Best speakers to buy?

 

New member
Username: Nizmo

Post Number: 1
Registered: Sep-05
My setup consists of (all NAD equipment);

270 Power Amp
160 Pre Amp
541 CD Player

Im just looking for suggestions as to what kind of speakers would go best with this setup. Basically, i just want it to be really loud. I play mainly rock/metal although sometimes music with bass.

I have some polk audio speakers currently but i have no idea what model they are (because they aren't mine). It goes pretty well but im wondering whether im really utilizing the full potential of my hardware.

The other thing, how hot should my power/pre amp get before i turn it off?
 

Gold Member
Username: Edster922

Abubala, Ababala The Occupation

Post Number: 2103
Registered: Mar-05
JBL towers would go well with that rock/metal, I'd avoid a more accurate and revealing speaker.

 

Silver Member
Username: Devils_advocate

Post Number: 409
Registered: Jul-05
I would suggest giving Klipsch a look as well. It mates pretty well with NAD equipment and thanks to their horn designs are much more efficient than conventional loudspeakers, meaning they will go louder with less power.
 

Gold Member
Username: Artk

Albany, Oregon USA

Post Number: 1704
Registered: Feb-05
My Paradigm Studio 40v3's go well with a similar setup.
 

Silver Member
Username: Stu_pitt

NYC, NY

Post Number: 558
Registered: May-05
Ed - No all rock/metal is poorly recorded. There are some very well produced records. I have an extensive classic rock, modern rock and alt metal collection. A few cd's are poorly recorded, but for the most part they are well recorded. A problem I've noticed more often than not with this type of music is that a lot of 'accrurate and revealing' speakers can't keep up with it. What you need is a 'accurate and detailed' speaker that is fast. Timn8er posted something along these lines somewhere before. Also keep in mind that Luke has NAD components, so he most likely appreciates sound quality, even though he said "Basically, I just want it to be really loud."

Luke - Are you only interested in loud, or do you want sound quality too? If sound quality isn't important to you, check out JBL, Cerwin Vega, and lower end Klipsch. Any of these will generally play loud and take somewhat of a good beating.

If you're into loud and detailed, check out mid to upper end Klipsch - not Best Buy, Definitive Technologies (DefTech), and PSB.

I listen to rock and metal almost exclusively and own PSB's. They go loud, are very detailed, and can take some punishment. They aren't designed to be outright abused like JBL and CV, but they sound so much better.





 

Gold Member
Username: Paul_ohstbucks

Post Number: 2506
Registered: Jan-05
If you're interested in "rocking out", get some Cerwin Vegas or Klipsch speakers. They'll take a licking and keep on ticking until your hearts content.

If you buy music snob speakers, they'll wither away and melt down almost instantly if you punish them.
 

Silver Member
Username: Kano

Post Number: 680
Registered: Oct-04
P.I.S.S. - 500,000
 

Gold Member
Username: Edster922

Abubala, Ababala The Occupation

Post Number: 2109
Registered: Mar-05
Kano, I'm afraid Paul has broken the P.I.S.S. scale quite a while ago. All that's left now to do after one of his broken-record, attention-craving troll-pharts is to simply type in this community disclaimer:

WARNING: RESIDENT MORON ERUPTION!
 

Gold Member
Username: Edster922

Abubala, Ababala The Occupation

Post Number: 2110
Registered: Mar-05
Stu,

would you consider Metallica's self-titled album to be well-recorded? It's one of the few metal CDs I still have, sounded awful on my NAD. Will try it on the Panny tonight and report back.
 

Silver Member
Username: Devils_advocate

Post Number: 415
Registered: Jul-05
Eddie: Try Jethro Tulls Greatest Hits if you want to see a very well recorded rock CD.
 

Gold Member
Username: Edster922

Abubala, Ababala The Occupation

Post Number: 2113
Registered: Mar-05
Jethro Tull! Man, now that is definitely a blast from the past. Haven't listened to JT since the 1980s when I was big into classic rock because I was disgusted by glam-metal (Bon Jovi, Ratt, etc.)
 

Gold Member
Username: Dmwiley

Post Number: 1118
Registered: Feb-05
Cerwin Vega.
 

