Inexpensive speakers

[j_garcia]

Micca MB42x are still around and are tough to beat for their capabilities. I didn't expect them to be as good as they are for under $100.

https://www.amazon.com/Micca-MB42X-Bookshelf-Speakers-Tweeter/dp/B00E7H8GG2/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=ZONCA5CHPLOP&keywords=micca+speakers&qid=1638477764&sprefix=micca+%2Caps%2C236&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExSEJPN0NCR0tCU01MJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNzk0MTk5RDlUUUwwSlk3QUZSJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTAxNTM4ODUxNkhTRjhGUUhNTEw1JndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

They seem to have a newer, somewhat upgraded model out now too, the RB42

https://www.amazon.com/Micca-RB42-Reference-Bookshelf-Speaker/dp/B07JC416LG/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?crid=ZONCA5CHPLOP&keywords=micca+speakers&qid=1638477859&sprefix=micca+%2Caps%2C236&sr=8-2-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyOFpBRTZDNlRaSFZHJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNjg0NjI5MkpDTTBXWEs1REFPTSZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMTU0MDQxMzZFUURPVDBDV0tSUyZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

 

[-Jim-]

Hey Lionsfan,

I knew the boys would bury you in options. You need to check with your listening area to see if you can accommodate 5 ear level speakers and a Sub. Check out the dimensions and where you would place them in your room. You may only have room for a stereo pair in your room, or maybe the 3 fronts. IMHO you will need to find space for a Sub - even under, or as, an end table - to make the effort worthwhile.

Click here for the Sony Speakers and scroll down about half way.

No matter what brand you buy (new or used) make certain the Front 3 speakers are all from the same manufacturer's line. (I'd at least buy them together at one time.) For a Sub, that can come from various OEMs.

 

[Lionsfan(sigh)]

Your 5.2 receiver likely won't do ATMOS. The manual should show what speaker setups are supported. In addition to the 3 fronts, you have 2 effects channels and those will be either rear or side surrounds. ATMOS is usually in ceiling and will require a receiver with more channels.

Yes, you could use four Sony SS-CS5 for front and rear. I think they only come in pairs, so you might need the SS-CS8 center that was linked to above. Remember that if the front speakers are close together, you don't necessarily need a center and can always add one later.

The RSL CG speakers that Slippery linked to are also pretty good for the money and there are members here that use them.

The .2 in 5.2 is for the subwoofer LFE (Low Frequency Effects) channel and it's .2 instead of .1 because the receiver supports 2 separate connections. 2 subwoofers will yield smoother bass compared to a single one. There are some inexpensive subwoofers on PartsExpress and Monoprice that perform ok if you're on a tight budget. Definitely plan on adding one or two subwoofers later, especially if using bookshelf speakers.

I was curious about why 2 instead of one. I actually get it. It makes sense. Good explanation all around. Yeah, that Atmos thing is something I figured could be added down the road if I want to. As I mentioned, It’s a mobile home. Don’t need much to fill it with sound. With all the different items, speakers, manufacturers and systems, whether specialized or gimmicks, it’s a task to sort through it all. Especially when you’ve not dealt with it for decades. Y’all have been so helpful. Narrowed down to a few hours what I’ve been trying to sort through for months.

 

[slipperybidness]

I was curious about why 2 instead of one. I actually get it. It makes sense. Good explanation all around. Yeah, that Atmos thing is something I figured could be added down the road if I want to. As I mentioned, It’s a mobile home. Don’t need much to fill it with sound. With all the different items, speakers, manufacturers and systems, whether specialized or gimmicks, it’s a task to sort through it all. Especially when you’ve not dealt with it for decades. Y’all have been so helpful. Narrowed down to a few hours what I’ve been trying to sort through for months.

Yeah, it's what we do. Plus, we love to spend other peoples' money!

 

[lovinthehd]

I was curious about why 2 instead of one. I actually get it. It makes sense. Good explanation all around. Yeah, that Atmos thing is something I figured could be added down the road if I want to. As I mentioned, It’s a mobile home. Don’t need much to fill it with sound. With all the different items, speakers, manufacturers and systems, whether specialized or gimmicks, it’s a task to sort through it all. Especially when you’ve not dealt with it for decades. Y’all have been so helpful. Narrowed down to a few hours what I’ve been trying to sort through for months.

Don't read too much into two pre-outs for subs, many just are an internal splitter, so even a ".1" avr with your own splitter works just fine as well. Some of the better avrs can handle different delay/level for two subs, which can be a nice feature. Yours doesn't have that.

