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New member Username: MizrachiBrooklyn, Ny Usa Post Number: 1 Registered: Apr-04 | ok, i realize i am being a bit lame here, but my girlfriend can't stand the way my floorstanding boston accoustics look. they are, in fact, too big for the room as well as close to 15 years old. so, i am looking for advice on what small, bookshelf or pod type speakers would make her asthetically and me sonically happy. i am willing to mount these speakers if need be to get them off the floor as she doesn't really want me to even get stands. any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! |
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Silver Member Username: Elitefan1Post Number: 346 Registered: Dec-03 | What are you going to drive your new speakers with? |
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New member Username: MizrachiBrooklyn, Ny Usa Post Number: 2 Registered: Apr-04 | a rotel ra-02 integrated amp. |
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Bronze Member Username: Timn8terSeattle, WA USA Post Number: 51 Registered: Dec-03 | These are awesome sounding and girls love them! http://www.u-vola.com/ |
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Silver Member Username: Elitefan1Post Number: 348 Registered: Dec-03 | shimon, I would recommend you listen to the Paradigm Studio 20. It's a smallish bookshelf that will sound great with your Rotel. I would put my foot down and demand that they be placed on stands in order to sound their best. It is hard to resist commenting further on that issue but I will keep my mouth shut. Good luck. |
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New member Username: MizrachiBrooklyn, Ny Usa Post Number: 3 Registered: Apr-04 | thank you everyone for your input. while i am sure she would prefer the pod-like speakers (bluerooms, morel, u-vola, kef egg, any others i can't think of please tell me!?) is it just a given that these speakers will pale in comparison to the traditional box bookshelf speakers? just hard to believe that the plastic in these cool designs wouldnt adversly effect performance. and i think with these pods that one would be paying more for design than sound. |
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Bronze Member Username: Timn8terSeattle, WA USA Post Number: 52 Registered: Dec-03 | Not a chance. I don't make that recommendation lightly. The U-vola speakers are outstanding. I had the opportunity to listen to dozens of speakers of various styles and price ranges in Las Vegas this past January and the U-vola was amongst the best I heard. |
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New member Username: MizrachiBrooklyn, Ny Usa Post Number: 4 Registered: Apr-04 | Timn8ter, would you recommend the u-vola over the paradigm's? |
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New member Username: MizrachiBrooklyn, Ny Usa Post Number: 5 Registered: Apr-04 | actually, forget that last post. the u-vola's are $4500. too much for me. |
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Bronze Member Username: Timn8terSeattle, WA USA Post Number: 53 Registered: Dec-03 | Depends on how much you want to spend. There's someone in CT selling a used pair for $2500. If that's in your price range go for it. |
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Bronze Member Username: StonePost Number: 21 Registered: Dec-03 | You are going to have to spend to get gorgeous veneers. Castle, the Dali Royal line, and Opera have extraordinary looking finishes in their bookshelf line. There are others. You really need to go to audio shops to see them in person. |
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Silver Member Username: Project6Post Number: 454 Registered: Dec-03 | Timn8ter, You are right on with the u-vola's, they sound really great. I've heard them in a dedicated sound room and they are awesome. Shimon, here's one thing you can do. show your girlfriend the expensive speakers she might like without telling her the price along with the speakers you want with the price you want to pay. Once she see's the price difference they usually compromise to your advantage. it's sneaky I know, but it works...or get your self a new girlfriend, just kidding...hehe, or am I??? cheers |
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Bronze Member Username: Timn8terSeattle, WA USA Post Number: 54 Registered: Dec-03 | There's other wisdom in your strategy Berny. Most women like to be a part of what you're doing even if they don't really understand it. Like Berny says, take her shopping and make her feel like she's part of the process. You may both come out winning. |
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Bronze Member Username: SulfurPost Number: 16 Registered: Dec-03 | Blueroom pods were designed by B&W's top engineers, so they can't be that bad. That said, don't expect B&W 800 series quality. I was told the pods were somewhere between the 300 & 600 line bookshelves in terms of sound. I read a few reviews but didn't seriously consider them (I bought B&W 603/601). If I remember correctly the biggest complaint back then was that the plastic looks & feels cheap to some. |
