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  1. #1
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    Good music speakers?

    Im in need of some good speakers for mostly music. probly like 95$ or so music. So im thinking just 2.1. Right now i have about $500 might be able to spend some more than that if i wait a week or so.

    Thease will need to be able to play music at pritty loud levels for some weekends So maybe something allong the lines of cerwin vega? From what ive herd there not to accrate and more for partys. Alot of the time i would just be playing music while at the computer at regular levels/not vary loud so maybe the vegas wouldent be so good for that? I do want good sounding music not just loud rattle the windows loud. I was looking at some MTX ALL212s thay look nice cant find much info on them. Any help would be greatly apreasheated. Thanks!

    PS. I also need to get a receiver with the 500or so.

  2. #2
    Forum Regular Mike Anderson's Avatar
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    I just got the Magnepan MMGs for $550, and I absolutely love them. You need an amp with a lot of juice though, and possibly a subwoofer if you want a real strong bass punch.

    But a lot of people will tell you those are the best speakers in that price range; I haven't tried them all, but I believe them!
    There's an audiophile born every minute. Congratulations; you're right on time.

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  3. #3
    RGA
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    Quote Originally Posted by Whatever6750
    Im in need of some good speakers for mostly music. probly like 95$ or so music. So im thinking just 2.1. Right now i have about $500 might be able to spend some more than that if i wait a week or so.

    Thease will need to be able to play music at pritty loud levels for some weekends So maybe something allong the lines of cerwin vega? From what ive herd there not to accrate and more for partys. Alot of the time i would just be playing music while at the computer at regular levels/not vary loud so maybe the vegas wouldent be so good for that? I do want good sounding music not just loud rattle the windows loud. I was looking at some MTX ALL212s thay look nice cant find much info on them. Any help would be greatly apreasheated. Thanks!

    PS. I also need to get a receiver with the 500or so.
    I gather you listen to rock music so as nice as the Maggies are I found their upper 1.6 lacking in this regard so the MMG wll be really not what you're looking for. I would wait for a sale and look at Athena Acoustics and a Yamaha receiver which might be packaged for $500.00. If you wait till boxing Day you could probably get an Energy C-5 and a Yamaha or marantz receiver for $500.00 -- also by then you may have more money and could afford something like the Energy C9 whcih would be more able to rock the house - I stress this is a starting point suggestion and not necessarily the route I would definitely go - but Energy is generally good value for money in the budget more full range speaker line.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by RGA
    I gather you listen to rock music so as nice as the Maggies are I found their upper 1.6 lacking in this regard so the MMG wll be really not what you're looking for. I would wait for a sale and look at Athena Acoustics and a Yamaha receiver which might be packaged for $500.00. If you wait till boxing Day you could probably get an Energy C-5 and a Yamaha or marantz receiver for $500.00 -- also by then you may have more money and could afford something like the Energy C9 whcih would be more able to rock the house - I stress this is a starting point suggestion and not necessarily the route I would definitely go - but Energy is generally good value for money in the budget more full range speaker line.

    Would you happen to have a link to the speakers your talking about? And whats thease packaged deals? ie the yamaha rx and speakers. And whats this "boxing day" thing?

    Sorry if thease are stupid questions.

    PS. Yes i do listen to rock. More of the hevy side so whatever i get would need decent bass.
    Last edited by Whatever6750; 10-30-2005 at 01:39 AM.

  5. #5
    Shostakovich fan Feanor's Avatar
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    See C5's here

    Quote Originally Posted by Whatever6750
    Would you happen to have a link to the speakers your talking about? And whats thease packaged deals? ie the yamaha rx and speakers. And whats this "boxing day" thing?

    Sorry if thease are stupid questions.

    PS. Yes i do listen to rock. More of the hevy side so whatever i get would need decent bass.
    See the Energy C5's here ...
    As for Boxing Day, I'll leave that for RGA to explain in details. Let's just say it's the day after Christmas when things are on sale.