 

[Pandaman617]

Hey man I started out on a similar budget years ago and bought used. My first system consisted of a Sony ES series 7.1 AVR with a pair of Wharfedale Diamond 9.6 towers and matching center channel with Diamond 9.1 bookshelfs for surrounds and two Wharfedale SW250’s with remotes for subs. I paid $200 total. If you’re willing to buy used and audition the equipment first so many phenomenal deals can be had! For instance I just picked up a pair of Revel Performa F50’s for $300 tonight and they were a $7500/pr speaker. I picked up 5 Mirage HDT-F’s that retailed for $1500 each for $350 3 months ago. I can list dozens of deals like that which I have found over the years. If you’re patient and do some basic research on what you’re looking at buying you can piece together quite a setup:

 

[lovinthehd]

Saw these on the craigslist I was directed to for your location, with a modest sub could be quite nice https://saginaw.craigslist.org/ele/d/vassar-kef-c20-bookshelf-speakers/7410922776.html

 

[-Jim-]

Well, if Lionsfan's going that way how about these for the Fronts and those for the Surrounds?

KEF C40

Maybe he could haggle him down to $175 for both? Then run a Phantom Center until Lionsfan can find a matching center or just run a Phantom Center to save real estate.

Here's the original KEF C Series Brochure

Then he'd have some leftover for a small Sub. Like Definitive Technology ProSub 1000 - $125

There - I spent the Budget!

 

[3db]

Hello all. Last summer I picked up a new Sony STR DH590 5.2 for under $150. The old Walmart clearance isle. Thought it was a decent deal. So I'm looking for speakers. OK, I'll admit it: I'm kind of overwhelmed. It's been decades since I've looked at/for speakers and man, there is SO much out there. I have no idea what to look for. I'm needing advice on a speaker set up that's inexpensive. I'm on disability and they don't pay much so I'm looking at used stuff. Good thing is that I'm not filling an auditorium with sound. I live in a single wide trailer. I see all of these small speakers. Do they really provide good sound? So, any suggestions? Should I get speakers all at once or find a pair here and there? Can speakers be 'mixed and matched' without any problems? Can used/older speakers be found with confidence that they'll perform well? Like I said, it's much more overwhelming than it was 30 or 40 years ago. Any help/suggestions ate appreciated.

Have you checked the used market? There can be a ton of good speakers out there for a good price depending on where you live.

 

[panteragstk]

Have you checked the used market? There can be a ton of good speakers out there for a good price depending on where you live.

@Pogre does a good job of finding good deals in his area. There is a thread dedicated to deals on things.

https://forums.audioholics.com/forums/threads/are-these-finds-good-deals.115715/

 

[Pogre]

@Pogre does a good job of finding good deals in his area. There is a thread dedicated to deals on things.

https://forums.audioholics.com/forums/threads/are-these-finds-good-deals.115715/

Yeah, in the right area Craigslist can yield some great deals on speakers. I scour through the ads often.

 

[Lionsfan(sigh)]

Hey, I want to thank everyone for all of the ideas and suggestions. Everyone was helpful as hell. (That’s a good thing) I probably should have waited and did more research and got more suggestions, but I, as many of us do, got a little impatient. Maybe a bit overwhelmed, too. So many ideas. So many different speakers and none of them were bad. So I made my decision. Probably earlier than I had planned and a little more money than I was planning on spending, but oh well. I went with the Sony SSCS series, set, platform, whatever a group of speakers of the same system are called. I was going to spread the purchase out over a few months due to my fixed income, but I said screw it. I got all 5 speakers. So again, thanks to everyone for the excellent help. You all made a daunting task relatively easy. Thanks

BUT WAIT….THERE’S MORE…

Now I guess I’m looking for a subwoofer.
I’m thinking a passive subwoofer? I mean, that’s what all of the rest are.
Probably a self powered one, right?
Is that the correct term?
One that’s powered on its own with its own wall plug?

 

[Pogre]

Hey, I want to thank everyone for all of the ideas and suggestions. Everyone was helpful as hell. (That’s a good thing) I probably should have waited and did more research and got more suggestions, but I, as many of us do, got a little impatient. Maybe a bit overwhelmed, too. So many ideas. So many different speakers and none of them were bad. So I made my decision. Probably earlier than I had planned and a little more money than I was planning on spending, but oh well. I went with the Sony SSCS series, set, platform, whatever a group of speakers of the same system are called. I was going to spread the purchase out over a few months due to my fixed income, but I said screw it. I got all 5 speakers. So again, thanks to everyone for the excellent help. You all made a daunting task relatively easy. Thanks

BUT WAIT….THERE’S MORE…

Now I guess I’m looking for a subwoofer.
I’m thinking a passive subwoofer? I mean, that’s what all of the rest are.
Probably a self powered one, right?
Is that the correct term?
One that’s powered on its own with its own wall plug?

Hey the Sony core series are respectable budget speakers that by all accounts sound pretty good so congrats!

You will want a powered sub. A passive sub would require an additional separate amplifier. Do you have a receiver powering your speakers that has a RCA subwoofer output on the back?

