[Ryan Statz]

I could not find a dedicated Cambridge Audio owners thread, so my apologies if my searching overlooked something (the only thread I can across was one specifically for their Minx speakers).

Considering for future 2ch phono set up (which, given how impatient I can be, could be tomorrow haha :frown: ). I keep bouncing back and forth on what I want for this set up (I've gone from just going with the Pioneer BS22's I had for my HT to finding some nice vintage speakers to just buying a new pair of speakers), but the specs seem like this would be a good fit.

My budget would probably be in the $300 - 400 CAD range for a pair, haven't decided on the room, but probably the same as my HT (I'm looking at this as being as a low spatial footprint set up). No WAF, but (despite having some Klipsch as my HT surrounds, and an Elac sub), I don't like black speakers (or rather, I should say that I am more just tired of black). I would prefer real wood veneer (if possible - I know it's generally not an option with the budget I've outlined), but I can live with wood grain vinyl if it's done right.

Another set I am intrigued by is the KEF Q150 - I can order direct from them in Canada, and there is a free shipping option. I only hope I wouldn't get dinged with some hidden duty fee when they arrived if I were to go this route). There is also a walnut option for these on their site, too, but it says that finish is Backordered right now.

Would consider other options if anyone had any suggestions for when I do decide to pull the trigger on this idea. This would be a 100% music set up, so I imagine something warmer/neutral-sounding?

 

[gajCA]

I could not find a dedicated Cambridge Audio owners thread, so my apologies if my searching overlooked something (the only thread I can across was one specifically for their Minx speakers).

Considering for future 2ch phono set up (which, given how impatient I can be, could be tomorrow haha :frown: ). I keep bouncing back and forth on what I want for this set up (I've gone from just going with the Pioneer BS22's I had for my HT to finding some nice vintage speakers to just buying a new pair of speakers), but the specs seem like this would be a good fit.

My budget would probably be in the $300 - 400 CAD range for a pair, haven't decided on the room, but probably the same as my HT (I'm looking at this as being as a low spatial footprint set up). No WAF, but (despite having some Klipsch as my HT surrounds, and an Elac sub), I don't like black speakers (or rather, I should say that I am more just tired of black). I would prefer real wood veneer (if possible - I know it's generally not an option with the budget I've outlined), but I can live with wood grain vinyl if it's done right.

Another set I am intrigued by is the KEF Q150 - I can order direct from them in Canada, and there is a free shipping option. I only hope I wouldn't get dinged with some hidden duty fee when they arrived if I were to go this route). There is also a walnut option for these on their site, too, but it says that finish is Backordered right now.

Would consider other options if anyone had any suggestions for when I do decide to pull the trigger on this idea. This would be a 100% music set up, so I imagine something warmer/neutral-sounding?

They'd certainly play lower than the KEFs.

WhatHiFi was so so in their review but actual owners on Crutchfield and Richer Sounds UK really like them.

 

[zieglj01]

Cambridge Audio SX-60 will be in another league over them Pioneer BS-22 speakers .... keep them on a short list

 

[pase22]

I could not find a dedicated Cambridge Audio owners thread, so my apologies if my searching overlooked something (the only thread I can across was one specifically for their Minx speakers).

Considering for future 2ch phono set up (which, given how impatient I can be, could be tomorrow haha :frown: ). I keep bouncing back and forth on what I want for this set up (I've gone from just going with the Pioneer BS22's I had for my HT to finding some nice vintage speakers to just buying a new pair of speakers), but the specs seem like this would be a good fit.

My budget would probably be in the $300 - 400 CAD range for a pair, haven't decided on the room, but probably the same as my HT (I'm looking at this as being as a low spatial footprint set up). No WAF, but (despite having some Klipsch as my HT surrounds, and an Elac sub), I don't like black speakers (or rather, I should say that I am more just tired of black). I would prefer real wood veneer (if possible - I know it's generally not an option with the budget I've outlined), but I can live with wood grain vinyl if it's done right.

Another set I am intrigued by is the KEF Q150 - I can order direct from them in Canada, and there is a free shipping option. I only hope I wouldn't get dinged with some hidden duty fee when they arrived if I were to go this route). There is also a walnut option for these on their site, too, but it says that finish is Backordered right now.

Would consider other options if anyone had any suggestions for when I do decide to pull the trigger on this idea. This would be a 100% music set up, so I imagine something warmer/neutral-sounding?

If you can be patient and save up some money, you can expand your options and step up a level. Within your current budget there are some good options.

Paradigm Monitor SE
PSB Alpha P3
Kef Q150
Polk S15/S20
Q acoustics 3020i
NHT Superone
Elac Debut 2.0

 

[Ryan Statz]

Cambridge Audio SX-60 will be in another league over them Pioneer BS-22 speakers .... keep them on a short list

If you can be patient and save up some money, you can expand your options and step up a level. Within your current budget there are some good options.