  6. #6
    Forum Regular Florian's Avatar
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    Don't let yourself be fooled. Maggies do Rock, and especially when you are playing life recordings. Acoustic Guitar, Rock Guitar and Bass Guitar and voices sound extremely natural and in all their tonal color. And Maggies do just that, and if you want more bass or higher volumes then you can get a bigger Maggie. As for a entry system the MMG's cant be beat in terms of musicality and realness. Yes they dont kick you in the stomach like some old JBL's will but your music is not all bass. Check them out and if you dont like them return them, they have a 60 day return or so. Take it from someone who has lived with 4 Maggies over the years and continues upwards with ribbon planars.

    Have a look in our planar section for pictures, information and manufacturers!

    http://forums.audioreview.com/planar-speakers/

    Cheers

    Flo

    PS: MMG's go used for 325$ which leaves 200 for a good used Cambridge Audio and that is almost the same system i had when i started and i never looked back again.
    Lots of music but not enough time for it all

  7. #7
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    So whats the deal with thease mmg's there like 3' thick... Is there like a fue rilly shallow speakers in them? Maybe some one can exsplain. Thanks.

  8. #8
    Forum Regular Mike Anderson's Avatar
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    The MMGs aren't cone speakers, they're planar speakers. The technology is described here:

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

    Instead of a cone, the speakers use a very thin ribbon suspended between bar magnets. I'm not terribly knowledgeable about it though, I'm sure others can describe it more insightfully.

    I know what people mean when they say the MMGs aren't as good for rock. I've been told they don't push air the same way cones do, so they lack that "punch in the chest" that cone speakers can give you. To some extent this is solved with the addition of a subwoofer, as I have done.

    But there are also subjective taste differences; some people might like them just fine for rock (as Florian does), and who's to say they're wrong? If you can find a Magnepan dealer around you, you can try them out yourself.

    I will say (and I think nobody would dispute) that for clarity, accuracy and resolution, the MMGs are very hard to beat for the price range. I listen to a lot of ambient/electronica, which tends to be heavy on the production side: complex, multi-layered and tonally/timbrally diverse - for this purpose, these speakers absolutely shine. The level of detail is just spectacular.

    They also do very well with jazz - A well-recorded piano, acoustic bass, a woman's voice, a tightly tuned drum kit, and you're there.

    Some people may say they lack the dynamic range for demanding classical recordings, but I can't really speak to that.

    In my opinion, the speakers give a certain "texture" to the sound. It's hard to explain, but it's sort of velvety; it just feels good in my ears.
    There's an audiophile born every minute. Congratulations; you're right on time.

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  9. #9
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    Might just have to go listen to some someware. So do thay last like a rilly long time? And what about volume? All i can seam to find is a Sensitivity rateing of 86db then it also says 500Hz / 2.83v dont get what thats sopost to mean. Like how many watts can each take? guess i just cant rilly see much comeing out of them beeing that there so thin and all. Also im pritty sure i would need a sub with them for the kind of music i listen to and like whitch means im getting a bit out of my buget but i guess i could allways the the sub a little later.

    Still open to all siggestions. Thanks

  10. #10
    Forum Regular Florian's Avatar
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    The MMG's, MG/SE, MG12 and 1.6 do NOT use ribbons!
    They use a mylar foil which is susponded on all 4 sides infront of a magnetic field. For the tweeter they use thin alu foil which is put on top of the mylar foil on the right or left side respectively. They use small runs of copper wire on the foil itself which, once the power runs through them makes ,the foil push itself away from the magnets thus playing music.

    Now the deal with watts is a funny and one that had many sides. You can make the MMG's sing like there is no tomorrow with real 40 watts per channel no problem at all. I guess the Max SPL depends on where you sit and maybe is in the 90ish somewhere. Planar speakers and small linesources seem louder then cone speakers because linesources do not have as high as a db drop off per meter as point sources do.

