Best "cheap" speakers
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New member Username: Parpac316Post Number: 1 Registered: Feb-06 | i am by no means a speaker guru. I just want something decent for $100 to $200 to add some sound to my TV. I currently am using some yamaha bookshelf speakers from 10 years ago and I just want some better surround sound. Any suggestions? |
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Silver Member Username: ExerciseguyBrooklyn, NY USA Post Number: 503 Registered: Oct-04 | Buy a pair of Athena AS-B1.2s for $120. It's a good starting point for someone on a budget. |
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New member Username: Parpac316Post Number: 2 Registered: Feb-06 | like these ????? http://cgi.ebay.com/Like-New-Athena-AS-B1-Bookshelf-Speakers_W0QQitemZ2700350266 12QQihZ017QQcategoryZ14991QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem |
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New member Username: Parpac316Post Number: 3 Registered: Feb-06 | or is this a good price? http://cgi.ebay.com/Athena-AS-B1-2-Book-Shelf-Speakers-PAIR-ASB1-2-NEW-Pair_W0QQ itemZ150039634878QQihZ005QQcategoryZ14991QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem |
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Silver Member Username: ExerciseguyBrooklyn, NY USA Post Number: 504 Registered: Oct-04 | http://www.audioadvisor.com/store/productdetail.asp?sku=ATHASB1.2&product_name=A udition%20B1.2%20Speakers%20-%20Black,%20Pair |
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Bronze Member Username: Dodgedifferent2Windsor, Ontario Canada Post Number: 98 Registered: May-05 | www.fluance.com cheap and they are worth it. I have yet to find too much wrong with them, but i am not a super home theatre guru. They do send them in awesome packaging. I would show you a fort i made with the boxes, but the pics are not on this computer The damn fort would not collapse like those flimsy fridge boxes and sustained many hurricanes (kids) while i was babysitting for my sister hehe the look of the speakers are awesome i think they look better then some of the high end speakers I got the five package deal with an added 2 rear surrounds for a 7.1 surround system (cant think of the name at the moment. dial up otherwise i would go look sxtb-5??) sometimes i think the speakers seem a bit weak but i am blaming most of it on my sony receiver that i got really cheap. someday i plan to upgrade it |
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Silver Member Username: ExerciseguyBrooklyn, NY USA Post Number: 570 Registered: Oct-04 | Fluance is developing a nice rep for themselves. They would seem to be much better than supermarket speakers, and might even be competitive with with much more expensive brands. I have not listened to them yet. A better receiver like a Marantz http://www.accessories4less.com/cgi-bin/item/MARSR4600BLKA will most likely warm-up the sound quite a bit. |
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New member Username: MarsdenCapital City Post Number: 4 Registered: Oct-06 | This is almost enough for me to try them (Fluance)... I've mentioned them in the other thread (Cerwin vs. Polk) and would love to hear that they produce really clean sound...... |
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Silver Member Username: ExerciseguyBrooklyn, NY USA Post Number: 572 Registered: Oct-04 | Mike Which speaker? Two very well reviewed speakers that are priced competively with the Fluance SX-6 are the Infinity Primus 150 & Athena AS-B1.2. There are several other very excellent bookshelfs in the $125 range I might go with before the Fluance. But once again, I have not heard them, so I might be wrong. |
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New member Username: MarsdenCapital City Post Number: 6 Registered: Oct-06 | Hey Christopher, I'm looking at the Fluance ES-1 speakers b/c I want something to sit on the floor, for design reasons. But I haven't heard them either.. |
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Silver Member Username: ExerciseguyBrooklyn, NY USA Post Number: 576 Registered: Oct-04 | Let me know how you like them if you get them. |
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New member Username: MarsdenCapital City Post Number: 8 Registered: Oct-06 | Just found Fluance selling via eBay (while looking for Klipsch  ) and their rating is over 1000 and it's 100% positive. So, I'm sure most buyers aren't serious audiophiles but I'm also sure the 100% rating is meaningful. The ES-1s are so cheap that I'm going to just buy them for the heck of it. Will definitely let you know what I think once the listening begins. |
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Silver Member Username: ExerciseguyBrooklyn, NY USA Post Number: 581 Registered: Oct-04 | Mike, I've spent more on a couple beers on a tuesday night in NYC so go for it. |
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Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 4403 Registered: Dec-04 | Exerciseguy exercising his elbow. |
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New member Username: MarsdenCapital City Post Number: 9 Registered: Oct-06 | New York's an expensive town, man I used to live there. Anyway they're set to arrive on Thursday I've received the UPS notification already. I haven't been this excited about something so cheap since the last time I dated this hot girl from Louisiana But that's another story... |
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Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 4414 Registered: Dec-04 | hehehe, let us know, Mike. |
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Platinum Member Username: Project6Post Number: 11377 Registered: Dec-03 | Yes, we are very much interested in this hot girl from Louisiana |