Gold Member
Username: Paul_ohstbucks

Post Number: 2510
Registered: Jan-05
https://www.ecoustics.com/electronics/forum/home-theater/135531.jpg
No home theater should be without, well...ummm, that is unless you want girlyman sound impostering as big theater sound.
 

Anonymous
 
All speakers, more or less, sound the same. The most important element to sound reproduction, by far, is your speaker wire. A good rule of thumb is to spend at least as much per metre on speaker wire as you would on each speaker.

You'll thank me later.
 

Anoynymous
Unregistered guest
For old Rock, CD's that sound good I'll say:

The Clash: London Calling

Emerson Lake & Palmer: Live at The Royal Albert Hall

The WHO: Live at The Royal Albert Hall (DVD is great too)

DA already mentioned JT

Eric Clapton: Unplugged

Santana : Supernatural






 

Gold Member
Username: Edster922

Abubala, Ababala The Occupation

Post Number: 2131
Registered: Mar-05
"Supernatural" is one of favorite test CDs. Used to have a copy of Clapton Unplugged but don't know where it is. And I think I have a Clash GH somewhere...
 

Anoynymous
Unregistered guest
btw edster....how is the situation in Houston, I heard that some people are already evacuating?

Sorry Luke for hijacking your thread with a couple of posts
 

Gold Member
Username: T_bomb25

Dayton, Ohio United States

Post Number: 1011
Registered: Jun-05
Try the Creed cds they are all recorded good as is Garbage,Dave Mathews is probably recored the best on the rock side and,along with Nora Jones and Fourplay and Joss Stone are the best recorded period.
 

Anoynymous
Unregistered guest
Tawaun,

I was merely talking about old rock but you are correct, Creed, Dave Matthews, Smashing Pumpkins, Cold Play, Three Doors Down, Collective Soul all sound pretty good.
Wilco's "a ghost is born" is one I have been listening to quite a bit lately
 

Gold Member
Username: T_bomb25

Dayton, Ohio United States

Post Number: 1015
Registered: Jun-05
Yeah Anon those are some really good rock recordings to,I acutually like most rock recordings,it seems that most were recorded with more of a live venue and not dudded and layered over and over and sounding artificial like most other recordings.
 

Gold Member
Username: Edster922

Abubala, Ababala The Occupation

Post Number: 2141
Registered: Mar-05
anon,

yep people are starting to panic, the freeways northbound are clogged with those fleeing the coastal lowlands, you can't find bottled water or plywood in stores... My parents and siblings who live closer to the coast are leaving tonight.

Me, I'm staying put. I live in a pretty high area near downtown, there aren't any levees here this ain't New Orleans, so can't see any massive flooding. I figure the worse that can happen is my roof gets blown off and a tree falls on my car in the driveway. Will just take all small objects inside like flowerpots, etc. and maybe put some plastic trash bags over my electronics in case some windows shatter and rain gets in, plus videotape everything now for insurance purposes. Am thinking of getting a sidearm just in case though...

WHOOOO-EEE! finally a little excitement around here! LOL
 

Anoynymous
Unregistered guest
Man, I hope everything goes well for everyone in the Texas coast, it sure has already been awful enough with Katrina.

Good luck
 

Gold Member
Username: Edster922

Abubala, Ababala The Occupation

Post Number: 2142
Registered: Mar-05
thanks, it'll be interesting to see how my house holds up to +100 mph winds for a couple of hours...
 

Silver Member
Username: Devils_advocate

Post Number: 416
Registered: Jul-05
Been a nasty season this year. Good luck Eddie.

 

Gold Member
Username: Paul_ohstbucks

Post Number: 2516
Registered: Jan-05
It's a cat5 now with over 165mph winds. I read that it may potentially be the worst 'cane to ever hit the USA. I do NOT pity the fools who ignore the evacuation orders and become statistics because of their own ignorance.

Eddie,
Nothing personal man, but if you're anywhere within 50 miles of the coast, dont be a jackass. If your area takes a direct hit, the ground will be wiped clean. Yes, many people will die when this hits landfall, but all were ignorant fools who had plenty of advanced warning to get to safety.
 

Gold Member
Username: Edster922

Abubala, Ababala The Occupation

Post Number: 2143
Registered: Mar-05
I'm exactly 53 miles N-NW of Galveston, according to Yahoo Maps.

