towers with the loudest bass under 900$

[Penny]

I can see the moderators clammering to edit or close this thread now.

For the record, I never said I liked them big, because I don't. I don't understand men that only go for big and big only.

You're a guy; why on earth would you need to understand other men?

 

[Seth=L]

You're a guy; why on earth would you need to understand other men?

That's a joke right?

 

[Tomorrow]

JBL Studio L-890s. Quality, efficient bass to 28 Hz. Total frequency response is 28 - 40k Hz. Price on fleabay is $500-600 for a new pair in cherry veneer, less for black ash.

Maximum Recommended Amplifier Power 250W
Power Handling (Continuous/Peak) 125W/500W
Nominal Impedance 8 Ohms
Sensitivity (2.83V/1m) 91dB
Frequency Response (±3dB) 28Hz – 40kHz

 

[Shadow_Ferret]

This is an interesting thread. What I find interesting is that today's speakers don't seem to be full-range any longer. Speakers in the 70s had very good bass. I had some Polk Audio Monitor 10s and they had pretty decent bass. And my current set of 70-era Sansui 5-ways with their 13" woofer have great bass.

How come all the speakers of today have to rely on a subwoofer to get oomph out of the bottom end?

 

[markw]

How come all the speakers of today have to rely on a subwoofer to get oomph out of the bottom end?

Boxes rarely incorporate large woofers anymore. Say what you (the editorial "you", not you personally) but multiple smaller woofers don't have the visceral punch that a big mo-fo driver in a big box does.

It's easier to design a small, attractive bookshelf and a thin tower when good subwoofers are a dime a dozen, particularly when five or more are needed in a room. With one or two speakers it was doable, but with five or more???

It's kind of like cars are now designed with air-conditioning in mind and flow-thru ventilation is an afterthought, if at all. Are there any other old farts that remember vent windows out there?

 

[nova]

Yup, and I still drive a car with vent windows.
Good bass can still be had in a pr of speakers,... dunno about for that budget though.

 

[Shadow_Ferret]

I remember vents. I miss them. And when I go looking at speakers I feel like I'm a time traveler, looking at these dinky thin speakers with tiny 5" and less drivers, wondering why no one likes sound any more.

 

[markw]

with all die respect to good subs, they do play lower than the old thunderlizards.

For the LFE in movies this may be an issue but, for music, the big old dinosaurs did just fine.

It's a matter of course that the design intent of home entertainment systems has shifted from music to home theatre and this required a paradigm shift in design goals. A lot of young 'uns never really had the opportunity to hear a good "old school" system strut it's stuff with music, and most likely won't.

but, lemmetellya, if they are anything like my step-sons and their friends, let 'em hear a good "old school" system on music and they will never look at MC systems quite the same way again. My old Marantz 2270 and 10" JBL L-26's* playing classic rock converted all of em!

* And these aren't even that big!

 

[Gimpy Ric]

The B-52's are BACK!!

Capable of producing rich, clear sound even at extreme levels.

The highly sophisticated compression circuitry in the B-52 ACT-1515X allows for impressively high SPLs while minimizing the risk of damage to either the amplifier or loudspeakers. The ACT amplifier employs sophisticated circuitry including four stages of equalization, a built-in compressor, limiter and short circuit / over-current protection. The four-stage equalization network built-in into the amplifier is the perfect complement to the system's dual 15" loudspeaker components.

$799.00

 

[Shadow_Ferret]

The BIC America DV84s go down to 27hz. They're waaaay under $900. I think you can get them for under $200 each. Can't vouch for how they sound, although I've heard a few good comments on them at this price point.

 

[joebob]

Boxes rarely incorporate large woofers anymore. Say what you (the editorial "you", not you personally) but multiple smaller woofers don't have the visceral punch that a big mo-fo driver in a big box does.

It's easier to design a small, attractive bookshelf and a thin tower when good subwoofers are a dime a dozen, particularly when five or more are needed in a room. With one or two speakers it was doable, but with five or more???

It's kind of like cars are now designed with air-conditioning in mind and flow-thru ventilation is an afterthought, if at all. Are there any other old farts that remember vent windows out there?

