best speaker brands? bang for buck? (1 Viewer)

[Shane Martin]

Why are people assuming that Cheap = bang for the buck? I'm assuming you are asssuming this by mentioning lesser priced equipment.

Let's say thats budget is 7k for speakers. To some that are focusing on music they might find Magnepan's at 4200 to be great bang for their buck.

Something to consider atleast.

 

[mike_decock]

Let's say thats budget is 7k for speakers. To some that are focusing on music they might find Magnepan's at 4200 to be great bang for their buck.

If you like the Magnepans at that price and you don't think anything less than twice as much is significantly better, you've got great bang for the buck. However, in my opinion, and at my allocated budget, $4,200 is about as much as I would ever consider spending on speakers.

Heck, according to some of my friends, the $560 I spent on my Paradox 1s is a LOT of money for speakers. It is all relative to your income, budget and perceived value.

I think most people try to find the most "bang for the buck" in their price range, regardless of what that price range is. I applaud the folks who have that kind of money to spare to spend on audio equipment.

The myth that I try to dispel is that it doesn't have to be $4,200 for it to be enjoyable, musical and high quality. I think a lot of potential enthusiasts are scared away from this hobby by the (perceived) astronomical prices of a lot of "Audiophile" equipment.


-Mike...

 

[Matt Jesty]

The great thing about the DIY field, especially right now, is the enthusiasm of the people who are finding great value this way. I've had more opportunities to do extended listening tests of DIY, factory direct, and small company equipment than the big name brands because those enthusiasts are very willing to open up their homes and share their findings with you.
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Mike,
this is an ideal way to test speakers of all kinds and I do believe that this forum can bring hobbyists together face-to-face to evaluate equipment in an A/B/C type comparison situation.....It's just a little scary to assume that I can take other's (that I don't know personally) word for equipment that I have had very little opportunity to compare against other comporable brands...If there was a room in my town where we all could gather and do blind (OR not if your against 'em) comparisons with some equipment that we could use as referance then we would all (I think ) be happy.............

 

[Danny Richie]

My best bang for the buck to me is the Alpha LS.
Seen here: http://www.gr-research.com/AlphaLS/Alpha.htm

Funny thing is that it is the most expensive kit we offer.
Throw in the cost of enclosures: http://www.harmonicdiscord.com/forum...pic.php?t=5482 The price will vary depending on finish of coarse.
And the cost of shipping...
Plus, a few extras like Blackhole 5, wire, and binding post and you could be looking to spend about $4,200. to $4,800.
This doesn't include the cost of your own labor to put these together, and if you are not placing a dollar amount on your own labor and can build the enclosures yourself then you might be looking at a total dollar amount spent that is about $2,800. for a pair.
In the end you have a speaker that would have to bring about $20,000. on the retail market through typical distribution channels.
I personally don't feel (and many of my colleagues and those that have heard these speakers agree) that its equal can not be currently found in the retail market.
Now this is "bang for the buck".

 

[Chris Tsutsui]

Ahh, the cosmic ballet of a line array...
Labor can cost a lot, I think the average contractor charges something like $35 an hour so people can add that to the cost too.
I did that with my tempest and the cost came up to $900 for all parts and $35/hr labor because 2 guys worked on it.
But I think it's fun building a speaker and I don't think of it as work. Watching a speaker take form is like watching a child grow.

 

[mike_decock]

If there was a room in my town where we all could gather and do blind (OR not if your against 'em) comparisons with some equipment that we could use as referance then we would all (I think ) be happy.

About a dozen of us in the Austin area did exactly what you are talking about a few weeks ago. They meet every month or two, but the topic of this meet was surround preamp/processors. We had 5 different processors:

B&K Ref 30
Theta Casanova
Outlaw 950
HK Sig 2.0
Acurus ACT-3

The "room" was one of the forum members living room.

Two of the members swapped out processors behind a curtain while the rest of us took notes on our impressions. We discussed, by number, what we liked/disliked about each one after which it was revealed to us which was which.

This was the first such meet I attended and it was a great experience. Not just in the sense of getting to do some blind testing, but also meeting different people.

Personally, I'm not into the surround thing, but after the shootout, some of us did some two channel listening to some prototypes of the new speakers Danny Richie has been working on.

-Mike...