Tight budget
Hello to all,
first off i m new here on audioholics forums. I heard about this place from a podcast which i wanted to come and check it out. any who,here's my question.
I am looking to buy some "decent" book shelfs speaker system that sounds not to "bright". Something that sounds warm sounding like in a true theater setup.
I all ready have a receiver and a sub woofer,these speakers will be powering via pioneer elite 92 model receiver and a hsu VF-1 10" sub woofer. I just want a 3.1 to start out with,and ill ad surrounds later down the road. my bed room is only about 10x14 with 12 ft ceilings. I was looking to buy some polk audio bookshelfs but some people say they tend to be "bright". what bookshelfs speakers and center channel you all would recommend? i have a budget of $700 yes,very tight budget.
Nice idea to look around if you are considering Polk, though they are inexpensive these days, quality has gone so far downhill that their bookshelf models barely pass as mid-fi quality.
I am a biased RBH advocate, proudly touted as the best speaker you've never heard of.
RBH used to be the OEM builder for JBL, Fosgate and MacIntosh before offering their own brand about 30 years ago. They also make three other brands under the names Destination audio and EMP (entry level) and Status Acoustics (very high end), with RBH covering the full gamut.
When I first read your post I thought of the Signature bookshelves,
http://rbhsound.com/61se.shtmlbut they are above your budget, the MC series bookshelves are also intense but may be a little high priced also at just under $1000.00/pr for the MC-6C (6.5" aluminum woofer, crisp and detailed but not bright or sibilant) \
See Audioholics review of RBH MC series here:
http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/bookshelf/rbh-sound-mc-6c-bookshelf-speaker-review/?searchterm=MC-6C.
There is also an MC4C, if you have a sub this will be fine. They cost around $550.00 Canadian and will outperform almost anything in their price range. RBH are usually compared to speakers twice or three times their price for fair reviews as they are not parted out, keeping costs down as they manufacture their own products with their own parts, such as using their own proprietary aluminum drivers usually found in much more expensive products.
To save a little more money, and get into that warm mellow midrange sound, (such as B&W and other European products), RBH offers a mid range product, TK Series that uses the fiberglass cones (they look like B&W's).
Though RBH discontinued the TK series, they can still be found if you look around. An Alternative is EMP (available through Audioholics store for $320.00/pr US:
http://store.audioholics.com/product/1674/66313/emp-ef30-bookshelf-speakers--pair- or Destination audio, who both offer a TK series clone, not exactlythe same (different cone materials) but very similar.
In short, you may find less expensive speakers, you may find speakers that sound as good or better, but you will be very hard pressed to find something that sounds as good as an RBH product for the same or less money. High performance audio at cost effective pricing. Regardless, ANYTHING you buy from RBH (including their new aluminum driver patio speakers for around $500.00 which are like the MC-6C but in an indoor/outdoor housing
http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/architectural/mc-6aw/?searchterm=MC-6AW ) will far outperform Polk bookshelves.
"As I listened, over and over I kept forgetting that these were small indoor/outdoor speakers and kept thinking they sounded better than some speakers I’ve reviewed from more prestigious brands costing several thousands of dollars." Audioholics MC-6AW (Patio or indoor speakers!) review by Ken Stein
"The fact that the MC-6C’s could outgun pricier speakers on the market is a testament to a speaker company not so concerned with profit margins as much as they are with bringing a high performance product to market."
Audioholics MC-6C review by Gene DellaSala
"The answer lies in the excellent proprietary aluminum cone woofers with powerful motor structures developed by RBH Sound. Such is the case with the new Signature 61-SE bookshelf loudspeakers.
Bottom Line: I can without a doubt recommend these speakers for those who are looking for an attractive, dynamic, high performance compact loudspeaker system, with excellent bass capabilities, imaging and tonal balance for a very reasonable price tag." Audioholics SE-61 review by Gene DellaSala
