Usher S 520

[Vin2.1guy]

Hi all, new here!

I've been looking around at bookshelf speakers for awhile now and I've pretty much decided on the Usher S-520. But the only store that sells it in my state is all the way across the state---in Kansas City Mo (I'm in St. Louis).

Does anyone know where I could order one on the web?

Or can anyone recommend one of my other choices of bookshelfs over it? I have a vintage Pioneer SX 980 receiver I'll run it with and an Outlaw LFM-2 sub to pair it with, and I listen to mostly rock/pop, but also some jazz, classical, and folk or singer/songwriter stuff. Here's the other speakers I've been looking at as well:

Axiom M3 v2 (Ti) ($330)

Dana 630 ($349)

Epos ELS3 ($330)

Energy RC-10 ($550)

Ascend Acoustics CBM-170 ($348)


(There's a few others like Wharfedale Diamond's and Swan Diva 2.1's, but those are pretty much my top 5).


Thanks!

 

[Davemcc]

You could also consider the Era Design 4. I think it falls in around $500 USD.

 

[ChrisJam]

Hi all, new here!

I've been looking around at bookshelf speakers for awhile now and I've pretty much decided on the Usher S-520.

Or can anyone recommend one of my other choices of bookshelfs over it?

Here's the other speakers I've been looking at as well:

Axiom M3 v2 (Ti) ($330)
Dana 630 ($349)
Epos ELS3 ($330)
Energy RC-10 ($550)
Ascend Acoustics CBM-170 ($348)

Welcome to the site.

Do you have a budget you need to stick to? The speakers you listed range from $330-550 per pair. If you can spend more, I can recommend some other bookshelf speakers for you to consider.

Chris

 

[mazersteven]

Hard to duplicate the sound quality of the Ushers for the price.

 

[Vin2.1guy]

You could also consider the Era Design 4. I think it falls in around $500 USD.

I've heard the Era Design 5 is coming out in the Fall, I'd wait to see how that was received I think, or possibly get the 4 for a reduced price.

 

[Vin2.1guy]

Welcome to the site.

Do you have a budget you need to stick to? The speakers you listed range from $330-550 per pair. If you can spend more, I can recommend some other bookshelf speakers for you to consider.

Chris

Thanks, seems like a good place, and an audio noob like me could learn some things!

I don't really have a budget, but I'd like to keep it under $1000 and more like $300-$700. It may just be my ignorance, but it seems to me that after a certain point of spending money on audio equipment the law of diminishing returns kicks in. Sure a $5000 pair of speakers will sound better than an $500 dollar pair, but so much so to justify spending that much? Plus I'm pretty easy to satisfy and really don't have the desire to have anything better than a good mid-fi 2.1 stereo setup. I've got a Yamaha C-750 dvd/cd player and a Pioneer SX-980 vintage receiver and won't be buying any multi-thousand dollar replacements for either of these anytime soon, or ever. With my Senn 595 headphones and cheap BIC Venturi DV62si speakers that I got on Amazon for $110 shipped they already sound good. But I thought I'd try for a little better bookshelfs anyway.

Still, I would be interested in suggustions up to the $1000 mark. I've seen the Swan D2.1SE, Ascend Acoustic Sierra, RBH Sound MC-6C, Revel Concerta M12, and others that are considered close to high end at least and they do look nice and well reviewed.

 

[Vin2.1guy]

Hard to duplicate the sound quality of the Ushers for the price.

This seems to be what I've been hearing.

But where do you find them if there is no dealer near you? I looked on Ebay and Audiogon and found nothing, plus I'd rather buy them new and direct from a authorized seller anyway.

Anyone know where I can?

And thanks for all the replys so far!

 

[mazersteven]

This seems to be what I've been hearing.

But where do you find them if there is no dealer near you? I looked on Ebay and Audiogon and found nothing, plus I'd rather buy them new and direct from a authorized seller anyway.

Anyone know where I can?

Maybe find a dealer that is willing to ship them to you.

 

[Vin2.1guy]

Maybe find a dealer that is willing to ship them to you.

Yea, I suppose I could try the one in Kansas city.

Or do you know if http://www.musikmatters.com/ which is a distributer ships them to consumers?

I guess I should email these places.

Do you have these speakers? If so, where did you get them and what do you think about them for a guy who likes his music somewhat bright (just not harsh) and tight, accurate, and detailed? It seems that they are good for this type of sound from the reviews I've read.

 

[mazersteven]

Do you have these speakers? If so, where did you get them and what do you think about them for a guy who likes his music somewhat bright (just not harsh) and tight, accurate, and detailed? It seems that they are good for this type of sound from the reviews I've read.

I do not have these speakers. I have heard them. And from what you stated is your preference. You should like the Ushers.

