Cheaper classical music speakers?
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New member Username: CapookPost Number: 1 Registered: Nov-05 | Hello folks, I'm looking to purchase a speaker set for use with my computer. I listen to almost exclusively classical music, and so care less about bass and more about texture. I'm looking to spend somewhere between $250 and $750 on the whole set. After deciding this, I naturally went to google to find out what was best. And to my surprise, I found basically nothing desirable in this range! Everything was either cheapo computer speaker systems designed for bass and movie surround effects, or high-end speakers for thousands of dollars each. Is there no middle ground? Is there nothing designed for the budget classical music lover? I will be using these speakers for two main purposes: to listen to CD audio, and to output high-quality banks like the galaxy steinway 5.1, which I'll be using with my midi keyboard. I have an M-audio firewire 410 audio/midi interface, so I'm flexible as to analog/digital output etc. Is there any hope for me? (Also, is this page full of crap?) Thanks a lot, -Sam |
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Silver Member Username: NuckParkhill, Ontario Canada Post Number: 260 Registered: Dec-04 | Yes and yes. There is middle ground, and yes, it's crap. If you want cheap, buy cheap. If you want fidelity, pony up a coupla$ and step into the real world. Ain't nothing cheap, you can buy crud. Or you can step into audio. That stuff is just sound. |
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Silver Member Username: NuckParkhill, Ontario Canada Post Number: 261 Registered: Dec-04 | Once you go there, you won't look back. |
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Silver Member Username: NuckParkhill, Ontario Canada Post Number: 262 Registered: Dec-04 | pop into tube talk here and get some starter info..you cant go wrong with the info Cheers |
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Anonymous | Look into Swan Speakers multimedia systems. "(Also, is this page full of crap?)" Probably |
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Silver Member Username: NuckParkhill, Ontario Canada Post Number: 263 Registered: Dec-04 | Sam, don't under buy. It leads to upgrade heartbreak. Check out the Lolita tube setup, with Lings from Alegria. Look at tube talk. I am not kidding, if you buy a set up like this, you will be set for life. Do not underbuy! I am still paying, because I underbought. For classical, you may want to get a good 2.1 card to suport a sub, maybe not, depending on your tastes. |
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Silver Member Username: Timn8terSeattle, WA USA Post Number: 617 Registered: Dec-03 | Sam- Can you tell me a little about the environment you'll be using this system in. Room size, listening distance, etc. Also, I'm unclear about whether you're looking for a 5.1 system or just 2 channel. If you're looking for a good 5.1 system under $750 I can appreciate your frustration. |
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Silver Member Username: Touche6784USA Post Number: 714 Registered: Nov-04 | sam, the klipsch computer speakers are quite good. you could also get a real stereo setup instead of a computer speaker setup. the latter will probably serve you better. you can get a HK3480 at jr.com for like $270 shipped. that gives you like $500 to spend on speakers which is alot. you could go for ascend acoustics, B&W 6 series either used or new, Magnepan MMG for $550. there are tons of choices that can serve you well. try looking at some real speakers instead of the computer ones. you will be much better off. also, what speeakers did you look at that were in the thousands? Martin Logan? im sorry, but your assesment of the speaker world is pretty wacky. |
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Bronze Member Username: QuinnPost Number: 70 Registered: Aug-05 | The Ascend Acoustics 170s work quite weel as nearfield monitors. |
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New member Username: CapookPost Number: 2 Registered: Nov-05 | Thanks for all the comments, guys. I guess my google search just came up dry for this price range, but it is good to know that I have options out there (thanks for pointing me to them). As for 5.1 versus 2-channel, well, I just want what will sound the best on my fixed budget. Surround is nice, but 6 speakers instead of two means 1/3 the $ per speaker, which might make the system sound worse in the end. I didn't know so I was just going to ask you guys which was better on my fixed budget. The room size--well, unfortunately that will be changing from time to time. I'm a graduate student, and I will be moving around a fair amount for the next ~ten years until I hopefully get a permanent position. So I want something versatile (maybe this means I need to go cheap and wait for real good sound for when I settle down..? I just don't know). And about computer speakers vs. a usual system--I don't think that is an issue. I have an M-audio firewire 410 box which basically means my computer acts like a usual system. It has 8 different output channels etc... I have total flexibility in the setup. Finally about the suggestion of abandoning my budget and forking over the $... well, let's just say I don't exactly have the $ to fork over. They don't pay us much to study physics  Thanks again all! I'm eagerly looking in to the speakers that were suggested. |
