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  1. #1
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    Question Help me decide which speaker to buy

    Hello everyone,

    Good day to all of you. I need help. I am just starting to set up my system. I currently have a Yamaha RX-V 457 amplifier. I would like to set it up by buying speakers 1 by 1. I am looking for an entry level speaker to use as my front speakers. I want it to be good for both music and movies. I am currently looking at Paradigm Titan, Monitor Audio B2, and Wharfedale 9.5. These are the speakers at the same price bracket in my country. I am leaning towards the Wharfedales cause they are already floor standers for the same price. I need your advice on these speakers. Which one would be the best match for my Amp. I don't want to spend more for another amp cause I am in a tight budget.

    Please Help Me...

  2. #2
    Forum Regular blackraven's Avatar
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    Just buy what sounds good to you! Speakers are very subjective as we all have different likes and dislikes thats why there are so many freaking speaker manufacturers.
    Pass Labs X250 amp, BAT Vk-51se Preamp,
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  3. #3
    Forum Regular KaiWinters's Avatar
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    Speakers are the most subjective of all audio gear.
    A speaker that sounds wonderful to me may not sound the same to you making suggestions or advice along this line misleading.
    I am a Paradigm fan and own a pair of Titan v.4 speakers. If they were still in the Performance line I would suggest you purchase a pair of Atoms over the Titans. To me the sound of the Atoms is a bit more clear than the Titans...I have both and base this on my comparisons of both.
    Paradigm has done away with the Performance line of speakers and has moved both the Atom and Titan to the Monitor line. I would expect an improvement of these speakers as they move to the higher end line.
    How the speaker sounds is the most important thing...not size.
    Have you listened to the speakers you mention playing your favorite cd's?
    Your receiver is adequate and will power the Paradigms. I have the RX-V659 and am very happy with it.
    Put the most money you can afford towards the main speakers and buy the speakers that make you the happiest when listening to your favorite cd's or dvd's.
    Good luck and let us know what you decide and what made you decide.
    TV: LG 50PC3D plasma tv
    Receiver: Yamaha RX-V659
    DVD: Philips DVP5960
    Speakers: front/Paradigm Monitor 3 v.4, surround/Paradigm Atoms v.4, center/Paradigm CC290 v.5, sub/Paradigm PDR-12
    Remote: Harmony 659

  4. #4
    Forum Regular N. Abstentia's Avatar
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    Yeah the Atoms are definitely the budget way to go with Paradigm. They are indeed a better sounding speaker than the Titan. If you get the Atoms now you could always move them to the rear surrounds down the road if you want something bigger for the fronts.

  5. #5
    Suspended PeruvianSkies's Avatar
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    Have you looked into the PSB Image or Alpha line? Very affordable, excellent product.

  6. #6
    Do What? jrhymeammo's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by N. Abstentia
    Yeah the Atoms are definitely the budget way to go with Paradigm. They are indeed a better sounding speaker than the Titan.
    I totally agree that Atoms sound much better than the Titan. But at the same time, I think Atoms are the most over-rated speakers to ever be published by magazines.

    See, that is exactly why we cant give out any suggestions on What speakers to buy. We all have different tastes, thank goodness for that. Most of Hi-Fi stores should have some money back policy. It is unlikey for them to let you take budget speakers home, especially to someone they dont not know. But obviously, you have about $300 right now, so the best way to go is to tell them the situation you are in. If they said that you cant return them, then I wouldnt do business with them.

    Also, PSB never gets mentioned around here but Peru isnt too retarded so I would seriosly go audition them.
    Last edited by jrhymeammo; 01-19-2007 at 06:56 AM.

  7. #7
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    Smile

    Thanks for the reply. I would go and listen to the speakers this weekend. Will let you guys know which one I decide to buy.

    Thanks.