    They are a dipol which means that they send out the sound to the front and to the back. Since the back soundwave has to travel away from the direct source and later gets reflected you get a time delay of around 3ms at 1m wall distance which is the same as in a small orchestra. The membrane is very light and can therefore be better controlled which gives you less overhang and a faster rise and fall time of the membrane. Maggies can have very good bass if setup right, granted they will not thumb your chest. For that you need a bigger planar like a 3.6, 20.1 or any Fullrange Apogee.

    But it depends what you want, quality or quantity!

    If you have anymore questions regarding planar speakers in general dont hesitate to ask, and if you want to see one of the prime examples or real ribbon planar speakers then have a look in my gallery. Real ribbons are thin aluminium strands suspended at the top and bottom with magnets on the side. The power drives trhough the ribbons themselves and pushes itself away from the magnets which is the ultimate in reproduction but very expensive and quite rare.

    Cheers

    Flo
    Lots of music but not enough time for it all

  11. #11
    Forum Regular Mike Anderson's Avatar
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    They can get plenty loud, and they can take plenty of watts. In fact the more power the better, they really deserve a high-power amp; that helps fill out the bass end of things.

    My amp puts out 115 watts per channel at 8 ohms -- but note the MMGs are 4 ohm speakers, so double that: about 230 watts per channel. That's just about enough juice, in my opinion.

    You'll need to make sure you get an amp that can drive 4 ohm speakers. And beware power ratings for cheaper-end receivers, they probably aren't accurate.
    There's an audiophile born every minute. Congratulations; you're right on time.

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  12. #12
    Forum Regular Mike Anderson's Avatar
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    The MMG's, MG/SE, MG12 and 1.6 do NOT use ribbons!
    Well alright, Magnepan calls it a "quasi-ribbon" design. I was trying not to get too awfully technical, but note that in their description of the technology they do actually use the word "ribbon":

    The Quasi-Ribbon shown is basically the same driver used for the mid and low frequencies of the Magneplanar speaker with the infusion of a heavier gauge wire replacing the thin aluminum ribbon. Using a .0005" Mylar diaphram and a .001" ribbon this diapole, cabinetless design leaves the sound absolutely un coloured by box resonances.
    But hey whatever.
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  13. #13
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    Im starting to think planar speakers might be fragle?

  14. #14
    Nobody Special LeoFenderBender's Avatar
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    Ascend Acoustics CMT-340s are excellent speakers for rock & roll IF you pair them with a decent sub. $548 a pair for no nonsense quality well in excess of the price.

    Ascent Acoustics CMT-340 Mains
    Cary Audio Designs SLP-05 Preamp [Sylvania 6SN7GTB]
    Cary Audio Designs CAD 500 Monoblocks
    Cary Audio Designs 303/300 HDCD [Mullard 12AU7s]
    Rotel RCD-1072 HDCD
    Luxman T117 Tuner
    Magnepan 3.6Rs
    JL Audio Fathom F110 subs

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by LeoFenderBender
    Ascend Acoustics CMT-340s are excellent speakers for rock & roll IF you pair them with a decent sub. $548 a pair for no nonsense quality well in excess of the price.

    Ascent Acoustics CMT-340 Mains
    I need a rx also

  16. #16
    Forum Regular Florian's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Anderson
    Well alright, Magnepan calls it a "quasi-ribbon" design. I was trying not to get too awfully technical, but note that in their description of the technology they do actually use the word "ribbon":



    But hey whatever.
    Well thats why i am here, to educate those who are willing to learn. Pure ribbon drivers are ONLY employed in the 3.6 and the 20.1 in Magnepan speakers. The Quassi ribbons are not as light and not freely suspended like pure ribbon drivers.

