Best entry-level speker for listening to music [Archive] - Audio & Video Forums

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crones
12-04-2003, 01:49 PM
I recently purchase a Yamaha HTR-5550 receiver and would like to get a new set of speakers (max. $300 for pair), mainly for listening to music. Eventually I would like to add additional speakers to achieve a surround sound effect. I'm new to this - so any help would be appreicated.

markw
12-04-2003, 02:23 PM
I'll throw the Athena Audition series of speakers into the ring for your consideration. Check 'em out at http://www.audioadvisor.com if you wish.

I have 'em and before settling on these compared them with the common brands in their price range. They did the trick for me.

Woochifer
12-04-2003, 02:47 PM
Depends on how you intend to use those speakers. Right at the $300 price point, my choice would be the B&W DM303. Very well balanced and versatile set of speakers. And if you expand into surround sound, it should be well matched with the 600 series models if you decide to upgrade to that series for the front speakers and move the 303s into the back for surround duty. Or you can simply add three more of the 303s plus a subwoofer and have a timbre matched 5.1 setup all the way around.

At the $350 price point, you can also look into the Paradigm Mini Monitor. It has a more aggressive sound than the 303s, especially in the highs and lows, but still conveys good accuracy in the crucial midrange. It's really a matter of personal preference. If you music tastes are almost exclusively with amplified instruments or hip-hop, this would probably be more to your liking than the more subdued B&Ws, which are better suited to acoustic instruments than the Minis. Paradigm also makes the $180 Titans, which are less refined but one of the better speakers at that price point.

I would also audition options from Boston, PSB, NHT, Energy, Klipsch, Polk, Infinity, and JBL. All of these companies have different sound signatures and I don't necessarily like all of them, but at least one of them should provide something that you'll be happy with. Bose's 201 and 301 speakers are not the resolute ripoff that their Acoustimass systems are, but their build and sound quality lag behind the other companies that I mentioned.

spacedeckman
12-04-2003, 04:03 PM
My all time favorite $300 speaker is the Acoustic Energy Aegis One Evo. It doesn't goof much of anything up. Very flat, and pleasant sounding. Punchy, but with good definition. Kind of hard to find, but worth the search. Will make you forget the aforementioned B&W very quickly.

The Energy C1 runs $300 as well, and that is a very nice, pretty refined speaker for the money. This is one that I would buy over the Paradigm. The midrange is far superior, as is the tweeter, and it doesn't have the obvious bass hump that the Pardigm displays.

The Athena B1 or B2 are both very inexpensive and offer great performance for the money. Probably even close to twice the money. Not as sophisticated sounding as the AE, but redefine punchy and they image like a big dog.

I'm sure I could list more, but the wife calls.

Space

RGA
12-04-2003, 05:41 PM
It's pretty a much a choice between trade-offs and the cheaper the speakers the more trade-offs you're going to have to make. For instance Wharfedale makes a less agressive speaker but it's tougher to drive and won't realy nail it for rock. B&W's 303 already mentioned is one of the best all-rounders. The 303 like the predecessor the 302 which I used to own are pretty lucid oin the midrange...the 303 adds more of a zip(which is less natural than the older 302 and less accurate) but follows the popular home theater sound. Since you said you were wanting this for music my leaning here would also be for the 303 but look around for a used or demo 302 - IMO, and I'm far from being alone on this opinion, it's a better speaker than the 303 which I would easily take over somehting like the Paradigm Titan or the Energy C1.

I actually just came back from a listening session with a few speakers( Paradigm Monitor 5v3, 9v3 and Maurdaunt Short 906) ranging from $799-$1500.00CDN) and the interesting thing is they all sounded similar. None were zippy or overly fatiguing(a fairly significant improvement over the V2)...but sadly none sounded like a real acoustic guitar(Jesse Cook's Tempest album). They highlighted the initial pick/pluck but not the overtones of the instrument itself. They all sounded forward and hit all the upper notes but they often sounded hard a kind of metallic ring(though not nearly as screechy or etchy as the prior models).

After about 4 songs I got a headache with them and had to leave...the Monitor 5 was the better of the monitor line but it sounded a bit tubby in the bass(the floorstanders had the box resonances that muddied up the sound - didn't play all that loud nor could I make out what was really going on). The Maurdant short was easily the best speaker of the lot and even then it didn't drop my jaw. I was expecting more I guess for $1300.00CDN. Still all of this was with one disc and my own speakers are a baseline here so the Monotors and Mordaunt Short are actully pretty good for the money.

Now these speakers are significantly more expensive than your price range and they display traits I would not want to live with.

The best advice is to go to a high end dealership, listen to as many high end speakers as possible...and to LIVE acoustic music and find the best compromises in the speaker you can afford. The 302 or 303 are pretty safe bets...as is the Acoustic Energy(but it's been a long while since I've heard one). You will give up some lower end extension, though the B&Ws can play dance music without too much irritation and in room bass response should be fairly deep. You can always add a sub.