  8. #8
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    Question

    Thanks for your advice. I listened to the speakers. The B2's were a bit too bright for my taste. The atoms were great but lacked the bass extension that I was looking for. I ended up ordering the Wharfedale 9.5. Though the Wharfedales weren't as lively and open as the atoms, It had deeper bass, the mids were clear and the highs were crisp and clear. Even at high volumes, they don't sound annoying. I also listened to paradigm's monitor series. They were great! Unfortunately, they do not fall within my budget. Will probably check those again if I have more budget to spend.

    By the way, I was thinking of selling my yamaha RX V457 and buying a second hand Rotel RA 01. What do you guys think? Will there be a big difference in sound quality?

  9. #9
    Crackhead Extraordinaire Dusty Chalk's Avatar
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    You'll certainly do well with the Wharfedales, and I find your description a pretty accurate one -- not the most earcatching speaker, but does nothing glaringly wrong, neither, which is more important. Good choice.
    Eschew fascism.
    Truth Will Out.
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    you guys are crackheads.
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    Peter aka Dusty Chalk

  10. #10
    I took a headstart... basite's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Pogi
    By the way, I was thinking of selling my yamaha RX V457 and buying a second hand Rotel RA 01. What do you guys think? Will there be a big difference in sound quality?

    well,
    yeah,
    rotel sounds much warmer than yamaha, and the RA-01 is a real stereo amp, so,
    although, the rotel isn't really powerful, so maybe you'd be better off saving and buying a better amp later.


    Keep them spinning,
    Bert.
    Last edited by basite; 01-22-2007 at 11:12 AM.
    Life is music!

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    I'm a happy 20 year old...

  11. #11
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    Thanks for the advice. But I don't think that power is really a factor cause the area is really small. My living room is just 12' x 14'. Anyway, I tried the Rotel on the Wharfedales... I didn't know it would make that much difference. The bass became softer, vocals were alive!, and everything just became clearer. It gave more life to the Wharfedales! I appreciated my speaker choice even more!

    I think I would get a 2 channel amp when I sell my Yamaha.

    Any other suggestions on 2 channel amps that I could check out? Please suggest amps that are on this price range only. I can't afford too expensive amps.

    Again, thanks for your posts. Appreciate it.

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by PeruvianSkies
    Have you looked into the PSB Image or Alpha line? Very affordable, excellent product.

    Haven't seen any of these speakers here. We might not have it here. Thanks for the advice.

  13. #13
    I took a headstart... basite's Avatar
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    denon's, but that might be a problem to get an integrated when you're in the USA, they only have the pma2000, the older version, and it's very expensive, but for the rest,
    Nad (sounds warmer than rotel), cambridge audio, marantz, ...
    what exactly is your price range?

    Keep them spinning,
    Bert.
    Life is music!

    Mcintosh MA6400 Integrated
    Double Advent speakers
    Thiel CS2.3's
    *DIY Lenco L75 TT
    * SME 3012 S2
    * Rega RB-301
    *Denon DL-103 in midas body
    *Denon DL-304
    *Graham slee elevator EXP & revelation
    *Lehmann audio black cube SE
    Marantz CD5001 OSE
    MIT AVt 2 IC's
    Sonic link Black earth IC's
    Siltech MXT New york IC's
    Kimber 4VS speakercable
    Furutech powercord and plugs.

    I'm a happy 20 year old...

  14. #14
    SuperPoser Rock789's Avatar
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    anthem pva-2 is a great amp,
    b&k, nad, adcom would be others to check out
    x2 for price range....
    HT: Anthem AVM 50 / PVA-7; Focal JM Lab 4x Chorus 716 S, CC 700 S, 2x Chorus 706S; 2x 12s - Homebuilt Sub
    2CH: B&K PT3 s2, Anthem PVA-2, VonSchweikert VR-1
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  15. #15
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    Arrow

    Quote Originally Posted by basite
    denon's, but that might be a problem to get an integrated when you're in the USA, they only have the pma2000, the older version, and it's very expensive, but for the rest,
    Nad (sounds warmer than rotel), cambridge audio, marantz, ...
    what exactly is your price range?

    Keep them spinning,
    Bert.


