Bookshelfs/monitors in $400 range?

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Z

zumbo

Audioholic Spartan
corebreach said:
Those look great but where can I buy them? The official price list on their site lists them at 249/speaker. In fact, for any of these speakers is there a good place to purchase them online? Particularly with the Paradigms, I'm beginning to suspect nobody sells them online.
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IMHO, the Monitor Audio are going to outperform Def Tech, and Paradigm. Also, you want a laid back speaker. They are known for that. Are you sure you want to miss that deal?

Paradigm and Def Tech online.
http://www.6ave.com/shop/home.aspx
 
C

corebreach

Enthusiast
zumbo said:
IMHO, the Monitor Audio are going to outperform Def Tech, and Paradigm. Also, you want a laid back speaker. They are known for that. Are you sure you want to miss that deal?

Paradigm and Def Tech online.
http://www.6ave.com/shop/home.aspx
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I still haven't decided on a speaker yet, don't worry :). What do you mean when you say laid back?
 
Seth=L

Seth=L

Audioholic Overlord
Definitive Tech and Paradigm can have a very in your face sound, but not as invading as Klipsch for example. Definitive Tech isn't a great music speaker, some will say they work best for movies (but in reality if a speaker does good with music it should also do well for movies not necessarily the other way around [this is in terms if similar types of speakers]). Electrostatic speakers are wonderful for music, but only good for one person in one specific seat, making them a poor choice for movies, just as in example of a rare speaker type that does not excell for movies as it does with music.
 
C

corebreach

Enthusiast
Laid back sounds good. :D
@Seth=L: I know what you mean about electrostatic speakers. My friend (who is a major audiophile) has an older pair of Martin Logan electrostatics and they sound amazing. And I'm definitely trying to shy away from those speakers that are only good with movies, or worse, only good at higher volumes. :eek: Coming from a Cambridge Soundworks tiny-satellites-and-a-sub I'm expecting great things hehe.
 
ParadigmDawg

ParadigmDawg

Audioholic Overlord
zumbo said:
IMHO, the Monitor Audio are going to outperform Def Tech, and Paradigm. Also, you want a laid back speaker. They are known for that. Are you sure you want to miss that deal?

Paradigm and Def Tech online.
http://www.6ave.com/shop/home.aspx
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I have to disagree; my search for speakers came down to two in the end and I had them both in my house at the same time. They were the Monitor Audio RS6 and the Paradigm Studio 40. After extensive lisitening over a week; I found the MAs to be harsh and really bright; after about an hour of listening they would hurt my ears. I tried various settings and calibrations over the week and never could get them to sound right. I was really pushing them to win as I could get them for 600 bucks for the pair which was about half the price of the digms. In the end, it was a no-brainner for me and the MAs went back. I am uncertain if it was just my ears or the room or what bt this was my finding.
 
AcuDefTechGuy

AcuDefTechGuy

Audioholic Jedi
Well, one thing is for sure. Everyone is going to differ on which speaker sounds the best for them. If you ask 20 people, you will get 20 different speakers. I think most speakers within the same price range will sound more similar than they differ. When buying speakers, read as many professional reviews as possible, but then always audition for yourself in your room.
 
Z

zumbo

Audioholic Spartan
Greg Gable said:
I was really pushing them to win as I could get them for 600 bucks for the pair which was about half the price of the digms
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Half the price? Are we comparing apples to apples? Did you compare a $1200 pair of MA's to the Digms. I am comparing equal money here. And, the MA's in this comparison are at a bargain price. If money were no object, there are certainly better options. I don't see the OP wishing to double their budget.
 
Z

zumbo

Audioholic Spartan
Greg Gable said:
You cant get Paradigms online. If you look at the link you posted it says "retail only".
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My bad. It doesn't look like they have the models recommended anyway. From my experience, it's a pain to get them from dealers as well.:)
 
ParadigmDawg

ParadigmDawg

Audioholic Overlord
zumbo said:
Half the price? Are we comparing apples to apples? Did you compare a $1200 pair of MA's to the Digms. I am comparing equal money here. And, the MA's in this comparison are at a bargain price. If money were no object, there are certainly better options. I don't see the OP wishing to double their budget.
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I didnt even know we were talking about fruit.

