Best speaker for an entry level system

[bhavin]

Hey folks,
I recently got a Harman Kardan AVR1710 receiver and wanted to get two floor or bookshelf speakers, mainly for music and also to enhance movie watching. My budget is tight but would like to get the best speakers and sub combo and keep it under 500-600. I could put it al towards speakers now and get a sub later on if it makes sense. Polk audio seems to be the one with most options in that range, some of the models listed below. Also, curious what the monitor ones are like in comparison to regular floor standing.

Amazon prices for new
Tsi300 - 149 ea
Tsi400 -199 ea
Polk audio monitor 70 series-220 ea - what is the diff between these and one from above?

Open to any other suggestions too!
Thanks in advance!!!

 

[markw]

Forget the sub for now. You won't get squat when you figure in speakers.

As for two mains, the 340's (see link below) will be a great start.

http://www.ascendacoustics.com/pages/products/speakers/spkrlist.html

These are good enough that you shouldn't feel too cheated while saving up for a sub. Figure at least $500 for a decent sub.

 

[zieglj01]

Open to any other suggestions too!
Thanks in advance!!!

As stated start with a pair and save for a nice subwoofer

The JBL Studio 530 have been preferred over some more popular and expensive
speakers - and they do have some good bass.

A list (subjective) of some speakers, that the testers/owners chose the Studio 530 over are,
Aperion Intimus 5B, Ascend Acoustics Sierra, Audioengine P4, Axiom Audio M22, B&W 683 & 685,
Dali Mentor & Icon, Dynaudio Contour & Focus, Epos Epic 1, GoldenEar Triton & Aon, Linn,
NHT Classic 3, Magnepan MMG & 1.6, Monitor Audio Silver RS6 & RX1, RSL CG4, Revel F12,
Tekton Design Model 4.5, Klipcsh Reference, PSB Image speakers, Totem Rainmakers, Totem Mites, Triangle Comets, and Vienna Acoustics Hydens.

http://www.amazon.com/JBL-Studio-530-5-25-Inch-Bookshelf/dp/B00622STI0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1436395980&sr=8-1&keywords=Jbl+studio+530

Lower in level - however still would be nice for the price
The Studio 230
http://www.amazon.com/JBL-Studio-230-Bookshelf-Loudspeaker/dp/B00GJXSWZW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1436395996&sr=8-1&keywords=Jbl+studio+230

I would easily choose these over the Polks you listed

 

[agarwalro]

I could put it al towards speakers now and get a sub later on if it makes sense.

It does make more sense to stagger the purchase. The L, C, R and sub are the most important and not those compromise on. IMO, for now just get the L, C and R speakers. Get the sub next and finally the surround speakers.

My LCR recommendation,
3x Ascend CMB170 for just under $$510

Put the rest of the budget towards the sub,
Dayton Audio Sub-1200 for $150

Later, surrounds,
One or two pairs Micca MB42X for $80/pair

 

[mikedavid]

good information.

 

[bhavin]

thanks everyone for the recommendations. I think the general consensus is that the polk speakers arent that great, or at least there is better bang for the buck.

So.. not doubting you all, just trying to learn what you guys look at to make these determinations What about these recommended speakers makes them better than the next? When I put these up side by side what parameter or spec makes the JBL stand out from Polk or the Ascends and vice versa? Frequence, hz, etc...? what are the important things to really focus in on?

Trying to get a feel for why bookshelf over floorstanding. And within floorstanding, there are categories like 'loudspeaker' or 'monitor', does that signify any core difference between them?

Thanks!

 

[highfigh]

As stated start with a pair and save for a nice subwoofer

The JBL Studio 530 have been preferred over some more popular and expensive
speakers - and they do have some good bass.

A list (subjective) of some speakers, that the testers/owners chose the Studio 530 over are,
Aperion Intimus 5B, Ascend Acoustics Sierra, Audioengine P4, Axiom Audio M22, B&W 683 & 685,
Dali Mentor & Icon, Dynaudio Contour & Focus, Epos Epic 1, GoldenEar Triton & Aon, Linn,
NHT Classic 3, Magnepan MMG & 1.6, Monitor Audio Silver RS6 & RX1, RSL CG4, Revel F12,
Tekton Design Model 4.5, Klipcsh Reference, PSB Image speakers, Totem Rainmakers, Totem Mites, Triangle Comets, and Vienna Acoustics Hydens.

http://www.amazon.com/JBL-Studio-530-5-25-Inch-Bookshelf/dp/B00622STI0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1436395980&sr=8-1&keywords=Jbl+studio+530

Lower in level - however still would be nice for the price
The Studio 230
http://www.amazon.com/JBL-Studio-230-Bookshelf-Loudspeaker/dp/B00GJXSWZW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1436395996&sr=8-1&keywords=Jbl+studio+230

I would easily choose these over the Polks you listed

Can you provide a link to the reviews or tests where people chose the JBL 530 over that list you posted?

