Best Bang for the Buck Speakers?

[einsteinjb]

Hello folks,

I'm amazed that in 3 pages of under $2K bang-for-buck speaker recommendations, I haven't seen one mention of Ed Frias' EFE speakers!! Nor has anyone mentioned BIC, Acoustech, etc. Now I do not own any of Ed's speakers (YET), nor have I heard them. But considering how a couple of other forums are filled to overflowing with RAVES about Ed's products, I would have thought someone would have mentioned them here. His B-15 import bookshelfs are $690/pair. In fact in his new import series, only the top of the line T-50 costs over $2K, at $2890/pair. His second biggest tower the T-42 is $1290/pair.

Then if you really want to buy cheap, folks rave about Ed's extensively modified BIC Venturi speakers. I just picked up a pair of stock BIC DV62CLR-S centers on ebay, which don't sound amazing but I'm sending my xovers to Ed for modification next week, and a lot of people rave about the incredible sound from these CHEAP speakers once Ed's had his way with them. I can post an update on them once I've installed the mods. I will have paid a total of just about $200 for the pair once I have them done, including shipping.

If you want to contact Ed, who happens to be a really decent and incredibly knowledgeable guy who answers emails promptly, his email is efespeakers@commspeed.net. He's replied quickly to every question I've sent him so far. You can read about his work on audioreview.com, audioholics.com and avsforum.com.

Anyone have experience with his speakers? Bueller? Bueller?

Also I've not heard these either but plenty of people recommend BIC's Acoustech line for good cheap speakers, especially for HT. They're available at amazon.com and often ubid, among other places. They're often compared favorably to Klipsch's Refence line.

I do own a pair of Boston Acoustic CR75 bookshelfs, and I owned a pair of their old A40Vs til I actually wore out the foam surrounds after about 11 years of hard use. I used a kit to repair them but they never sounded right again so I bought the CR75s and love them. I overpaid ($300) for them at Tweeter, but they're available now on Amazon for $180/pair, which is a steal for how they sound. Note that if you go with these, they play clean and loud with a nice detailed sound, fairly good low end for their size and price, but they are a bright speaker. I EQ them in my studio with a 15 band/chan. graphic just to cool the upper mids out and warm up the lower mids a bit and they sound stunning in a small room paired with a small sub. Acoustic instruments sound especially nice on them with the emphasized highs, though if you don't EQ them they'll fatigue your ears after a while if you crank them or play rock on them. I tried them in my 12 x 14 x 8' HT room and found they didn't have the beef to really do the job there as mains, but they're great as surrounds.

I have to also second the recommendation for B&W 600 series. I have a pair of DM602s2s I really enjoy, and the S3s are an improvement. I've heard them accurately described as a "polite" speaker -- not very bright, just a nice warm speaker with pleasant midrange and clean highs. Bass is cool for their size, but I use them with a sub. A friend has a HT system with DM604s3s in front, 600 series S3 center (don't know the model #), and DM602s2s for surrounds, and it's a really beautiful sounding system matched with his Paradigm PW2200 sub. Every speaker in that system is well under $2K.

As far as subs go, SVS and Hsu seem to be the value and quality leaders for under $2000. The Paradigm PW2200 I mentioned ROCKS the house, absolutely stunning for HT at around $800, sounds decent for music if a bit boomy in the room I've heard it in. Probably get better value with SVS or Hsu.

I just bought a Cadence XSub (wrote a HUGE review of it on avsforum.com) and I have to give it a major recommendation if you want a sub for under $250 that rocks the house for both music and HT. I want a bigger, tighter, faster sub eventually but for now this one's doing a great job and I definitely feel it's worth more than what I paid for it.

[topspeed]

I'm amazed that in 3 pages of under $2K bang-for-buck speaker recommendations, I haven't seen one mention of Ed Frias' EFE speakers!! Nor has anyone mentioned BIC, Acoustech, etc. Now I do not own any of Ed's speakers (YET), nor have I heard them. But considering how a couple of other forums are filled to overflowing with RAVES about Ed's products, I would have thought someone would have mentioned them here. His B-15 import bookshelfs are $690/pair. In fact in his new import series, only the top of the line T-50 costs over $2K, at $2890/pair. His second biggest tower the T-42 is $1290/pair.