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Bronze Member Username: Timn8terSeattle, WA USA Post Number: 55 Registered: Dec-03 | I can't put much faith in the tiny satellite, tiny subwoofer setup except as computer speakers. A -6 db rolloff at 90 Hz means the sub will have to be crossed over high which means too much directionality from the sub. If you're going for smaller speakers make sure they get reasonable bass response. Unfortunately, physics is against you trying to get small = low. Chances are if you get a moderately priced speaker with a 5 or 6 inch woofer you'll need/want a sub to go with it. There's still the chance that your GF will go for larger speakers if they look good. Check the "What's the best speaker you've heard" thread for lots of great choices. |
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Egil Unregistered guest | Quad 11L or 12L !! |
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Bronze Member Username: TwebbzAnn Arbor, Michigan USA Post Number: 16 Registered: Apr-04 | Get rid of your girlfriend...sounds like a controller... |
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Bronze Member Username: MonolgouePost Number: 30 Registered: Feb-04 | The speakers sold by www.orbaudio.com are known for balancing the Wife Acceptance Factor with the need for big, full sound. Free 30 day trial, too. |
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Silver Member Username: HawkHighlands Ranch, CO USA Post Number: 534 Registered: Dec-03 | shimon: You have a fairly modest powered integrated amp--40 wpc, so you need a speaker that is pretty efficient. I orginally thought the Quad would be a great choice, but I checked its efficiency (86 db for the 11L), and it just isn't efficient enough. Likewise, the Dynaudio and Snell bookshelfs. I would recommend the Monitor Audio S2, a very nice bookshelf, which is also a little forward sounding, so it should match up will sonically, with your Rotel. It has an efficiency rating of 89 db, so it will work with your amp, and since your girlfriend doesn't even want to see stands, it has a front mounted port making it easier to mount in a bookcase or directly on the wall. Comes in several different very nice wood finishes, and it is reasonably priced. I also like the NHT SB-3 a lot. Don't know if your girlfriend will go for its gloss black "piano" finish, but my wife loves it. My only reservation is that NHT does not publish an efficiency rating for the speaker, but I am guessing about 88 db. As an acoustic suspension speaker, it also fits into a bookcase very easily, and it has taps to accept a wall mount. A wonderful sounding speaker. Good luck! |
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Bronze Member Username: MizrachiBrooklyn, Ny Usa Post Number: 14 Registered: Apr-04 | thank you all for your help. will let you know which way i go! |
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Unregistered guest | Shimon The only speaker that my wife agreed to live with are Sonus-Faber. Mine are the Concertino's Fortunately they are very good speaker beside having Italian style, go to their site and look |
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Bronze Member Username: Timn8terSeattle, WA USA Post Number: 64 Registered: Dec-03 | My wife was watching Friends and they had Martin Logan's. You might be able to get away with those. :-) |
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New member Username: GaryoPost Number: 5 Registered: Mar-04 | It sounds like you may avoid the "box" design, but I would still sound out the B&W 600 series. (PS: I have the same female issue and have placed a heavy sculpture with rubber feet on top of my bookshelves to make them aestetically useful). In the last 3 cities I have lived in, the Rotel dealer also handled B&W, with each saying that sonically they are very well matched. Also, I believe the are available at a pricepoint which matches you investment in the amplifier. Best of Luck! |
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New member Username: CorrolloPost Number: 4 Registered: Mar-04 | I bought the Canton CD100's. It was the only speaker my wife liked. I enjoy their sound, but am looking into the DefTech Mythos series as a possible upgrade |
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Caldwell Unregistered guest | My wife loves the Orbs and I am totally impressed with the sound. She liked the Quad's, too, but I would trust Hawk and his thoughts on efficiency not being sufficient for your amp. She liked the looks of the Morel, too, although the model I heard did not sound as full as I would have liked. |
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swampcat Unregistered guest | no small speaker can replace a floorstander, you'll never be happy with small speakers once you've had real ones. I have klipsch speakers that are 5 ft high ,(4 )of them. My wife doesn't like them but thats life! Keep your speakers if your happy with them. If you really love them, you can get them reconditioned for practically nothing. |