    Thanks for helping me out. I'm actually in Asia.My budget would be around $200. Will check out NAD, Denon and Marantz. I think we have that here. But I think we only have home theater amps for Marantz(will check). Which models would you suggest at my price range?

  16. #16
    rockin' the mid-fi audio_dude's Avatar
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    yes, well, the new paradigm line is nothing like the old line...

    the line now goes: Atom Monitor • Mini Monitor • Titan Monitor • Monitor 7 •
    Monitor 9 • Monitor 11 the the centre and surround speakers.

    The old atoms and titan have nothing in common with the older ones but name, they are all in the same series now, and in canada, the pricing for the atom, mini and titan monitors goes as follows: Atom-monitor = $300CDN, Mini-monitor = $450 CDN, Titan-monitor = $600. These are different beasts, new drivers, cabinets, and basically a complete overhaul from the previous models.

    I plan to soon go over to a local hi-fi store that has the new model out and set up.

    happy hunting!
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  17. #17
    I took a headstart... basite's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Pogi
    Thanks for helping me out. I'm actually in Asia.My budget would be around $200. Will check out NAD, Denon and Marantz. I think we have that here. But I think we only have home theater amps for Marantz(will check). Which models would you suggest at my price range?

    hmm, depending on where in Asia you are, you could get the denon's cheaper than here, I paid €425 for my Denon PMA-700AE integrated amp, and I can't complain, very good amp (especially for it's price) but i just checked the Asian denon websites and it seems you guys have alot more nice toys...

    check prices!
    go audition some...
    the Nad's play the warmest, the denon plays quite warm, but not like a nad or so (i've got a soft dome, so the sound is a little bit softer from itselves...)


    don't know the prices in Asia exactly, but from various researches, they seem to be cheaper than here in Europe...

    Good luck...

    Greetings,
    Bert.
    Life is music!

    Mcintosh MA6400 Integrated
    Double Advent speakers
    Thiel CS2.3's
    *DIY Lenco L75 TT
    * SME 3012 S2
    * Rega RB-301
    *Denon DL-103 in midas body
    *Denon DL-304
    *Graham slee elevator EXP & revelation
    *Lehmann audio black cube SE
    Marantz CD5001 OSE
    MIT AVt 2 IC's
    Sonic link Black earth IC's
    Siltech MXT New york IC's
    Kimber 4VS speakercable
    Furutech powercord and plugs.

    I'm a happy 20 year old...

  18. #18
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    Thanks for all the info Basite. I'm in the Philippines. The prices here are a little bit cheaper but almost the same. The brand new Rotel RA 04 costs around US$400. Have to check out the NAD. I'm narrowing my choice down to the Rotels and NAD C320bee. But I've read from reviews that the NAD's built (buttons etc.) is not as good as rotel's? Also the bass is a little bit muddy?

  19. #19
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    Hi guys. I am about to buy the amplifier NAD C372 and have to match some speakers. I was wondering if any of you know what speakers sound good with that. I mainly listen to rock music and I can spend up to 1000-1200 dollars for the speakers. Any help? thanks

  20. #20
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    Helpin' Out

    Boy.....that's not an easy answer for sure. But I'll give it a go.

    What type of speaker cables are you using? This can be just as critical as the speaker itself.

    I happen to be a big fan of Epos and Paradigm speakers. I use Paradigm Reference Studio 40's for main system and the Epos on my home theater. I recently made the jump form AudioQuest Type 4 speaker cable to AudioQuest Bedrocks which are totally awsume.

    You might want to audition, if you can, NHT, Paradigm, Wharfedale, Boston Acoustic and
    Totem. Of course it will also depend how close you are to a dealer that carries the above mentioned items. Also, since your taste happens to be rock then I would suggest a more efficient type speaker too....something in the 90db plus range.

  21. #21
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    go for the Monitor Audio if possible, they are the best in your list! also there are some better amps than Yamaha, try some British ones if you can. cables/interconnects to use - QED silver or Kimber 4TC are much better if you can afford them.

    doesn't matter what music you listen to, it is possible to build a system that sounds good on all types of music.