No, it's 165mph now which means by tomorrow it'll be down to 140-150 and by the time it makes landfall it'll be 120-130 and 53 miles north it'll be more like around 100. I've researched hurricanes pretty thoroughly, if they peak this far from land that means that'll just start to weaken earlier. Not always but usually.

Besides, I was in Hurricane Alicia which had a direct hit here in 1981 and came through with 90 mph winds, mostly just blew off a bunch of tree branches. Of course my parents' house is brick, the one I'm living in now has brick only on the front and wood with vinyl siding on the other 3 sides.

I'm mainly worried about my cars and electronics really, will put my nicer car in a 3 level concrete parking garage and probably wrap up the electronics and take them downstairs away from all the glass upstairs.

As long as a tornado doesn't come straight through here and tag me I'll be ok...but I figure if I have such bad luck as to be in the path of a twister then maybe my time's up anyhow. : )
 

Gold Member
Username: Paul_ohstbucks

Post Number: 2520
Registered: Jan-05
Yep,
If I lived anywhere near the coast, I'd do the same thing and learn how far to be away from the coast. Guaranteed, if this thing hits with force, a bunch will die, and most will only have themselves to blame.

The hurricane photos floating around always crack me up. You know the ones.... The ones that show idiots out where they shouldnt be during bad storms.
 

Gold Member
Username: Edster922

Abubala, Ababala The Occupation

Post Number: 2145
Registered: Mar-05
Actually I think most of the people who died during Katrina did so because of flooding. That is very unlikely here because Houston is not under sea level nor is it dependent upon a bunch of levees for our survival.

My sister, who lives more like 30 miles from the coast and whose house is definitely on the storm surge flood plain, left today.

To be honest I'm more concerned about the possibility of anar chy (WTF, why is this word censored???) and looting AFTER the storm passes more than anything else.
 

Gold Member
Username: Paul_ohstbucks

Post Number: 2522
Registered: Jan-05
Yea, but most of people who died in MISS and ALA died because entire towns were wiped off the face of the map. I agree that being 50+ miles inland is probably far enough to survive unless you're unlucky.
 

Silver Member
Username: Devils_advocate

Post Number: 417
Registered: Jul-05
Even if it is a 100mph wind as opposed to 165, it would be prudent to get out of there. Lesser storms have caused significant damage in the past. Air rushing at you at 100mph may not mean much, but a tree falling on your house or debris flying around at 100 mph does.
 

Gold Member
Username: Edster922

Abubala, Ababala The Occupation

Post Number: 2147
Registered: Mar-05
That has occurred to me DA, but I have a nice big walk-in closet that's smack dab in the center of the house downstairs...gonna be home for the 12 hours or so it'll take for Rita to go through. As long as the ceiling and second floor doesn't collapse on our heads we'll be ok.
 

Gold Member
Username: Edster922

Abubala, Ababala The Occupation

Post Number: 2148
Registered: Mar-05
anyways am on my way to Walmart, pick up any canned goods I can find and maybe a 12 gauge if they still have any.

Wish I'd bought a Beretta a few months back like I wanted to, but then again it's harder to miss with the 12 gauge...
 

Silver Member
Username: Devils_advocate

Post Number: 418
Registered: Jul-05
Don't forget a can opener!
 

Anoynymous
Unregistered guest
and a Radio ! Batteries, lantern, Cell Phone...
 

Silver Member
Username: Audioholic

Post Number: 155
Registered: Apr-05
Stu, you posted the following: " A problem I've noticed more often than not with this type of music is that a lot of 'accrurate and revealing' speakers can't keep up with it. What you need is a 'accurate and detailed' speaker that is fast"
Stu, would you mind giving us a definition of "accurate and revealing" please? And is it possible to have an "accurate and detailed" speaker thats slow? If so, can you really call it "accurate" then? What your hearing when you combine rock music with 99% of the speakers on the market that sound harsh, brittle, edgy, hard or whatever terminology you wish to attach to it, is crossover induced phase distortion. Try listening to the same recordings on a pair of Electrostatic (Stax)headphones. That recording will be a lot easier to listen to because the headphones have little phase shift. If you don't have electrostats, use reg. headphones....they will still ave less phase shift than the speakers in most cases. If the recording still sounds bad on cans, then it's a bad recording.
 

