Economy Speakers

[aldend123]

I took a quick look around but didnt see anything about whats the best bang for your buck. I'm considering buying a pair of tower's and a receiver to go with them. I'm looking for a nice powerful sound for rock, such as Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin... I figure I should ask some people who have experience in the subject. Im thinking a budget of $300.. is that totally unrealistic if I sale shop?

Also, most important to me, since theres so many names out there... instead of whats good, can I get some names on whats NOT good? What are the brands I shouldnt even bother looking at?

edit:
from some web-shopping what about this setup?
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00007BGPA/103-7460933-0367009?v=glance&n=172282&n=281420&s=electronics&v=glance
and
http://www.jr.com/JRProductPage.process?Product_Id=4027006&JRSource=linkshare.datafeed.ONK+TXSR302S-RB
would that reciever be a bit underpowered?

 

[Sheep]

Is this going to be purely for Music, and stay 2 channel?



Sheepstar

 

[t3031999]

If you just use this for 2 channel music it will have no problem driving those speakers to very loud volumes since they are so sensitive.

 

[aldend123]

ya music only, and due to my thin & light wallet, yes it'll stay 2 Channel
and ok cool so they will reach loud volumes, so now its a question of will the loud volumes sound like crap?
so are those speakers of decent qualitly, and is the ONKYO reciever good quality?

and is there a better pair of speakers for the same or less price range?
are these worth the little extra $$
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001H6DKI/103-7460933-0367009?v=glance&n=172282&_encoding=UTF8&v=glance

 

[Sheep]

Because you staying 2 channel, your going to have alot of power for those to channels. Generall surround recievers have 5 or more speakers hooked up. This mean the power reserves get divided by 5 or more. I wold look at any 8ohm tower. Rock has snappy kick drums, so try to find towers with larger drivers, not 15's, but 8's. Personally, 6.5's and lower just don't cut it for rock bass. They loose composure trying to take on these tasks.


SheepStar

 

[patnshan]

For two channel on a budget, I would suggest looking at the BIC america DV-84's. They are cheap and are said to really pound. I think ManMan here has listened to them and thinks they are quite good. You can also get the x-overs mod'd by Ed Frias for less than $100 to make them even better.

Good Luck,

Pat

 

[jcPanny]

Athena floorstanders

The Athena AS-F2's would also make a good, inexpensive 2 channel setup.

 

[aldend123]

i should also mention my current speaker setup is http://www.superwarehouse.com/SOUND_BLASTER_4.1_450_SPK_4_SAT_SUBWOOF_66W_BLK/51MS0000AA012/p/276643
creative labs 4.1 (technically my pair are the 5.1 set, but i dont use the center)
outputted from a SoundBlaster Audigy, from a computer
I intend on feeding the Audigy into the Onkyo reciever i previously linked to above

also
cerwin vega linked was a 3way, 98db, and 28 Hz - 20 kHz response
the BIC is 2way, 90db, and 27Hz–22kHz
i dont know much about what all that means, but i would assume 3way would be better because the seperate piece for the midrange, 98db, is that the volume can handle? and the BIC can go "lower" but not as high right?

also im somewhat leaning towards the cerwinvega due to height, as i plan to stack them ontop of a desk, not directly on the floor cause I'm in a dorm room where floorspace is limited...

 

[cbc]

aldend-

Thought I've not listened to them, the C-V Classic series you mention above are supposed to be quite good, design by their best engineer, a Mr. Bush. A friend of mine who's opinion I hold in high regard when it comes to audio owns a pair of the 6.5", 2way bookshelf model in the Classic line, & he can't stop raving about how good they sound. C-V has always been known as "rock speakers", but he tells me *anything*sounds great thru them. They don't need much power to drive them due to their high efficiency, so you should be able to crank them up with no worries.

 

[aldend123]

hm ok another thing im wondering... ive been assuming this whole time these speakers were sold in pairs, but looking around i dont see anything specifying that, and the word speaker is never said in plural form.... they are sold in pairs right?

 

[Sheep]

I know for sure the BICs are sold in pairs.

A three way design is better, but only when its done well. At that price, you should concern yourself with driver materials, box design etc etc.

The anthena's will go over his budget, unless you can stretch them.

You say your in a dorm....How big? Generally they are small, 6.5inch bookshelf speaker can diliver good bass for rock in a dorm.


Anything else we should know?

Edit: Would you consider a better set of computer speakers?

SheepStar

 

[corey]

.... they are sold in pairs right?