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New member Username: Mike_lPost Number: 7 Registered: Oct-06 | Berny, When you have a moment, can you please take a look at my post in "accesories/acoustic treatment" and give me your thoughts Thanks. Michele |
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Gold Member Username: PetergalbraithRimouski, Quebec Canada Post Number: 1953 Registered: Feb-04 | See also http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=690556 |
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Platinum Member Username: Project6Post Number: 11378 Registered: Dec-03 | Sorry Michele, Acoustic Treatment is not in my realm of experience. |
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Silver Member Username: ExerciseguyBrooklyn, NY USA Post Number: 592 Registered: Oct-04 | I've gotta tell you Peter, I was not terribly impressed by what I heard from the Insigias, given it was under much less than optimal conditions. They look nice, and I know they have a KEF drive, and yes you can supe them up, but I don't see the point with the likes of the Infinity Primus 150s & Polk R15s selling for just a few bucks more. |
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New member Username: MarsdenCapital City Post Number: 10 Registered: Oct-06 | yeesh.... I'm still midway through that 26-page thread. Not that I really need to add to my collection of bookshelf speakers anyway. Still I was impressed by the guy who analyzed them in such detail and came up w/the mods... time appears to be very cheap for some people (or people just love tweaking things!) Of course, I should hardly talk about time being cheap, since, uh, I'm just midway through that 26-page thread ;) |
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Gold Member Username: T_bomb25Dayton, Ohio United States Post Number: 1419 Registered: Jun-05 | Danny Richie is the guy who came up with the mods for the Insigias,He is the designer of the Onix X-LS,hes been working with Mark with av123 for the 3 years now, the guy knows his way around a speaker.He also owns his own Diy speaker company and he also produces some very good speakers of his own,with the mods the Best Buy budget beater become some every formidable budget speakers.My X-LS's will be here 2morro man I cant wait,and after I break them in,I will go and get me some Insigias to mod to. |
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Gold Member Username: T_bomb25Dayton, Ohio United States Post Number: 1420 Registered: Jun-05 | Oh yeah guys,they are the hotest topic on all the forums,except for ours. |
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Bronze Member Username: MarsdenCapital City Post Number: 11 Registered: Oct-06 | Which is why they're sold out at so many BBs ... look for them to jack up the price next! |
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Bronze Member Username: PhenixdragonPost Number: 14 Registered: Jun-05 | Thanks for the info. I guess too maybe I should ask what about for size. Such as I was thinking about Bose cube type size. |
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Gold Member Username: T_bomb25Dayton, Ohio United States Post Number: 1424 Registered: Jun-05 | Doubtful,with the extreme units they are selling,which is because of the underground audio community,every audiophile wants to get their hands on a pair,even if they already own a pair Aerial 20Ts,or for that matter whatever speaker they own,the Best Buy Beater ,is the most intriging speaker thats been on the market for years.A speaker thats affordable to a bum on the street,thats better than its price,with the ability to be a giant slayer for competing speakers up to $500,a budgephiles dream, that even the most extreme highend nut can appreciate with more money in his system than most peoples houses,even they are particapating in these sweepstakes. With the units that are flying out of Best Buys doors,it would'nt be beneficial for them to raise the price,believe me they are very aware of this pheonomenom i used to work at H.H. and if something in sells go from very little to astronomical sales,it is noted,especially when people are buying for home theater to and buying multiple pairs at a time.The Radiant is a better speaker that is very similar to the Inisigias with the addition of a supertweater which infact is the the Insigias is the rear in the Europha's home theater package. Sales will continue the same if the price is kept in check,this has been going on for 6months so it is not a fad,these speaker will be around for a while,as long as we keep buying them,this is good stuff people. |
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Silver Member Username: ExerciseguyBrooklyn, NY USA Post Number: 595 Registered: Oct-04 | Radient Europa Rewiew: http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volume_13_2/radiient-technologies-europa-speakers -5-2006.html Factory direct for $99 http://www.radiient.com/s.nl/it.A/id.5/.f?sc=2&category=32 |
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Platinum Member Username: Project6Post Number: 11379 Registered: Dec-03 | Very promising! I'll have to check this one out. |
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Bronze Member Username: MarsdenCapital City Post Number: 12 Registered: Oct-06 | So... how vulnerable is that 'supertweeter' atop the Radiient units? I happened to take the grilles off some old Koss bookshelf speakers I was using temporarily and found that both tweeters had been smashed in--one considerably--and it's remarkable they could make any music at all in that condition! It would seem that tweeters mounted on the outside of the speaker cabinets would be particularly susceptible to damage, no? And... what makes these units worth twice the Insignias' price? |