If the people doing the comparisons knew anything about the other speakers, price alone could make them choose the less expensive ones.

 

[zieglj01]

Can you provide a link to the reviews or tests where people chose the JBL 530 over that list you posted?

If the people doing the comparisons knew anything about the other speakers, price alone could make them choose the less expensive ones.

I will get some links - however, it will take some time

As stated they are subjective - regardless of sound or price for choice, all
that matters is that one enjoys the overall sound and it floats their boat.

I will try to keep the links down to around 15.

 

[zieglj01]

Can you provide a link to the reviews or tests where people chose the JBL 530 over that list you posted?

http://www.amazon.com/review/R2VSLYQ4EKHVY6/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm

http://www.amazon.com/gp/cdp/member-reviews/ASZ6FQOHSCZWI/ref=pdp_new_read_full_review_link?ie=UTF8&page=1&sort_by=MostRecentReview#RYT5F4220M6M7

http://www.amazon.com/gp/cdp/member-reviews/A2B2YITE6QRAV9/ref=pdp_new_read_full_review_link?ie=UTF8&page=4&sort_by=MostRecentReview#RV80GVR0NKIRV

http://www.amazon.com/review/R214ZSC386KHZJ/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm

http://forums.audioreview.com/speakers/oops-i-did-again-38497-4.html#post392681

http://forums.audioreview.com/speakers/oops-i-did-again-38497-5.html#post393612

http://www.avsforum.com/forum/89-speakers/1845401-best-500-pair-bookshelf-speakers.html#post30740513


Ouotes from Muleskinner a AudioPhile

I’ve been an audio-video junkie since the early days of disco. In those four-plus decades I’ve parlayed that interest into a career in video production, a sizable portion of which has been spent on location and in numerous audio suites learning about, and working on, the craft of sound. Am I a rank authority? Nope, but thanks to the teachings of numerous patient engineers, mixers, sound editors, sweeteners, and Foley artists, I think I know a little bit about the difference between what sounds right, what sounds wrong, and what speakers do (how they’re designed) to call attention to themselves (marketable sonic traits) in order to convince us listeners they’re the chicken’s tongue.

And now allow me to further qualify my assessment by listing models the 530’s have been recently tested against in our living room: Aperion Intimus 5B, Ascend Acoustics Sierra, Audioengine P4, Axiom Audio M22, B&W 683 & 685, Dali Mentor & Icon, Dynaudio Contour & Focus, Epos Epic 1, GoldenEar Triton & Aon, Linn, NHT Classic 3, Magnepan MMG & 1.6, Monitor Audio Silver RS6 & RX1, RSL CG4, Revel F12, and Tekton Design Model 4.5.

What caused so many of these well designed (and reviewed) speakers to fail where the JBL catchers mitts succeeded, to be more Little Elvis than Virginia Bell? The specific sonic trait(s) the engineers designed in to their models quickly became the primary sound (sonic signature) that stood out. In other words, each of those models caused me to dissect and analyze the audio--how punchy or love-humped the bass was, how layered the midrange was, how wide or narrow the soundstage was, how strident or glassy or etched the tweeters were, how much sound the crossovers swallowed, how quick and controlled the ceramic, metal, doped, or Kevlar cone was, how the driver materials were coloring the sound, yadda-yadda—instead of just sitting back and hearing clean, accurate sound.

If you’re wondering where the 530’s excel, what they do right or wrong, what certain kinds of music, movies, or TV shows sound like, how they mesh with certain components, buy a pair and give ‘em a test. What I hear through my ears in my living won’t resemble in any way what you hear in yours. (JBL gives you 30 days to decide and even pays for return shipping, just in case you can't trust your own ears) I will say that no matter what’s gone through them—TV, Blu-Ray flicks, CDs from a wide variety of musical genres—they constantly and consistently impress me with their rightness. Fidelity is the defining hallmark of these jelly rolls.

