$500 Speakers!!! (1 Viewer)

[Chris Hosfield]

I am looking for a good pair of mains that will provide adequately for music and the starting components on my home theater system, which will likely be amplified with the RXV-430 or Onkyo500 receiver. I'm not planning on getting a sub right away so I would like a warm, natural sounding speaker that delivers a good bass response, yet has good range.

I am considering:

Tannoy MX3
PSB Alpha T
Axiom M40Ti
Energy XL250
Mission M73
Dahlquist QX8
Also what about Paradigm?

Recommendations?

Thanks,
Chris

 

[Dustin B]

If you have some basic wood working skills and tools nothing you listed would compete with these.
http://www.gr-research.com/performer/av3.htm
http://www.adireaudio.com/diy/monitors/kit281.htm
http://www.audax.com/doit/us_ht06.shtml
There are many other kits or freely available designs to choose from in the $500 range as well.
This next one will take you right to your budget limit on drivers and crossover components (the enclosure materials will take you over budget). But they are supposed to be incredible (on par or better than B&W Nautilus line, Ariel or any number of other multi thousand dollar towers).
http://www.partsexpress.com/projectshowcase/eros/

 

[EricHaas]

If limited to $500, I'd still get bookshelf speakers now and add a sub later. You just get a much better quality speaker pair. Axiom M22ti's have good bass response and are all around one of the best pairs under $500 anywhere.

 

[Gil D]

Take a hard look at Polk LSi-9 for another $100 or so more. A larger bookshelf is definitely the way to go. Although I do use a sub with the LSi9 I could definitely get away w/out one.

Sonus faber Concerto (I have a these also) is another good warm sounding speaker with some bass but it will cost you 2x for a used pair.

 

[george king]

Bookshelf Kef Q1
Floorstander You should be able to find a pair of Kef q35.2 for under $500

Hope this helps.

 

[Gerry East]

You might also consider a pair of NHT SuperTwo towers. Excellent speakers, and they match the SuperOne bookshelf, which makes a nice center channel and surround. A pair of SuperTwos sells for $448 at onecall.com and at soundcity.com. Of course, you would want to hear them for yourself first, but I can recommend them highly. I use them for fronts and surrounds with a SuperOne for the center channel. Have fun and good luck.

 

[Chris Hosfield]

I'm a bit confused....all those that I listed were tower speakers in that price range....yet bookshelves are recommended instead?

For example, the M40Ti's vs. the M22Ti's

Which one is better. I don't really want to buy stands, which drives the cost of the M22's higher. And shouldn't the M40Ti's deliver more bass given the larger cabinet size?
...of course the M22 has two drivers so that could be a difference...

Chris

 

[John Garcia]

M22s + stands should be around $500 (check their outlet pricing). The M22s will probably provide a bit more volume, but not as much bass. The M40s have quite a bit lower extension than the M22s (40Hz vs 60Hz).

Paradigm, you'd probably be listening to Monitor 7s.

I haven't heard the GR Research AV3, but I was very impressed with their AV1. I would say these would be well worth looking into.

 

[Scott Bourden]

Being from Canada, your Paradigm prices will be reasonably good (compared to our neighbors down south)... Take a look at the Monitor 7's, you might be able to haggle your way to around $500-$550 range, before taxes.

I went this route, and find them amazing, they were quite good even before I added my sub (a PW2200)for both music and movies.

Now, take note that I am bias, as I own these speakers, and found them to be best (in that range, $500-$600 CAD), in my *opinion*, but you may not feel the same way.

 

[Chris Hosfield]

What about the Monitor Silver 3's? I heard them today...they seem kind of expensive ($700 canadian) for bookshelves, considering I can get a B-series Axiom M40Ti for $500. However, the sound was pretty impressive from these little guys.

 

[Shawn Solar]

I find Monitor audio to be a good speaker but just a little to overpriced for us Canadians compared with the canadian offerings. In the states the B&W is priced like paradigm but here are a few hundred more. Add the Energy connosuiers to your list. the C-3 lists for $600/pair and sounds really nice. Paradigm studio 20 can be had for $600-700 at times. I was looking in the paper the other day and Kromer radio was having a sale.

