Best floor standing speakers under 42" tall <$300ea

[ktgr]

I built a custom entertainment center and I have room for 42" tall floor standing speakers to fit in it. I currently have 2x infinity primus p362's with a svs p1000 through a harman kardon 3490 and to me that sounds good enough.

These speakers I'm looking to buy will be used in another area but want them to fit if the p362's ever go. It will be almost all music when truly being used "cranked". I listen to hard rock through death metal. I'm not sure if a floor stander like this can pump enough bass to do the job either? Or will a sub be needed? I have a spare sony 90 wpc rms stereo receiver I was going to try out before I bought a receiver too but if I buy a receiver was thinking the hk 3770.

Thoughts? was looking at the polk RTi A& and sig series s55 so far?

Thank you.

 

[Phase 2]

Just about any tower will need a Sub. Some do some don't, it's a preference.

 

[Phase 2]

The RTi-A7,s I believe are going for 299.00 each. But even those aren't small. They come in at just under 43" and are very deep over 18".

 

[ktgr]

wow, they are deep, thanks for that. i see the s55, RTi-A7 and the p362's all listed at under 42" tall though :/

definitely leaning towards the s55 now i guess. Anything better out there considering? I can get the s55's for $250 each as well.

 

[Phase 2]

Maybe check out A4L, they have some Canton speakers.

 

[jsf0656]

I saw some JBL 270,280,290 floorstanders on the JBL website at half price for 99 dollars which sounds like a great deal! does anyone have any thoughts on these?

 

[ryanosaur]

Why would you put tower speakers in cubbies? That’s like putting Baby in a corner.
Other than it seems like you are already doing it, consider that you are fundamentally changing the way that speaker is supposed to work. If rear ported, you are taking away from potential bass output. By putting it into a cubbie you are also changing the baffle and thus intrudicing potentially significant diffraction for most of the frequency range of the speaker.
If you want to hide them, that is your prerogative... if it sounds good to you, that is what is ultimately important.
Consider though, horn loaded speakers with narrow dispersion patterns an either sealed or front ported boxes that will at least vent as designed for improved low frequency response.

 

[ktgr]

p362s are front ported, they are not in cubbies. the back half is a full 7' feet high with mantle and shelving etc the front half has opens sides while sharing the same table top base and holds a 75" tv with the p362's outside of the enlcosed area. a 75" tv is nearly the same height as the p362 or any other 42" speakers and it looks like quite a nice package. the svs sits outside on the side. the reason i don't want them over 42" is not actual fit but aesthetics. I don't want them sticking over the top mantle, but they are not enclosed. I suppose rear ported would be bad but they aren't. thanks for heads up though, you never know.

 

[ryanosaur]

p362s are front ported, they are not in cubbies. the back half is a full 7' feet high with mantle and shelving etc the front half has opens sides while sharing the same table top base and holds a 75" tv with the p362's outside of the enlcosed area. a 75" tv is nearly the same height as the p362 or any other 42" speakers and it looks like quite a nice package. the svs sits outside on the side. the reason i don't want them over 42" is not actual fit but aesthetics. I don't want them sticking over the top mantle, but they are not enclosed. I suppose rear ported would be bad but they aren't. thanks for heads up though, you never know.

Just confused by your description:

I built a custom entertainment center and I have room for 42" tall floor standing speakers to fit in it.

Regardless, If your speakers aren't tucked away, my concerns for SQ are moot. Admittedly, am still curious though, if your baffles are flush with the entertainment center, or if they are forward enough that the baffles aren't extended laterally (which would still introduce diffraction elements... though again, there might still not be any audible distortion from it).
Cheers!

 

[slipperybidness]

p362s are front ported, they are not in cubbies. the back half is a full 7' feet high with mantle and shelving etc the front half has opens sides while sharing the same table top base and holds a 75" tv with the p362's outside of the enlcosed area. a 75" tv is nearly the same height as the p362 or any other 42" speakers and it looks like quite a nice package. the svs sits outside on the side. the reason i don't want them over 42" is not actual fit but aesthetics. I don't want them sticking over the top mantle, but they are not enclosed. I suppose rear ported would be bad but they aren't. thanks for heads up though, you never know.

Pics or it didn't happen

 

[ktgr]

they don't make many 75" stands let alone good ones that can hold weight. I built this, nothing special but it works well for our needs. Speakers are out and open as you can see. If i knew you guys were coming over we'd have cleaned more lol

I did end up buying 2 polk signature s55's. So many threads and searches pointed to them not easily beat for the same price. $250ea btw, with free return if needed. I'll try them first on my spare sony strdh130 90 watt rms stereo receiver. then try them on my current main setup to see how badly they need a woofer or better receiver.

 

[ryanosaur]

Thanks for posting the photos...
For me, I would move them away from the screen and forward a bit, and get the tweeters more to ear level. That's just me. As I said... If you're enjoying it, that's the most important part!
Cheers!

 

[ktgr]

Those were the compromises i wanted to make for my kids and dogs. small children and big dogs that is. screen and speakers are safer from them all and they are safer from the speakers and bright screen. that is our shared space. the home gym and garage/shop are not shared spaces and will have a little more focus on staging and where this new setup will go. I'm actually thinking gym and it's current 5.1 older system going in new 3 stall garage i'm building soon. just wanted to cover my bases and make sure whatever i got would fit in the shared space later. the new s55's will be here thursday to begin testing.

 

[slipperybidness]

they don't make many 75" stands let alone good ones that can hold weight. I built this, nothing special but it works well for our needs. Speakers are out and open as you can see. If i knew you guys were coming over we'd have cleaned more lol

I did end up buying 2 polk signature s55's. So many threads and searches pointed to them not easily beat for the same price. $250ea btw, with free return if needed. I'll try them first on my spare sony strdh130 90 watt rms stereo receiver. then try them on my current main setup to see how badly they need a woofer or better receiver.

The pic helps a lot! Nothing like what most of us thought from the description.

 

[ktgr]

The polk sig s55's arrived. I let them play a solid 24 hours before a real listen and they sound pretty great so far. definetaly filling the room, a good warmer sound. good tweeter for my tastes. I'm demoing them without sub using a basic 90 watt rms sony stereo receiver. no complaints at all for now. These do have bass but as expected are missing that gut punch of a good sub, but bass is there.

If I can get the time I'll set a mirrored setup and run a test between the P362's and these new S55's. The old guard vs the new around this price point. Feel like tons of people have/had the infinity p362/3's so could be interesting.

 

[davidscott]

The polk sig s55's arrived. I let them play a solid 24 hours before a real listen and they sound pretty great so far. definetaly filling the room, a good warmer sound. good tweeter for my tastes. I'm demoing them without sub using a basic 90 watt rms sony stereo receiver. no complaints at all for now. These do have bass but as expected are missing that gut punch of a good sub, but bass is there.

If I can get the time I'll set a mirrored setup and run a test between the P362's and these new S55's. The old guard vs the new around this price point. Feel like tons of people have/had the infinity p362/3's so could be interesting.

I have some P363s and they are quite good for the money. Not as good as the DCM Time Windows I had in the 80s and 90s but on par with my New Advents and Allison 6s from the late 70s.

 

[ktgr]

The polk signature series S55's with about 60-70 hours of break in time are better than the infinity primus p362/3's imo. I have both and like both and will keep both but side by s55's win. the s55's offer a full room filling sound and are warmer. the p362/3's are brighter but the s55 isn't lacking and actually has some lows. the p362/3's basically need a woofer, the s55's benefit from one but actually don't need it unless your intent is bass. Glad I bought them! Maybe someone will search this so figured I'd wrap up!