Speakers for 2.1 setup..

[Hipnotic4]

im doing a music setup. have a sub..just need some bookshelfs..

looking at

KEF iQ3, PSB B25 and Klipsch RB 15..what you guys reccomend?

 

[jaxvon]

Whatever speakers sound best to your ears and fit your budget.

 

[Hipnotic4]

just wanted 2 get some feed back on the sets and some reccomendations..

 

[mike c]

have you heard B&W 's?

 

[Hipnotic4]

nah cant. No one around here sells them

 

[JonBaker99]

Those KEF iQ3s are very nice for the money. I'd also say take a look at these:

http://www.av123.com/products_product.php?section=speakers&product=47.1


If you take advantage of thier gift card promotion you can get 5% off.

I would also recommend:

http://www.axiomaudio.com/m22ti_main.html

I haven't heard them but supposed to be really nice as well.

 

[Hipnotic4]

Well I cant really demo those speakers..Im really battling it out between those 3 i mentioned..

I want something with a great dispersion. The KEFs have really good clraity but i really didnt get to do a A/B comparison, but this will be done around friday.

Its going to come down to the KEF iQ3s or the PSB B25s.

 

[3db]

being a proud PSB owner and flogging them like some cheap ???

im doing a music setup. have a sub..just need some bookshelfs..

looking at

KEF iQ3, PSB B25 and Klipsch RB 15..what you guys reccomend?

My preference would be the PSB's. To be truthfull, I never listened to the others in your list so your the only one that can narrow it down. Personally, I like PSB products very much and if I ever get the money to upgrade, I will move onto PSB Stratus series

Here's what Stereophile had to say about em;
http://www.stereophile.com/budgetcomponents/1204psb/index.html

 

[Hipnotic4]

yea thanks. I read tons of reviews on the PSBs being that they have been around.

The kefs iQ3s are pretty new. They are big over seas though, on the KEF website they have some review that says they are the best loudspeaker by EISA--European Imaging and Sound Association Award. Check it out heres the write up...

"Maidstone, Kent, UK: 15th August 2005.....It has just been formally announced that KEF iQ3 speaker system has been declaredan outright winner of a highly prestigious European Imaging and Sound Association Award (EISA) - in the Audio and Home Theatre Loudspeaker category for 2005-6. The Association’s citation reads ‘KEF’s Uni-Q concentric drive-units continue to evolve in the new iQ Series. And the iQ3 model – ideal for bookshelf or stand mounting – is an excellent first buy for price-conscious customers in search of high-quality listening. The new magnetically-shielded 160mm driver features a die-cast basket, which with help from a front-firing bass-reflex port and carefully profiled cabinet, allows the iQ3 to deliver weight, detail and dynamics. This KEF enclosure shows you don’t need a big box or a big budget to enjoy real musical pleasure’.

EISA is the largest editorial multimedia organization in Europe, with a membership of 50 Audio, Mobile Electronics, Video and Photomagazines drawn from 20 European countries. At the end of June all EISA member magazines come together for the most importantmeeting of the year - the elections for the European Awards. Fromall products introduced during the preceding twelve months, each panel must choose the best equipment in each category. The EISA Awards congratulate the products that combine the most advancedtechnology, the most desirable features, and the ultimate expression of design, the most satisfying ergonomics and greatestvalue for money. KEF will be presented with its Award at this year’s IFA in Berlin, Germany. "

Well thats what made me look into them. And they sounded pretty good. Just waiting till this guy gets the PSB B25 set in and Im going to demo them and see how they go against the iQ3 in terms of dynamics and clarity.

 

[jcPanny]

AH Bookshelf Shootout

The Klipsch R-15's and Axiom M3ti's were included in a recent shootout review on this site:
http://www.audioholics.com/productreviews/loudspeakers/SpeakerFaceOffVIp1.php

The Axiom M22ti's are a price/performance step above the M3's and would be good for a 2.1 system.

 

[AzN_plyR]

Man, I wish that review had some athena's in there!!!!!

 

[muncybob]

I'm using the Axiom's previously mentioned as surrounds..I think with a sub in 2.1 system they would be very good. Since you get 30 day demo why not order them and do another a/b test at home with whatever you decide on in the store? I think it would be interesting to hear from you on this. I did the same with some B&W's(forget the model now)...B&W had better bass but I wasn't too concened about bass...Axioms seemed to have better detail so for the $$ it was Axiom for me.

 

[Hipnotic4]

Ill keep you guys updated. Dont know if i can buy a set and just return it--gotta see the shops policy.