    Lots of music but not enough time for it all

  17. #17
    Forum Regular Florian's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Whatever6750
    Im starting to think planar speakers might be fragle?
    I asume you meant "fragile" and will reply to that. Planar speakers are not more fragile then any box speakers out there. Planars can be electrostatics, magnetostatics and can be from many many different companies and are very different. The word "planar" is only a disrciption of a general prinicpal which is the use of a "large" suface area driver as oposed to small cones.

    -Flo
    Lots of music but not enough time for it all

  18. #18
    Forum Regular Mike Anderson's Avatar
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    Im starting to think planar speakers might be fragle?
    I don't know that the MMGs are any more fragile than regular cone speakers. I suppose they have a larger surface area that's exposed to harm though, so if you're randomly throwing darts around your house there's a greater chance you'll damage them.

    I don't know what you're planning to do to them though -- do you have unusually rambunctious kids/animals/frat brothers or something?

    I would imagine the "true ribbon" speakers of the type Florian's talking about are somewhat more fragile, but those are waaaaaayyyy out of your price range anyway, so it's not worth worrying about those.
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  19. #19
    Forum Regular Florian's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Anderson

    I would imagine the "true ribbon" speakers of the type Florian's talking about are somewhat more fragile, but those are waaaaaayyyy out of your price range anyway, so it's not worth worrying about those.
    Yes they are way more fragile, since they are one third the thikness of a human hair. BUT as with all things, if you dont abuse them like drop them or knock them over its fine.

    Lots of music but not enough time for it all

  20. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Anderson
    I don't know that the MMGs are any more fragile than regular cone speakers. I suppose they have a larger surface area that's exposed to harm though, so if you're randomly throwing darts around your house there's a greater chance you'll damage them.

    I don't know what you're planning to do to them though -- do you have unusually rambunctious kids/animals/frat brothers or something?

    I would imagine the "true ribbon" speakers of the type Florian's talking about are somewhat more fragile, but those are waaaaaayyyy out of your price range anyway, so it's not worth worrying about those.
    Yeah theres pets around where thay would be. Its also a kinda high trafic area also.

    Sorry about the spelling

    EDIT: Im mostly worried about the cat... eavn thow we only have one right now he loves to dig his claws into stuff. i.e the couch carpet. I can see it now $500 cat toy....

  21. #21
    Forum Regular Florian's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Whatever6750
    Yeah theres pets around where thay would be. Its also a kinda high trafic area also.

    Sorry about the spelling
    Well if they are at risk of falling over or cats having fun with them, then i am sorry but you would have to look for another speaker.

    PS: There are many Maggie owners with cats and they found a way around it. Go here to ask... http://www.audioasylum.com/forums/MUG/bbs.html
    Lots of music but not enough time for it all

  22. #22
    Forum Regular Florian's Avatar
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    Interesting post about Maggies and POWER... (i found this on the planar asylum)

    CREDIT TO Mr. Bratton

    Quote Originally Posted by Mr.Bratton
    They're rated I believe @86db/watt, but I recall something about it being really more like 84db/watt...something to do with the 2.83 voltage standard as misleading. So, you need to double the wattage to get increase volume by 3 db. So that'd go like this:
    84db/1 watt
    87db/2 watts
    90db/4 watts
    93db/8 watts
    96db/16 watts
    99db/32 watts
    102db/64 watts...it's already freaking LOUD AS ****
    105db/128 watts
    108db/256 watts This is already louder than you'll go
    111db/512 watts. Now you're at jet plane levels, and you're one stone deaf dude. I think those 500 watts will help give it a great sense of dynamics, but continously? Naaahhhhhhh.........
    Lots of music but not enough time for it all

  23. #23
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    Actuly now i think about it. Is the front/back some type of fabric? Looks like it. I just assumed it was but maybe not.

    EDIT: Oops.. to slow.

  24. #24
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    So hows those Energy C-5's that RGA talked about? Any others that would be good in this situation?

  25. #25
    Forum Regular Florian's Avatar
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    Last edited by Florian; 10-30-2005 at 07:00 PM.
    Lots of music but not enough time for it all

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