Are quality mini shelf system, speakers good?

[Kingnoob]

has anyone used these ?
I was wondering what the best use of these speakers is? Music etc .. surround?


Someone broke the foot on my insignia stereo receiver, not sure how to fix it can’t find the broken part .
I’ll add pics but I have Sony , rca, and Phillips Magnavox rarer ones.
They are unsellabe I’ve tried to get rid of some of them . They sound better then Bluetooth speakers .
Htib hifi style mini shelf system speakers?

 

[Kingnoob]

First pair
they sound pretty good despite the looks and 1 missing speaker grill.

why do they use such thin speaker wire instead of terminals? Does that hurt the sound quality??

 

[MrBoat]

First pair
they sound pretty good despite the looks and 1 missing speaker grill.
View attachment 59692View attachment 59693View attachment 59694View attachment 59695
why do they use such thin speaker wire instead of terminals? Does that hurt the sound quality??

Those types of shelf systems weren't really known for sound quality. I have the RCA version that I spent about $150 new for the whole shebang from Kmart back around 2005 for a work stereo. They get plenty loud and don't sound too bad for casual listening. To be honest, I'd rather have one of those systems with the 8" 3-way speakers, than many of the anemic 5" audiophile speakers that are all the rage now. At least the cheap shelf system won't be living out the majority of it's life in the clipping range.

But no, the speakers and such are not that great and can be had used for 10 bucks in just about every goodwill outlet in the country.

 

[Kingnoob]

Those types of shelf systems weren't really known for sound quality. I have the RCA version that I spent about $150 new for the whole shebang from Kmart back around 2005 for a work stereo. They get plenty loud and don't sound too bad for casual listening. To be honest, I'd rather have one of those systems with the 8" 3-way speakers, than many of the anemic 5" audiophile speakers that are all the rage now. At least the cheap shelf system won't be living out the majority of it's life in the clipping range.

But no, the speakers and such are not that great and can be had used for 10 bucks in just about every goodwill outlet in the country.

I was looking for the large jvc ones you’re talking about this was about best I could find at goodwill along with 2-4 other pairs I’ll show at some point.
Sounded rather good for $10-20 can’t remember what i paid , type of speakers I had to turn bass down -10 db
The best models ℹ cannot imagine how ever finding so I don’t bother looking for this stuff at goodwill anymore.
they want an arm and a leg for vintage speakers . The best ones were 3 way with 5-6” woofers I could find.

Dirt cheap yet sound better then most Bluetooth speakers/soundbars and even some entry level speakers.

 

[isolar8001]

Those types of shelf systems weren't really known for sound quality. I have the RCA version that I spent about $150 new for the whole shebang from Kmart back around 2005 for a work stereo. They get plenty loud and don't sound too bad for casual listening. To be honest, I'd rather have one of those systems with the 8" 3-way speakers, than many of the anemic 5" audiophile speakers that are all the rage now. At least the cheap shelf system won't be living out the majority of it's life in the clipping range.

But no, the speakers and such are not that great and can be had used for 10 bucks in just about every goodwill outlet in the country.

I had one of those little 3 piece RCA systems too...still have the speakers.
I took one of my group home clients to Kmart for a purchase and he started playing with it. I was pretty shocked how good that little thing sounded, so I bought one for casual listening.

 

[MrBoat]

Most self-contained portable radios for work were just adequate. The RCA thing was a pretty good step up from that and I kept the 5 CD changer filled all the time. I first heard one from a roommate I had for awhile in her room. I had been out of the audio market for some time and was surprised the cheap stuff had evolved so much. In the '70s, the cheap stuff was pretty much unlistenable compared to anything made now. Even the little 2.1 desktop systems by Dell and the likes around the turn of the century were worlds better.

 

[Kingnoob]

I had one of those little 3 piece RCA systems too...still have the speakers.
I took one of my group home clients to Kmart for a purchase and he started playing with it. I was pretty shocked how good that little thing sounded, so I bought one for casual listening.

