Buying first bookshelf speakers, need help! (1 Viewer)

Hey folks. I'm going to be buying some bookshelf speakers in the next few weeks. I'm not going to be able to really audition any of the stuff that people are always talking about(axiom, athena,....) cause most of the shops around here just have the typical big names. I'll be using an HK 225 for my receiver. I'll eventually be getting a sub but I'd like to get some speakers with decent bass. I've been looking at the Axiom M3ti's and those are what I'm planning on buying, based on reviews/price. Anyone recommend anything else in the same price range? I'm using this system for 75% music(all sorts, mainly rock based) and 25% HT. I'd like to start with a good 2 channel setup and then add on surrounds and a center.
Another question. Should I just buy some stands from Axiom or are there better stands at the same price from somewhere else?

PRICE RANGE?

The Axiom stands are too short for most applications, IMO. These guys are very good speakers for the price, however how long it will be before you get the sub may make a difference, because the M3s have very little bass extension, they focus on the midrange.

For 2ch, I picked up a pair of Mordaunt Short MS902s from Accessories For Less for $230. Fast and tight for rock, but still very clear with vocals. Good punch in the midrange, but not extremely deep. Better extension than I expectd, but they are still only good to 55Hz. I am using them without a sub.

If bass is an immediate concern, you will probably want to look at Paradigm Mini Monitors. A bit more expensive than the M3s, with a little less aggressive midrange, but their bass extension is impressive. Midrange is improved with the V3 (current) vs the V2.

For even more bass, at the expense of a larger cabinet, you could also look at the JBL S26, S36 or S38 at J&R

It'll probably be a month or so before I get a sub. I'm in no rush for the sub so I'm kinda waiting around to see what I can pick up used. My price range is ~$300.

If it's possible I'd like to get a set of bookshelf speakers with enough bass so I don't need a sub. I'll be living in an apartment and I dunno if I'd be able to use the sub without a bunch of hassle etc. Think the S38's would be good for me?

45Hz (S38) is low for a bookshelf, and will be convincing and welcome for music, however it will not give you the full impact for movies. I would still recommend a sub with them ultimately, but I would say you can get away without the sub most of the time. Even the S26s have very respectable bass for a bookshelf speaker.

Another net direct brand that I'd recommend that you checkout is Ascend Acoustics( www.ascendacoustics.com ) the CBM-170 is highly regarded at $50 more than the M3ti. The CBM-170 is more likely to be compared with the M22 then the M3ti.(**I own Ascend 170s**)

I'd also checkout factory blemished speakers from PSB which are available thru www.upscaleaudio.com . You have to go to specials and then down to speakers to find them. The $259(reg. $400) for PSB Image 2B's with bass into the mid forties is tough to beat.

Ideally speaker stands put the tweeter at ear level. Adjustable stands do this the best. There are many places to buy stands.

The Rocket 150s at $399.00 are the entry spekers from yet another internet company. Quite reasonable bass for this price point and size.

Their WEB site can be found here.

Good Luck.

The Ascends and Axioms sound similar...small differences in the mids and highs. The Rockets are much different. I have heard them all in my home using an H/K 525.

I suggest doing the same if you can.

You could also check out the Athena Technologies AS-B2 . They have them at Best Buy for around $275 or onecall.com for $230 plus shipping.

If you want the PSB 2B speakers, i would get them from www.dmc-electronics.com (one of HTF's sponsers) since they are PSB authorized dealers. They also have the blems for the $259 price. I live just a few blocks from their store and I've listend to them with rock music and it sounded fantastic. They are a little on the big side for bookshelf speakers; but its big for a reason: bass output. Plus the fact that its front ported makes the speaker a little taller than most. Im picking me up a pair of them in a couple of days.

Try to find a good deal on last years Klipsch SB series, I think they are called Synergy. I found the SB3 for $199 at a local dealer closing them out. High sensitivity, great frequency response. However Klipsch tend to have a certain "coloration" to the sound that some people love and some hate. Try before you buy!

Ben L- Thank for the DMC link. What do the blems look like? Have you listened to the PSB Alpha Subsonic 5 subs there? They look like they'd be great suggestion next time I see someone looking for an under $300 sub.

Dahlquist QX-6 have excellent bass for bookshelf speakers. You can buy them from this site.

Keep in mind the prices are in Canadian, so $400 Canadian is about $300 US.

I know people really like both Dahlquist and Marc at the Auidoshop. I did not know the QX-6 get into the upper 30s on bass. The QX-5 reaches the mid 40s too.

I bought QX'6 from Marc, great guy. But then I found the Ascends, and I'm in love.

I don't want to hijack your thread, but can anyone suggest a good bookshelf speaker with not so much emphasis on bass. Because of room constraints, I have to use bookshelf speakers but don't need something with great bass because I have a SVS 20-39pc+. I am also in the

I actually swung by DMC today on my way to work and bought those Image 2B's ive always wanted. I got the blems for $259. Theyre in great condition for blems. All ive noticed is that theres a scratch mark on the vinyl in a few areas mostly near the corners, many just a cm or two long. theres like a 2inch long scratch on the bottom of one of them.

Very unoticeable though, even when viewing from a foot away. I actually had to look for them. All the scratches are minor and is no deeper than a quarter the thickness of the vinyl itself. Everything else on the speaker was in pristine condition. The grills were perfect. These are factory blems so u still get the 5 warranty (after registering the warranty).

Oh, and they sounded great. Great bass extension and excellent imaging. Way better than the Infinity RS-2 bookshelves i was using before. I havent tried the PSB Subs yet. I'm using the Partexpress DLS10 sub, which has been working pretty well for me.

I'll second Paul with Ascends. I got them for a secondary system and they quickly banished the Paradigm Mini-Monitors in the main system.

Paul interesting to know your take on the Dahlquists. I've been recommending the blems to people on a strict budget and now for those wanting bass.

Ben L- Nice job scoring the DLS Tiny Mighty.
I just saw were the PSB Subsonic 5i made The Perfect Vision Editor's choice list for the under $800 category.

Finding a bookshelf speaker with decent bass can be a difficult task. I would focus your efforts on a bookshelf that produces fantastic mids and highs and not worry about the bass characteristics. Let the sub take care of the low stuff.

I know you don't plan on getting a sub right away, but just purchase your bookshelfs and then add a sub when you can. With a little patience, this approach will pay off in the long run.

I think if you go Axiom or Ascend, once paired with a decent sub, you will be very satisfied with your system.

Best regards

Concerning the Ascends, how do they perform for movies and the such? I watch/listen movies about 75% of the time. All the reviews say they sound great for music but nothng about home theater. Also, because of room layout, any speaker I purchase will have to sit inside an entertainment center. Do these speakers require "breathing" room? Thanks

Scott