Paradigm Monitor SE
PSB Alpha P3
Kef Q150
Polk S15/S20
Q acoustics 3020i
NHT Superone
Elac Debut 2.0

Thanks! I will keep all of this info into consideration.

 

[Ryan Statz]

If you can be patient and save up some money, you can expand your options and step up a level. Within your current budget there are some good options.

Paradigm Monitor SE
PSB Alpha P3
Kef Q150
Polk S15/S20
Q acoustics 3020i
NHT Superone
Elac Debut 2.0

After looking at these options, the Polk S20's seem to be the most attractive as far as specs go compared to the Cambridge SX-60's, and they're not really much more (right now). But damn, those KEF Q150's are also nice (I especially love the walnut finish, even if it's vinyl), however I might have to consider a sub if I were to go with them - something low profile, and really only enough to fill out some of the bottom end (I would honestly probably be happy with one of those Jamo S08 subs for this set up).

So, I think at this point it's between the Polk S20's, and the Cambridge Audio SX-60's if my patience got the better of me.

 

[pase22]

After looking at these options, the Polk S20's seem to be the most attractive as far as specs go compared to the Cambridge SX-60's, and they're not really much more (right now). But damn, those KEF Q150's are also nice (I especially love the walnut finish, even if it's vinyl), however I might have to consider a sub if I were to go with them - something low profile, and really only enough to fill out some of the bottom end (I would honestly probably be happy with one of those Jamo S08 subs for this set up).

So, I think at this point it's between the Polk S20's, and the Cambridge Audio SX-60's if my patience got the better of me.

For 2 channel listening, I think Elac Debut 2.0, Q acoustics and Kef Q150 would good options. The Polk are on the bright side of neutral and better suited for HT.

 

[zieglj01]

I have owned some Cambridge speakers --- they will hold their own and more against some popular speakers mentioned on the forum

 

[Ryan Statz]

For 2 channel listening, I think Elac Debut 2.0, Q acoustics and Kef Q150 would good options. The Polk are on the bright side of neutral and better suited for HT.

Yeah, I like the Elac's specs and their design, but I'm just tired of black vinyl - I would totally jump on them if they came in other finishes (I have seen multiple people say that they're great for music). The 6.2's are on for a great price on amazon.ca right now.

The Q Acoustics are nice, but they don't seem to have the frequency response I *think* I'm looking for in terms of bass output for a 2ch music set up.

Of those three, I am in love with the KEF Q150's, and I can get them in a finish that isn't black (which is a huge plus for me). The only concern I have with those is the potential of having to add a sub, which I want to avoid as much as possible as well, but for the price of those plus a sub (which, at minimum would be closer to $700), I could get a nicer pair of bookshelves, so if you had any recommendations on bookshelves in that range, I would entertain those suggestions (like, I would be curious about a pair of Polk LSiM 703's).

Hmmm... I will keep the Polk S20's on a short list at least.

I would love me a pair of Monitor Audio's, but they usually fall well outside of my current budget (the Bronze 2's are close enough to where I could bend, but I would choose the Silver 100's if I had the money), but I'm just going off of specs and don't know where they sit in the warm - bright scale.

Do you have any thoughts on the Wharfedale Diamond 10.2's? There's a pair on amazon right now that are within budget (but same as the Monitors - dunno about where they sit on that same scale, though).

The one spec I am a bit confused by, and it's come up with a bunch of speakers I've looked at is they have the Frequency Response numbers, but I don't get what the -/+ 3dB means - then they have the other spec commonly referred to as "bass extension" (Polk cites it as "total frequency response" on their spec sheets) often with a -6dB number.

 

[RayGuy]

Think of a graph, on the vertical axis is the response at a certain voltage input, on the horizontal axis is the frequency 20Hz to 20K Hz. The +/- 3 dB says the response is not more than 3 dB above or below the line for the entire specified frequency range. Perfection would be a straight line, but no speaker can do that (not even a Harmon product ).

If you find a -6 dB spec, that's the marketing department trying to make the speaker look better than it is, hoping folks will not notice that -6dB is not -3dB (and therefore not as linear over the same range).

