Speakers for 2 or 2.1 system

[zeuiax]

Greetings guys,

Here is my first post....Im building a 2 or 2.1 system mostly for listening to music and may be little bit tv and movies for ~1k. Here are the few speakers I'm thinking about (I have not listened to any of these yet)

x-mtm Tower Loudspeaker in Satin Black$299 per pair

Intimus 5B Bookshelf Speaker @$193 each

Rocket RS450 Mid-Tower Loudspeaker - ETA 8.01 $699 per pair

KEF - iQ5 @ 239 each

Energy - C 500 - Tower Speaker @298 each

KEF - iQ1 - Bookshelf Loudspeakers @279 per pair

Athena - LS-500 Tower Speaker @ 150 each

Polk Audio RTi8 @ 199 each

polk R50 @ 60 each


Receivers: ($350-400)

Rx-v663

AVP888 (re certified)

TX=sr674

tx-sr606

Subs :
Dunno yet....

Let me know what you think guys......

thank you,
Z

 

[3db]

Put this on your audition list. I own a pair and love em!!

http://www.psbspeakers.com/products/Image-Series/Image-T45-Tower

 

[zeuiax]

^^^


I was actually looking at them.........they are going for 499/pair now

 

[mazersteven]

x-mtm Tower Loudspeaker in Satin Black[/URL]$299 per pair

Take a look at the new x-encore series.

http://av123.com/component/page,shop.product_details/flypage,shop.flypage/product_id,172/category_id,21/manufacturer_id,0/option,com_virtuemart/Itemid,37/

 

[jamie2112]

Are you going to get a chance to listen to any of these? There are always many suggestions made but the best way to buy speakers is to listen to as many as you can and decide what YOU like. I know everybody on AH has their own opinion as to what sounds good to their ears. Go out and audition as many of these as you can would be my suggestion.

 

[zeuiax]

^^^ wish i could listen to all these at local store..

 

[zeuiax]

are x-encore is better than x-mtm???

 

[allargon]

What about those sweet open baffled AV123 x-statics?

http://av123.com/component/page,shop.product_details/category_id,21/flypage,shop.flypage/product_id,266/option,com_virtuemart/Itemid,37/

One guy on AVS has a pair on sale for $650.

Out of your list above I would go for the Rockets then test everything else at home against it (likely before returning them and keeping the rockets).

Zeuiax, if you're considering those Polks, check out the Infinity P362's at Fry's on sale for $99 each. No disrespect to Polk fans, but the only Polks I would strongly consider for 2 channel with a $1k budget would be the RTi12/A9 and up. (Okay, the RTiA9 totally breaks that $1k budget but they have nice specs.)

Receivers... You will start something bringing out fans of Onkyo, Yammy, Harman, Denon, Pioneer, etc. If you're just going for two channel (not multichannel DVD, DVD-A, DTS, SACD, HD DVD, Blu-ray, etc.) consider getting a good stereo receiver. Old Rotels and NAD's can be had for a song off E-bay. Just be warned that modern source components tend to have crappy DAC's.

Subs... consider DIY.

 

[Midcow2]

Here a couple of others to consider

The Cambridge Audio S-30s ($219/pair) matched with an SVS PB10-NDS subwoofer makes a very good 2.1 system.

http://spearitsound.amazonwebstore.com/Cambridge-Audio-S30-Speakers-Black/M/B00198LYMU.htm?utm_campaign=froogle&utm_medium=organic&utm_source=froogle

http://www.svsound.com/products-sub-box-isd.cfm


Another good speaker to look at the the Mordaunt Short

The Mezzo 1 bookshelf is veyr very nice :

MORDAUNT SHORT Mezzo 1 5¼" 2-way Bookshelf Speakers PAIR LIGHT OAK
http://www.accessories4less.com/index.php?page=item&id=MORDMEZ1OAK
$594.99 per pair

The Avanti 904i is $550 /pair
http://www.accessories4less.com/index.php?page=item&id=MORDAV904IBLK

 

[zeuiax]

Thank you guys,

Is it better to buy floor standing or Bookshelves??

