Now Hear This 2.5i

[griffinconst]

A local guy has these for $400. Perfect working and cosmetic condition. I've read the web info. What do you guys think about these and this deal?
I like the B&W sound. Will these be to cold for me?

 

[Swerd]

A local guy has these for $400. Perfect working and cosmetic condition. I've read the web info. What do you guys think about these and this deal?

I like the B&W sound. Will these be to cold for me?

It's been about 5 years since I heard them, and it was an audition in a store. If I recall, they sold for about $1200 a pair when new. I liked the NHT 1.5 bookshelf speakers. The mid and tweeter in the 2.5i are the same drivers, and their sound was similar to the 1.5, but I didn't much like the bass of the 2.5i. It sounded muddy.

For what its worth, I liked the NHT 1.5 better than the B&W 602. I thought it sounded more neutral overall.

What speakers are you most used to hearing, and what else are you considering buying?

 

[griffinconst]

I've been listening to old b&w 220's. They're not bad, I just want something else. I may not do any better at my budget though.
My budget is shrinking by the month, have you heard about the economy?
I could have spent $1000 6 months ago, now it's $500 or less.
New speakers I've considered are: Monitor Audio BR5, Wharfedale 9.5 or 9.6, and Energy C500 or used RC30.
Got any comments on any of those?
I run an Onkyo 805 and a Def Tech sub.

 

[Swerd]

I've been listening to old b&w 220's. They're not bad, I just want something else. I may not do any better at my budget though.
My budget is shrinking by the month, have you heard about the economy?
I could have spent $1000 6 months ago, now it's $500 or less.
New speakers I've considered are: Monitor Audio BR5, Wharfedale 9.5 or 9.6, and Energy C500 or used RC30.
Got any comments on any of those?
I run an Onkyo 805 and a Def Tech sub.

Sorry, I'm not familiar with any of those you mentioned, especially the B&W 220s. I have no idea how they compare to more recent B&W stuff.

If it isn't too far, go listen to those NHTs. They date back to when NHT was not yet sold to a number of different owners. You might find you like them. And if you don't, at least you'll know better what you do and don't like.

 

[Adam]

I mentioned it in the PM, but I'll also say it here. I have the 1.5s, and I'd jump on a pair of 2.5i's for $400. I know that I like NHTs, though. I mentioned it, and Swerd mentioned it - can you audition those speakers? That's the best plan.

 

[griffinconst]

I'm still tryin to collect info since it's a 2 hour drive.
If anyone else knows these, do you agree that the bass is muddy?

 

[jamie2112]

I like the 602 myself and I have listened to both the 1.5 and the 2.5 and I still like the B&W better. Much tighter low end for my ears...........

 

[griffinconst]

I like the 602 myself and I have listened to both the 1.5 and the 2.5 and I still like the B&W better. Much tighter low end for my ears...........

I have b&w 220's but it seems your saying the 2.5's bass is a bit mushy?

 

[CraigV]

I’ve always liked the sound of NHT’s.

 

[Swerd]

I'm still tryin to collect info since it's a 2 hour drive.
If anyone else knows these, do you agree that the bass is muddy?

I'm feeling some pressure here griffin. I don't want my 5-minute impression of NHT 2.5is from a number of years ago to cause you to pass up on what might be a real bargain.

I searched my dim memory of that occasion. I was with my brother who was shopping for new speakers. I was along for fun. We listened to many speakers that day, the first ones were the NHTs. My brother wasn't interested in them, so we quickly moved on to listen to several speakers in the $2,000 a pair price range (Vandersteen, Meadowlark and Monitor Audio). My impressions of them are much more vivid (the Vandersteen 2ces were the best that day). I cannot rule out the fact that my memory of the NHTs was influenced by those other more expensive speakers that we spent a lot more time listening to. It isn't a fair comparison.

I distinctly remember feeling distressed that at $1200/pair I was dissatisfied, but $2000/pair was pretty good. I decided that day that I would keep my own speakers for several more years.

 

[griffinconst]

No pressure Swerd. I always collect many opinions and then make up my own mind. Your thoughts were another valuable piece of the puzzle.
I have this question on another page and I'm getting lots of "If you like B&W, those will be too forward and bright". So I'm just deciding if I want to drive 2 hours each way to hear speakers I may not like.
I was just hoping someone who has them would chime in.
I appreciate everyone here very much.

 

[griffinconst]

I listened to some new Paradigm Monitor 9's today. I liked them a lot. Lots of punch, tight bass, good mids, and plenty of highs but pretty smooth. I think I could live easily with those but I don't have $850.
Word of wisdom....don't listen to speakers double your budget unless your budget can be doubled.
Famous last words of all in this hobby.

 

[chris357]

Hi griffen, I have owned the 2.5i's for about 5 years. First hada denon avr3200 it was good but they are power hungry and when I got seperates they opened up really well and the bass was very nice. my first amp was a b&k with 220 watts @8ohm not doubling though for 4ohm. now i have a Krell kav 3250 with 250 at 8 and 500 at 4ohms and let me tell you it has the most amazing bass. so much in fact that I stopped using my subs for movies.. and music well Tusk with the deep low bass drums just kills .. 400 bucks will be the best money you ever spent on speakers

 

[griffinconst]

Thanks for your post. I about gave up on these, maybe I'll take the drive, it will be well worth it if I love them.
I'd be driving them with a 130wt Onkyo receiver. I wonder if that will power them well enough?

 

[chris357]

yeah actually my first was a denon avr 3200 which was only 80 wpc and it did well.. like I said though they are power hungry and it may "inspire" you to upgrade.. I first bought a sep amp and used the preamp outs from the reciever and that was pretty huge.. B&K is a great value company and my first amp was 200 wpc x 3 and now I'm at 250w at 8 ohm 500w at 4 and these are 6 ohm speakers so someplace in between there and they love it.. and just keep getting better.

 

[griffinconst]

Hey Chris, I see the guy lowered the price a bit. I bet I could get them for closer to $300. Would I be a fool to pass those up? I guess I should at least go listen to them. 4 hours for great speakers would be worth it.
Comments I got against were muddy bass, can be bright and fatiguing.
You have a pair, what do you say about that?
Nothing like info from the horses mouth.

 

[Adam]

My 1.5s were bright and fatiguing on music before I got my current receiver that has the auto equalizer. Now, they are great, IMO. I think that it was more about the rooms that I had them in than the speakers themselves.

 

[chris357]

with my 80wpc denon avr 3200 which was at the time a decent piece.. they were really great.. then I added 200 wpc sep amp through the pre amp outs.. and then they were amazing.. now with my krell 250 wpc at 8 ohm these speakers are 6 ohm so something more than 250 is going to them I never knew how much bass these speakers could produce.. I dont even need a sub. in my opinion they are not muddy at all maybe a tad fatiguing but not bad I dont really have many other speakers to compare them to. but I may pick up some b&w dm 640's

all i can say is at 300 make sure they work and buy them!!! its the best money on speakers you can get.. i mean in order for me to improve on them drastically I need to spend several thousand dollars..


buy them, buy them, buy them, buy them

 

[chris357]

not to mention the imaging and the sound stage you get with these will blow you away..

the only draw back is there is no end seeminly to the amount of power you can give them

 

[chris357]

well thats what i want to find out myself.. i listened to a pair of 804's and it almost brought me to tears they sounded so good.. since I dont have 2500 for used or 4k for new.. i'm happy with my 2.5i's for now.. i may buy these d640's that a guy has close to me..

I think for 400 bucks you cant go wrong with these speakers. and at 400 if you dont like them you can prob sell them pretty easy for 400 or close to it.