Look how much money this crazy add wants lol for shelf system …

 

[MrBoat]

These systems are still fun. Some of the Sony ones kicked ass. I brought my RCA down to my bros some years ago and we were redoing all the fascia on his house. Later that night (3-4 beers later) we started to find some good tunes. We had it sitting on the kitchen table, point-blank-at-us with the speakers as far apart as they would fit, angled in just a little. I had a bunch of SRV CDs with me and we went thru (Def Leppard) a couple bands worth of music libraries. Totally worth what I paid for it and more. It was just clean enough to not be the least bit irritable and it had enough headroom near field like that.

I thought about DIY'ng a higher end version of one of these, but there aren't many small 3-way designs in the DIY world, that I recall, and adding a sub somewhat complicates it. I suppose I could use some car speakers, perhaps.

 

[Kingnoob]

I was comparing a few speakers the Aiwa and single woofer Sony were the lesser of the 3 types . I need to thin out my extra speakers that are junk but I can’t seem to sell any of them . The duel woofer Sony seem like keepers . Single are mediocre..
Anyone else compared these to full mdf speakers? I may try that next too see if they’re worth keeping.

I used this stereo receiver maybe I should test them out on something better?? There’s no way they can handle 120w rms each not that I’d ever listen that loud .

Insignia - 200W 2.0-Ch. Stereo Receiver - Black

www.insigniaproducts.com

 

[Slack9410]

As for your broken Insignia stereo receiver, it's possible that the part can be replaced, but it would likely be best to contact the manufacturer or a professional repair service to see if this is possible and to find out what the cost would be.

Regarding your unsellable Sony, RCA, and Phillips Magnavox speakers, it's possible that they may still have value to collectors or enthusiasts. you may want to check with local vintage and second-hand audio equipment stores or online marketplaces for more information about their value.

 

[MrBoat]

I was comparing a few speakers the Aiwa and single woofer Sony were the lesser of the 3 types . I need to thin out my extra speakers that are junk but I can’t seem to sell any of them . The duel woofer Sony seem like keepers . Single are mediocre..
Anyone else compared these to full mdf speakers? I may try that next too see if they’re worth keeping.

I used this stereo receiver maybe I should test them out on something better?? There’s no way they can handle 120w rms each not that I’d ever listen that loud .

Insignia - 200W 2.0-Ch. Stereo Receiver - Black

www.insigniaproducts.com

View attachment 59796View attachment 59797View attachment 59798View attachment 59799View attachment 59800

The RCA I had claimed 240WRMS, IIRC. It was actually quite loud and with a lot of bass. Has 8" woofers. Two other people I know tried to give me theirs, since because they know I like speakers but I have seriously upgraded since those days. There is no going back, unless some kind of misfortune strips me of all my speakers and I would take one of those systems over nothing at all.

It's going to be a challenge to even give those away, really. I'd focus instead on setting the bar a little higher from here on out. I don't have the time or patience in which to deal with people to even sell anything at all. Probably why I have 9 pairs of speakers, and 6 subs.

 

[Kingnoob]

The RCA I had claimed 240WRMS, IIRC. It was actually quite loud and with a lot of bass. Has 8" woofers. Two other people I know tried to give me theirs, since because they know I like speakers but I have seriously upgraded since those days. There is no going back, unless some kind of misfortune strips me of all my speakers and I would take one of those systems over nothing at all.

It's going to be a challenge to even give those away, really. I'd focus instead on setting the bar a little higher from here on out. I don't have the time or patience in which to deal with people to even sell anything at all. Probably why I have 9 pairs of speakers, and 6 subs.
This year I had to throw out 2 monkey coffin speakers with bad drivers that costed me $8.30 at a thrift store so I lost money on those . Is that the fate of unwanted gear ??

