Best Bookshelf speakers under $300/pair

[AcuDefTechGuy]

The Polks I've heard were $300/pr speakers @ Best Buy.

My brother also bought a $300/pr Polk towers from Amazon. He returned them after listening to them.

Perhaps their more expensive speakers sound a lot better.

 

[Pyrrho]

The Polks I've heard were $300/pr speakers @ Best Buy.

My brother also bought a $300/pr Polk towers from Amazon. He returned them after listening to them.

Perhaps their more expensive speakers sound a lot better.

Were the $300 ones at Best Buy these:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Polk+Audio+-+5-1/4"+Bookshelf+Speakers+(Pair)+-+Black/8825471.p?id=1207352527388&skuId=8825471

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Polk+Audio+-+5-1/4"+Bookshelf+Speakers+(Pair)+-+Cherry/8828076.p?id=1207956903826&skuId=8828076

If so, that is a lesser series of speakers than the RTi (though not the bottom of its series).

And unless it was an incredible sale price, towers at $300 a pair would also be a lesser series than the RTi. The normal price for the cheapest RTi tower is $799.90 per pair.

In general with Polk, buying the bottom of a series gets you the same tweeter as the top of that particular series of speakers, and it is the number and size of woofers, along with a cabinet larger to fit them, that increases as one goes up the line. So one gets deeper bass and the ability to play louder as one goes up the series, but usually not a fundamentally better sound (typically, every speaker in a series is "voice matched" to the others in that series for home theater use). Thus, the bottom of a series is typically the best deal, especially when one considers the amount of money it costs to go up each step, and the fact that one can always just add a subwoofer if one requires deeper bass.

There is no way I would ever consider buying those $300 per pair speakers sold at Best Buy, even if I were absolutely going to buy Polk speakers. The bottom of the RTi series can be had for that.

If we compare these two Polk speakers:

http://www.polkaudio.com/homeaudio/tsi/index.php?s=tsi200

http://www.polkaudio.com/homeaudio/rtia/index.php?s=rtia1

the TSi200 goes deeper in the bass (-3dB @ 50Hz) than the RTi A1 (-3dB @ 60Hz), and also is rated to handle slightly more power (with the same sensitivity specification), but it is a lower quality speaker, both acoustically and as a thing in one's room (the RTi A1 has real wood veneer, but the TSi200 has vinyl). The choice between those speakers that are priced the same (at least at Polk's web site) is a choice between a speaker that will play louder and go deeper in the bass, or one that is otherwise of higher quality. I recommend selecting the higher quality one, but for some people, sacrificing quality for louder and more bass is what they want.

With Polk, at least in recent years, the ones with real wood veneer are significantly better than the ones with vinyl veneer, and the bottom model with the wood veneer is a good value. I would imagine that the bottom of the higher LSi series and the bottom of the new and even higher LSiM series would be worth auditioning, if one were in the market for a speaker at their price points.

This, by the way, is not an exclusive peculiarity for Polk, as manufacturers tend to put better speakers in their series that have better finishes. So, often a prettier speaker sounds better than a less attractive one, though the finish is not the cause of that improvement in sound.

 

[njedpx3]

Cambridge Audio S-30

These speakers are awesome bookshelf; mount on Sanus stands

Cambridge Audio S-30




Forest Man

 

[zieglj01]

These speakers are awesome bookshelf; mount on Sanus stands

Cambridge Audio S-30

Forest Man

And I have owned Polk Monitor/TSi and RTi speakers, and to me the
Cambridge performs much better. The Cambridge has a real cohesive
sound, with a rich midrange and the bass is more tight and controled.
Also, the tweeter in the Cambridge is more smooth than Polk.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Were the $300 ones at Best Buy these:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Polk+Audio+-+5-1/4"+Bookshelf+Speakers+(Pair)+-+Black/8825471.p?id=1207352527388&skuId=8825471

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Polk+Audio+-+5-1/4"+Bookshelf+Speakers+(Pair)+-+Cherry/8828076.p?id=1207956903826&skuId=8828076

No they were actually tower speakers that I auditioned for $300/pr.

So they were probably even worse.

 

[Pyrrho]

No they were actually tower speakers that I auditioned for $300/pr.

So they were probably even worse.

Polk makes quite a few different lines of speakers, several quite cheap. Right now, they have 9 different series of home speakers. Several of them are series I would never consider, but that means nothing for their other series of speakers.

