I found the Totems, though, too bright and thus lost detail in the highs. That said, I think Totem, Axiom and Paradigm (especially Studios) would be the Canadian brands most suited for you.

 

[Grandarf]

Rick: luckily, I'm more of a trebble guy than a bass guy. I do enjoy a good bass, but I'm not too fond of a bassy sound (too often boomy), so slightly bright sound I'd probably even prefer! So bookshelf, bass, not the end of the world, though if I can get a deeper bass, I'll defenitly(sp? sorry 12:30 am..) take it. As for the Energy speakers, source & amp might have a lot to do with lack of detail, as I recall, it wasn't on par with the Totem gear, I'll try to relisten...


BillyD: tss tss tss you didn't read the whole tread! (jokin I think its 2 posts up search for 601! )


Also I just tried the Totem Arro (1300$cdn/950US), mites, Rokk(700$cdn/513$US) , Paradigm Monitor 3 & 5 (475$cdn 15% TAX INCLUDED / 350$US, the 5 is 100$cdn more I think) and a Wharfedale discontinued due to ripping off the top rotating tweeter of B&W (dont remember the model) 500$cdn+tx.


For a third of the price of the Arro and almost half of the Totem rokks, the Paradigm monitor 3 can stand proud. Definitely a quality speaker. The wharfedale sounded good too, but was with a higher end cdplayer & amp so not sure if it means anything.


My mind is dead now, and I'm pretty mixed up.. Arro sounded darn good but 1300$, Paradigm didn't sound as good, but they're not really in the same league either.. Same for the Rokks... All it seems I can say is that they're all good in their own way... Arro bass and detail, sound is just soo good.. Rokk, bass isn't quite there vs arro, less detail, but less $$ too...


Paradigm & rokk weren't at the same place, so hard to have a direct comparison, but... I'd be dishonest if I'd say night and day difference, but I'd still say rokk > paradigm. But again less $$ for Paradigm, almost half price...


So I don't know.. lol.. looks like finding a good set of speakers isn't the challenge, moreso determining which one would fit better for me... And I haven't even started with the cdplayer/amp synergy and all...


1300$cdn is probably a bit over budget, but then again it would suck to buy something cheaper, and later on say: "crap I wish I had spent a few hundred bucks more and gotten the other one!!"


Bah, anyway, hard choices! LOL, and there's even more (good) speakers I haven't even heard yet... great!




OH... And unbelievable the difference between a 600$(440$US) nad amp I think it was and a 5000$(3700$US) Conrad tube amp... Same cdplayer, same speakers (totem Rokk)... I would have never imagined SUCH a difference.... Sounded like he took the Rokks and replaced them with speakers worth 5 times more... That also speaks volumes for the Rokks, but anyway, that amp is slightly over my budget!



* the rock is a discontinued Totem product, bigger than the mite, retails 1000$cdn, but since they're discontinued, -300$, mites are in the same price range as the rokks after the rebate, and soundwise Rokk seems better than mite, at even slightly lower price too!

 

[Pin]

Grandarf,


You may want to check out Monitor Audio Silver S2 which, in my humble opinion, should fit well into your criteria for good bookshelf speakers. Actually, the Bronze B2 are pretty good too!


Pin