From the Original Post:

My list includes but is not limited to:
1) Von Schweikert VR1 and VR2 (betcha didn't see that one coming )
2) Maggie MMG (for $500, how can you really go wrong?)
3) Paradigm 20v3 (boy, that's a terrific little speaker)
4) EFE AR.com DIY (never heard it, but I trust Kex's ears and Ed's clearly knows what he's doing)
5) Epos ELS3 (very accurate although completely lacking in the bottom octaves)

Many members here own and rave about his speakers as well as his generosity. I talk to Ed about cars every couple of weeks and can attest to the fact that he's a genuinely nice guy. Thanks for the rec's on the other brands. Next time, take a moment to read the OP.

Welcome to the board .

[einsteinjb]

From the Original Post:

4) EFE AR.com DIY (never heard it, but I trust Kex's ears and Ed's clearly knows what he's doing)

Many members here own and rave about his speakers as well as his generosity. I talk to Ed about cars every couple of weeks and can attest to the fact that he's a genuinely nice guy. Thanks for the rec's on the other brands. Next time, take a moment to read the OP.

Welcome to the board .

Whoops!! I DID read the OP! How the heck did I miss that?? Sorry, should have paid closer attention. Well you did only mention the AR.com DIYs rather than his main custom series or his ext mods, and I thought they were probably all worth a mention. Besides what everyone says about the sound, the T series are bee-YOO-tiful in their black piano gloss finish with cool yellow drivers. They definitely look like they cost more than they do.

Speaking of which, has anyone had the chance to compare the AR.com DIYs to Ed's B-15 bookshelfs? He'll build you a DIY for around $600 which is almost the same price as the B-15 so I'm very curious if anyone has comments on how they compare.

[ichigo]

Ascend Acoustics CBM-170SE/CMT-340SE

[audiomadness]

I would like to throw in the Pinnacle AC650 (paid $250)....hideous looking bookshelf speakers, but wonderfully flat and warm sounding. Positioned right, I would put these up against speakers costing 2-3X times the amount.

I've since retired the Pinnacles and have found a pair of Phase Technology 4.5's that sounds even better for $130/pr.

[speakeroligist_38]

einst I owned a set of AR.coms that Ed himself built and I let me just say they were very good. The midrange is so incredibly realistic you will swear the artist in performing right there in your living room. And as you mentioned Ed himself is an absolute gentleman. I was and still am impressed by him but I dont think the Ar.coms are quite on par with my Paradigm Studio v.3's. The 20's are better and more effecient. Significantly more articulate and better low extension and the imaging is unbelievable. But the 20's do cost more and as such should perform better. Hope this helps.

[jtgofish]

I have buillt 2 pairs of the AR.com Ed Frias speakers.These were for friends.They are very refined and coherent speakers and sound a bit like some of the excellent but pricey stand mounts from Spendor and Proac.For the cost they are a bargain and will provide fatigue free listening.

JT

[speakeroligist_38]

jt like you I owned a pair of Ar.coms that were built by Ed frias himself and cost $600 a pair. Ed measures and matches each compnent with respect to the drivers and X-overs. As expected they were excellent speakers. However, I also own a set of the Paradigm Studio 20 v.3's and was able to do an A/B test between the two and in every category IMHO the Studio 20 v.3's were better. The 20's imaged better, were more effecient, had a larger soundstage, much better low frequency extension, and were more articualate in the upper midbass regions. The tweeter was also more open and airy w/o and harshness or sounding rolled off. Dont take me wrong the Ar.coms are excellent speakers and are better than many out there BUT the Studioi 20v.3's are in another class all together and should be given their $800 a pair pricetag. It is just very hard to beat the Studio 20v.3's all around performance in the $800 or less category of stand mounted speakers. The Studio 20 v.3's truly are giant killers.

[jtgofish]

Good to know that there are some commercial speakers around like the Paradigms that offer such good value.The AR.com kits are a bit amplifier sensitive.I suspect they would sound good on the end of a digital amp.They aren't really happy with most valve amps and need a really good 80 watts RMS transistor[oxymoron I know].
JT

[markusp]

Some best bang for the buck speakers I love are:

• Aurum Cantus Leisure 2 SE Mk II ($1400 CDN)
•Â*Totem Acoustics Sttaf ($1800 CDN)
• PMC DB-1 ($1300 CDN)
• Dynaudio Audience 52
• Elac BS 203.2
• Elac BS 204.2


Have owned some of these and extensively demoed others and feel that for what these speakers do, they do it extremely well, especially those with ribbon tweeters. Have also owned B&W DM602s (too bloated for my liking but a good buy for the $$$) and Paradigm Studio 20s v. 3 (good speaker for the money but not my cup of tea so to speak).