Gold Member
Username: Paul_ohstbucks

Post Number: 2523
Registered: Jan-05
Realistically, if I was in your shoes, I'd already have found hotel reservations at a cozy hotel far away from all the mess. I'd kick back and watch the event unfold on 'FOX' News while enjoying a cold adult beverage and a tasty meal. Im sure many of the hotels in that region will be packed, so I'd definitely have reservations in advance so at least I would know where I was going.

If you live alone that's one thing, but if you have a wife and kids to think about, you should do it for them. I would never willingly subject my wife or children to the possible dangers of staying. Looters or protecting my home contents from rainwater would be the least of my concerns. I'd pack a shitload of clothes though, so at least I wouldnt have 'that' to worry about.
 

Gold Member
Username: Edster922

Abubala, Ababala The Occupation

Post Number: 2150
Registered: Mar-05
oh Paul, you have no spirit of adventure!

Very surprising coming from such a chest-beating, Cerwin-Vega-loving, SVS-worshipping manly-man like yourself...

(no kids in the picture, praises be unto Allah)
 

Gold Member
Username: Paul_ohstbucks

Post Number: 2525
Registered: Jan-05
Unlike those many idiots in Nawlins, I choose not to put my family into harms way.
 

Gold Member
Username: Edster922

Abubala, Ababala The Occupation

Post Number: 2151
Registered: Mar-05
Ever seen the movie, "Internal Affairs?" Richard Gere makes a fine argument about such "family values." You'd like this one if you haven't seen it, lots of action but not totally brainless either.
 

Silver Member
Username: Twebbz

Ann Arbor, Michigan USA

Post Number: 242
Registered: Apr-04
The Athena AS-F2s can really rock and effortlessly blow the windows out but stay clear and detailed. I'm running them with a NAD C370 @ 120wpc.

You may like the Klipsch Synergy F3 towers at Best Buy too.
 

Gold Member
Username: Paul_ohstbucks

Post Number: 2530
Registered: Jan-05
No, Im not a big fan of Gere movies.
 

Silver Member
Username: Stone

West CoastUSA

Post Number: 173
Registered: Dec-03
Is there an off topic board here? Because this poor guys post should probably get moved there.
No budget is listed but Soliloquy makes very good looking bass thumper. The Klipsch get loud. I have never listened to them but Von Schweikert's and NHT speakers are very popluar with guys who lke to crank it up. If I was buying rock specific speaker that I've heard B&W do the job well.
 

Silver Member
Username: Stu_pitt

NYC, NY

Post Number: 564
Registered: May-05
Edster -

Best of luck to you. You talked about video taping for insurance purposes. Make sure the tape is in a place that has no chance of getting ruined. Maybe a safe deposit box in a bank away from where you are. I know this sounds elementary, but a lot of people take pictures, videos, etc of their stuff and leave it in the house. A friend of mine had pictures of everything of value in his house. They burned along with the house. According to an insurance agent friend of mine, this happens on a regular basis, even though he warns people to keep that stuff somewhere else.
 

Silver Member
Username: Stu_pitt

NYC, NY

Post Number: 565
Registered: May-05
Paul Bayless -
I'm not going anywhere near the 1st order crossover arguement with you. Right, wrong, or indifferent. I've heard great speakers on all sides of the arguement. By a speaker that's slow, I mean a speaker that muddies up the lower mids and bass when the music moves at a very fast pace. By fast pace, I mean Korn, System of a Down and older Metallica. When the music slows down, this problem goes away. I really don't care if it's the crossover or drivers. It happens. My speakers don't have this problem. If it's crossovers, drivers, or a combination of the two, what ever it is I have no complaints what so ever.

I've listened to 99% of my music on good headphones and know which ones are recorded well and which ones aren't.
 

Gold Member
Username: Dmwiley

Post Number: 1141
Registered: Feb-05
"Paul Bayless -
I'm not going anywhere near the 1st order crossover arguement with you. Right, wrong, or indifferent." Thank God for small favors.

The MOFO has spoken.
 

Wiley is Stupid
Unregistered guest
Dale and Paul B. should get together, I am sure it will be a divine ..a n a l...experience...come on guys you can do it!

The real MoFo has spoken !
 

Wiley is Stupid
Unregistered guest
Hey Dalie ...is it time to go feed the pigs yet or just the cows ?
 