The part of the speaker page that says

# NOTE: Price is per individual speaker

seems to indicate that 160 is the per speaker price.

I think you've found a good budget deal on the receiver. To keep in your price range for speakers, I think you should watch your local ads for used.

 

[krzywica]

I second the atenas

I have a pair and I love em, if you can bump your price up a lil. Just spend a couple of hours in the poker room and you should be all right.

 

[aldend123]

i live in a 9x11 concrete box... no joke (its just me, its a single )
corey, what page are you seeing that on?
and sheep, what materials are NOT good? like what should i be on the lookout for? and can i generally have faith by brand name?

and do you have some better computer speakers in mind with some serious "powerful" sound to them in a good price range?

and local ads... like want ads?

 

[jaxvon]

I think you'd do well with a pair of inexpensive bookshelves and a vintage stereo receiver. For bookshelves, I'd say a pair of BIC DV-62si speakers from Amazon. For a receiver, I'd check out eBay for something like this. I drove my BIC DV-62s with it for awhile and it can CRANK. Half volume fills my entire basement with sound. I could feel the bass vibrating the couch a little bit. You may not be able to pick up that exact model of receiver, but look around for some Yamaha, Marantz, and Pioneer units from the 70s. Yeah, they're old, but they're built like tanks and will crank out the tunes. If you find something that looks like a deal, make sure to check back here. No one here wants you to get screwed!

 

[aldend123]

will something of that size give an extremely powerful bass note?
im very into powerful bass that wont crap out at higher volumes

 

[corey]

will something of that size give an extremely powerful bass note?
im very into powerful bass that wont crap out at higher volumes

You can't get a subwoofer that will meet the above for $300, let alone an amp, speakers & a sub.

What you could do, is add a $100 sub to your reciever & speakers. That way, you'll have some tunes to listen to while you're working on upgrading each part of your system & adding some suround speakers.

 

[Sheep]

will something of that size give an extremely powerful bass note?
im very into powerful bass that wont crap out at higher volumes

If you know how to work an EQ, the Logitech Z series computer speakers will DESTROY your dorm. They kill my 12 by 16 room!!

I'm talking about the Z2300's. You can find them for about 140 on the net (thats CAD). If you want 5.1, the Z5300's are 180ish CAD. Either will suite your needs and save you big money. With the left over, you could buy a nice sound card so its all nice.


SheepStar
Edit: Heres links to the speakers.
Z2300's,

http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/products/details/CA/EN,CRID=2173,CONTENTID=9372

Z5300's,

http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/products/details/CA/EN,CRID=2177,CONTENTID=9586

Don't worry about those prices, you can get them WAY cheaper.

I have the Z2200's (old version of the Z2300's) and they will go above 100dB and still remain clear, and the bass goes that high too. I have heard the Z2300's and they are exactly the same, better if anything.

 

[aldend123]

hm, do you recommend going for a computer speaker set, instead of a reciever/2.1 bookshelf or tower setup outputted from the computer?

call me old fashion, but I always kinda assumed tradional speaker sets were better than computer speakers, especially on a price scale (ie to get the same sound from a $300 set of towers one may have to spend $400 or more on a set of computer speakers)

and CNET wasnt impressed with the 5300
http://reviews.cnet.com/Logitech_Z_5300e/4505-3179_7-30993229.html?tag=pdtl-list
but they LOVED the z2300, giving it a 9.0 and stating they are simply the best 2.1
http://reviews.cnet.com/Logitech_Z_2300/4505-3179_7-30993080.html?tag=tpr

http://reviews.cnet.com/Logitech_Z-680/4505-9333_7-20720043.html
what about a set of these for $175?


also, if it matters to anyone, perhaps you'll recognize them from the picture
http://us.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=4&subcategory=25&product=9303
my current set of speakers, which got a little crackle in the upper volume range, I often hear the bass being overdriven, and the whole set "feels small"


but again, is it better to go for computer speakers or tower/bookshelfs?

 

[Sheep]

You need to listne to the speakers, you can't take what I say or they say into context until your have heard them. The computer speakers can be demo'd at any futureshop/best buy store.

Its a cheaper, just as good solution for you, that will suite your needs, and more.

Its going to have more bass, because there is a subwoofer. Your room is very small. Having towers will not be a practicle use of space, and towers on a desk will sound awful.



SheepStar
Edit: The 680's are ripe with control pod issues, I would stick with the newer sets, and if possible, non digital, as there is a hiss problem with them.