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sewershark
05-30-2010, 06:19 PM
hello all !! my English is bad and my audio equipment knowledge is even worse :smile5: ,so don't be surprised :eek6: if i say something wrong!!

i have a yamaha mx1000 amp 330W output with 4ohm since 7years i never used it,finally i decided to buy some speakers that would work with it, my budget would be not to go over 900$ what is the best (((high fidelity))) speakers i can get for it? can you name some for me? (apart from bose 901)?even if they are old models or used but must be possibly not over 900$ thanks

Mr Peabody
05-30-2010, 09:08 PM
Any preference in floorstanding or bookshelf? Any certain type of music?

If willing to buy used you could get a set of Dynaudio Audience 52 or 42's. New maybe look into Paradigm, Dali or B&W. There are many options but the ones mentioned I'm familiar with.

sewershark
05-31-2010, 04:21 AM
Hi, there is something that is not clear for me,isn't Audience 52 power handling only 150w? my amp is 330W,wouldn't i need something that goes between 200-400W continuous power handling ?


Any preference in floorstanding or bookshelf? Any certain type of music?

i prefer floostanding
music i listen to: jazz and rock

jrhymeammo
05-31-2010, 06:48 AM
Hey SS,

Looks like you got a very cool amp.

As for your question, Dynaudio 52 will handle power up to 150 watts, but under normal listen environment you are most likely to use no more than 20 watts if not less.
You do not have to match power ratings of speakers and amps.

Would you consider purchasing a pair of preowned speakers?

Mr Peabody
05-31-2010, 07:02 AM
As long as a speaker receives clean power, meaning the amp don't "clip", reach it's limits trying to drive the speaker, a speaker with a lower power rating should be fine. For instance, I drive my Audience 60's with a Krell integrated that does 250x2 into 8 ohms, I forgot what it does into 4 ohm, maybe 500x2. The 60's or 62's may be a good option for you if you can find them used in your price. Unfortunately, I don't believe Dyn offers anything new in the $900.00 range.

Any brands in your area you can get a listen to?

cjpremierfour
05-31-2010, 08:51 AM
With a 900 dollar budget, I'm just going to throw you some ideas. Most of these are very large floor standing models that require a large room. When speaker shopping, you should never get a speaker too large for your space.

Most all of these are older full range speakers:

ADS L1230, L1290, L1530, L1590
Vienna Acoustics The Bach and Mozart
PSB Stratus Gold
B&W 802, early 801's may be possible at that price
Alon MK4 / Dahlquist DQ 20 & 30
Thiel CS2.2, CS 3.5
Acoustic Research AR 9LSI and the AR 90
JBL L150, L220 ( Oracle )
Magnepan- almost the whole line # 3, 3A, Tympani, possibly 1.6
Energy Veritas - whole line- early stuff may fall into your price range
Silverline Audio Prelude, anything else that Silverline makes in your price range.
Martin Logan Aerius i , possibly a SL-3
Acoustat 1+1 and 2+2, ( a 8 foot tall electrostat that will require a subwoofer )
Kef 104/2, 105/4, 105/2
Carver Amazings Platinum and Silver ( because of their physical size, your price set point may get you into a pair of Amazings if your picking up)
Carver AL3
NHT 2.5, VT2 and the 2.9
Snell Type A
Infinity RS2, many Infinity's will fall into your price range

As far as the best Hi-Fi speaker for 900 dollars, that's really hard to answer. You have Magnepan fans that wouldn't sit down in front of a box speaker. You have electrostat fans as well as those 1-way driver guys that would give you different answers as well. The best speakers for 1 person will not be the best for all.....

sewershark
05-31-2010, 02:19 PM
you are most likely to use no more than 20 watts if not less.
You do not have to match power ratings of speakers and amps.

i have a mini kenwood system that plays over 50w everyday :-)



Would you consider purchasing a pair of preowned speakers?
Sure

thanks



As long as a speaker receives clean power, meaning the amp don't "clip", reach it's limits trying to drive the speaker, a speaker with a lower power rating should be fine. For instance, I drive my Audience 60's with a Krell integrated that does 250x2 into 8 ohms, I forgot what it does into 4 ohm, maybe 500x2. The 60's or 62's may be a good option for you if you can find them used in your price. Unfortunately, I don't believe Dyn offers anything new in the $900.00 range.

so if the amp is of 330W powered at 90-95% i wont harm a speaker that have only 150W ?

or is it better to get some speaker that handles over 300W for not risking to damage it?
thanks


With a 900 dollar budget, I'm just going to throw you some ideas

hey thanks :smile5:

as for martin logan ,Carver Amazings etc . . those slim line speakers do they sound good?

i live in italy , i cant find people living here and selling most of the models you listed at this time, so if you get some more ideas :) i wont mind if you write even more so i will save the list and start searching in the near future

by the way i did find an infinity sm 152!!how will you rate these in comparison of all the other models you gave me?

