Looking for good floorstand speakers

[xrodney]

I just recently got ONKYO TX-SR806 and I am currently looking for front speakers and later plan to extend to 7.1 set.
I have to chance to listen just few speakers and i Liked JBL LS 80 but unfortunately they are too expensive for me right now.
My current room have around 156 feets (probably move to bigger room later) and i will be using them for like 60% music 25% Movies, 15% PC.

I am thinking about following, but will welcome any suggestion.
B&W 683 (or 684)
Wharfedale Evo2 - 30
JBL Studio L880

My budget is like 1000-1500$ for pair of front speakers.
(little more or less doesnt matter if its worth it).

I am listening all kind of music, but prefer melodic or vocal style of music like Eagles.

 

[Jeff R.]

Are you only looking for a pair of towers or do you want to integrate a sub in with them?

I just purchased a pair of Swans, I opted for the smaller tower the DIVA 4.2, the are on sale currently for only $709 per pair and I am very surprised by the build and sound quality for the price. They also make two steps up in the 5.2 and the 6.2 that range up to about $1100 per pair. There is also the 6.1 which is the previous large tower. All have excellent reviews and I don't think you can beat what you get for the money.

http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=52367

I purchased from www.theaudioinsider.com

AV123 and Axiom also seem to be very prefered speakers on the forum. Both will have some great options in your price range.

Enjoy the hunt.

Jeff

 

[BoB/335]

There are many speaker choices in that price range and I would expect for you to get a lot of responses. I think you might have a hard time finding speakers in this price range to compare to speaker in the price range of the LS80. (Although sometimes a high price doesn't make a great speaker.)

Aperion 5T or 6T
Axiom M60 or M80
Energy RC-70
Paradigm Monitor or Studio series

 

[3db]

The Image towers by PSB are a very musical speakers with good imaging. Worth an audition


PSB Image T45 $750.00
PSB Image T55 $850.00
PSB Image T65 $1250.00

 

[BoB/335]

I compared the PSB T65 to the Paradigm Studio 60's. I thought the T65 had an excellent low rwnge for their size. (Very appealing size and look) I felt they sounded somewhat compressed compared to the Studio 60's whuch had greater detail and highs. I would have gone for the Studio 60 if it wasn't that I heard that the Axioms sound very similar to the Studio series.

 

[3db]

I compared the PSB T65 to the Paradigm Studio 60's. I thought the T65 had an excellent low rwnge for their size. (Very appealing size and look) I felt they sounded somewhat compressed compared to the Studio 60's whuch had greater detail and highs. I would have gone for the Studio 60 if it wasn't that I heard that the Axioms sound very similar to the Studio series.

That doesn't surprise me as the Studio series is the next level up. Paradigm's Monitor series would be in teh same league as PSB's Image series. The new Imagine series from PSB is what I would consider competion to PAradigm's much acclaimed Studio series speakers.

The IMage T65 is a "big" tower and requires alot of room to breathe. Place them to close to the walls and the bass overpowers the mids and the highs.

 

[BoB/335]

I'm sorry! Please allow me a correction. I compared the Studio 60's to the PSB IMAGINE. Everything else I said is correct in my comparison. The Studio 60 sounded much more detailed. Although the bass response wasn't bad, the Imagine sounded much deeper. It was explained to me by the salesman that the PSB had a compressed low end with a bump in certain frequencies to give the impression of a bigger bottom. I intended to get a sub so I was much more impressed with th openess and airyness of the detailed Studio 60. Of course this is just my opinion. I don't have many opinions based on actual experience.

 

[browninggold]

I have the Aperion 6T's. Sound awesome with 2 channel music and home theatre as well.

 

[3db]

I'm sorry! Please allow me a correction. I compared the Studio 60's to the PSB IMAGINE. Everything else I said is correct in my comparison. The Studio 60 sounded much more detailed. Although the bass response wasn't bad, the Imagine sounded much deeper. It was explained to me by the salesman that the PSB had a compressed low end with a bump in certain frequencies to give the impression of a bigger bottom. I intended to get a sub so I was much more impressed with th openess and airyness of the detailed Studio 60. Of course this is just my opinion. I don't have many opinions based on actual experience.

That makes no sense what the sales person said. PSB design there speakers with a flat a response is possible. If you look at the frequency response curves, there is no "bump" in the bass region. Furthermore the T65 has 3 drivers compared to the Imagine's 2 is a bigger speaker volume wise and it plays deeper than the Imagine Ts. I also question what you were actually listening too as a comparison.

