Bookself Speakers for 800-1K (1 Viewer)

[Steve_D]

Yes, I did. However, this was during my last speaker upgrade cycle in 2000.

IMHO, if you like the Dyn's you may not like the B&W's, and vice versa. They were softer in the highs and more laid back, all the way up and down the line, including the Evidence. It's a sound others swear by, I did not prefer.

Definitely worth an audition and decide for yourself, as they are highly regarded by many.

 

[george king]

I'll second the rec for GR Research. I have the AV-1s and love them (great review of them over at the Secrets page), and it is said the AV2s are even better. There are several pairs of AV2s touring the country. Contact Danny to get details.

 

[Scott Oliver]

Steve_D,

Yes, JM Reynaud's are French speakers, why?

 

[Steve_D]

Scott,

I do not want to hijack this informative thread. I just wanted people to know they are designed and made in France, by a French company.

 

[Scott Oliver]

And your point?

Dynaudio's are made by the Danes.
B&W's and KEF's by the English.
PSB's and Paradigm's by the Canadians.

All recommended on this thread.

Oh wait, you must be a freedom fry guy.

I didn't see anything in the thread title asking for good speakers made by only countries who are supporting the War on Iraq. Seems to me he just asked for good speakers, which the JMR's are.

Please leave the politics for the After Hours Lounge.

 

[Mikel.S]

The new Klipsch RB-75's are supposed to be amazing. They use an 8" Cerametallic woofer and 1.75 tweeter. The SAME tweeter used on the RF-7. They're about $1000

 

[Larry Talbot]

"And your point?"

I was wondering the exact same thing. Making a big deal out of a product's nationality for PC reasons is personally offensive to me, and I believe against the rules of this forum. If this is some kind of "freedom fry" post, then it definitely does not belong here.

 

[Steve_D]

Pointing out the nationality of the product without further comment is not against the rules here. In fact, Country of Origin is not only an important part of US consumer laws, but is part of nearly every medium-high end equipment review I have read.

The freedom fry post IS against the rules here.

 

[Chris Quinn]

It must really irritate the "freedom fries" crowd finding out the French were right. Different party same semantics game as the last guy.

 

[Steve_D]

I have asked the mods to please remove any inappropriate comments here. It's too bad people had to inject their politics here, hopefully it can be cleaned up and returned to a useful thread.

 

[Robb Roy]

Jeff,

Audition the Boston Acoustics VR-M60s (right in your price range). I keep saying it, but if more of BA's stuff had nearly the quality as their VR-M line, their reputation would be entirely different in the industry. I know I'm biased (I own almost the whole line) but I was very surprised when I auditioned them, and you might be, too.

http://www.bostonacoustics.com/hs_pr...8&CategoryID=4

-Robb

 

[WadeB]

I always want to know a product's Country of Origin. DIfferent country's have different reputations of quality and even of sound, similar to how different countries have different reputations for buliding cars, both in quality and how they feel on the road. You pretty much know a Korean car is going to be a completely different car than is a German car. I'd have to say a British loudspeaker is going to sound different than a Japanese loudspeaker. Personally I don't know the reputation of the French when it comes to A/V products. They make good cheese though! My point is, asking where a company is located and where a product is manufactured are valid questions, and does not in and of itself imply political bias.

Anyhow, Canadian speakers are generally highly regarded, and I just sent a friend to go check out The Energy line. If you are spending this much money on bookshelf speakers you'd be remiss not to check these out. I auditioned the Veritas a couple a weeks ago and was stunned at their soundstage, imaging, and clean bass response. They were just Huge in the midrange and a bit laid back in the highs. Incredibly musical.

 

[Chris Quinn]

Wade, I agree with your post. Origins can say something about sound and design of a speaker.

It is just that that poster defended his post by saying listing country of origin is fairly standard in reviews. Yet, when you look at the at five or six speakers he talks about he doesn't reference any of those speakers country of origin. To claim that his post isn't political but just a fact statement and that the rest of us are out of line I think is fairly weak. Especially, when he doesn't give the same facts about any other speaker he discusses.

Of course I could be completely wrong and that poster could own French speakers(like Citation) or speakers with French made parts(Audax drivers) and likes them very much and is afraid in the present climate to say so.

 

[Steve_D]

I do own a Citation sub.

I find French speakers to be all bark and no bite. The sounds they produce are sometimes shrill and sometimes obnoxious, they certainly lack clarity and substance.

The low end is typically rather weak. For instance, when played though my SVS sub, explosions (My favorite demo track here is the opening scene of Saving Private Ryan, where the Americans and British are saving France) can hit you in the chest and almost knock you over. Played through the Citation, the same material lightly slaps you across the face as with a white linen glove, in comparison.

Also, they tend to favor dipole and bipole designs, so they can "talk" out of both ends at once.

 

[CurtisSC]

I've been following this thread (minus the politcal statements) and I have heard some of the speakers mentioned.

Nobody has mentioned the internet companies, Ascend Acoustics and Axiom Audio. (I even thought Chris Q. would mention these )

Both these companies have speakers that can compete in this space at a fraction of the cost. The Ascend CBM-170 and the Axiom M22 have been favorably compared along side with some of the more expensive speakers mentioned in the thread.

Ascend also has the CMT-340 left/version that I own. At $500 a pair, I would invite anyone thinking of a bookshelf speaker in the $800-$1K range to audition. It will make you think twice about value.

 

[Jason Wilcox]

definitely check out the speakers from GR research

 

[Chris Quinn]

Curtis- I just didn't want you to feel left out. Actually, I was trying to give a suggestion in the price range asked. I agree that our beloved Ascends(French drivers) will hold their own against 90-95% of speakers in this price range. I personally would buy Ascends and put extra ca$h into the front end. But, I will say that in MY OPINION some of the speakers suggested on this thread fall in that 5-10% that are in that notch with and above the 170s. I haven't heard the 340s to comment there.

 

[CurtisSC]

Chris,
Absolutely agree with your thoughts. I have learned the front end DOES make a fair amount of difference, not just the quality of sound, but the type as well. I just think it is definitely worth the comparison.

By the way...you need to find a pair of CMT-340's to listen to.

 

[Larry Talbot]

"It is just that that poster defended his post by saying listing country of origin is fairly standard in reviews. Yet, when you look at the at five or six speakers he talks about he doesn't reference any of those speakers country of origin."

That is exactly right, Chris Quinn. It is obvious that there is a little passive-aggressive French-bashing/pro-invasion slant being snuck in here.

Steve D writes "I just wanted people to know they are designed and made in France, by a French company," but he doesn't make a big deal out of the country of origin for any of the other speakers listed here. He is singling out a French company for political reasons (as if the company had anything to do with the French government's political policies, right or wrong.)

He then goes on to write "(My favorite demo track here is the opening scene of Saving Private Ryan, where the Americans and British are saving France)"

We're supposed to believe that he just so happens to pick this example, which just so happens to fall directly in line with the complaints of the "freedom fry" crowd ("We saved the French! Now they won't follow us blindly like sheep!")

I'd be more than happy to meet these comments head on, WITHOUT the smirking "I'm just talking about speakers" BS, but such arguments are clearly banned here, and I don't want to be the one getting in trouble for them.

 

[Steve_D]

My "review" was a joke, Larry, laugh a little