L/R speakers $500

[Roen]

I had been planning to look at a $750 soundbar (Monitor Audio ASB-10) + sub and I was instead convinced to get a receiver + 2 speakers + sub. I went with a RX-A660 receiver and a PB-1000 sub.

I currently have a LG OLED55B6P TV and a room size of 10' x 15'. Viewing position is about 7' away from the TV screen.

I'm wondering what speakers I should get to fill up my small condo room.

I would say it's primarily Formula 1 / TV Series / Netflix but a significant secondary use for music as well (i.e. >20%).

My music collection includes high-res 24/192 and DSD files, so I would say I'm somewhat serious about my music.

I don't really care much about visual aesthetics for speakers.

I'm mainly looking for 2 speakers which, in conjunction with the PB-1000, will produce as much detail as possible, regardless of source. I understand that my main usage is HT, but when I play music through it, I don't want to feel like I'm missing any detail. I have a lot of detail oriented IEMs on a budget for personal listening and I want to keep the same ethos for my speakers. My main frequency curve preferences are:

1. W-shaped (enhanced bass, mid vocals and treble relative to flat)
2. Enhanced bass and mid vocals
3. L-shaped (Enhanced bass)
4. Flat
5. All Others

I'm not a basshead, which is why I went with the PB-1000, as I read that it was the best 10" sub for details under $500. Basically, I'd like to use all $500 on very detail resolving left and right speakers.

I figure if they can do well with music, they can more than do well for home theater use as well.

Hoping to hear some good recommendations!

Speakers recommended so far: Ascend 340 SE, Chane A2, Philharmonic AA, EMPTek R5Bi

Anyone have comparisons between these recommendations and others?

 

[rojo]

I had been planning to look at a $750 soundbar (Monitor Audio ASB-10) + sub and I was instead convinced to get a receiver + 2 speakers + sub. I went with a RX-A660 receiver and a PB-1000 sub.

I currently have a LG OLED55B6P TV and a room size of 10' x 15'. Viewing position is about 7' away from the TV screen.

I'm wondering what speakers I should get to fill up my small condo room.

I would say it's primarily Formula 1 / TV Series / Netflix but a significant secondary use for music as well (i.e. >20%).

My music collection includes high-res 24/192 and DSD files, so I would say I'm somewhat serious about my music.

I don't really care much about visual aesthetics for speakers.

I'm mainly looking for 2 speakers which, in conjunction with the PB-1000, will produce as much detail as possible, regardless of source. I understand that my main usage is HT, but when I play music through it, I don't want to feel like I'm missing any detail. I have a lot of detail oriented IEMs on a budget for personal listening and I want to keep the same ethos for my speakers. My main frequency curve preferences are:

1. W-shaped (enhanced bass, mid vocals and treble relative to flat)
2. Enhanced bass and mid vocals
3. L-shaped (Enhanced bass)
4. Flat
5. All Others

I'm not a basshead, which is why I went with the PB-1000, as I read that it was the best 10" sub for details under $500. Basically, I'd like to use all $500 on very detail resolving left and right speakers.

I figure if they can do well with music, they can more than do well for home theater use as well.

Hoping to hear some good recommendations!

Speakers recommended so far: Ascend 340 SE, Chane A2, Philharmonic AA, EMPTek R5Bi

Anyone have comparisons between these recommendations and others?

Get the Affordable Accuracy monitors + center or 3x WaveCrest HVL-1 (if you can accommodate a vertical center channel). If you insist on strictly 2.1 channel, then Ascend Acoustics CMT-340SE.

@KEW wrote a very brief comparison of the Philharmonic AA's and the WaveCrests (after declaring absolute victory of the AA's over the Elac B5):

In the same price range, I compared the AA Monitor to the WaveCrest HVL-1(link below, post #3). The AA’s were more accurate and clearly a better speaker (by any normal standards) and better value; however, unlike the B5's, I could find specific places in music where the HVL-1 sounded better than the AA's.

The Ascend CMT-340SE go a step up in driver quality, so they'll have a bit less harmonic distortion at higher volumes. They're also more sensitive, so you'll have more watts of overhead for musical peaks from your AVR. Unfortunately, there'll be no room left in your budget for a center channel with the Ascends.

The Monoprice Monolith Air Motion might be worth considering as well. Those AMT tweets ought to give nice off-axis response. The highs on it might be a little veiled if Monoprice's measurement graph is to be trusted. The benefit, though, is that its matching center (should you decide to buy one later) is a 3-way, also with the potential of better off-axis response and reduced lobing.

 

[zieglj01]

I would also look at the Emotiva Airmotiv B1
https://emotiva.com/products/speakers/airmotiv-b1

 

[Roen]

I'm probably going to stick to 2.1, and then move these speakers to the rear once I move somewhere bigger and get better front LCR speakers.

 

[j_garcia]

AAs would be an awesome setup, but they are lower sensitivity. That's not so much of an issue in a 2.1 setup though. They had no problem playing very loud and clear in my setup.

The CMT-340SE is an excellent main. I'd call it fairly neutral and handles all types of audio well, good sensitivity and great with vocals.

 

[Roen]

AAs would be an awesome setup, but they are lower sensitivity. That's not so much of an issue in a 2.1 setup though. They had no problem playing very loud and clear in my setup.

The CMT-340SE is an excellent main. I'd call it fairly neutral and handles all types of audio well, good sensitivity and great with vocals.