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Bronze Member Username: MarsdenCapital City Post Number: 13 Registered: Oct-06 | Okay, these Athenas which Chris mentioned earlier address this issue to perfection. The dome tweeter is recessed (for protection, one presumes) but within a beveled indentation whose angles are so broad that dispersion would not seem to be adversely affected. And, the same price as the Radiients, roughly. Of course, I'm discussing design as I haven't heard them and can't discuss sound. So YMMV, but still... http://www.audioadvisor.com/store/productdetail.asp?sku=ATHASB1.2&product_name=A udition%20B1.2%20Speakers%20-%20Black%2C%20Pair |
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Silver Member Username: ExerciseguyBrooklyn, NY USA Post Number: 596 Registered: Oct-04 | Mike, I would not seriously consider the Radius/Insigia as a primary speaker, it's just not a sure thing with those models, IMHO. Under $150, consider the these: The Infinty Primus 150, under $90 @ Circuit City The Athena AS-B1.2, $120 @ Audio Advisor The Wharfedale Diamond 8.1, $145 @ Amazon (-$30 with Amazon Credit Card) The Mission M31i, $149 @ STO Sound & Vision The 8.1s are the best bargain when all things are considered including shipping. |
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Bronze Member Username: MarsdenCapital City Post Number: 14 Registered: Oct-06 | Thanks, actually any bookshelf speakers I'm using are rear speakers for my main listening room or satellite speakers for other rooms. Actually have a pair of those Missions and have been happy with them (although they're in a box now). Am hoping that the new Fluance ES-1s will be good enough for "main" speakers when they get here. Your Marantz reference got me thinking though...what's the harm in a new receiver. Actually I don't need the tuner as I only listen to cable music. But I would really prefer stereo (2 channel) as I don't do the HT thing. At least not properly ;) |
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Silver Member Username: ExerciseguyBrooklyn, NY USA Post Number: 597 Registered: Oct-04 | Should I ask why your considering new speakers when you have those nice Missions in a box? I wouldn't expect any of the budget speakers you've been discussing to out match it, maybe the Wharfedale perhaps. You might want to pick out a old-beast-of-a-receiver on eBay. There is an arsenal of "classic" style stereo models from Pioneer, Sansui, Yamaha, Nikko, Fisher, Marantz, and even NAD that routinely sell for under $50. I saw a sweet NAD sell for $27 the other night. If your going to go the new route, consider a factory refub. Harmon/Kardon HK-3480 on eBay for under $200. |
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Gold Member Username: T_bomb25Dayton, Ohio United States Post Number: 1425 Registered: Jun-05 | Your right to a certain extint Chris,but think about after the mods it will destroy of those speakers in that list,and im very fond of all those in that list I've owned 3 0f them,and still own 2 of them.The Wharfedale Diamond 8.1s,I just have a love affair for,their Midrange naturalness and athourity are unmatched up to $500 in some cases more than that,mine have been around since 2000,and counting,and many speakers have been thru my doors,a true classic indeed. |
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Silver Member Username: ExerciseguyBrooklyn, NY USA Post Number: 598 Registered: Oct-04 | The Sonic Impact Super-T Amp is another consideration. Might be you best bet for $139 @ Parts Express. It mates well with rather efficient (90dB) Missions I might say. |
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Silver Member Username: ExerciseguyBrooklyn, NY USA Post Number: 599 Registered: Oct-04 | ...and while we're at it, here's anther ridiculous deal, Mission M70s for $69/pr. @ STO Sound & Vision. http://www.tsto.com/cgi-bin/TSTO.storefront/45401d8d005e0d822740ac10034105e4/Pro duct/View/2191 |
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Gold Member Username: T_bomb25Dayton, Ohio United States Post Number: 1427 Registered: Jun-05 | Yep all great deals! |
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Silver Member Username: ExerciseguyBrooklyn, NY USA Post Number: 600 Registered: Oct-04 | T, I trust you, but I'd have to here it myself. What makes you think the mods will launch it past the others? I didn't get that from reading the GR Research article. |
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Bronze Member Username: MarsdenCapital City Post Number: 15 Registered: Oct-06 | "Should I ask why your considering new speakers when you have those nice Missions in a box?" ... Per the Cerwin/Polk thread, I really wanted something floor-standing. Maybe I'll find the Missions (I just moved to a new house) and A/B them (on stands, of course) with the Fluances when they arrive. Thanks for the H/K ref... I'ma go look now. |
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Silver Member Username: ExerciseguyBrooklyn, NY USA Post Number: 601 Registered: Oct-04 | Mission M70 review (note the comments on stereo listening) http://www.homecinemachoice.com/reviews/hccreviews/SpeakerPackages/Mission/Missi onM70.php |
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Silver Member Username: ExerciseguyBrooklyn, NY USA Post Number: 602 Registered: Oct-04 | ...and another |
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Gold Member Username: T_bomb25Dayton, Ohio United States Post Number: 1430 Registered: Jun-05 | Thats a great deal on the M70s,I might pick up a pair and put them on a T-Amp,about the Sigs they will play bigger,and they have more authority than all of those in stock form,that Uni-q design is a well proven design,with the mods it will be a formidable budget speaker. |
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