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Silver Member Username: NuckParkhill, Ontario Canada Post Number: 275 Registered: Dec-04 | 2 chammel, man. No doubt. Cheaper(for now), money well spent! Higher fidelity for your fine tastes Cheers |
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Silver Member Username: NuckParkhill, Ontario Canada Post Number: 276 Registered: Dec-04 | 2 channel, man. No doubt. Cheaper(for now), money well spent! Higher fidelity for your fine tastes Cheers |
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Silver Member Username: Touche6784USA Post Number: 717 Registered: Nov-04 | sam, go for 2 channel it will be much more worthwhile. take a look at audiogon.com. it is a website specifically for hifi stuff. you can probably find a nice set of speakers in you budget. i would say get bookshelf speakers and decent stands. i think that will match with you need to travel and keep a high fidelity level. you can also look on ebay for B&W 600 series speakers. there are usually a bunch for sale at a reasonable price. |
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Silver Member Username: Timn8terSeattle, WA USA Post Number: 619 Registered: Dec-03 | http://us.alegriaaudio.com/Emma.htm |
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Bronze Member Username: Raj_pEvanston, IL USA Post Number: 22 Registered: Oct-05 | Being one of the firsts to hear the emma, I second tim's suggestion. Having been a strings player I can tell you that the Emma definitely does classical music justice! |
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New member Username: PtarmiganPost Number: 1 Registered: Nov-05 | I don't know about amplified speakers for your computer, but I do know you can get some fine small speakers in this price range and have money left over for an amp. I recently purchased the Mission M32i and M31i and delighted with both of them. The M31i is smaller, so there is a bit less bass, but the sound is sweeter. The M32i has enough bass to create a credible reproduction of a grand piano - the M31i sounds more like an upright. There is also a Mission m30i that is even smaller, so it might be better for computer use. If you are mainly listening to classical, skip the surround configuration. I just bought a surround receiver, and I prefer straight stereo. Amazon has these speakers at half off. I see Parts Express is selling a Mission surround set for $200 - the M3S. It looks like it has the same drivers as the above speakers, but in some sort of molded cabinet. The sub is amplified, but apparently the rest are not. While it is tempting, I think you might be happier with couple of the wood case speakers. I love my Missions so much I bought two sets of both the M32i and the M31i. |
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Bronze Member Username: Fps_deanWilliamstown, MA USA Post Number: 80 Registered: Oct-05 | Computer speakers pretty much suck. I run my computer through an old Philips receiver and use that. Resale value of my setup is about $120 but it sounds like it costs $3000 compared to some $300 computer speakers! |
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New member Username: CapookPost Number: 3 Registered: Nov-05 | Thanks for the continued help! A pair of bookshelves it is, and I'm busily looking in to which ones I want / can get. But one reservation. Many of you have suggested that I buy used online. I'm afraid of this because I'm too new to the audio world to have to confidence to say to a dealer, "these speakers are defective" if I hear something I don't like in the sound. So maybe I'd rather pay a little extra and get it direct from the company who will be easier to deal with if there is a problem (and I imagine there is less likely to be a problem buying new anyway). Is this reasonable, or am I being silly? |
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New member Username: PtarmiganPost Number: 2 Registered: Nov-05 | Buy used speakers online? Are you nuts? The shipping alone for substantial speakers would undo most of the saving from buying used. And who knows what might be wrong. And the fact is that speakers have improved in recent years, and are still improving. Find a good deal on new speakers online or locally. |
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Silver Member Username: Touche6784USA Post Number: 719 Registered: Nov-04 | j,pi what speakers are you talking about? if you buy 100lb speakers yes, but we are talking about bookshelf speakers here. yes speakers have improved over the years but not so much that used speakers are in their ending days. please be more knowledgable with your comments. sam, like anything else it takes time. ebay is a great source for high quality products. sellers have learned that in order to maintain their business you have to sell good products. i mean its the same with regular sales. someone that only sells crap products will have to close. look around at speakers that interest you to get a feel for the price that is reasonable. look at seller feedback. see what