 

[highfigh]

http://www.amazon.com/review/R2VSLYQ4EKHVY6/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm

http://www.amazon.com/gp/cdp/member-reviews/ASZ6FQOHSCZWI/ref=pdp_new_read_full_review_link?ie=UTF8&page=1&sort_by=MostRecentReview#RYT5F4220M6M7

http://www.amazon.com/gp/cdp/member-reviews/A2B2YITE6QRAV9/ref=pdp_new_read_full_review_link?ie=UTF8&page=4&sort_by=MostRecentReview#RV80GVR0NKIRV

http://www.amazon.com/review/R214ZSC386KHZJ/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm

http://forums.audioreview.com/speakers/oops-i-did-again-38497-4.html#post392681

http://forums.audioreview.com/speakers/oops-i-did-again-38497-5.html#post393612

http://www.avsforum.com/forum/89-speakers/1845401-best-500-pair-bookshelf-speakers.html#post30740513

The first review begins with "and couldn't wait for the price to come down more. I just HAD to have a pair of true horn-loaded speakers in my stable, having lusted over these for weeks!" and he then goes on to write that he's driving it with a Pioneer SX-780.

As I commented, price is a big factor and then, he's driving them with a 37 year old receiver that isn't exactly top of the line stuff.

However, he likes them and that's what counts but most consumer reviews lack one thing that matters WRT sound quality- knowing how to critically listen.

As far as preferring them to the Dynaudio X12, which are very smooth, they're also very small and are meant to be bookshelf speakers. However, having sold Dynaudio Excite speakers (Audience series, Excite X14 and Excite X32) and knowing how smooth they are, I wouldn't consider them to be 'clinical', as the third reviewer states. Maybe 'smooth, extended and clean with excellent sound stage and a marked lack of "small box sound" ' is 'clinical', to them but it's what makes listening enjoyable for fans of Dynaudio speakers. I would bet the majority of listeners would prefer the X12 to the JBL Studio 530, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't like to hear them- if they were actually moved into the Synthesis line, that says they're either far better than the price and JBL wants to make more money or the Synthesis line needs a cheap speaker to get the attention of people who have never heard JBL speakers. I'm not sure why JBL would add these to Synthesis- those top out at over $200K.

 

[highfigh]

The first review begins with "and couldn't wait for the price to come down more. I just HAD to have a pair of true horn-loaded speakers in my stable, having lusted over these for weeks!" and he then goes on to write that he's driving it with a Pioneer SX-780.

As I commented, price is a big factor and then, he's driving them with a 37 year old receiver that isn't exactly top of the line stuff.

However, he likes them and that's what counts but most consumer reviews lack one thing that matters WRT sound quality- knowing how to critically listen.

As far as preferring them to the Dynaudio X12, which are very smooth, they're also very small and are meant to be bookshelf speakers. However, having sold Dynaudio Excite speakers (Audience series, Excite X14 and Excite X32) and knowing how smooth they are, I wouldn't consider them to be 'clinical', as the third reviewer states. Maybe 'smooth, extended and clean with excellent sound stage and a marked lack of "small box sound" ' is 'clinical', to them but it's what makes listening enjoyable for fans of Dynaudio speakers. I would bet the majority of listeners would prefer the X12 to the JBL Studio 530, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't like to hear them- if they were actually moved into the Synthesis line, that says they're either far better than the price and JBL wants to make more money or the Synthesis line needs a cheap speaker to get the attention of people who have never heard JBL speakers. I'm not sure why JBL would add these to Synthesis- those top out at over $200K.

WRT "clean and accurate sound"- who's to say what that is, when it's recorded, mixed and processed in studios that have been acoustically treated and with equipment that consumers don't/won't have?

One of the criteria I use when listening to speakers- if I can forget that I'm listening to speakers and the sound doesn't seem to come directly from them, a large part of the battle has been won. I don't want to hear "layering in the mid-range", I want it to be able to allow me to hear into the room the music where the music was recorded or, into the illusion of the reverb/delay that has been added.

 

[zieglj01]

As I commented, price is a big factor and then, he's driving them with a 37 year old receiver that isn't exactly top of the line stuff.