 

[The13thGryphon]

When you read my sig and see my system you'll understand that I'm a little biased... but I'd go with the KEF's. They're not the type of speaker to reach out and grab you during a short demo... they're the kind of speaker you can listen to for hours, and enjoy for years.

They are smooth, musical, and they do have very good soundstage and imaging. Their off-axis response is very close to sitting in the sweet spot. They seem to make even poor recordings a bit more tolerable... yet there's certainly nothing missing in the higher registers.

I think a lot of their musicality comes down to the Uni-Q technology. This defines the speaker's dispersion and response patter, as well as helping with time alignment.

Listen to them both, with music you like, and in your own system if at all possible.

 

[Hipnotic4]

Yea im going to compare both and see whats good with them.

Which ever gives me more dynamics/clarity that is the one that will get a new home

I did like the KEFs iQ3s but i mean it didnt really empress me because i had nothing to compare it to, know what i mean? It sounded good on the music that he was playing. But I want to test it on some system, LP, hawthorn heights etc..along with trance and some rap..and guitar solos. I gotta make a cd that has a good mix of stuff to test them with.

Ill keep you guys posted on what i went with and why..

 

[muncybob]

I never go audio shopping without at least 4 or so discs in hand to listen with...and even then it's not the same as when you get the stuff home...unless you have a similar "studio" style listening room such as the dealer does. Good luck!! Audio equipment shopping is about the only type of shopping I ever enjoy!

 

[Hipnotic4]

yes i gotta make some CDs for all that

and it is exciting. Im doing 1 thing at a time. Its so hard trying to NOT buy everything at once. Jeeeze i cant even tell you how many amps i been looking at. STay tuned for that post lol. But im sure either way I go i will be fairly happy.

Asthetic wise the KEFs win. but that holds no real points when it comes to buying the product..and speaker placement is a jokeee in my room. Seriously when i start working on things ill take a pic and show you guys. its a perfect shaped room for what im doing.

 

[zumbo]

These little Quarts sound great. You need a good amp though. They are 4ohm.

http://www.yawaonline.com/miva/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=YO&Product_Code=MBQ_QLS530&Category_Code=MBQ

Another brand I like is Monitor Audio. You might check to see if there is a dealer close to you.
http://www.monitoraudio.com/

 

[Hipnotic4]

These little Quarts sound great. You need a good amp though. They are 4ohm.

http://www.yawaonline.com/miva/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=YO&Product_Code=MBQ_QLS530&Category_Code=MBQ

Another brand I like is Monitor Audio. You might check to see if there is a dealer close to you.
http://www.monitoraudio.com/

Those little quarts have a rather Large price tag lol. And i am not paying 400 dollars PER speaker before i get to demo them. Monitor is good stuff But no one around here carries them..

 

[Hipnotic4]

Good news! I got to demo the KEFs against the Paradigm Titan and the Studio bookshelfs..--I didnt see any thing on the paradigms website about STUIDO speakers so im guessing he must of ment the Monitor Line..

Demoed some trance, rock and rap songs. Denon Receiver.

The Monitor had some SERIOUS midbass. I was really shocked on the bass output on those things. I highly reccomend that for people who do not want to use a sub and want some "omph" in their music. Seriously that thing knocks.

The Kefs had some bass too but it was not nearly as good as the Monitor. But, It was, to me, Smooother in the upper midrange frequencys.--Like during trance songs on high peaks no matter where you sat you were just like WOW..very envoloping type sound. The Studios did no have as wide a sound stage. They were VERY close in the sound though. The kefs had a more balanced and natural 3d type sound.

When listening to trance you can really tell the depth the KEFs had. With rock, some demo rock CD..The Kefs sounded pretty much identical to the Studio line. It was really hard to tell a diff between the 2--the Kefs sounded a bit more brighter other than that no real difference. Again the Rock cd they had sucked.

The titan did not compare to the kefs at all. It was like having a blanket over the speaker when the Titans were on and pulling off the blanket when switching to the KEFs.

This was all done at 6th ave electronics. I didnt know they carried that kinda of gear,(paradigm, kef etc) I was going thier to demo the RB15s and the RB25s and whatever else they had. And even still i didnt think they would of had a setup like they did. Thats why i didnt bring any CDs. --Didnt get to test either of those speakers because they had them both set up in diff spots in the store for HT use and I couldnt do any sort of A and B comparison.

**One thing that i did notice about the KEFs, is that they are power hungry. The guy was baiscly turning the volume up a quarter more everytime he switched the kefs and back down when he went to the Paradigms. He told me they are very power hungry.

Well i had fun testing the stuff out :B Gotta wait till tuesday so I can hear those PSB B25s.