Unless I am mistaking; both speakers retail for about the same cost. I am able to get MAs at cost.

I am not trying to push the digms; just telling the difference I heard.
 
AcuDefTechGuy

AcuDefTechGuy

Audioholic Jedi
Greg Gable said:
I didnt even know we were talking about fruit.

Unless I am mistaking; both speakers retail for about the same cost. I am able to get MAs at cost.

I am not trying to push the digms; just telling the difference I heard.
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First, I love Mangos. Hate apples.

Second, Paradigms are the bomb. Awesome. I swear--- if they make them quad-wire capable, I would buy some digms.

Hey, wait a minute here. You don't work for Paradigms, do you?
 
ParadigmDawg

ParadigmDawg

Audioholic Overlord
AcuDefTechGuy said:
First, I love Mangos. Hate apples.

Second, Paradigms are the bomb. Awesome. I swear--- if they make them quad-wire capable, I would buy some digms.

Hey, wait a minute here. You don't work for Paradigms, do you?
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I dont even like them but since I have them I might as well say they're GREAT:D
 
P

PatrickBateman

Junior Audioholic
zumbo said:
I believe the MA S2's are going to be the best bet here. Very laid back, and that is what the OP is looking for.

Me, I would go for the JM Labs. B&W second.

Of coarse, this is only because the cheapest MB Quarts are $600 on sale.
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I owned the MA S2's for a few years and did not find them "very laid back" at all. I also owned the JM Lab 707V's. You really do need to go out and listen for yourself
 
Z

zumbo

Audioholic Spartan
PatrickBateman said:
I owned the MA S2's for a few years and did not find them "very laid back" at all. I also owned the JM Lab 707V's. You really do need to go out and listen for yourself
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I have heard MA S2's. They are laid back to me. Compared to B&W and MB Quart, for example.;) They were on Musical Fidelity gear in an untreated room.

What is your opinion of the MA's compared to the 707's? I haven't heard the 707's, but I am a Focal/JM Lab fan.
 
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C

corebreach

Enthusiast
My local audio dealer only has one of the models I'm considering, so listening trials are out of the question (unless I spend a day in a crowded city chasing a pair of speakers, which isn't worth it to me). That said, what I want most in these speakers is: not too harsh, but not lacking in detail either. I've had big problems with many speakers' handling of overdriven hard rock/metal music sounding muddy. I'm not sure what this is an effect of but I want to mitigate it with this next pair of speakers. Is it too premature to ask for a recommendation from among the speakers listed in this thread?
 
Z

zumbo

Audioholic Spartan
corebreach said:
My local audio dealer only has one of the models I'm considering, so listening trials are out of the question (unless I spend a day in a crowded city chasing a pair of speakers, which isn't worth it to me). That said, what I want most in these speakers is: not too harsh, but not lacking in detail either. I've had big problems with many speakers' handling of overdriven hard rock/metal music sounding muddy. I'm not sure what this is an effect of but I want to mitigate it with this next pair of speakers. Is it too premature to ask for a recommendation from among the speakers listed in this thread?
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It is my opinion that the muddy sound is caused by the electronics being over-driven, not the speakers. Cranking rock with low to mid-fi equipment can become a problem. The best solution for this, without replacing the equipment, is to choose speakers that will make the most of the power available. That being said, the JMlabs look to fair best with a sensitivity of 92dB, and 8ohm.
 
M

MDS

Audioholic Spartan
corebreach said:
# Sensitivity: 86dB
# Nominal Impedance: 4 Ohms

How difficult would these be to drive well with a run of the mill receiver?
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Very difficult unless you keep the volume at a fairly low level.
 
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