More on this subject:

http://www.centerpointaudio.com/HowToUnderstandSoundFrequencyResponseGraph.aspx

Add this to the list:

https://www.amazon.com/Wharfedale-Diamond-10-2-Rosewood/dp/B007KZPM8I/ref=pd_cp_23_1?pd_rd_w=ICbiS&pf_rd_p=ef4dc990-a9ca-4945-ae0b-f8d549198ed6&pf_rd_r=HS4YJFBYP1K4TYNC9QQ4&pd_rd_r=9d5f9053-3018-4cdc-aa8e-863e0d21bf8f&pd_rd_wg=ZQ5ID&pd_rd_i=B007KZPM8I&psc=1&refRID=HS4YJFBYP1K4TYNC9QQ4

 

[zieglj01]

The Q Acoustics are nice, but they don't seem to have the frequency response I *think* I'm looking for in terms of bass output for a 2ch music set up.

They have decent bass, but not so-called great bass for a bookshelf

 

[Ryan Statz]

Think of a graph, on the vertical axis is the response at a certain voltage input, on the horizontal axis is the frequency 20Hz to 20K Hz. The +/- 3 dB says the response is not more than 3 dB above or below the line for the entire specified frequency range. Perfection would be a straight line, but no speaker can do that (not even a Harmon product ).

If you find a -6 dB spec, that's the marketing department trying to make the speaker look better than it is, hoping folks will not notice that -6dB is not -3dB (and therefore not as linear over the same range).

More on this subject:

http://www.centerpointaudio.com/HowToUnderstandSoundFrequencyResponseGraph.aspx

Add this to the list:

https://www.amazon.com/Wharfedale-Diamond-10-2-Rosewood/dp/B007KZPM8I/ref=pd_cp_23_1?pd_rd_w=ICbiS&pf_rd_p=ef4dc990-a9ca-4945-ae0b-f8d549198ed6&pf_rd_r=HS4YJFBYP1K4TYNC9QQ4&pd_rd_r=9d5f9053-3018-4cdc-aa8e-863e0d21bf8f&pd_rd_wg=ZQ5ID&pd_rd_i=B007KZPM8I&psc=1&refRID=HS4YJFBYP1K4TYNC9QQ4

A lot of that is still over my head, even after reading the article in the link.

I like the Wharfedales, and I think Zorba has mentioned them a few times to people with high praise - saw them on amazon.ca, and they're within budget as well as check off a bunch of self-WAF boxes. I'll keep these in mind as well, and hope that they don't disappear by the time I get around to doing any of this.

 

[RayGuy]

A lot of that is still over my head, even after reading the article in the link.

I like the Wharfedales, and I think Zorba has mentioned them a few times to people with high praise - saw them on amazon.ca, and they're within budget as well as check off a bunch of self-WAF boxes. I'll keep these in mind as well, and hope that they don't disappear by the time I get around to doing any of this.

OK, think of it this way:

You are listening to a piano in a concert hall. The piano has a wide variety of frequencies from the upper treble to the bass. When you hear the piano live, you hear the exact volumes of each key (frequency) that the player has intended you to hear. Now, you get home with a recording of that same performance and play it on your system. If the frequency response is not flat, then your system exaggerates the volumes of some notes and reduces the sound of others (the peaks and dips you see in the graph, respectively).

The goal is to reproduce that performance as it was, but due to variations in the frequency response of the speakers (and other components in the chain) you only get an approximation of the event.

It can be a bit complex for the beginner. You've only scratched the surface.

 

[Ryan Statz]

I have owned some Cambridge speakers --- they will hold their own and more against some popular speakers mentioned on the forum

I think the SX-60's are still sort of at the top of my list.

 

[Ryan Statz]

OK, think of it this way:

You are listening to a piano in a concert hall. The piano has a wide variety of frequencies from the upper treble to the bass. When you hear the piano live, you hear the exact volumes of each key (frequency) that the player has intended you to hear. Now, you get home with a recording of that same performance and play it on your system. If the frequency response is not flat, then your system exaggerates the volumes of some notes and reduces the sound of others (the peaks and dips you see in the graph, respectively).

The goal is to reproduce that performance as it was, but due to variations in the frequency response of the speakers (and other components in the chain) you only get an approximation of the event.

It can be a bit complex for the beginner. You've only scratched the surface.

I kind of feel like this whole thing is like this:

I don't even know whether I want to scratch anything more than the surface on this stuff.

 

[RayGuy]

I kind of feel like this whole thing is like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0DwRAVJZ4A

I don't even know whether I want to scratch anything more than the surface on this stuff.

 

[pase22]

Yeah, I like the Elac's specs and their design, but I'm just tired of black vinyl - I would totally jump on them if they came in other finishes (I have seen multiple people say that they're great for music). The 6.2's are on for a great price on amazon.ca right now.

The Q Acoustics are nice, but they don't seem to have the frequency response I *think* I'm looking for in terms of bass output for a 2ch music set up.

