Most Underrated Speakers

[Beckman]

In response to the most overrated speaker thread. What are the most underrated speakers.

JBL's, Infinity, Wharfdale, Cambridge Soundworks, ???

[3db]

PSB hardly ever gets mentioned on this board if it weren't for me and one or two others. Its always Paradigm, Athena, Energy, B&W , Dynaudio, and NHT . I guess I'm partial to the PSB sound and prefer it over the Paradigms and Energys.

[Geoffcin]

PSB hardly ever gets mentioned on this board if it weren't for me and one or two others. Its always Paradigm, Athena, Energy, B&W , Dynaudio, and NHT . I guess I'm partial to the PSB sound and prefer it over the Paradigms and Energys.

In regard to their Subsonic 6i subwoofer winning the modest priced sub-battle at Sound & Vision. I've never had a chance to hear their speakers though.

[jrflanne]

I have had a pair of Stratus Bronze's for the past couple of years. My criteria was a hard $1000 purchase price. It's too bad PSB has stopped selling them because they were about the best value I could find in the HIFI wasteland called Houston. I like a softer sounding speaker and they don't have much treble tizz.

[LEAFS264]

I've got the Stratus Silveri's and the C5. I couldn't be happier. It was an easy choice over Paradigm. My uncle has a pair of Tannoy Def 700. They are one of the best speakers i've EVER listened to in any price range.


Jay

[RGA]

In response to the most overrated speaker thread. What are the most underrated speakers.

JBL's, Infinity, Wharfdale, Cambridge Soundworks, ???

This has the same sort of problems as the other thread had and it's the same thing as saying what speakers do youl like. Someone will say X is overrated another person thinks they're great -- one person thinks a Y is underrated and another person thinks they're overpriced.

I suppose I think there are speakers for the same or similar dollars or even less money than many speakers which are heavily advertised in the audio press...but then that only matters if I really cared about what the audio press really thought...and it may also be that they've yet to hear the product I think is better so it's not even their fault necessarily.

I don;t think any of the companies mentioned so far are underrated because they all have some magazine press that raves about them -- a lot more than many smaller companies.

[fierce3]

Phase Technology, Awesome speakers for the money

[Mark111867]

I'll put my vote in for Cambridge Soundworks.

[Pat D]

I've got the Stratus Silveri's and the C5. I couldn't be happier. It was an easy choice over Paradigm. My uncle has a pair of Tannoy Def 700. They are one of the best speakers i've EVER listened to in any price range.


Jay

I can't determine whether you think the PSB Stratus or your uncle's Tannoys, or both, are one of the best speakers you have heard in any price range!

We have the PSB Stratus Minis and we like them a lot. I like them as well or better than a number of well-regarded speakers that cost considerably more. One thing I like is the more forgiving balance of the Stratus Minis. There is really very little I can fault them on. Of course, though they have very good bass response for a small speaker, we use a big subwoofer with them to get truly full range response.

I think they outclass the Paradigm Reference Series v. 3 in overall smoothness and also the Energy Connoisseur speakers. Part of the explanation why they are relatively neglected here may be that they are more expensive and harder to drive. Apparently few regular posters are into the PSB Stratus Series. However, they cost less than B & W or Dynaudio.

On the other hand, Stereophile called the Stratus Mini the budget speaker of the year 1996 and the Stratus Gold has been put in Class B for many years. As well, The Sensible Sound has given PSB Stratus high recommendations and also Audio Ideas Guide, so it's hard to say that PSB has been neglected in the wider world.

[Geoffcin]

I'll put my vote in for Cambridge Soundworks.

Good design, well built, suprisingly good sound, and outstanding warrenttee. I'll put my center speaker, the Newton MC500 up against $1000+ centers from other manufacturers.

A friend who runs a rather expensive B&W HT system made the mistake of walking up to this speaker during a pretty loud sceen in the movie Saving Private Ryan and nearly jumped across the room when a bomb went off! (105db) His center can't even come close to producing the viceral type of effect. I like his system for multi-channel music though.

[vr6ofpain]

In my opinion JBL and Infinity suck. They are cheap though.

[pelly3s]

JBL 4430's

[Beckman]

In my opinion JBL and Infinity suck.

Suck compared to speakers costing ten times as much.

They are cheap though.

They sure are.

[pelly3s]

not all jbls are cheap, what about the TiK's or the older 250Ti's or the K2's oohhh how nice they are.... or the Everest and the other huge speakers they made

[abstracta]

At one time Infinity made fairly decent speakers and JBL competed with Kenwood and Pioneer as to who could make the best use of particle board and veneer.

Having listened to the lastest offerings by both over the years I have to concur that roles have reversed. JBL actually has some decent designs. Albeit not high end, but decent sounding and balanced. I've just never cared for JBL's somewhat bright upper end tendencies.

Then again those bashing JBL and Infinity are the same ones willing to spend $5000 on a two way.

[pelly3s]

i personally would take a pair of K2 S9800 over anything i've ever heard in that over $20,000 a pair price range (yet I can just keep dreaming because i'll never afford them) Most people seem to only know the JBL they see in Best Buy and other stores like that. I have a pair of JBL 4430's which are a 15" and a 1" horn. They have been rated as some of the top studio monitors. oh and mine are far from bright they roll off nicely at 15khz.... but I have plans of using a new driver and some crossover mods