Yeah the ones I don’t want , are impossible to sell markets flooded with these shelf speakers. The. Best ones were these , closest to mdf box speakers I have the rest are mediocre. The duel 5” Sonys are close to this good but not true 3 ways I think . I’ll probably keep those rca and magnovox , the ones I don’t want are pretty much trash they won’t sell for $20?
My Klipch icon bookshelf walk all over all but the top 2-3 shelf speakers, Klipch towers blow them all out of the water also far heavier .
My uncle had the original Philips Magnavox shelf system with these speakers , why I got the speakers at goodwill nostalgia.

 

[Kingnoob]

As for your broken Insignia stereo receiver, it's possible that the part can be replaced, but it would likely be best to contact the manufacturer or a professional repair service to see if this is possible and to find out what the cost would be.

Regarding your unsellable Sony, RCA, and Phillips Magnavox speakers, it's possible that they may still have value to collectors or enthusiasts. you may want to check with local vintage and second-hand audio equipment stores or online marketplaces for more information about their value.

Yeah but it’s a broken leg , on a $20 used stereo a replacement probably cost more then it’s worth ?
How does small audiophile speakers compare to shelf systems ? I have these also , battling with the 4 way magnovox for surrounds duty . But there so much smaller .how do you pop the tweeters out?
..

 

[Eppie]

You can pop the tweeters out with tape. Try painters grade (low tack) tape first or masking tape. Lay a strip on gently over the dome and see if it pulls out. It may not come out 100% at first and might require a few tries. Some people suggest using a vacuum cleaner, but I would not recommend that method. Too easy to damage the tweeter unless you have a brush attachment or some way to control the amount of suction.

 

[Kingnoob]

You can pop the tweeters out with tape. Try painters grade (low tack) tape first or masking tape. Lay a strip on gently over the dome and see if it pulls out. It may not come out 100% at first and might require a few tries. Some people suggest using a vacuum cleaner, but I would not recommend that method. Too easy to damage the tweeter unless you have a brush attachment or some way to control the amount of suction.

Yeah I’ll try that a size comparison of the 2 speakers .

 

[Kingnoob]

What do you do with unsellable gear use it for backup duty ?
The pioneer I might keep but everything is like a rock , brick .

 

[Kingnoob]

They must be so irrelevant no one even commenting or has any advice lol stuck with these speakers no one wants??
Some of the shelf speakers I’m keeping, probably none in the prior post .

 

[Yardstick]

My wife came up with a rule for things I probably bought cheap and didn't need around anymore - If you want to get rid of it and you can't sell it for at least $20, donate it.

I have speakers that I bought very cheap that sound okay to me. I use them in my garage for background music while I work on things. I don't care if they get damaged or wear out prematurely since they were cheap. They are hooked up to one of those cheap bluetooth amplifiers that you can get on Amazon for around $20-30. Also something I don't care much about but sounds good enough for the garage.

 

[Kingnoob]

My wife came up with a rule for things I probably bought cheap and didn't need around anymore - If you want to get rid of it and you can't sell it for at least $20, donate it.

I have speakers that I bought very cheap that sound okay to me. I use them in my garage for background music while I work on things. I don't care if they get damaged or wear out prematurely since they were cheap. They are hooked up to one of those cheap bluetooth amplifiers that you can get on Amazon for around $20-30. Also something I don't care much about but sounds good enough for the garage.

You can find amps for $20-30 wow .. I gotta get one of those eventually. Sad I can’t hook speakers to my dads tv .
I sold some speakers today, I think only hardwood box speakers sell. No one wants hifi shelf speakers .

 

[Yardstick]

It's nothing spectacular but I have something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Bluetooth-Amplifier-DAMGOO-Technique-Password/dp/B07XG33WPN

If the link doesn't work, search for "Bluetooth Amplifier Board". That seems to bring them up. They'll claim that they make 100 Watts per channel. It's a little class D amp and you need a power supply to run it. Mine sounds fine to me - again, for garage background music.