Best value bookshelf speakers

 

New member
Username: Diggs

Post Number: 1
Registered: Feb-05
new here.. i'm looking to complement my budget 5.1 system with a pair of good sounding - but inexpensive - bookshelf speakers for music and tv. i've been looking at the polk rti4 but would like feedback on this and others in that range. i listen mostly to r&b and some jazz so clean sound is more important than volume.

and btw, my receiver is a 5-6 yr old sony es with entry-level polk surrounds & sub.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Dloweman

Post Number: 86
Registered: Nov-04
Check out Paradigm, probably the titans will fit the bill
 

Bronze Member
Username: Rd11

Post Number: 20
Registered: Nov-04
Athena AS-B2
 

Silver Member
Username: Kano

Post Number: 328
Registered: Oct-04
Ascend Acoustics CBM-170

IMO they're ugly, but hard to beat performance wise for under $400 a pair.
 

New member
Username: Diggs

Post Number: 2
Registered: Feb-05
been lookin around these forums.. how would the axiom m3ti compare to the paradigm, athena, and ascend?
 

New member
Username: Gr1m

Post Number: 7
Registered: Jul-04
I second the CBM-170s, very accurate and neutral is how I would describe them and at 328/pr they're a steal
 

Shahrukh
Unregistered guest
Wharfedale Diamonds. Whether it's 8.1 or 9.1 is up to u to decide.
 

Gold Member
Username: Project6

Post Number: 2743
Registered: Dec-03
I believe the Axiom M3ti is better than the Athena and stages better than the Paradigm and looks better than the Ascends. Soundwise, it is a hard choice to make when comparing to the Ascends. You have to listen yourself and make the choice.
 

Silver Member
Username: Frank_abela

Berkshire UK

Post Number: 346
Registered: Sep-04
B&W DM600, unless you're looking to replace your current fronts with new speakers. If that's the case, then stick to Polk in order to maintain the same voicing between speakers.

Regards,
Frank.
 

Silver Member
Username: Timn8ter

Seattle, WA USA

Post Number: 138
Registered: Dec-03
Alegria Audio Ling. $399 per pair. +-3db 50Hz - 20kHz+, real wood veneers. Hard to beat. Plus, if you don't like them after two weeks you can send them back.
http://www.us.alegriaaudio.com/Ling.htm
 

New member
Username: Dion

Post Number: 6
Registered: Feb-05
I bought a pair of Ling with clear cherry veneer. They're beautiful and sound great. I'm not sending them back!
 

Gold Member
Username: Project6

Post Number: 2749
Registered: Dec-03
Timn8ter,
Did you design those speakers?
 

Silver Member
Username: Timn8ter

Seattle, WA USA

Post Number: 144
Registered: Dec-03
Yes.
 

jaeelarr
Unregistered guest
PSB is the way to go...
 

edster922
Unregistered guest
Clean, neutral sound at a bargain price---Ascend Acoustics CBM-170 hands down!
 

Bronze Member
Username: Gavincumm

Post Number: 75
Registered: Feb-05
take a look at the Paradigm Focus if you must have clean sound with excellent staging, great bass, and OUTSTANGING MIDS!!!

they are around $320 a pair

gavin
 

Bronze Member
Username: Stealth_c

Dublin, CA USA

Post Number: 81
Registered: Jan-05
Gavin- How would you say they compare with the mini-monitors?
 

Bronze Member
Username: Gavincumm

Post Number: 77
Registered: Feb-05
I like the focus almost as well as the minis personally.

The bass in the minis is just a hare tighter, is a few hertz lower, and the highs are ever so slightly cleaner.

They sound very similar. listen to them side by side if you can. You might not even notice a difference.

They are both outstanding, and get a thumbs up from me!

Both speakers have outstanding midrange, have a very smooth, deep soundstage, and will show off your equipment. If you have equipment that adds glare or brightness, these will show you. Unusual for a budget speaker.

Gavin
 

Richie Rich
Unregistered guest
Gavin,
Is there a large difference between the Focus and Titan?
 

Bronze Member
Username: Gavincumm

Post Number: 81
Registered: Feb-05
yes there is...

I don't really care for the sound of the titans. I can hear the cabinet resonate in the bass frequencies, and that muddies the mids.

The speaker is all around an improvement IMHO.
 

New member
Username: Rushwj

Post Number: 7
Registered: Feb-05
I'd recommend the Paradigm Atoms ($99 each speaker). Just got them for my brother and he loves the clean sound. IMO much better than the polk RT's. Also, at $99 a pop it'd be easy to flush out rears and pick up the matching center all for a descnt price (since you watch tv with them). My brother has a vary large great room and it fills the room w/ sound very well for a small, elegant speaker. good luck.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Gavincumm

Post Number: 85
Registered: Feb-05
The Focus is a much better speaker than the atom if you can afford it.

to note... I prefer the atom to the titan. The bass has less boom.
 

edster922
Unregistered guest
Tae,

BTW I forgot to mention, whatever speakers you go with, make sure to budget for some quality speaker stands...I find they make a HUGE difference in terms of opening up the sound of bookshelves!

ac4l.com is a great source of quality yet affordable stands; with small bookshelves you can even go with MDF stands without a problem, esp. if you have a subwoofer taking care of the low end for you.
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