What about if musical detail / critical listening is the main concern?

 

[lovinthehd]

What about if musical detail / critical listening is the main concern?

They'll both do fine in that regard. I don't own the 340SE but do own Sierra1s, 170SE and 200SEs as well as have built the base kit from parts-express (BR-1) that the AA is based on. In this budget range they're very good values...

 

[j_garcia]

I'd say both are good critical listeners in the price range. The AA cabinet isn't the greatest but it sounds very good. I could be happy with them, and surprisingly, they may actually have a slight advantage in bass despite what the specs suggest. I found them both to be good with vocals and clear but not harsh highs.

 

[Roen]

I'd say both are good critical listeners in the price range. The AA cabinet isn't the greatest but it sounds very good. I could be happy with them, and surprisingly, they may actually have a slight advantage in bass despite what the specs suggest. I found them both to be good with vocals and clear but not harsh highs.

With the sub, bass becomes less of an issue?

 

[j_garcia]

With the sub, bass becomes less of an issue?

Both have enough extension to blend well with most any sub. It is less of an issue, just commenting on them independent of that.

 

[afterlife2]

You've been adviced good so far. Ill throw these in the mix: http://www.hsuresearch.com/products/hb-1.html
These i highly recommend as well they used as they are no longer made: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/ol/B0044UHVOK/ref=mw_dp_olp?ie=UTF8&condition=used

 

[Roen]

Well, I'm not looking really for general reputation, but looking to extract every ounce of critical music detail for the money I want to spend.

Ascends seem like they'd be better for music than the HSU?

 

[afterlife2]

Well, I'm not looking really for general reputation, but looking to extract every ounce of critical music detail for the money I want to spend.

Ascends seem like they'd be better for music than the HSU?

WELL, What gen music do you listen to? HSU handle any gen. Jazz is Really exceptional on the HSU. Never heard the Ascends.

 

[Roen]

WELL, What gen music do you listen to? HSU handle any gen. Jazz is Really exceptional on the HSU. Never heard the Ascends.

Multi-genre

I'll go by artists:
Michael Jackson
Daft Punk
The Weeknd
Various K-Pop Artists
Queen
Norah Jones
Miles Davis
90's R&B and Hip-Hop
Adele
Probably have some more in there.

A lot of my stuff is Lossless DSD and PCM (FLAC/ALAC) at high res.

 

[rojo]

With intended placement at ear height, I'd go with the Ascends. Double the mid driver surface area = same amount of air moved with half the effort. Unless you're going to be mounting near the ceiling, then go with the Hsu offering for tamer ceiling reflections and less vertical lobing. That's just an educated guess. Either way, if your first choice fails the audition, you're only out the cost of shipping.

Or you could email @Dennis Murphy at Philharmonic and ask whether he's planning to release an offering that's a step up from Affordable Accuracy sometime soon. I know a month or so ago he sold a prototype of something a bit more budget-minded than the Philharmonitors. I haven't heard anything about that upcoming line since, but I'm still keeping an eye open.

 

[Roen]

With intended placement at ear height, I'd go with the Ascends. Double the mid driver surface area = same amount of air moved with half the effort. Unless you're going to be mounting near the ceiling, then go with the Hsu offering for tamer ceiling reflections and less vertical lobing. That's just an educated guess. Either way, if your first choice fails the audition, you're only out the cost of shipping.

Or you could email @Dennis Murphy at Philharmonic and ask whether he's planning to release an offering that's a step up from Affordable Accuracy sometime soon. I know a month or so ago he sold a prototype of something a bit more budget-minded than the Philharmonitors. I haven't heard anything about that upcoming line since, but I'm still keeping an eye open.

Other contenders are Martin Logan LX16, Chane A2.4 and HTD Level Three

 

[afterlife2]

Multi-genre

I'll go by artists:
Michael Jackson
Daft Punk
The Weeknd
Various K-Pop Artists
Queen
Norah Jones
Miles Davis
90's R&B and Hip-Hop
Adele
Probably have some more in there.

A lot of my stuff is Lossless DSD and PCM (FLAC/ALAC) at high res.

Those gens should sound great on any of the speakers recommended thus far. Good luck on the search.

 

[j_garcia]

The CMT340SEs have sort of an analytical sound (in a good way), so very true to the material IMO. They sound great with electronic music and vocals due to the very nice midrange drivers and since there are two drivers, they have a lot of midrange. Also well suited to rock/alternative.

The AAs sounded great with everything. They were fine even at elevated levels; the mids are a tiny bit soft, but I think that is partly due to their low sensitivity. They like to be pushed harder and they took a LOT to be pushed to their limits in my system.

The Chane's I heard in my system were not to my liking. They had the right parts but the x-over wasn't right, at least on the ones I heard. They tried to compensate for something higher up and ended up making something that didn't quite sound right to me. Excellent mids, but issues up top.

 

[zieglj01]

Other contenders are Martin Logan LX16, Chane A2.4 and HTD Level Three

HTD overall are nice -- however for the nit-picking critical ear, there are some better options in this thread.

 

[j_garcia]

A super revealing speaker for critical listening can have a secondary impact - I have found a speaker like that to be very unforgiving or unflattering of poor recordings / source material. That's great when you are mixing/mastering, but for normal listening, even critical listening, I found over the years that a nice even handed speaker tends to be easier to listen to.