Help me find a speaker stereo speaker system for less than $2k

[bostonaudi]

I've recently auditioned both the Quad 21Ls and the magnepan MG12s.... The Quads sounded very promising despite being in a terrible listening room (the front of the store with lots of noise and no seating)... while the MG12s were totally dissapointing in a dedicated listening room with ultra-expensive McCintosh Gear driving them.... Now I suspect that I would have been able to enjoy the Maggies more, if I had different tastes in music.... So depending on your tastes the maggies may not suit you...

I auditioned McIntosh driving back to back Theil 7.2's against very modest Quicksilver components driving the same speakers, the Quicksilver set up was much more open, refined and clear. I've never heard Maggies sound bad unless in a bad room or driven with murky components. The 1.6 and 3.6's are absolutely fantastic.

I don't believe there is much else that provides the same bang for buck hifi quotient per dollar spent than Quad or Magnepan. Sure, there are lots of other speakers, you can get smaller steely sounding Martin Logans, or perhaps some of the Canadian speakers (I do like Paradigm's a lot too, check those out) but overall I think these two are the value winners for the sound quality you get per $ spent.

[bostonaudi]

I won't even bother to explain what's wrong with that statement..... I think that one is so wrong, that it requires no objection on my part....

Hey, I expressed an opinion. Apparently you feel you are so correct that you needn't explain yourself, which is really somewhat arrogant when you think about it. I posted an opinion, and then went on to explain why. You apparently cannot be bothered, however I would take time to read whatever differing opinion you'd like to express, I am always open to new ideas on speakers! I've tried many, and have come to the conclusion that at under $2k these two companies make very good products well worth considering.

[Carl Reid]

Hey, I expressed an opinion. Apparently you feel you are so correct that you needn't explain yourself, which is really somewhat arrogant when you think about it.

Hmmm... you think my statement was arrogant, yet it was in response to this claim you made:

There are only two choices of manufacturer in this price range, Quad or Magnepan.

That statement seems extremely arrogant to me and highly debatable at that.

I posted an opinion, and then went on to explain why. You apparently cannot be bothered, however I would take time to read whatever differing opinion you'd like to express, I am always open to new ideas on speakers! I've tried many, and have come to the conclusion that at under $2k these two companies make very good products well worth considering.

Maybe my point wasn't clear, so I will attempt to clarfiy: I don't object to your choice of speakers.... Both Quad and Magnepan are well regarded... BUT to say that they are the ONLY two manufacturers worth considering is so over-the-top and arrogant, that I find it to be absurd. I know nothing about you, but I'm 100% certain that you haven't listened to EVERY speaker in the $2K and under range... which means that there is ABSOLUTELY no way that you can dismiss all other manufacturers as not being worth considering...

So to summarize; your recommendation is fine... but your statement is ridiculous and hence I gave it an appropriate response....

[bostonaudi]

Hmmm... you think my statement was arrogant, yet it was in response to this claim you made:

That statement seems extremely arrogant to me and highly debatable at that.

Maybe my point wasn't clear, so I will attempt to clarfiy: I don't object to your choice of speakers.... Both Quad and Magnepan are well regarded... BUT to say that they are the ONLY two manufacturers worth considering is so over-the-top and arrogant, that I find it to be absurd. I know nothing about you, but I'm 100% certain that you haven't listened to EVERY speaker in the $2K and under range... which means that there is ABSOLUTELY no way that you can dismiss all other manufacturers as not being worth considering...

So to summarize; your recommendation is fine... but your statement is ridiculous and hence I gave it an appropriate response....

Debatable, yes, of course, that's what this forum is for. Replying with an equally arrogant statement also makes you... arrogant.

My original assertion wasn't intended as an "I know best" type of statement. It was an opinion based on the result of many years of listening and owning many different brands of speakers over the years and coming to a conclusion. There are always new models and brands coming out, so overall I like to keep an open mind and try new things. However, there is a lot of hype and a lot of misinformation regarding qualities of different speakers out there, I was attempting to foward my view on what would sound great under $2k from past experience and allow the OP to hopefully benefit from it. I stand by my assertion. Debate it all you want.

[Carl Reid]

Debatable, yes, of course, that's what this forum is for. Replying with an equally arrogant statement also makes you... arrogant.

I don't mind being called arrogant, but your statement is still ridiculous and deserved an arrogant response...

My original assertion wasn't intended as an "I know best" type of statement..

Well, that's exactly what it came off as... you should have edited/re-worded it if you didn't want people to think it was an "I know best" statement...

It was an opinion based on the result of many years of listening and owning many different brands of speakers over the years and coming to a conclusion. There are always new models and brands coming out, so overall I like to keep an open mind and try new things. However, there is a lot of hype and a lot of misinformation regarding qualities of different speakers out there, I was attempting to foward my view on what would sound great under $2k from past experience and allow the OP to hopefully benefit from it. I stand by my assertion. Debate it all you want.

You are not standing by your original assertion... you are now making a reasonable claim... I doubt anyone (myself included) has a problem with your new assertion (that based on your experience, Maggie and Quad sound great under $2k)... but as I've said repeatedly.... claiming that Maggie and Quad are the ONLY speakers worth considering is just absurd....

[bostonaudi]

I don't mind being called arrogant, but your statement is still ridiculous and deserved an arrogant response...




Well, that's exactly what it came off as... you should have edited/re-worded it if you didn't want people to think it was an "I know best" statement...




You are not standing by your original assertion... you are now making a reasonable claim... I doubt anyone (myself included) has a problem with your new assertion (that based on your experience, Maggie and Quad sound great under $2k)... but as I've said repeatedly.... claiming that Maggie and Quad are the ONLY speakers worth considering is just absurd....

I suspect everyone is bored of this.

[Carl Reid]

I suspect everyone is bored of this.

Agreed.

[Feanor]

There are only two choices of manufacturer in this price range, Quad or Magnepan. If you have a big enough room, get MG12's, if not so big, MMG's. this will leave enough cash for a receiver and cd player. Even cheap ones will sound great through MMG's. If you have a fear of planar speakers, the other choice is Quad 21 or 22L's, best damn box speakers unders $2k. I've heard the Polks, they made my ears bleed badly. Good luck.

Without knowing AP309's taste in music and the nature of his listening room, it is reckless to recommend Magneplanars. (I say that owning MG 1.6's and loving them.)

Magneplanars are not a rockers kind of speaker and that is particularly true for the MMGs. I owned the MMGs for over two years and loved them, but they were severely challenged with bass-heavy music, or beyond moderate levels classical orchestral crescendos, etc.

IMHO, to compensate, the MMGs demand a subwoofer to carry all the music below 80 Hz. They are much better that way, but having to buy a sub cuts into their bargain status quite a bit.