Speaker Recommendation

[solomr2]

Greetings,

I'm in the mood to get some new speakers (AGAIN!), so once again I turn to the sages of Audioholics for advise.

I have wired a 3rd zone, and I'm looking for some broad range stereo speakers (no sub). I had a pair of small Klipsch, which were just too tinny and didn't produce a rich enough sound. I only used them because I had them laying around, but they have to go.

The speakers are going to hang from my ceiling, 12ft up, right against the wall, and they will be broadcasting into a pretty large living area (28 by 20 feet). They won't be played all that loud, just for entertaining guests and occasional light listening in the living area. But I want them to have a nice, rich, warm sound. Size is a bit of factor, I can't hang anything all that big, maybe 12-16 inches at most. In-wall or in-ceiling is not an option, I don't want to cut up my walls/ceiling. Brackets for wall or ceiling mount would be highly desirable.

Wife prefers white case or light wood shades.

My budget is $500 or less.

I welcome suggestions.

Thanks in advance.

 

[njedpx3]

Paradigm Atom monitor V.5 in white

These are excellent small speakers that you can get in white.

here is a review:
http://hometheaterreview.com/paradigm-atom-monitor-v5-speaker-reviewed/

retail $379 per pair.


====

Here is another small speaker that has excellent sound, you can get it in cherry color, Cambridge Audio S-30 for $219 per pair

http://www.wildwestelectronics.net/cambridge-audio-s30-speaker.html



Good luck!

NJ

 

[AVRat]

PSB Image B25s: http://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=PBIMB25&variation=PSIE

 

[KEW]

The speakers are going to hang from my ceiling, 12ft up, right against the wall...

Do you mean with the back or side against the wall?
By against the wall do you mean flat on the wall or 6" away.

White makes it tough.

I'm thinking you might need sealed or, at least, front ported.
Sealed options:
Emotiva ERM-1 (but it is only black).
Aperion Intimus 4B (but only cherry or black)

Front ported:
Usher S520 (in white!)
Wharfdale Diamond 9.1 (Cherry - it is a pretty light shade)
Scroll down here to see wood-tone:
http://www.stereophile.com/budgetcomponents/1105wharfedale/

I have the Wharfdales set up as an impromptu stereo in my livingroom, and it really does a nice job filling the room (but it is not quite as large as your - ~18' X 27' with vaulted ceiling).

Cheers,
Kurt

 

[Vintage_Hi-Fi]

http://cgi.ebay.com/AR-Acoustic-Research-Vintage-Rare-Speakers-Ar-9LSI-9lsi_W0QQitemZ390058732116QQcmdZViewItemQQptZVintage_Electronics_R2?hash=item5ad14fea54&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

I'd try and convince the misses that you need more space than the wall. Might I suggest these guys. You will not be disappointed, I know I'm not.

 

[solomr2]

PSB Image B25s: http://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=PBIMB25&variation=PSIE

Thanks AVR... I like the PSBs, with response of 45Hz-23,000Hz these seem to have a pretty decent range. Do you have personal experience with them? What are you likes/dislikes about these?

 

[solomr2]

Do you mean with the back or side against the wall?
By against the wall do you mean flat on the wall or 6" away.

White makes it tough.

I'm thinking you might need sealed or, at least, front ported.
Sealed options:
Emotiva ERM-1 (but it is only black).
Aperion Intimus 4B (but only cherry or black)

Front ported:
Usher S520 (in white!)
Wharfdale Diamond 9.1 (Cherry - it is a pretty light shade)
Scroll down here to see wood-tone:
http://www.stereophile.com/budgetcomponents/1105wharfedale/

I have the Wharfdales set up as an impromptu stereo in my livingroom, and it really does a nice job filling the room (but it is not quite as large as your - ~18' X 27' with vaulted ceiling).

Cheers,
Kurt

Thanks Kurt.

Hard to describe what this room looks like. The back wall is 28' in length, with two sliding glass doors on it. The doors are 10' high, the ceiling is 12' (not vaulted). The speakers would be mounted above the doors in that two-foot space. I can go with either a ceiling or wall mount, about 12-feet apart, angled down towards the listeners.

 

[solomr2]

http://cgi.ebay.com/AR-Acoustic-Research-Vintage-Rare-Speakers-Ar-9LSI-9lsi_W0QQitemZ390058732116QQcmdZViewItemQQptZVintage_Electronics_R2?hash=item5ad14fea54&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

I'd try and convince the misses that you need more space than the wall. Might I suggest these guys. You will not be disappointed, I know I'm not.

LOL!

I don't think these would fly under the radar

 

[KEW]

Thanks Kurt.

Hard to describe what this room looks like. The back wall is 28' in length, with two sliding glass doors on it. The doors are 10' high, the ceiling is 12' (not vaulted). The speakers would be mounted above the doors in that two-foot space. I can go with either a ceiling or wall mount, about 12-feet apart, angled down towards the listeners.

My concern is that many speakers are rear ported. I'm not sure what is considered allowable, but I don't think you'd want a rear port if they are 3" from the wall.

 

[3db]

Thanks AVR... I like the PSBs, with response of 45Hz-23,000Hz these seem to have a pretty decent range. Do you have personal experience with them? What are you likes/dislikes about these?

I don't have the B25s but I have the B15 (actually the previous generation 1B) and the T45s. The older Image series liek teh B25 and T45s (It was just revamped by PSB and they've released an update) are a very good speaker. Some people call them dark and veiled but too me they sound inviting and warm and they are not tiring to listen to at all. I don't like music thrown in my face with what people call accurate and detialed sound. I call that hard and etchy and I get tired of that sound really quick. The bass is tight, the mids are life like, their imaging and soundstaging is 2nd to none. You should be able to get a really good dela on them since PSB just released their new updated version of the Image series.

Also you may want to consider ing using these as the speaker mounts;

http://www.btech-usa.com/bt77.html

It'll save you from having to drill into the cabinets.

 

[solomr2]

My concern is that many speakers are rear ported. I'm not sure what is considered allowable, but I don't think you'd want a rear port if they are 3" from the wall.

Yes, good point. These will need to be mounted close to the wall and to the ceiling... I would say within 3" of both.

 

[solomr2]

I don't have the B25s but I have the B15 (actually the previous generation 1B) and the T45s. The older Image series liek teh B25 and T45s (It was just revamped by PSB and they've released an update) are a very good speaker. Some people call them dark and veiled but too me they sound inviting and warm and they are not tiring to listen to at all. I don't like music thrown in my face with what people call accurate and detialed sound. I call that hard and etchy and I get tired of that sound really quick. The bass is tight, the mids are life like, their imaging and soundstaging is 2nd to none. You should be able to get a really good dela on them since PSB just released their new updated version of the Image series.

Also you may want to consider ing using these as the speaker mounts;

http://www.btech-usa.com/bt77.html

It'll save you from having to drill into the cabinets.

Speaker mounts are needed too. However, with these going 12' up I think I will need more than 7 degrees of tilt.

 

[solomr2]

No one has mentioned the Def Tech Monitor Pro 1000 yet. Does anyone have an opinion on them? I have read good things, but haven't listened to them yet. The concern I have is they have a radianting port at the top of the case, so I don't know what to expect when they are mounted close to the ceiling.