However, he likes them and that's what counts but most consumer reviews lack one thing that matters WRT sound quality- knowing how to critically listen.

As far as preferring them to the Dynaudio X12, which are very smooth, they're also very small and are meant to be bookshelf speakers. I would bet the majority of listeners would prefer the X12 to the JBL Studio 530, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't like to hear them- if they were actually moved into the Synthesis line, that says they're either far better than the price and JBL wants to make more money or the Synthesis line needs a cheap speaker to get the attention of people who have never heard JBL speakers. I'm not sure why JBL would add these to Synthesis- those top out at over $200K.

What is perfect enough for one, may not be perfect enough for the other. The
main thing is to enjoy your speakers, no matter how you describe them, and
what you use or how you listen - even with the likes of JBL, Dynaudio, Ascend,
Magnepan, or some of the other well known brands, regardless of so-called Retail
or ID.

Audio can be an interesting and enjoyable hobby - As the Audio World Turns.

 

[jcparks]

This sub has come down in price quite a bit and can be a solid foundation for a pair of bookshelves
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=0WP-0060-00001&cm_re=nxg-_-0WP-0060-00001-_-Product
Add a pair of these pioneer floor standers and you should still come in under budget.
http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-FS52-LR-Designed-standing-Loudspeaker/dp/B008NCD2S4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1436594109&sr=8-1&keywords=pioneer+fs52&pebp=1436594126109&perid=13S9R6PPGC2JFCQ7PK8P

 

[Irishman]

This sub has come down in price quite a bit and can be a solid foundation for a pair of bookshelves
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=0WP-0060-00001&cm_re=nxg-_-0WP-0060-00001-_-Product
Add a pair of these pioneer floor standers and you should still come in under budget.
http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-FS52-LR-Designed-standing-Loudspeaker/dp/B008NCD2S4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1436594109&sr=8-1&keywords=pioneer+fs52&pebp=1436594126109&perid=13S9R6PPGC2JFCQ7PK8P

I totally agree with his recommendation of the Pioneer Andrew Jones towers. I own them because of the scads of pro and owner reviews that demonstrate these outperforming loudspeakers costing close to $1000. I recommend them to all my friends and family who are looking for outstanding performance speakers.

Now, you do have another option that literally is a few dollars more (like $30), but uses the same base Pioneer speaker. Speaker genius Dennis Murphy swaps out the tweeter and crossover, giving them an upgrade, and offering them for sale as his "Affordable Accuracy" models. Go check them out. They have earned their rave reviews as well.

As for sub, I would suggest either holding off to save up more - or up your budget - for something like a PB-1000 or SB-1000 from SVS, or a VTF-2 Mk 4 from Hsu. These will give you a real kick in the chest feel that entry level subs miss. If you can swing it.

 

[CSG]

For $250-300 you can acquire a pair of seriously good bookshelf speakers with the NHT SuperOne 2.1's. I use them in my own HT (center and rears in a 5.0 system). No sub needed unless you want to feel things.

If you buy direct from NHT, they will pay for return shipping if you don't like them. They are very much worth auditioning IMO.

 

[bhavin]

Thanks guys for everyones feedback, I am leaning towards the Ascend Acoustics 340's as my mains LR. I like the 'boutique' quality of it seemingly made on a smaller scale than the mass produced ones of the more mainstream brands.

One last question before I pull the trigger!

1) Stands - needed or not? I have a tight space next to my tv, where being on stands it will possibly obstruct the corner. Will these speakers do ok just sitting on the floor as well?

 

[zieglj01]

I am leaning towards the Ascend Acoustics 340's

1) Stands - needed or not? I have a tight space next to my tv, where being on stands it will possibly obstruct the corner. Will these speakers do ok just sitting on the floor as well?

They were not engineered to be on the floor - you need to place
them off the floor. Also, you lose some of the nice sound quality
if you place them tight in the corners.

 

[agarwalro]

1) Stands - needed or not? I have a tight space next to my tv, where being on stands it will possibly obstruct the corner. Will these speakers do ok just sitting on the floor as well?

Most speakers are designed to have the tweeter at ear height when seated.

 

[markw]

Most floor or tower speakers are designed to have the tweeter at ear height when seated.

There. I fixed that for ya.

 

[KEW]

Most speakers are intended to have the tweeter positioned at ear height when seated.

Or, I think his intent was ^