 

[mike_decock]

I would second the recommendations on the DIY speakers. I've heard a few of the GR Research kits and they just blow away anything in the price range. I know GR Research supplies cabinets, too so you don't necessarily need woodworking skills to assemble DIY speakers, just a soldering iron and a screwdriver.

I was a longtime fan of floorstanding speakers, too until I heard a few bookshelf speakers that just kicked butt in the bass department. Not that they did really deep bass but they did what they were designed to do just right that I didn't miss it.

I would rather have a bookshelf speaker that has a lively, punchy midbass and doesn't attempt the low end, than a floorstander that does a mediocre job at it. If you really want the deep bass, that's what subwoofers are for.

Speaker stands don't have to be terribly expensive. There are a few DIY designs that won't set you back too bad.

The nice thing about speaker stands is that once you have a good pair, they will last you through as many generations of minimonitors as you want. In a sense, with floorstanders, you're paying for stands every time you buy a new pair.

Just my opinion, of course...

-Mike...

 

[Brian Bunge]

Mike,
So did you get your Paradox 1's up and running yet? Danny's new Criterions with the ribbon tweeter did sound awesome didn't they?!
Brian

 

[Martice]

Speaker stands don't have to be terribly expensive. There are a few DIY designs that won't set you back too bad.

I bought a pair of heavy duty speaker stands from
Parts Express
and they are excellent and sturdy. One stand weighs 25lbs and is sand fill-able. What I like most about this stand is that the top base is wider then my AV1+ speakers at 9" wide and 8" deep. This proves a spacious and large platform that holds the speakers well. Below is a look at how much space is left over on the sides of the platform with my AV1+'s sitting on them.
Parts express speaker stand and AV1+

 

[Rob Rodier]

Chris,

Check out Athena's. I can't remeber the model number off hand right now but they retail for $599 and probably can be had for a little less. They are floorstanders that got a positive review in the August Stereophile. It seems that they have a lot of the qualities that you are looking for. The Stereophile article is excellent, very comprehensive. It will gve you a real good idea of what they can do.


BTW these things are made in Canada!
-rob

 

[PaulSmith]

Chris,

I'm going to second Scott's recommendation for Paradigms. The deal we get here in Canada is great. I don't think you can get any floor standing speaker that has the same quality sound for the same price as the Monitor 7's.

Paul

 

[Chris Hosfield]

Thanks for the comments guys...what do you think about the paradigm monitor 9's? Could I drive them with Yamaha RXV-530 or Onkyo TX-SR 500?

 

[John Garcia]

IMO, neither of those receivers has enough power to properly drive 9s. 7s might still be pushing it. Maybe 7s and spend a bit more on the receiver?

NOTE: Axiom is also Canadian....

 

[mike_decock]

So did you get your Paradox 1's up and running yet? Danny's new Criterions with the ribbon tweeter did sound awesome didn't they?!

I finally picked up my P1s at my postal box last night and drove home with a grin on my face like a kid at Christmas. I got one crossover soldered up last night (took 3 hours because I'm terribly finicky about doing my work neatly) and I'll probably get the other one soldered up and both sets assembled tonight.

I was blown away by the Criterions (I thought he was calling them the Lucidity's?) when I heard them. The transparency of those tweeters and the seamlessness of the crossovers was enlightening. I was half-tempted to change my order right then and there! I may try one of his ribbon kits a little ways down the road and move the Paradox 1's into the living room with the big screen.

-Mike...

 

[Stephen White]

What about a set of Magnepan MMG's. They are $550 shiped and you get 60 days to try them out. If you dont like them just send them back. This way you get to audition them in your own home with your equipment not the stores equipment.

If you want natural life like sound that sounds like the instrument rather than a speaker try them out. As for the bass it depends on how much bass you want and how much power you have. Maggies need a little power if your after spl.

A set of MMG's 2 feet from the wall with 100wpc and a good source is hard to beat....especially for $550!!!!

Just thought I'd throw my .02 in