 

[BoB/335]

I'm NOT the salesman and I take NO responsibilty for what he said.

I had made a mistake and corrected it. You can question all you want . It was http://www.psbspeakers.com/ vs http://www.paradigm.com/en/reference/speaker_only-specification-28-1-2-13.paradigm


The PSB would probably make a good stand-alone speaker (no sub needed) and has great wife appeal. The rest of my statement stands.


"Furthermore the T65 has 3 drivers compared to the Imagine's 2 is a bigger speaker volume wise and it plays deeper than the Imagine Ts"

And the relevance of that statement???

 

[3db]

I'm NOT the salesman and I take NO responsibilty for what he said. ???

I wouldn't either. That guy is a crack job.

"Furthermore the T65 has 3 drivers compared to the Imagine's 2 is a bigger speaker volume wise and it plays deeper than the Imagine Ts"

And the relevance of that statement???

If you look at the specs between the Studio 60 and the Imagine towers, you'll find that there bass response is actually very close, so close that I would not expect to hear a substantial difference in bass. This would lead mwe to beleive that you were listening to the T65s or that the environments you were listening in..aka the demo rooms and teh setup in the rooms were different to merit what you've heard.

 

[BoB/335]

I haven't looked at specs for either speaker. I know what I was listening to and I know what I heard. Have you sat these two side by side in the exact same spot in the exact same room? Let me know when you do. Otherwise I am basically done with what I can add to this thread.

 

[xrodney]

I have chance to hear Tannoy Revolution Signature DC6 T and they sound great, added them on my thinking list. Anyone have chance to compare
Tannoy Revolution Signature DC6 and Tannoy Revolution DC4 line?
They seems to be almost identical except front/back basfreflex and slightly smaller dimensions.

 

[slothy420]

I have a pair of Paradigm Studio 100v4 as well as a pair of Energy RC-70 both on the way. I'm planning on comparing the two in my house and will decide which to keep and which to sell.

I've heard that the Energys need about 100 hrs in order to "break-in". I wonder if breaking them in will really make that much of a difference, especially when I'm trying to compare the two pairs side-by-side?

 

[lsiberian]

Check out the KEF iQ5, iq7s and or iQ9s they are on clearance and a very good deal atm.

 

[Soundman]

I haven't looked at specs for either speaker. I know what I was listening to and I know what I heard. Have you sat these two side by side in the exact same spot in the exact same room? Let me know when you do. Otherwise I am basically done with what I can add to this thread.

There's no need to get excited.

 

[BoB/335]

Who me??? You talking to me????

 

[BoB/335]

I have a pair of Paradigm Studio 100v4 as well as a pair of Energy RC-70 both on the way. I'm planning on comparing the two in my house and will decide which to keep and which to sell.

I've heard that the Energys need about 100 hrs in order to "break-in". I wonder if breaking them in will really make that much of a difference, especially when I'm trying to compare the two pairs side-by-side?

I'd love to hear about this comparison. The RC-70 was one of the very first I was looking into.

 

[Shock]

Are you only looking for a pair of towers or do you want to integrate a sub in with them?

I just purchased a pair of Swans, I opted for the smaller tower the DIVA 4.2, the are on sale currently for only $709 per pair and I am very surprised by the build and sound quality for the price. They also make two steps up in the 5.2 and the 6.2 that range up to about $1100 per pair. There is also the 6.1 which is the previous large tower. All have excellent reviews and I don't think you can beat what you get for the money.

http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=52367

I purchased from www.theaudioinsider.com

AV123 and Axiom also seem to be very prefered speakers on the forum. Both will have some great options in your price range.

Enjoy the hunt.

Jeff

Everything he just said. I'd go with Swan's.

http://www.theaudioinsider.com/product_info.php/loudspeakers/swan-diva/p/swan-diva-5-2/cPath/21_22/products_id/30

 

[xrodney]

After several auditions i finaly decided to go with B&W 6xx.
Ordered 605 bookshelfs today and i should receive them sometime in middle of next week.
603, center and woofew will follow in following weeks.

From all brands i tested B&W was second best i liked (with JBL LS80 1st but too expensive after they rised price by almost 1k$)
3rd place would go to wharfedale Pacific Evo2 - 30, they were good, but B&W was little better in details.

Thx everyone for sugestions.