  22. #22
    SuperPoser Rock789's Avatar
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    Focal JM Labs Chrous S series play rock very well...
    paradigm studio 60s are nice, they may be priced a little higher though...
    defiantly check out the focals
    HT: Anthem AVM 50 / PVA-7; Focal JM Lab 4x Chorus 716 S, CC 700 S, 2x Chorus 706S; 2x 12s - Homebuilt Sub
    2CH: B&K PT3 s2, Anthem PVA-2, VonSchweikert VR-1
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  23. #23
    I took a headstart... basite's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Pogi
    Thanks for all the info Basite. I'm in the Philippines. The prices here are a little bit cheaper but almost the same. The brand new Rotel RA 04 costs around US$400. Have to check out the NAD. I'm narrowing my choice down to the Rotels and NAD C320bee. But I've read from reviews that the NAD's built (buttons etc.) is not as good as rotel's? Also the bass is a little bit muddy?

    that's said more...

    generally, rotel haves a nicer look, and maybe a better build quality...
    bass could be a little muddy, I don't know for sure, but that also depends on how the amp reacts on your speakers...

    if you care (quite alot) about looks, then rule out nad, because they look cheaper built (no offense for those who like the design)...

    if you don't care about looks too much, then you should definately check them all out...

    Rock on...
    Bert.
    Life is music!

    Mcintosh MA6400 Integrated
    Double Advent speakers
    Thiel CS2.3's
    *DIY Lenco L75 TT
    * SME 3012 S2
    * Rega RB-301
    *Denon DL-103 in midas body
    *Denon DL-304
    *Graham slee elevator EXP & revelation
    *Lehmann audio black cube SE
    Marantz CD5001 OSE
    MIT AVt 2 IC's
    Sonic link Black earth IC's
    Siltech MXT New york IC's
    Kimber 4VS speakercable
    Furutech powercord and plugs.

    I'm a happy 20 year old...

  24. #24
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    Ears of Thunder

    Speakers Speakers, Speakers,

    I just got to thinkin' 'bout this topic again and remembered that I had bought a pair of Paradigm Monitor 3's about a year ago for my home theater. Not a bad speaker but they were just too big so I stuck them in the basement and bought a pair of Epos ELS-3.

    I tried an experiement with the Monitor 3' by hooking them up to my audio system in the basement. I use Paradigm Reference Studio 40's and they are just amazing speakers. I am so spoiled that I am usually not too impressed when I hear other speakers. Anyway, the Monitor 3's had a lot of punch, especially in the bottom end and midrange. However, because of that they lacked a little clarity and some detail was missing. Overall, they did produce a good sound stage and were definitley designed to rock!!

    I would rule out using them for home theater audio due to that they are not magnetically shielded (of course they could be now since I bought mine a little over a year ago). But, that doesn't mean they can't be used for that purpose.

    If you are just starting out with your system you might even want to check out Infinity or Athena. They are priced to fit a tighter budget but do provide good value for the money.

    Keep the volume level at 11!!


  25. #25
    AR Newbie Registered Member
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    Red face what kind of speaker should I buy?

    Your selection of course depends upon the budget and the quality of sound that the speaker is capable of delivering. All of your efforts to produce image and presence by your system are for naught if you use a lousy pair of speakers. Now while the Japanese are not known for the quality of their speakers....

    Canada for example produces speakers which are included in the upper echelon of speakers. The reason is simple..the National Research Council of Canada provides aid and assistance to the manufacturers free of charge.

    Unknown to most audiophiles is the fact the famous BBC have their own speaker production company..sold at retail. The construction of the cabinetry is beautiful and precise.and the sound is great.. Now as for the speakers...

    The BBC had a pair of engineer designers. I don't know their last name, but their first names were Spencer and Dorothy... They finally separated from the BBC and formed their raison de etre own speaker manufacturing company. At loss for a name to their company, they split their first names then put them together to come up with Spendor. The speakers are not inexpensive, but look at it this way, they guarantee you beautiful music, but isn't that the raison de etre for investing in great speakers.

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