Quite a few years ago, I drove around town to audition car speakers, and I liked the Polk speakers best at their price point. At twice their price, there were obviously better speakers, but, at that time, among the various models I heard, I liked Polk car speakers best at their price point (I do not remember the brands or models after so many years, but I listened to everything in each of the stores that were at, near, or below the amount I wanted to pay). Some of the other brands of speakers had more of a bass thump that some people would like, but the quality of the sound was, in my opinion, better with the Polks (again, at their price point; there were obviously better speakers when comparing with some that cost twice as much, but with such a difference in price, the more expensive ones ought to sound substantially better). And given that when I am listening in the car, I am driving around with tire noise, engine noise, and wind noise, there would be little point in buying very high end speakers for my car. The materials that Polk uses for their speakers also tend to be good for holding up over time, unlike some of the other models I listened to (the Polk speakers in my car must be about 10 years old now, and are as good as new). That, of course, does not necessarily mean anything about their home speakers, but I think that they are competitive with other speaker makers at their price points, compared either with everything considered at MSRP or everything compared at the best street price one can get (right now, an RTi series speaker can be had for $149.99 plus tax delivered from an authorized dealer, so that is the current street price). And for those who appreciate real wood and are on a tight budget, the bottom RTi speaker has very few, if any, competitors for beauty.

Now, given what I already own, and the amount of money I have, I would never get something as cheap as a Polk RTi speaker for my main system. But if I were looking for a speaker for under $200, I would order the RTi4 in cherry from Polk on ebay. (Those who prefer black can get it new from Amazon/J&R for the same price.)


Incidentally, compared with my main home system, my car stereo sound like crap (as it should, as my main home system new was worth several thousand, while my car stereo was only hundreds). But when I ride in other people's cars, I very rarely hear anything that sounds as good as my car stereo, or even very close to as good.

A visit to Polk suggests which series of floorstanding speakers you were hearing:

http://www.polkaudio.com/homeaudio/floorstanding.php#rtm

That is two series below the RTi line. I would not expect much of that series.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Here is the $100ea Polk LS250 satellite speakers:

The Polk TL2’s listening-window response (a five-point average of axial and +/–15-degree horizontal and vertical responses) measures +0.93/–2.80 decibels from 200 hertz to 10 kilohertz.

http://www.hometheater.com/content/polk-blackstone-tl250-speaker-system-ht-labs-measures

NHT $100ea SuperZero:
The SuperZero 2.0’s listening-window response (a five-point average of axial and +/–15-degree horizontal and vertical responses) measures +3.01/–3.03 decibels from 200 hertz to 10 kilohertz.

Pioneer $75ea SP-BS41-LR:
The SP-BS41-LR’s listening-window response (a five-point average of axial and +/–15-degree horizontal and vertical responses) measures +1.62/–4.50 decibels from 200 hertz to 10 kilohertz.

Cambridge Audio $80ea Min10:
The Min10’s listening-window response (a five-point average of axial and +/–15-degree horizontal and vertical responses) measures +4.82/–3.37 decibels from 200 hertz to 10 kilohertz.

Boston Acoustics $150ea A25:
The A 25’s listening-window response (a five-point average of axial and +/–15-degree horizontal and vertical responses) measures +3.20/–2.55 decibels from 200 hertz to 10 kilohertz.

Sinclair Audio Brighton $150ea 50B:
The 50B’s listening-window response (a five-point average of axial and +/–15-degree horizontal and vertical responses) measures +2.12/–2.88 decibels from 200 hertz to 10 kilohertz.

Klipsch Synergy $140 B-20:
The B-20’s listening-window response (a five-point average of axial and +/–15-degree horizontal and vertical responses) measures +0.64/–2.39 decibels from 200 hertz to 10 kilohertz.

$200ea NHT Absolute Zero:

The Absolute Zero’s listening-window response (a five-point average of axial and +/–15-degree horizontal and vertical responses) measures +0.94/–0.82 decibels from 200 hertz to 10 kilohertz.

Polk RTi A9:

The RTi A9’s listening-window response (a five-point average of axial and +/–15-degree horizontal and vertical responses) measures +0.61/–2.91 decibels from 200 hertz to 10 kilohertz. The –3-dB point is at 49 Hz, and the –6-dB point is at 40 Hz. Impedance reaches a minimum of 4.49 ohms at 67 Hz and a phase angle of –49.39 degrees at 22 Hz.

So I take back what I said about Polk. They do have some very well-measured speakers.

 

[Pyrrho]

Here is the $100ea Polk LS250 satellite speakers:

The Polk TL2’s listening-window response (a five-point average of axial and +/–15-degree horizontal and vertical responses) measures +0.93/–2.80 decibels from 200 hertz to 10 kilohertz.

http://www.hometheater.com/content/polk-blackstone-tl250-speaker-system-ht-labs-measures

NHT $100ea SuperZero:
The SuperZero 2.0’s listening-window response (a five-point average of axial and +/–15-degree horizontal and vertical responses) measures +3.01/–3.03 decibels from 200 hertz to 10 kilohertz.

Pioneer $75ea SP-BS41-LR:
The SP-BS41-LR’s listening-window response (a five-point average of axial and +/–15-degree horizontal and vertical responses) measures +1.62/–4.50 decibels from 200 hertz to 10 kilohertz.

