Inexpensive floorstanding speakers needed

[Admark]

I need to replace the floorstanding stereo speakers in my living room. I'm not an audiophile and I don't know much about this stuff. I am a big music lover, though I don't listen all that often at home.

My current speakers came with a Technics rack system in 1988, the system I still use. It was not a top of the line system when it was new; it cost like $800 I think. It still works and is great for me, especially since, like I said, I don't use it all that much. I think the speakers sound great. The problem is more one of aesthetics: they are too big and also have an ugly woodgrain veneer.

The thing is, I'd hate to buy new speakers that are worse-sounding than the old ones. And while I'd like them to be smaller, my living room is pretty large. So they need to be black, have a not-too-big footprint, and not be worse that my old ones.

Here are some specs on the old ones:

3 way 3 sp. bass-reflex
Impedence: 8 ohms
Input level: 200W
Frequency range: 42 Hz ~ 20 kHz (-10 dB)
32 Hz ~ 22 kHz (-16 dB)

The receiver is 100W per channel.

I guess if I just look at the specs of potential new speakers, and they seem to match these or are better, I'll be in good shape, right? What are the most pertinent specs to look at? Any specific recommendations? (Oh, yeah, I'm cheap, too. Not looking to spend a lot. Not looking to blow the roof off. Not into powerful home theater at all. Might want to watch DVDs thru these speakers but not normal TV.)

Thanks for any help.

[kexodusc]

You'll get lots of advice here, but before we help you maybe you could help us a bit more first...

What's your budget for this purchase? And you are looking for floorstanding speakers, not bookshelfs with stands right?

May we ask what brand/model speakers you have now? Are they Technics model speakers?

Are you only interested in buying brand new, or would you consider buying quality used speakers...Your money will go further buying used speakers, whether locally, or from ebay or a website like audiogon.com. The trade-off is the uncertainty that comes with buying anything used, though most people take good care of speakers, and there's not too much that can go wrong with them.

This information will narrow down your choices from hundreds to dozens.

[topspeed]

I guess if I just look at the specs of potential new speakers, and they seem to match these or are better, I'll be in good shape, right?

Not quite. Specs will give you an idea of a speaker's capabilities, but hardly tell the whole story. Above all else, believe your ears.

What are the most pertinent specs to look at?

Frequency range and impedence are a good start. Take them both with a grain of salt as there is no standardized method for measuring FR and some manufacturers only state nominal impedence and not minimum.

Any specific recommendations?

Read this.

Hope this helps.

[thepogue]

used....no question...and no worries...very little money spent today will blow the old ones away...really...but give us a price range..then do a search here in AR and you'll find tons of info..

Pogue

[cabron]

Look at the Athena AS-F2. Great sound, excellent price, high value quotient.

[abstracta]

Ditto. Look at the AS-F2's.

Big sound - great price.

[Worf101]

Cambridge SoundWorks has a great line of moderately priced speakers. As does some of the advertisers on this board. What ever you decide, DON'T let price alone determine what speaker you buy. If you like the sound of a speaker and it costs a leetle more... spend it. There's nothing worse that enduring a speaker "bargain" that sounds like ass... but "the price was right"!

Da Worfster