Mr Peabody
05-31-2010, 03:44 PM
In my opinion the Infinity "SM" for Studio Monitor really do not sound that good. They are highly efficient which allows them to play very loud with not much power. They were Infinity's Rock-n-Roll/Disco speaker. With that being said, they were also very popular amongst the masses. They would not be considered an audiophile speaker by no stretch though. If into that type of speaker the Cerwin Vega CLS series are said to be pretty good and you can get a 12" 3-way new pretty cheap.

If you used all 300 watts per channel that would be an incredibly loud listening level. Being very familiar with Dynaudio, my guess is the Audience would be fine for your amp.

Any Klipsch Heresy, Forte or Cornwall over there? The horn sound may not be for every one but some, including myself, like them quite a bit. If you are in Italy, how about Sonus Faber? Bound to be some B&W. Any Dali?

To answer your question the Martin Logan electrostats sound great. The particular model, Aeries, does not play very low even with a dynamic bass driver. Maybe look for a SL-3. Electrostats have a particular sound though so definitely listen before commiting. Same with Magnepan. I personally would recommend staying away from the Carver speaker, one of the most difficult placements to sound right I have ever seen and not very reliable.

sewershark
05-31-2010, 04:45 PM
i would use 300 watts from time to time surely not everyday usage , but i want something powerful for when i am in the mood of increase the volume

if into that type of speaker the Cerwin Vega CLS series are said to be pretty good and you can get a 12" 3-way new pretty cheap
so you are saying that infinity sm line is almost the same as cerwin . . if that's true i shouldn't get those!!

Any Klipsch Heresy, Forte or Cornwall over there? The horn sound may not be for every one but some, including myself, like them quite a bit. If you are in Italy, how about Sonus Faber? Bound to be some B&W. Any Dali?
i found a klipsch heresy from ebay italy ,dont know how much good condition is it
b&w & faber are too expensive
No forte,cornwall or dali

http://cgi.ebay.it/diffusori-klipsch-heresy-prima-serie-/150449393991?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Casse_e_diffusori&hash=item23077b9147

but isn't it only 100W maximum power handling, (i really can't understand this power handling matter). . . . all i want to do is buying a audiophile floorstanding one that would use all amp maximum output when needed!!but a audiophile speaker as well

so from what i "imagine" if almost the same efficiency is met if i have a 330W power amp with audience i'll be using 30% of it's power but with a jbl 4430 (that costs above my budget) i can use almost 85% of my amp's power . . .
correct me if i said something wrong?

i found also some jbl L100 and l100t but i don't know the specs of the first and the second seems not in very good conditions
costs . . . 350 euro


Electrostats have a particular sound though so definitely listen before commiting

The horn sound may not be for every one
how do they sound?

Mr Peabody
05-31-2010, 05:21 PM
Horn speakers are basically professional speakers applied to home application. The better Klipsch have a dynamic sound and lively. Certain models, the Heresy, for instance, don't play very low, about 60Hz. Some people who prefer a warmer sound find them too bright or forward. They are usually very efficient as well. If you used a 100 watts through them your ears would be bleeding :) I checked your link but I do not speak the language. The original Heresy hit the market in the 1950's, since that version there was a Heresy II and currently Heresy III. The Heresy is the baby in Klipsch's Heritage line. You might want to take a look at Klipsch's website. As with many manufacturer's not all the Klipsch are good.

Electrostats are very revealing, large sound stage and tend to give an in the room feel or presence to the music. What is interesting they don't excite the air in the same way as a dynamic driver so you don't get the same physical feel from them.

Most speakers are blown by under powering than over powering. It's when your amp runs out of power and begins to send a distorted signal to the speakers that causes them to blow. If you over power them, which typically doesn't happen, you may damage a woofer by what's called over excursion, when the woofer is pushing out further than it was made to do. In most instances you will hear the woofer pop and if you are lucky, or wise, enough to turn the volume down quickly no harm is done.

As an example, you would be better off powering a 150 watt Dynaudio with a 300 watt amp opposed to a 50 watt amp. If the 50 watt amp didn't play loud enough and you pushed it to it's limits, the amp would begin to clip and if that distorted signal was received by the speaker long enough, good bye tweeter. In Klipsch's case it would play very loud with little power and you could go deaf trying to use a 100 watts.

Any Canton in your area? Another speaker some claim is bright but it's not so much that, as the midrange is very pronounced. This may be hard for some to get used to but it gives the music a live in the room sound.

cjpremierfour
05-31-2010, 06:12 PM
I have to jump in again, I think that the JBL L100t is a excellent speaker for the money. The tweeter is outstanding and it's dynamics and bass slam is something I would expect in a much more expensive speaker. I have read that the L100T is something like + or - 4 DB's from 50 to 15000 hertz. The JBL L100 is also something that I would say go check out and see how you like them as well.
As far as specs, JBL didn't produce specs for their line back then because there was no standard for everyone to follow.

Would your area have anything in your price range from Sonus Faber or Aliante?