 

[Vin2.1guy]

I do not have these speakers. I have heard them. And from what you stated is your preference. You should like the Ushers.

Thanks, the build quality alone is amazing!

I just emailed musikmatters. I'll see how they reply.

 

[mazersteven]

Thanks, the build quality alone is amazing!

Yes the build quality seemed very solid. Nice finish, and the clear driver is pretty cool.

 

[silversurfer]

Here is an interesting post on the Ascend forum. Granted, he says he likes the CBM-170SE's better, but it is a very nice review of the little Usher.

http://forum.ascendacoustics.com/showthread.php?p=24128#post24128

 

[Davemcc]

I've heard the Era Design 5 is coming out in the Fall, I'd wait to see how that was received I think, or possibly get the 4 for a reduced price.

The Design 5 has been sitting in my living room for months. It is larger and heavier than the Design 4 with fuller bass reproduction and retails about $750 USD. The D5 is not a replacement for the D4, but a complementary product. I chose the D5, but every time I go back and listen to the D4, I have to talk myself out of buying them because they are one of my favorite sounding speakers.

 

[Vin2.1guy]

Here is an interesting post on the Ascend forum. Granted, he says he likes the CBM-170SE's better, but it is a very nice review of the little Usher.

http://forum.ascendacoustics.com/showthread.php?p=24128#post24128

Thanks, interesting take. I've read all the professional reviews (and many from people in forums) I could find on the Usher's (and at least a few of all the other speakers I've listed) and one that impressed me was from Chris Martens of avguide.com. He compared them directly to the Epos els3 (one on my list) which seems to be highly regarded among professional reviewers as well.

What's funny is that he thinks the Usher's imaging, depth, and soundstage are very good. He talks about the "height" they reveal in a recording, something almost unheard of in this price range and hard for any speaker. I'm not sure if bad dynamics are the same as congestion, but he feels the 520's dynamics are excellent as well, unlike this poster. He also mentions that the Usher's need a lot of break in time, I wonder how long this guy played them before reviewing them?

Thanks for the link! Here's the review I mentioned if you are interested:

http://www.usheraudio.com/news/Poland-S520.pdf

(Ignore the poland thing, it's in English).

Here's a site with all sorts of reviews of Usher speakers and equipment in case anyone is interested (some are in foreign languages I can't read at least!) :

http://www.usheraudio.com/news1.htm

Also, here's a fairly recent review of them from this site by Tom Andry, in case you all didn't read it already :

http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/bookshelf/usher-audio-s-520-bookshelf-speaker-review

He says of them: "As far as I’m concerned, these are THE budget bookshelf speakers to beat."

He also mentions that they are somewhat unforgiving of poor quality recorded music (which worries me a bit, as we all know rock is not the best recorded music, however a UK reviewer and magizine--hifi world uk--which picked it over many other bookshelfs said it was lively and dynamic and loved rock and pop) and maybe this is why the other guy thought they could be compressed sounding: he was listening to a badly recorded cd.

So many variables with speaker selection!

 

[Vin2.1guy]

Yes the build quality seemed very solid. Nice finish, and the clear driver is pretty cool.

Yea, reviewers have raved about their build quality, and there are few speakers (if any) I've seen in that price range that look that solid.

And yea, that clear speaker is cool!

 

[Vin2.1guy]

The Design 5 has been sitting in my living room for months. It is larger and heavier than the Design 4 with fuller bass reproduction and retails about $750 USD. The D5 is not a replacement for the D4, but a complementary product. I chose the D5, but every time I go back and listen to the D4, I have to talk myself out of buying them because they are one of my favorite sounding speakers.

Ah, my bad, I thought the Design 5 was out this fall and would be replacing the Design 4. I didn't look at them too much because of the price, so I must of missed that.

I'll take a better look at them, I'm sure they're great, I've seen them mentioned a lot.

 

[dorokusai]

I love the little Epos and Usher was a favorite from CES for me. It's always nice to hear a bookshelf that blows you away.

Mark
Polk Audio CS

 

[Davemcc]

I love the little Epos and Usher was a favorite from CES for me. It's always nice to hear a bookshelf that blows you away.

Mark
Polk Audio CS

I also had a favorable audition with the Epos in the same room as the D4/D5. Just my opinion, but the D4 sounded more natural and had a fuller bass than the Epos. The D4 are haunting me because I didn't buy them. I listened to them again last Sat. and I was able once again to resist their allure. One day I'm just going to snap and go get them, they're just that good.

 

[dorokusai]

Dave - That's great and I respect the impression you had on that setup. I haven't had a demo of that manufacturer so thanks for the heads-up, it's on my short list. I'll play advocate and say, "Dave, cmon now....you know you can, come to papa...yea, reach, reach baby...the wallet will work...."

Mark