Of those three, I am in love with the KEF Q150's, and I can get them in a finish that isn't black (which is a huge plus for me). The only concern I have with those is the potential of having to add a sub, which I want to avoid as much as possible as well, but for the price of those plus a sub (which, at minimum would be closer to $700), I could get a nicer pair of bookshelves, so if you had any recommendations on bookshelves in that range, I would entertain those suggestions (like, I would be curious about a pair of Polk LSiM 703's).

Hmmm... I will keep the Polk S20's on a short list at least.

I would love me a pair of Monitor Audio's, but they usually fall well outside of my current budget (the Bronze 2's are close enough to where I could bend, but I would choose the Silver 100's if I had the money), but I'm just going off of specs and don't know where they sit in the warm - bright scale.

Do you have any thoughts on the Wharfedale Diamond 10.2's? There's a pair on amazon right now that are within budget (but same as the Monitors - dunno about where they sit on that same scale, though).

The one spec I am a bit confused by, and it's come up with a bunch of speakers I've looked at is they have the Frequency Response numbers, but I don't get what the -/+ 3dB means - then they have the other spec commonly referred to as "bass extension" (Polk cites it as "total frequency response" on their spec sheets) often with a -6dB number.

In this price range and even above, there's only so much bass a 5" driver can produce. Sure some will have better bass response, but at the expense of mid range clarity and detail. A sub will play the low end much more cleanly and efficiently than even most towers. You don't need to speed crazy money on a sub for 2 channel music. Something like an RSL Speedwoofer would be all you need and wouldn't disturb your neighbors if setup properly. Get the speakers you like for the right reasons and not based on frequency response specs which are not accurate anyway.

 

[Ryan Statz]

In this price range and even above, there's only so much bass a 5" driver can produce. Sure some will have better bass response, but at the expense of mid range clarity and detail. A sub will play the low end much more cleanly and efficiently than even most towers. You don't need to speed crazy money on a sub for 2 channel music. Something like an RSL Speedwoofer would be all you need and wouldn't disturb your neighbors if setup properly. Get the speakers you like for the right reasons and not based on frequency response specs which are not accurate anyway.

Yeah, I get that my price range is limiting. I'm trying to be as low-profile with this 2ch set up as possible, so I would like to get away without adding a sub even though I do know that going 2.1ch will likely be more well-rounded.

EDIT:

Alright... I pulled the trigger on the Q150's - they were a consideration in my OP. I am going to set it all up, see how they are without a sub. I'm getting a 2.1 amp so that I can add the sub if I feel it necessary. Thank you for all of your input. I think I made the right decision, here. I Also picked up a dirt cheap pair of Polk RTi A3's (everyone seems to be giving these away, I'm guessing because a new line-up is on the verge of coming out?) - going to push my A1's to surround duty, and have my entire HT consist of the same speaker family. I'm actually excited about this

 

[pase22]

Yeah, I get that my price range is limiting. I'm trying to be as low-profile with this 2ch set up as possible, so I would like to get away without adding a sub even though I do know that going 2.1ch will likely be more well-rounded.

EDIT:

Alright... I pulled the trigger on the Q150's - they were a consideration in my OP. I am going to set it all up, see how they are without a sub. I'm getting a 2.1 amp so that I can add the sub if I feel it necessary. Thank you for all of your input. I think I made the right decision, here. I Also picked up a dirt cheap pair of Polk RTi A3's (everyone seems to be giving these away, I'm guessing because a new line-up is on the verge of coming out?) - going to push my A1's to surround duty, and have my entire HT consist of the same speaker family. I'm actually excited about this

If they're anything like the Q100's, to me they sound pretty thin without a sub. A sub adds more depth and dynamics to the sound so it's not just about bass.

 

[Ryan Statz]

If they're anything like the Q100's, to me they sound pretty thin without a sub. A sub adds more depth and dynamics to the sound so it's not just about bass.

I will probably end up doing that, but I want to see how they are as is before I move forward because I might actually just be fine with their bass depth - I don't listen to much bass-heavy music. If I do, I'd probably be on the hunt for something very low profile, not black vinyl (or have any glossy, black plastic), and probably sealed. The sub I have in mind doesn't appear to have any high level/low level output/inputs I'd need to connect to the 2.1 amp I'm looking at getting, though (unless I can find a Y cable that has a male RCA connection on one end, and -/+ speaker connectors on the other).

However, I do still have the 8" Onkyo HTiB sub [SKW-391 - Frequency Response is claimed to be 30Hz - 150Hz, and 130W (RMS is probably half that?)] I got when I bought my very first HTiB system, and spec-wise it seems like it might actually be fine. If it's fine, it could be an eventual re-veneer project to get rid of the black vinyl finish. I think it's worth trying it at least, and I could get a proper sub if it's a huge nope. I had a Polk PSW10, but it's been given away to one of my brothers.