kind of compliaints the seller has had, see what kind of products the seller typically sells. i have bought many things online through ebay and have not had a single bad experience. many of the more estabilished sellers have some type of return policy or DOA policy. also, i have never heard of anyone having a bad experience on audiogon. did you even try out the site? i find it hard to judge something if you havent checked it out. you will see serious gear being sold by private sellers and stores. if you still arent convinced then i will tell you that i bought my speakers through ebay at ~$300. these are 10 year old speakers and still work like a charm and look brand new, at the time i did not have access to a car to go to a store so the internet was my only option. of course if the savings really arent that great in comparison to the price, well of course go to a store. if you opt out thats your choice, but you are definitely missing out on deals. |
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New member Username: PtarmiganPost Number: 10 Registered: Nov-05 | Mission, Athena, Phase Tech, NHT, Paradigm, all make great, reasonably inexpensive speakers, from what I hear, especially if you catch a sale. The Mission M32i are bookshelf speakers, but weigh 35 pounds for a pair. This is because of a very sold cabinet with lots of bracing, not to mention the weight of the drivers. Just because speakers are small does not mean they are light, if they are built right. And 35 pounds is going to cost you on shipping. Now lets say the speakers were driven hard, and there is some buzzing from a slightly damaged cone or surround. An honest seller might not notice it. Or the surrounds on a 10 year old speaker may be deteriorating. Also, the capacitors in the crossover networks can die. This is a common reason why a driver is dead. Good capacitors are needed for strong bass. Crossover design is one of the things that has improved the most in recent years, resulting in greatly improved stereo imaging. Most of all, the speakers need to be broken in correctly to sound their best. Sure, there may be some good deals on older speakers out there. But I don't think speakers are likely to hold up as well as used amplifiers because of wear and because speakers that were hot 10 or 20 years ago may not hold up against the competion today. I bought some used top of the line Rectilinear speakers in the 80s that had been highly respected in the 70s. They might have sounded good in their prime, but they didn't when I got them. How much of this is due to a shift in our expectations and how much a deterioration of components, is hard to say. I thougt with newer electronics these speakers would sound better than ever. Wrong. The speakers were the limiting factor. If you are talking good deals on really high end stuff, that may be different. On the other hand, there are some great inexpensive speakers being made these days that are as good as the high end stuff not so long ago. I was a bit of a audio purist in my day, but the reality is there is great reasonably priced gear these days, if you know what to look for. And that means getting past the advertising hype and the mass merchandise big box chain stores. I just replaced an old 60-pound Class A/AB amp with a Marantz receiver that sounds as good, if not better. And it is a heck of a lot more reliable. With new Mission speakers, I am in audiophile heaven. |
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Silver Member Username: Touche6784USA Post Number: 721 Registered: Nov-04 | ok, if a seller doesnt notice buzzing or surrounds that are crapping out than i dunno what to think. regardless, many do buy gear used whether it be speakers or amplifiers. in the end its sam's choice. |
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Silver Member Username: Timn8terSeattle, WA USA Post Number: 620 Registered: Dec-03 | "Many of you have suggested that I buy used online. I'm afraid of this because I'm too new to the audio world to have to confidence to say to a dealer, "these speakers are defective" if I hear something I don't like in the sound." A reputable on-line dealer will offer a money back satisfaction guarantee. http://www.us.alegriaaudio.com/Our%20Guarantee.htm |
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Gold Member Username: Edster922Abubala, Ababala The Occupation Post Number: 2822 Registered: Mar-05 | Sam, I second what Tim says...all reputable online/direct speakers have a 30 day refund policy. Music listeners often fall into one of two camps: the fans of "warmth" and the fans of "detail." For "warmth," those Alegria Audio Lings would be a fine choice. For detail, the Ascend Acoustics CBM-170s wipes the floor with anything else in its price range and higher. Read the extensive collection of consumer and pro reviews of these speakers on their website. Since you have had little experience with speakers I would recommend buying a pair of the Lings and a pair of the 170s, switch back and forth between them while going through your music collection, and choose which speaker best satisfies your tastes. You'll just be out about $15-20 return shipping for the pair that you send back, which is peanuts to pay for dead certainty. |
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