For music, try and find speakers that attempt to resemble the sound of instruments sound natural. Geenrally, I would try and avoid metal tweeters which I realize is very tough to do.

Mr Peabody
12-04-2003, 06:29 PM
They are entry level priced but don't sound entry level. The last I seen they have a bookshelf speaker at $199. pair. AE tend to be musical and have a nice flat response. They aren't heavy in the bass, but that could be an attribute in an entry level bookshelf.

Beckman
12-04-2003, 09:44 PM
I think you would be happy purchasing any of the speakers mentioned.

I own a pair of infinity il40's. I payed about $900/pair for mine. Knowing what I know now there are a lot better speakers for that much money on the market.

That said, il40's sell on ebay for $300 - $500. I won't sell mine because I honestly believe you can not get a better set of stereo speakers for close to $300. Check out the reviews on il40's and check auctions on ebay. You can usually pck them up new for $400-$500, or used for about $300.

Also, someone allready mentioned Audio Advisor. Although I don't particularly enjoy all the crap Audio Advisor sells(cables, isolaion blocks, fairy dust, $1000 power cables, etc.) If you sign up fo there newsletter you can get speakers on closeout specials for up to %60 off.

46minaudio
12-05-2003, 09:33 AM
They are entry level priced but don't sound entry level. The last I seen they have a bookshelf speaker at $199. pair. AE tend to be musical and have a nice flat response. They aren't heavy in the bass, but that could be an attribute in an entry level bookshelf.

Mr Peabody I bought a pair of AE Aegis 300cs 2 weeks ago off of Ebay.New from dealer for $199 + 15 shipping..Maple wood veneer and 14 pounds each.Not that it means anything but I really am impressed with them.I converted a 14 x16 ft room in my house to a bar and use them in a 2ch system..I was planning on adding a sub, but after setting them up I felt it would be overkill for this room..

Prefuse
12-05-2003, 05:41 PM
Last time I checked, 2 pairs of 302's were on eBay for $102.00 and $75.00.

I agree with RGA that these are very fine speakers.

I owned both the 302's and 303's. During my time with the 303's I very much enjoyed them, but I missed the velvety-like midrange the 302's had.

In my opinion, the 302's edge out the 303's in terms of musicality.

RGA
12-05-2003, 09:43 PM
Last time I checked, 2 pairs of 302's were on eBay for $102.00 and $75.00.

I agree with RGA that these are very fine speakers.

I owned both the 302's and 303's. During my time with the 303's I very much enjoyed them, but I missed the velvety-like midrange the 302's had.

In my opinion, the 302's edge out the 303's in terms of musicality.

Did you notice that the 303 series is part of a home theater system whereas the 302 series they added a center sort of after the fact as an after thought. The 303 is punchier and a very good speaker but the 302 is more musical(as bad as that term is...I'll say more accurate to music).

I just got back from listening to another bunch of very expensive speakers. Notable were The Totem Staff and the Energy Veritas 2.3 floorstander.($1900.00 and ~$4,000.00 CDN respectively).

I dunno what's going on with these two but musical values has been lost along the way. The former had trouble with dense passages and the latter sounded etchy and ringy. As limited as the 302 is for the money...bass and power etc...I would RATHER listen to the 302 with it's faults than be irritated by these very expensive speakers.

The 302 didn't win all the awards and do well in the blind tests for no reason. In some ways I wish I kept them...they might have served for Home theater as rears. OOPS.

Prefuse
12-05-2003, 11:30 PM
RGA,

I feel the same way. Paying so little for these speakers, I wouldn't felt so bad leaving them in the corner of my room somewhere rather than selling them off. I may have to bid on those guys!

Geoffcin
12-06-2003, 07:34 PM
There's a lot of competition in the $300 pair range, but the only one that stands out to me is the Cambridge Soundworks M80. A vastly superior speaker to anything your goring to get from a place like Best Buy for ~$300 pair. They can be had for even less if you shop for them on Ebay. CSW sells all of the open box there at a substantial discount. They also come with a full 10 year warrantee even on Ebay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3062893387&category=14991


The M80's have a classic 3 way design, with an 8" woofer. At 28 lbs each they are a very substantial bookshelf speaker! I found they had tight powerful bass going down to just below 40hz, along with a very smooth and coherent midrange, and a sweet treble that is not etched or grainy like a lot of speakers at this price point. I think you can chalk that up the silk dome tweeter. To my ears there's very few speakers that are as good top to bottom for less than $500 a pair.

Bryan
12-08-2003, 08:00 AM
What about the DIY AR.com speaker? The kit goes for about $300 everything included. Another excellent idea would be used speakers. Check here, audiogon.com, and HTF for starters. Just over the price range are the Ascend Acoustics CBM-170 and nOrh 4.0. The Axiom M3ti is another possibility.