Best Bookshelfs for Under $300

[mazersteven]

Trade-Off

The x-ls encore's are better looking then the CBM-170 SE's.

 

[Sheep]

And if he did that you wouldn't have been able to throw out a wise crack, and add to your post count.

So his post doesn't boost count, but mine do.

I would look into the Ascends. Once you get them you will want a subwoofer. No one buys something, and then is content with it, or their situation.

SheepStar

 

[Soundman]

I am on a lowly student budget but I still splurge now and then. So I'm looking to pair my old Marantz 2230 with some halfway-decent bookshelf speakers for under $300. I know this is a home theater oriented forum but I really just listen to music.

These will need to go in my office which is a very small room (7'x11'). I don't want to mess with a sub (my receiver is so oldschool I'm not even sure that would work), so hopefully they could have some decent bass output.

Any input on this one?

hey Big I,
It sounds like your embarrased of your old Marantz. Don't be. Just b/c it's old doesn't mean it doesn't do a good job. Some people actually like the look of some older gear better. Also, the fact that it is old says something about its quality.
As for the speakers, there's been a lot of good suggestions. Personally, I'd go for the AV123's or the Ascends, but that's just me.

 

[Soundman]

Wow is that old. Nice

BTW, as usual love the pics, Mazer!

 

[Big_I]

Bs<$300

hey Big I,
It sounds like your embarrased of your old Marantz. Don't be. Just b/c it's old doesn't mean it doesn't do a good job. Some people actually like the look of some older gear better. Also, the fact that it is old says something about its quality.
As for the speakers, there's been a lot of good suggestions. Personally, I'd go for the AV123's or the Ascends, but that's just me.

Don't get me wrong, I love my Marantz. It has great power (has been hooked to turntables/mixer/mic for several loud parties) and the look is awesome! Nothing beats the smooth metal knob-feel. One day my old man will give me his McIntosh and then I'll REALLY be oldschool pimpin.

Really diggin the look of the AV123s. Might go for it.

 

[Soundman]

Don't get me wrong, I love my Marantz. It has great power (has been hooked to turntables/mixer/mic for several loud parties) and the look is awesome! Nothing beats the smooth metal knob-feel. One day my old man will give me his McIntosh and then I'll REALLY be oldschool pimpin.

Really diggin the look of the AV123s. Might go for it.

Yeah the AV123's are nice for that price. As for the Marantz, I'm glad you like it. I really like the look of it too! So, when's your next party? If you do get your old man's ,McIntosh, I'd love to see that thing! pics please.

 

[j_garcia]

From av123.com: "Peerless India 6.5" curvilinear shaped treated paper cone woofer""tweeter is a Peerless India 1" treated fabric dome"

Paper is actually the most neutral material for midrange drivers and trust me, these drivers do sound good. The speakers I own also use similar custom drivers (also designed by one of the guys behind the X series).

 

[Big_I]

x-ls encore ship date

I see on their website that the speakers aren't available yet. So no impulse buying!

 

[j_garcia]

Yeah, they are transitioning from the former original X-LS to the Encores.

 

[avaserfi]

Paper drivers are perfectly fine for use in a speaker.

Paper is actually the most neutral material for midrange drivers and trust me, these drivers do sound good. The speakers I own also use similar custom drivers (also designed by one of the guys behind the X series).

As far as a paper driver being the most neutral that is extreme over generalization. The cone material is just a single part of the entire system that comprises a driver. In the end if the rest of the driver is properly designed with respect of the material the material itself won't matter. This means that any material is capable of being neutral. I have seen measurements on speakers made from ceramic, paper, metal, Kevlar and other materials that are all perfectly neutral in terms of perception and/or measurement.

When it comes to neutrality I will repeat the most neutral speaker at the price point you are looking is the CBM-170SE. Please note the X-ls encore has not been released and thus credible measurements have not been made as far as I know.

 

[gus6464]

Devil's advocate time so I recommend the Epos ELS-3 as well. Mostly for my dislike of AV123 and Ascend and the way they do business.