 

[-Jim-]

Hey the Sony core series are respectable budget speakers that by all accounts sound pretty good so congrats!

You will want a powered sub. A passive sub would require an additional separate amplifier. Do you have a receiver powering your speakers that has a RCA subwoofer output on the back?

Congrats @Lionsfan(sigh) on making a decision! A lot of folks would stumble around for years and not get anything done. So good on you.

Here's a link to the manuals for the Sony STR-DH590 Receiver. As per @Pogre post, you will need a powered Sub.

Perhaps the Definitive Technology ProSub 1000 - $125 (Grand Blanc) I posted earlier from Craigslist is available and would suffice. Are you near Grand Blanc? Are you going to consider used ? What is your Budget for the Sub?

 

[Pogre]

A friend of mine bought this Monoprice 12" sub for $119 (actually it was $99 at the time) and we were both surprised at how well it perfomed in his room. It's only 150 watts but seems like they use a sensitive enough driver in it. If you don't have a big space it does a pretty good job.

Monoprice 12in 150-Watt Powered Subwoofer, Black - Monoprice.com

When you want your bass down low, you need a subwoofer as part of your home audio/theater system. Monoprice™ has the basses covered with this 12 inch, 150 watt (RMS) Powered Subwoofer

www.monoprice.com

There's another budget friendly model but I can never remember it. Maybe Dayton? Every time I post up that Monoprice sub someone always pops in with the other one so my bad memory won't matter for too long, lol.

 

[panteragstk]

A friend of mine bought this Monoprice 12" sub for $119 (actually it was $99 at the time) and we were both surprised at how well it perfomed in his room. It's only 150 watts but seems like they use a sensitive enough driver in it. If you don't have a big space it does a pretty good job.

Monoprice 12in 150-Watt Powered Subwoofer, Black - Monoprice.com

When you want your bass down low, you need a subwoofer as part of your home audio/theater system. Monoprice™ has the basses covered with this 12 inch, 150 watt (RMS) Powered Subwoofer

www.monoprice.com

There's another budget friendly model but I can never remember it. Maybe Dayton? Every time I post up that Monoprice sub someone always pops in with the other one so my bad memory won't matter for too long, lol.

Dayton kits from PE would be good too. Knowing the amp and driver will be easily replaced makes purchasing a cheap sub to start out with a bit easier to swallow.

I bought a $80 KLH sub in 2000 that still works. It's 8" driver and too large a ported cabinet make it a massive POS, but that's what I could afford at the time.

Much happier with my JBL 550 for a little over twice the price of the KLH. There are good deals on cheap subs all over the place.

 

[Pogre]

Here's a link to the manuals for the Sony STR-DH590 Receiver. As per @Pogre post, you will need a powered Sub.

Ah, good. Thanks for the link. Looks like op does have bass management. That makes integrating the subwoofer much easier.

 

[Pogre]

Much happier with my JBL 550 for a little over twice the price of the KLH.

That little JBL sub when it's $199 isn't bad at all.

Here we go @Lionsfan(sigh). I think this is the other one in the budget range that a lot of folks recommend. The Dayton SUB-1200 for $180

 

[Lionsfan(sigh)]

Hey, I want to thank everyone for all of the ideas and suggestions. Everyone was helpful as hell. (That’s a good thing) I probably should have waited and did more research and got more suggestions, but I, as many of us do, got a little impatient. Maybe a bit overwhelmed, too. So many ideas. So many different speakers and none of them were bad. So I made my decision. Probably earlier than I had planned and a little more money than I was planning on spending, but oh well. I went with the Sony SSCS series, set, platform, whatever a group of speakers of the same system are called. I was going to spread the purchase out over a few months due to my fixed income, but I said screw it. I got all 5 speakers.

Now I guess I’m looking for a subwoofer.
I’m thinking a passive subwoofer? I mean, that’s what all of the rest are.
Probably a self powered one, right?
Is that the correct term?
One that’s powered on its own with its own wall plug?

 

[lovinthehd]

Hey, I want to thank everyone for all of the ideas and suggestions. Everyone was helpful as hell. (That’s a good thing) I probably should have waited and did more research and got more suggestions, but I, as many of us do, got a little impatient. Maybe a bit overwhelmed, too. So many ideas. So many different speakers and none of them were bad. So I made my decision. Probably earlier than I had planned and a little more money than I was planning on spending, but oh well. I went with the Sony SSCS series, set, platform, whatever a group of speakers of the same system are called. I was going to spread the purchase out over a few months due to my fixed income, but I said screw it. I got all 5 speakers.

Now I guess I’m looking for a subwoofer.
I’m thinking a passive subwoofer? I mean, that’s what all of the rest are.
Probably a self powered one, right?
Is that the correct term?
One that’s powered on its own with its own wall plug?

Um, you already said that