Best Bang for the Buck Speakers?

[Geoffcin]

Ya know I was really impressed by a buddies set of Totem Mite's. I can't find a resonable dealer of totem nearby, so gettign them might be hard for others.

Anyone else hear them? They were one of the more affordable models the company made a while back. Plus the enclosure was beautiful.

They were really nice too. Like mini-Rainmakers. You could make a case for these as a great speakers system for your computer, or in a secondary system. Probably too good for surround duty!

[kexodusc]

The Rainmakers were pretty fantastic when I demoed those a while back - I think I posted a thread, I preferred them to the Studio 20 v.3's.
Haven't heard the Mites, but, but they look to be another solid entry from Totem. (wheels turning...Rainmaker or Mite clones would be pretty easy...)

[Geoffcin]

The Rainmakers were pretty fantastic when I demoed those a while back - I think I posted a thread, I preferred them to the Studio 20 v.3's.
Haven't heard the Mites, but, but they look to be another solid entry from Totem. (wheels turning...Rainmaker or Mite clones would be pretty easy...)

I really hate you Kexo! Not for making me want to build some Rainmaker clones too, (although that did cross my mind) But for making me give away more of my review of HE2005;

When I walked into the Totem room Vince Bruzzese, the company President, had those Rainmakers really cranking. After walking into room after room at the show of sweet 70~80db muzak (yawn), to hear these little, (and I mean little) speakers pumping away at 90db+ was refreshing to say the least. I would have to call it the WTF?! moment of the show for me. (at leat until we started playing with the Mani-2) Those guys at Totem were having way too much fun, and it was contagious. I got some time with all their speakers, and I'll post more of it up with my long report on the show.

[Buzz Roll]

Looking forward to see your show report. Yes, the totem room was fun. The Rainmakers were my favorite in the room...

[loose]

Have a listen to Epos M12.2, Neat Mystique, Ruark Sabre III

at their price points, all I can say is try em out! you will not be disappointed.

[GMichael]

Well I know I'm the new guy on the block, but the Infinity Primus 360's sound great to me. They cost about $600.00 a pair and you can get a pair of bookshelf (Primus 150's)speakers free from a certain source along with your purchase. They are not the best you can buy, but a lot of bang for just a few bucks. They take everything my 130W rms x 7 receiver throws at them and still sound clear with no fuss. I've listened to the compairable Polkes, JBL'S and Bose but these sounded the best to my ears. Don't expect booming base from them though. You'll need a sub for that. What I did was this, ordered these and got two free 150's. Then I bought the center and sub (also Infinity, C25 and PS12) and got two more free 150's. The complete set came to under $1300.00 including the small frieght charge. What more can you ask for while on a budget?

[topspeed]

It's always fun to find a bargain. So spill the beans, where did you get them from?

[GMichael]

I got them from Crutchfield. Here is the link http://www.crutchfield.com/S-kwcGILVTiqd/
It looks like they are still running the same special. Freight was in the order of 15 to 16 for each of the two shipments. No tax which also saved me a bundle. I found other sites that had lower prices on the towers, but then you had to PAY for the 150's. Gees. Then add freight & tax and I was looking at over $1600 total and no mfg warrenty.

[Soundideas]

SDAT SB-E639D speakers for only $250.00! www.sdatgroup.com One of the best buys on the market today! Could these speakers be better sounding than Paradigm studio 100v3's, that's what someone on ecoustics forum is saying! LOOK!........ http://forum.ecoustics.com/bbs/messages/1/145226.html They are comparing these speakers to really good speakers here..... http://forum.ecoustics.com/bbs/messages/1/144638.html

[topspeed]

SDAT SB-E639D speakers for only $250.00! www.sdatgroup.com One of the best buys on the market today! Could these speakers be better sounding than Paradigm studio 100v3's, that's what someone on ecoustics forum is saying! LOOK!........ http://forum.ecoustics.com/bbs/messages/1/145226.html They are comparing these speakers to really good speakers here..... http://forum.ecoustics.com/bbs/messages/1/144638.html

SDAT, huh?

Lessee, we've got a B&W clone, a Legacy clone, and a dome tweeter disguised to look like a ribbon. What's more, all of the speakers, even the small bookshelf model, have the exact same frequency response of 20hz-20khz. Wow. That's pretty amazing, especially when you consider that they used different drivers for each speaker. Most manufacturers tend to stay within the same design parameters across the lines. SDAT must really be onto something, huh?

OK, for any newbies reading this thread, these are the epitome of White Van speakers. Stay far, far away.

As for Soundideas:

GO AWAY SHILL!!!

[drseid]

Yeah, I love that bookshelf speaker that does 20hz-20Khz in particular as well... Maybe that is at -100db... :-)

---Dave

[Pyrrho]

With a budget of $2000/pair, I would probably go with Aurum Cantus Leisure 2SE (retail $1299, though you can probably get a couple of hundred off) and add a Hsu Research VTF-3 MK 2 subwoofer ($699). I love the ribbon tweeter on the Leisure 2SE, and the little 5 1/4" woofer is amazing for its size. You can read about these at:

http://www.kellsieavdesign.com/products/Leisure2SE.htm

http://www.hsustore.com/vtf3.html

But if we are talking about the best deal in audio, giving the best sound for the least amount of money, I think the Magnepan MMG for $550 is it, assuming you have an amplifier that can deal with 4-ohm speakers. (I know, this has been said repeatedly in this thread, but they really are an amazing speaker at that price point.)

http://www.magnepan.com/the_offer.php

[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 .