Interesting thread. I'm giving serious consideration to going back to 2 channel audio. I'll see what my dad wants for his old Altec Lansings with 12" woofers. I never understood how the old 70 wpc receivers were able to power these huge speakers, but today's 130 wpc systems need dedicated subs. Then you have to calibrate everyting, treat your room and it still doesn't sound as good for music.

I need to find who has my 57 Cuda. I want that back too, with its vent windows.

 

[Shadow_Ferret]

No kidding. I have a 35wpc 1970s vintage Pioneer and it powers my 5 speaker, 4-way Sansuis with their 13" woofers to PAINFUL volumes. I hardly ever go past the halfway point with the volume control unless I'm angry at the neighbors.

I used to have a set of Altec-Lansings from the 70s, too, until I blew them up. After my Polk Monitor 10s, those were my favorite speakers.

 

[Pyrrho]

Interesting thread. I'm giving serious consideration to going back to 2 channel audio. I'll see what my dad wants for his old Altec Lansings with 12" woofers. I never understood how the old 70 wpc receivers were able to power these huge speakers, but today's 130 wpc systems need dedicated subs.[emphasis added] Then you have to calibrate everyting, treat your room and it still doesn't sound as good for music.

I need to find who has my 57 Cuda. I want that back too, with its vent windows.

It is primarily a matter of efficiency. Many older speakers were much more efficient than most modern ones. The size of the speaker, in itself, does not tell you how efficient the speaker is. Often, though, large speakers are quite efficient. The Klipschorn® is an interesting example of this:

http://www.klipsch.com/products/details/klipschorn.aspx

If you compared it with an average typical modern speaker, and fed it only 1/10 the power that you fed to the average typical modern speaker, it would be considerably louder than the average typical modern speaker.

Also, with modern equipment, there is a tendency to go with 5 (or more) channels. To get deep bass, it would be possible to use 5 (or more) full range speakers, but that would cost a lot of money. It is far more cost effective to get 5 "bookshelf" speakers and a subwoofer for the bass.

 

[Shadow_Ferret]

And I was looking around and realized the BIC Acoustech HT-88 go down to 25hz at +/-3db and they were designed and engineered with the help of Hsu Research. They can be had for under $600 a pair.

 

[Joe Schmoe]

And I was looking around and realized the BIC Acoustech HT-88 go down to 25hz at +/-3db and they were designed and engineered with the help of Hsu Research. They can be had for under $600 a pair.

Those look like Klipsch clones. Very definitley get them from someplace with a 30 day return policy, as you might be among those of us who can't stand the Klipsch sound (and these by extension.)

 

[ppontiac]

Cerwin Vega's are accurate. You guys are biased for no good reason.

 

[jamie2112]

Yes many people are opinionated but that is what used to make this country great. There has got to be a place for folks to disagree about audio or we wouldn't have a site. This being said I also think there are many people out there who should just keep their thoughts to themselves as they have no bases to voice an opinion. You just gotta roll with the punches as they say......you know "THEY".

 

[bandphan]

Cerwin Vega's are accurate. You guys are biased for no good reason.

and your statement doesnt prove other wise Id say they play loud not flat.

 

[ppontiac]

jamie2212, You are correct! Long live the 15" woofer.

 

[remsleep]

Cerwin Vega's are accurate. You guys are biased for no good reason.

No..., we're biased for very good reason. We remember what CVs used to sound like. I had a college friend whose CVs had names! IIRC, one was named Thwack and the other was named Thump.

However, that was a long time ago, and apparently they've gotten better. Within the last couple of years one of the big AV mags tested a pair. (I don't recall the model - I went looking for the review just now and couldn't find it.) I fully expected the review to start with something like "Within the first 30 seconds I was forced to remove my shoes so that I would have something to barf into." However, the reviewer said he was pleasantly surprised, and that they were actually quite good.

Ticks, CVs might be a real option for you. I recall the tested pair being quite efficient (as CVs have always seemed to be), so you ought to be able to annoy the folks on the next block without having to turn the amp up to 11.

Now if I could just find that review.