Cambridge Audio $80ea Min10:
The Min10’s listening-window response (a five-point average of axial and +/–15-degree horizontal and vertical responses) measures +4.82/–3.37 decibels from 200 hertz to 10 kilohertz.

Boston Acoustics $150ea A25:
The A 25’s listening-window response (a five-point average of axial and +/–15-degree horizontal and vertical responses) measures +3.20/–2.55 decibels from 200 hertz to 10 kilohertz.

Sinclair Audio Brighton $150ea 50B:
The 50B’s listening-window response (a five-point average of axial and +/–15-degree horizontal and vertical responses) measures +2.12/–2.88 decibels from 200 hertz to 10 kilohertz.

Klipsch Synergy $140 B-20:
The B-20’s listening-window response (a five-point average of axial and +/–15-degree horizontal and vertical responses) measures +0.64/–2.39 decibels from 200 hertz to 10 kilohertz.

$200ea NHT Absolute Zero:

The Absolute Zero’s listening-window response (a five-point average of axial and +/–15-degree horizontal and vertical responses) measures +0.94/–0.82 decibels from 200 hertz to 10 kilohertz.

Polk RTi A9:

The RTi A9’s listening-window response (a five-point average of axial and +/–15-degree horizontal and vertical responses) measures +0.61/–2.91 decibels from 200 hertz to 10 kilohertz. The –3-dB point is at 49 Hz, and the –6-dB point is at 40 Hz. Impedance reaches a minimum of 4.49 ohms at 67 Hz and a phase angle of –49.39 degrees at 22 Hz.

So I take back what I said about Polk. They do have some very well-measured speakers.

From Home Theater:

The Polk RTi A1 is probably the most well thought-out and elaborately constructed speaker in the budget genre. It earns top marks for both build quality and value. If you’re looking to mate a set of speakers with a sub-$500 A/V receiver, the RTi A1 is a logical choice. But if you’re spending more than that for a better AVR, I’d strongly recommend that you step up from these monitors to the Polk LSi7 ($800 per pair). They’re more than worth the difference in price. Either way, you’ll get unbeatable value for your money.​

http://www.hometheater.com/content/polk-rti-a1-speaker-system-page-2

Start of the review:

http://www.hometheater.com/content/polk-rti-a1-speaker-system

Given your interest in measurements, you might be less thrilled with them in advance of actually hearing them:

http://www.hometheater.com/content/polk-rti-a1-speaker-system-ht-labs-measures

Again, it must be remembered that we are talking about relatively cheap speakers, not the finest that money can buy. If I were on a very tight budget, it would be difficult to persuade me to get something other than a bottom Polk RTi at its price point, unless I heard something I liked better for myself (which hasn't happened yet, though I don't tend to audition speakers that are so cheap anymore, so it is quite possible that someone else does make something better at this price point). If I liked the sound of the other speaker about the same, then most likely I would get the Polk due to the beauty of the finish.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

The $3,000/pr ($2,000/pr on amazon) Polk LSi25's listening-window response (a five-point average of axial and +/-15-degree horizontal and vertical responses) measures +0.82/-2.34 decibels from 200 hertz to 10 kilohertz. The -3dB point is at 27 Hz, and the -6dB point is at 25 Hz. Impedance reaches a minimum of 2.02 ohms at 94 Hz and a phase angle of -43.97 degrees at 2.2 kHz. Sensitivity averages 89 dB from 500 Hz to 2 kHz.

Very good measurements indeed!

I can't believe all this time I thought Polk speakers had bad measurements or something.

 

[Texun1]

Add me to the Energy RC-10 list. I have a set that sounds great. Not a big room speaker but in the correct size area they are awesome.

 

[cschang]

If it hasn't been mentioned before, Ascend Acoustics CBM-170SE's are currently $298/pr. They should be on the "listen to" list.

 

[Whetzell]

Not under $300.00, but Energy V5.1 monitors, $359.98 @ [Vann's] is a terrific speaker!

 

[gtpsuper24]

No one mentioned Arx A1s yet. Awesome bookshelfs, i've been blown away by them. XBL2/Splitgap woofers and planar tweeters, heavy well built cabinets.

Arx A1

 

[schizoid]

No one mentioned Arx A1s yet. Awesome bookshelfs, i've been blown away by them. XBL2/Splitgap woofers and planar tweeters, heavy well built cabinets.

+1

I have a pair for the Arx A1's as well, for a near-field computer/bedroom setup (and am actually looking for a sub to compliment them). They're pretty amazing, especially for the price.

The best thing I can say about these speakers is they make it painfully aware how good your source is. My MP3's (even the high-bitrate ones) just aren't as good as CDs or my lossless audio. I couldn't really tell with my older speakers.