[snickelfritz]

The best sounding dynamic speaker I've auditioned in the $2000 range was the B&W 805N.
Nothing I compared it with could approach the overall transparency, coherence and vivid detail on vocals.
I think you'd need a good sub and a really clean (Class A) amplifier to fully leverage the potential of these speakers though.

I also agree with the Studio 20 recommendation, but the 805N is definitely a better speaker, which is hardly surprising considering the difference in price.

[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.

[jc_bon2]

what can you guys say about the monitor audio RS s1 and klipsch rb-35??

[dennymack]

...or is it an architects lamp?
Gotta love the designers with the courage to try a new form, as long as they take the time to test it and see that there is more than mere form.
I look forward to hearing from you as too how it sounds.
Dennymack

nOrh 3.0 for $195.00 shipped!!! great lil speaker..

Peace, Pogue

[dennymack]

I've been looking at speakers in my price range lately, which means around $300-450. I thought the Paradigm focus had the nicest sound. Monitor Audio was nice, Boston and B&W both weren't to my taste, but obviously not bad sounding.
I'm sure that many of the models mentioned here outplay the Paradigm Focus, but for many of us spending any money on non-essentials is a stretch, and three bills is a luxury. (Now I know that some of you are scratching your heads, wondering what non-essentials I'm talking about. Speakers. Yes, apparently some people with whom we share checking accounts think of speakers as non-survival items. So misguided, but so hard to correct.)
For three hundred I could really enjoy music, even without a sub. Of course I would want to add a sub later, but for now...
My question is this, for all you experienced folks:
I have some old infinity sm152's, full size monitors with big woofers. Can I replace them with a more modern, well thought out speaker that will do everything that they do for around 3 bills. I have heard many lovely small speakers for that price, but cheap subs sound awful, and I do like to hear the low end.
I guess I should start another thread on this, but since you all have your budget thinking caps on, I'm asking.
...Also, as a newbie to your forum, I complement y'all on your civility and knowledge.
Dennymack

[topspeed]

My question is this, for all you experienced folks:
I have some old infinity sm152's, full size monitors with big woofers. Can I replace them with a more modern, well thought out speaker that will do everything that they do for around 3 bills. I have heard many lovely small speakers for that price, but cheap subs sound awful, and I do like to hear the low end.
I guess I should start another thread on this, but since you all have your budget thinking caps on, I'm asking.
...Also, as a newbie to your forum, I complement y'all on your civility and knowledge.
Dennymack

Welcome to the forum!

There are plenty of great suggestions in this thread that fit your budget. Straight up, it's going to be extremely challenging to recover accurate, deep, bass at your budget and nearly impossible with a monitor of any kind. It's simply a matter of physics; monitors have small drivers and you need to push a lot of air for serious bass.

Consider this; the most dynamic monitor I've heard is the Von Schweikert VR1, a speaker with a 13" footprint that is measured to 40hz (-3dB). For a monitor, that's pretty freakin' good. It's also a $1200 speaker. You can buy floorstanders in your price range that will play low, they just won't play accurately.

Audition some of the speakers mentioned in this thread and see if any tickle your fancy. There are plenty of suggestions under $300, including some enticing DIY projects. If you can turn a screwdriver and handle a soldering iron, you can build a AR.com by EFE or perhaps the Dayton BR-1.

Hope this helps.

[speakeroligist_38]

Topspeed if you have $2000 to spend I would definatley get me a set of the used Linbrook Sigs for around $2200-2300 a set. They are the absolute best speakers by far I have heard to date. Each speaker weighs in at a hefty 55lbs. and have a 1" Seas Millennium Tweeter and dual 7" Seas Magnesium Drivers in a MTM design. Quite frankly, nothing I have heard is even close and Ty's cabinetry skills are second to none. Luckily, Tyler Acoustics is less than 30 miles from my home. These are the real deal. Noticed you mentioned the AR.coms and I have owned a set of those and was very happy with them. I bought them directly from Ed himself which means each component was measured and matched which made them even better sounding. The Ar.coms have a way of sounding like the artisit is right there in your living room. But the Linbrooks are just off the charts so to speak. I have also had the oppurtunity to listen to an A/B of the Paradigm Studio 20 v.3 and the B&W 602s3. Both were excellent in their own respect but worlds apart in how they sounded. The 602s3's were much more polite, laid back with a lush sound quality whereas the Studio 20's were much much more articulate in the upper mid bass regions and imaged significantly better over all. The Studio 20 v.3's which I now own are just plain awesome and for the money IMHO will be hard to beat. Everything from the size of the soundstage to the openess and airiness of the tweeter is just right. The 602s3's sounded a little bit bloated and did not image quite as well. The Ar.coms are very nice but were not near as efficient as the Studio 20 v.3's nor were they as articulate. Sure, the Linbrooks blow all of the above away but they are normally $3200 a pair and are on sale quite frequently for $2800 a pair so they should perform that well. All in all, I believe the Studio 20's v.3 are the absolute best bang for the buck speakers period. Soon, the v.4 versions will be out and I bet they will only get better.

[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]

Go for second hand.Buy a pair of Klipsch KG4s off ebay.Stick a Fountek JP 2 or 3 ribbon on top with a 1 or 1.5 microfarad cap wired up to them as a super tweeter,knock off the bottom skirt and place them on some open frame stands-and most importantly use the rest of the money to buy a tube amp-or a Sonic Impact T amp if you want-it will drive them well and cost peanuts.

JT