 

[calnbs]

Rocket RS450 would be my choice as well. They have a great return policy if you don't like them. I don't know when AV123's ELT525 Towers are coming out but that should be put in consideration as well.

http://av123.com/component/page,shop.product_details/flypage,shop.flypage/product_id,234/category_id,51/manufacturer_id,0/option,com_virtuemart/Itemid,37/

Bang for the buck have to be fry's special on the infinity primus 362 for $200/pair. Their Polk RTi8 is also on sale for $400 pair. You can check http://www.audiogon.com to see if you see other use ones such as Polk LSi 15....that would be my pick for 2.0 listening under $1k.

 

[no. 5]

Is it better to buy floor standing or Bookshelves??

A bookshelf could conceivably produce higher sound quality than a floorstander of the same price, simply because there would be less to manufacture, and then more resources could be put toward quality of construction rather than quantity. But that is a very broad generalization.

One isn't "better" than another unless you want low bass and absolutely do not want a subwoofer(s).

 

[3db]

^^^


I was actually looking at them.........they are going for 499/pair now

Have you auditioned them yet? Just curious to see if you would like them.

 

[zeuiax]

Have you auditioned them yet? Just curious to see if you would like them.

I have not but will do it soon.

 

[zeuiax]

A bookshelf could conceivably produce higher sound quality than a floorstander of the same price, simply because there would be less to manufacture, and then more resources could be put toward quality of construction rather than quantity. But that is a very broad generalization.

One isn't "better" than another unless you want low bass and absolutely do not want a subwoofer(s).

Which will be a better start off system cause Ill will add center channel later.
2.1 (2 bookshelf + sub)

or
2 (2 floor standing)

 

[carolinablues]

If you are still considering the KEFs, you can get the iQ1s for $229 free shipping. Probably a better choice would be the iQ3s for $299 free shipping from accessories4less.com. They are "Cosmetic Imperfections" , but are in excellent condition. They are an authorized KEF dealer.

 

[gus6464]

If you go used you will definitely get more bang for your buck. Here are some good buys at audiogon.

Totem Rainmaker $625 OBO
http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?spkrmoni&1222020614

PSB Synchrony 2B $800 (very good buy)
http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?spkrmoni&1219245415

Monitor Audio RS6 $750 OBO
http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?spkrfull&1221767427

Dali Ikon 6 $795 (a LOT of speaker for the money)
http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?spkrfull&1219806534

Out of all the ones I listed the Ikon 6 would be the most bang for the buck since the speakers retail for over twice that and perform above their price point. In fact you could get away with no sub for a while if you got those towers. Why buy new when you can get into the next bracket if you go used.

 

[zeuiax]

If you are still considering the KEFs, you can get the iQ1s for $229 free shipping. Probably a better choice would be the iQ3s for $299 free shipping from accessories4less.com. They are "Cosmetic Imperfections" , but are in excellent condition. They are an authorized KEF dealer.

Sorry for my ignorance but they dont seem to have any tweeters

 

[zeuiax]

If you go used you will definitely get more bang for your buck. Here are some good buys at audiogon.

Totem Rainmaker $625 OBO
http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?spkrmoni&1222020614

PSB Synchrony 2B $800 (very good buy)
http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?spkrmoni&1219245415

Monitor Audio RS6 $750 OBO
http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?spkrfull&1221767427

Dali Ikon 6 $795 (a LOT of speaker for the money)
http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?spkrfull&1219806534

Out of all the ones I listed the Ikon 6 would be the most bang for the buck since the speakers retail for over twice that and perform above their price point. In fact you could get away with no sub for a while if you got those towers. Why buy new when you can get into the next bracket if you go used.

thank you, let me look into those as well

 

[gus6464]

Sorry for my ignorance but they dont seem to have any tweeters

KEF uses coaxial drivers, meaning that the tweeter is in the middle of the woofer.