Post Your Best Budget Speaker Finds Here

[3db]

Although its not a tower, its not a bookshelf speaker either. Its a pair of PSB 500 that I purchased used for $75. I was very curious about getting a PSB with a woofer bigger than 6.5" The 500s use an 8" woofer and I must say that they do sound sweet. Great for most every genre of music with the exception of music containing pipe organ or ultar low bass found in RAP. Imaging is amazing.

 

[zieglj01]

DCM TP160s bookshelf speakers in cherry finish .... suggested retail was $349 a pair, I got them for $49 shipped.

This is my second best deal ... 6-1/2 " kevlar woofers, 1" teteron dome tweeters with bananna plug binding posts ... weigh around 12 to 13 lbs each and dark cherry finish

They sound linear and balanced to me with some real good imaging and tight tuneful bass. Based on my ears one of the best $349 and down speakers that I have heard. Clearly better than the likes of Sony and Pioneer and Infinity Primus and JBL Arena and the likes of Q Acoustics and NHT SuperOne.

 

[j_garcia]

My BEST deal was a pair of Yamaha NS50 speakers from (dating self) The Good Guys for $18 brand new. They had a double the difference discount against any advertised price. Well, another local shop had a printed add for these at $58 vs. their $100 price, so after $42 x 2 difference plus tax, they were just $18 No wonder they went out of business. Thought I had a pic of them, but no luck.

 

[j_garcia]

Though not super bargain basement cheap, I picked up a used pair of GR Research AV-1s from the original owner for $300 cash including an extra set of cabinets ready for drivers. This actual pair were the best speakers I had heard at the time when I was first getting into more serious audio and were what convinced me to start listening to more speakers.

These are fully upgraded with all options from GR, though they do have the original tweeter. They would have retailed for ~$700 as configured, possibly a bit more as the cabinets were custom built by a third party vendor for the original owner. I kept in touch with the owner for many years and when he upgraded, he offered me these guys and I bought them.

 

[afterlife2]

Boston A23 $65 shipped on ebay. Said to be scratched up, but only slight ones at best. It's piano finish you can't see them. A beauty to behold in person. Shined them up on Sunday they were a bit dusty. They were around were like $300 for the pair.

 

[j_garcia]

Boston E23 $65 shipped on ebay. Said to be scratched up, but only slight ones at best. It's piano finish you can't see them. A beauty to behold in person. Shined them up on Sunday they were a bit dusty.

My SB4000 is the same. Not crazy about the standard black ash look, so I ordered a Piano gloss too and the defect is basically invisible

 

[afterlife2]

Though not super bargain basement cheap, I picked up a used pair of GR AV-1s from the original owner for $300 cash including an extra set of cabinets ready for drivers. This actual pair were the best speakers I had heard at the time when I was first getting into more serious audio and were what convinced me to start listening to more speakers.

These are fully upgraded with all options from GR, though they do have the original tweeter. They would have retailed for ~$700 as configured, possibly a bit more as the cabinets were custom built by a third party vendor for the original owner. I kept in touch with the owner for many years and when he upgraded, he offered me these guys and I bought them.

I remember when you got these. You really liked them. You should post your sub in the new setup or did you already post on your setup thread?

 

[j_garcia]

I remember when you got these. You really liked them. You should post your sub in the new setup or did you already post on your setup thread?

A/V-1s are still doing very well in the 2nd setup. A/V-2s are ready to sell, but no time. No pics of the new setup yet or a review. Had I not been off last week I probably wouldn't even have much time to listen to the system.

 

[Pogre]

My SB4000 is the same. Not crazy about the standard black ash look, so I ordered a Piano gloss too and the defect is basically invisible

Same here with all of the speakers I got from SVS. You can't find a scratch at all on one of my bs speakers.

 

[zieglj01]

Same here with all of the speakers I got from SVS. You can't find a scratch at all on one of my bs speakers.

Shine a flashlight on them

 

[j_garcia]

Shine a flashlight on them

I have a set of speakers from GR that are all piano gloss, which is also why I went with the piano 4000, but yeah, NEVER shine a light on them lol. Those speakers came with white gloves to move them around as well as velvet socks to keep them from getting scratched in transport, but as soon as you get dust on them they eventually scratch. And they are dust magnets lol.

 

[Pogre]

Shine a flashlight on them

Guess who just priced a high quality car wax and detailer for his speakers earlier today..?

 

[Pogre]

I have a set of speakers from GR that are all piano gloss, which is also why I went with the piano 4000, but yeah, NEVER shine a light on them lol. Those speakers came with white gloves to move them around as well as velvet socks to keep them from getting scratched in transport, but as soon as you get dust on them they eventually scratch. And they are dust magnets lol.

I have yet to touch mine with my bare hands, lol.

 

[KEW]

Shine a flashlight on them

...with a magnifying glass!

I think it is so easy to get swirl scratches on the gloss black that SVS does a quick inspection to make sure they aren't cracked or have any gouges, then they just call them scratched to make sure there are no issues - B stock returns are not good for business!
Under commit, over deliver!

 

[zieglj01]

...with a magnifying glass

I am tired of black gloss speakers ... but I can not say that I will never buy a pair again

 

[KenM10759]

About 13 months ago I picked up a mint pair of Hafler 300 floor-standing speakers for $200.

They could probably use a refresh of the tweeter fluid and maybe recap, but still hold their own against some modern KEF I have. I wanted these when I bought Hafler 200 bookshelf in 1988 but couldn't afford the $800/pr price then. The 200's were only $349/pr, I still have the receipt and my niece still uses the speakers every day.

Picture from my son's house, he had given the oak finish a wipe with the correct Danish Oil.

 

[zieglj01]

I wanted these when I bought Hafler 200 bookshelf in 1988 but couldn't afford the $800/pr price then. The 200's were only $349/pr,

I have owned some Hafler bookshelf speakers .... and they are really nice, I still somewhat miss them

 

[XTex]

Not quite on par with the used steals on here but I have scored some Revel deals, new-from-dealer M16s and F35s at $400 and $800 for each pair, respectively.

 

[KenM10759]

Just picked up a pair of near-mint condition PSB Image 1B bookshelf speakers for $90. First time finding and buying anything off the Facebook Marketplace thing.

These will be gifted to my daughter and the boyfriend she lives with for their bedroom 'frankensystem', centered around their TV that is only connected to a PlayStation 4 Pro. I also picked up a non-matching KEF Reference Model 100 center speaker off eBay for $91.25. Since I already had one in our guestroom, I know how neutral but good it is, and these should play well together.

 

[zieglj01]

Just picked up a pair of near-mint condition PSB Image 1B bookshelf speakers for $90. First time finding and buying anything off the Facebook Marketplace thing.

You got some good sounding PSB speakers