 

[j_garcia]

As far as a paper driver being the most neutral that is extreme over generalization. The cone material is just a single part of the entire system that comprises a driver. In the end if the rest of the driver is properly designed with respect of the material the material itself won't matter. This means that any material is capable of being neutral. I have seen measurements on speakers made from ceramic, paper, metal, Kevlar and other materials that are all perfectly neutral in terms of perception and/or measurement.

When it comes to neutrality I will repeat the most neutral speaker at the price point you are looking is the CBM-170SE. Please note the X-ls encore has not been released and thus credible measurements have not been made as far as I know.

That was not meant to say that paper is THE most neutral specifically; I should have said is one of the most neutral sound wise. It is one thing to have flat response but is another to actually reproduce the sound without imparting coloration. I have owned speakers with a variety of materials of drivers and each tends to have a distinct sound, though what actually sounds good also depends greatly on the total speaker's design. In terms of what a driver does, clearly there are a lot of other factors in the driver's design that affect how it sounds ultimately, but material definitely has an influence in my experience. The crossover can have an influence as well; a poorly designed one can greatly affect how a given speaker sounds even with good drivers.

Check the AV123 forums as well, there may be some deals available in their classifieds.

 

[mike c]

Monitor Audio BR2
KEF Q1 or iQ1 or iQ3

 

[mazersteven]

Mostly for my dislike of AV123 and Ascend and the way they do business.

I'll bite. What displeases you in how they do business? Last thing I remember, you've never ordered speakers from either company.

 

[Guangui]

Monitor Audio BR2
KEF Q1 or iQ1 or iQ3

Those are under $300.00 only on sale. If we go by that, you need to add PSB B25.

If you go by regular sales price I would have to say PSB Alpha B1, Stereophile's 2007 choice for this category.

 

[gus6464]

I'll bite. What displeases you in how they do business? Last thing I remember, you've never ordered speakers from either company.

I dislike the way they flood a lot of the forums with their somewhat viral marketing. Now mind you one thing is for you to actually make a good speaker when compared to others and that is fine by me. But if you do why do you need to go around saying that just because you are ID you offer better stuff than the rest. I first saw this with av123 when I first joined these forums and it's very rampant with Ascend on avs. While av123 has somewhat died down about this, it's mostly because their gear is always out of stock and most people want their stuff right now. Now curtis and ascend at avs is just a whole other fiasco. Which is funny because there was a big deal with AVS and SVS about this same exact thing and they pretty much shut it down but with ascend it still continues. While I am not as anti-av123 as I used to be at first, the whole thing still left a very sour taste in my mouth.

 

[mazersteven]

I dislike the way they flood a lot of the forums with their somewhat viral marketing. Now mind you one thing is for you to actually make a good speaker when compared to others and that is fine by me. But if you do why do you need to go around saying that just because you are ID you offer better stuff than the rest. I first saw this with av123 when I first joined these forums and it's very rampant with Ascend on avs. While av123 has somewhat died down about this, it's mostly because their gear is always out of stock and most people want their stuff right now. Now curtis and ascend at avs is just a whole other fiasco. Which is funny because there was a big deal with AVS and SVS about this same exact thing and they pretty much shut it down but with ascend it still continues. While I am not as anti-av123 as I used to be at first, the whole thing still left a very sour taste in my mouth.

I have been around these forums now for a couple of years. And I have seen just about every ID manufacturer on the forums promoting their product. I've also seen them promote other products too.

 

[mike c]

Those are under $300.00 only on sale. If we go by that, you need to add PSB B25.

If you go by regular sales price I would have to say PSB Alpha B1, Stereophile's 2007 choice for this category.

the BR2 is really less than 300 bucks. you need to haggle with your B&M store guy.

the Q1 is discontinued which is also why I got it for around 300 bucks as well.

the iQ1 is 5.25" driver version (smaller) therefore cheaper, but I did not check current prices because they're no longer sold in manila.

 

[billy p]

I have been around these forums now for a couple of years. And I have seen just about every ID manufacturer on the forums promoting their product. I've also seen them promote other products too.

Mazer just try and knock one of the ID's and see what happens. There's certain ID owners that will have you skewered in no time. Even now it still makes my head spin.

 

[mazersteven]

Mazer just try and knock one of the ID's and see what happens. There's certain ID owners that will have you skewered in no time. Even now it makes my head spin.

Me Skewered?

Never Happen