Also, how big is your listening space?

sewershark
06-01-2010, 10:43 AM
Any Canton in your area?
can't find them neither

Would your area have anything in your price range from Sonus Faber or Aliante?
No aliante
Sonus faber is too much expensive

Also, how big is your listening space?
6 meters X 4 meters

Mr Peabody thanks for explaining all of that in your post
so i found infinity sm 152 (not going to buy) , found jbl L100T (not the same as L100t3)
price 350euro 200w but the point is even if this is an excellent speaker i need something that would not damage when increase volumes at near maximum when i am in the mood of doing so , the owner by phone said absolutely not doing that!! although i red on an article on the web that for matching amp to speakers , the speaker should handle half of what the amp is capable of per channel

http://www.sweetwater.com/shop/live-sound/power-amplifiers/buying-guide.php

so i don't know who's is saying something wrong between them?
but i would prefer going at the safe side and get me something with drivers that wont blow
at higher volumes level

will that necessary mean i will have no choice but bose 901 ?

found also some martin logans . . . 1600 euro . . . . too much

as for returning to bose 901 nothing against them but i am too much suspicious when getting some non standard design technology (all those little small drivers. . . m m m :confused: case is light and compact size and the equalizer . . .mmm :sosp: must have some limitations )

thank you all for your help

Mr Peabody
06-01-2010, 06:48 PM
This may be easier if you tell us what brands you have access to. Did you say whether Dali is in your area? I would take Wharfdale before the SM's or 901's. Hey, what about Thiel? Thiel aren't bass heavy, not bass shy either, just don't hit like some other speakers, they have a warm musical sound and may be to your liking.

Have you thought about looking at any of the online speaker companies like Axiom? I have no personal experience but there are plenty of reviews.

sewershark
06-02-2010, 02:56 PM
This may be easier if you tell us what brands you have access to
i can't know exaclty, it depends on what people are selling at that moment on auctions or preowned stuff on websites like ebay,the most popular seems to be bose,jbl,tannoy,kef,altec,b&w.mirage,klipsch,infinity,ar,indiana line,chario,esb very few Wharfdale,aliante,m logan, and mcintosh ...dali almost nothing

to name some:
www.subito.it
http://www.afdigitale.it/Annunci_mercato.aspx
www.ebay.it
http://www.mercatinomusicale.com/ann/search.asp?ns=1&rg=&pv=&kw=casse+jbl&rp=&st=&__IDRegProv=&ob=data


I would take Wharfdale before the SM's or 901's
bose 901 is everywhare, why you don't prefer buying them ?

as i said i found jbl L100T, i saw also JBL SVA2100

of Axiom i found only the drivers,thiel are very expensive,martin logan the same

cjpremierfour
06-02-2010, 04:43 PM
The Bose 901 is a popular speaker for a number of reasons. I would guess that 50% of everyone on this board has had a pair at one time during there life. It is more or less a stage that you have to pass in order to upgrade to High End audio.
The Bose 901's do have some positives;
1. They are easy to sell and have outstanding resale value.
2. They do have a large soundstage
3. The eq does have a 50hz and below cutout to make the speaker sound cleaner at higher volume levels. The 4" drivers may have a x-max of 4mm but they will get loud with good bass slam, just don't look for much below 40 to 45 hz. The 4' drivers will also take a lot of abuse without voice coil failure.
4. Using the 50hz cutout will free up more power to the speaker and may provide a increased DB level. You can also add a subwoofer to produce the sub bass when using this option.
5. With your 330 watts of power, this system would likely be very powerful. Just remember that your amp would see a 8 ohm load. I'm not sure what wattage your amp will produce at 8 ohms.
6. WAF is usually high because of it's small size.
7. Most important: Because of it's small size, it will likely fit ( sound wise ) in your room.

** It's just something that you need to spend time with, no one other than yourself can tell if you like the Bose 901's or not.

Hope this helps,

I see where you have found a pair of JBL 100T and the JBL SVA 2100's! Just to let you know, the SVA2100 are twin 10" woofers with a mid/ tweeter horn in the middle. These are 100 pound monsters that you should go listen to. I think that the 2 JBL's on your list would be almost as good as anything in the 900 dollar price range. I know some of the guys on this board would disagree but you, if given a chance, should go check them out!

Mr Peabody
06-02-2010, 05:40 PM
No, Sewershark, the thing you should be asking is why everyone selling the 901's and not keeping them. Although the soundstage is large it's also diffuse, no real imaging to the soundstage like most typical speakers. Some people like to sit and be able to pinpoint where a instrument is in the performance. Good luck doing that with any Bose. Although Bose does some good marketing and gimmicktry the law of physics still prevails, a 4" driver can only play so low and so high. I believe the 901's use some form of transmission line technology so you will get an illusion of bass, like a mid-bass punch but limited bass detail and I'd be surprised if the 901's really went below 50Hz.

If you have to go with a mass market brand maybe check out Polk or Infinity. I'm not all that familiar with JBL, models I've heard have not impressed me but not only the couple of guys on this thread but others in the past have stated JBL has good models so follow that up to see if it works for you. I don't think you will be happy with the 901's but if you have to go there to convince yourself I can understand that.

D. Paul Navigator
06-24-2010, 07:59 AM
$900/pair opens up a lot of quality speakers, and I don't knock the mainstream speakers. I will say that my experience drives me to some lesser known for some really good sound.

Jamo C607
Swans Diva 4.2
Energy CF50
Focal 714v (try Music Direct for special pricing)