Gold Member
Username: T_bomb25

Dayton, Ohio United States

Post Number: 1020
Registered: Jun-05
Eddie man i really think you should get out of there man,thats not far enough,this storm is recreating itself thats the only reason it downgraded to a Cat 4 its about to hit another warm patch in the next 6 hours a expert said the winds will excede 185 mph and hit landfall at 170,man you cant survive that it could be the most devestating hurricane ever it exceded 212 mph. about 4hours ago,I dont know but I think they are lying to the public about this CNN is anyway they had it 165 about 4 hours ago and at the same time Fox had it 212 ror about a hour.
 

Gold Member
Username: Paul_ohstbucks

Post Number: 2538
Registered: Jan-05
Eddie is going to try to 'appease' the storm. Just like democrats in Nawlins, his course action is that of non-action.
 

Gold Member
Username: T_bomb25

Dayton, Ohio United States

Post Number: 1022
Registered: Jun-05
Paul what happened you talked intellegent just a few posts ago,you must have Altimers or something.Eddie you do have a wife man you really need to get her out of there the cars are insured take one of them and pack up all your cloths and whatever you can pack up your stereo and roll out.You will keep us posted wont you?im sure you are still gonna be on here with us anyway I hope you do if you dont leave which I really think you should do, but you know Houston better than us though.Dale why not dispute Bayless and his first order crossover Bullsh1t,hell he hasnt listened to anything thing he brags about he is mearly a translator for Stereophile to sell magazines or for John Atkinson to write a wavelength and measurement book.
 

Gold Member
Username: Edster922

Abubala, Ababala The Occupation

Post Number: 2164
Registered: Mar-05
no worries TW, the local forecasters said the storm will be down to 150 at landfall and 100 by the time it moves through downtown Houston which is closer to where I live.

Sure I'll try to keep you guys updated by will probably be without power for 4 or 5 days starting tomorrow night when it hits.

BTW, who should I will my gear to? lol

Paul definitely gets the JBL sub...
 

Gold Member
Username: Edster922

Abubala, Ababala The Occupation

Post Number: 2166
Registered: Mar-05
Actually Paul is right: if I were a Retardican I would've pre-emptively sent other people's sons and daughters straight into the storm while fellating the flag and then treated my all buddies to a bunch of "no-bid" gazillion dollar cleanup/support contracts.
 

Silver Member
Username: Stu_pitt

NYC, NY

Post Number: 572
Registered: May-05
Dale -
A person as ignorant as you may argue about something that went in circles for days on end, but I won't. You're welcome for the favor, even though it wasn't a favor for an ignorant, close minded, and arrogant person such as yourself.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Rikmeister

Hometown, Pa Usa

Post Number: 42
Registered: Jun-05
if you are going to upload a tape of your property for insurance reasons it would be better to upload and store it on a web site. then if a storm comes you can always access it.
 

Gold Member
Username: Paul_ohstbucks

Post Number: 2546
Registered: Jan-05
Even better would be to use the tried and true method of using safety deposit boxes. I wouldnt trust the internet because who's to say your webpage will still exist when you need it, or what if you're dead? At least with a safety deposit box, your family members will find whatever and anything they need, and everything will be in a safe place.
 

Silver Member
Username: Twebbz

Ann Arbor, Michigan USA

Post Number: 243
Registered: Apr-04
I wonder if Jim Cantore, Paul Goodloe and Alexandra Steele are audio fans....I'll bet Vivian Brown has a killer set-up!
 

Silver Member
Username: Twebbz

Ann Arbor, Michigan USA

Post Number: 244
Registered: Apr-04
stay on topic boys...
 

Silver Member
Username: Audioholic

Post Number: 166
Registered: Apr-05
Stu Pitt posted "By a speaker that's slow, I mean a speaker that muddies up the lower mids and bass when the music moves at a very fast pace"
"SLOW" bass is almost always a room problem, not a speaker problem. What your describing Stu, if in fact it IS a speaker problem is high Q. "Q" is the relationship between stored and dissipated energy. Perhaps Tawaun could elaborate?
Wiley posts "Dale and Paul B. should get together, I am sure it will be a divine ..a n a l...experience...come on guys you can do it"
"Wiley is Stupid" 'Nuff said.
Tawaun.....you failed the challenge post number 1! You suck. 'Nuff said.
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