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George Unregistered guest | I have been reading a lot of rave reviews on NADs in this forum. But at the same time there is a lot of mention on it being bug ridden. I was considering a NAD742 but I don't have a local dealer and will need to have one shipped in? What is your advice, is it worth the risk? |
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Silver Member Username: JohnnyMissouri Post Number: 280 Registered: Dec-03 | George, I would not hesitate getting an NAD in the slightest. Wait a minute, I already did get one. :-) It is true that NAD gets a lot of "bug" reports here...but as I have said many times, I think these reports only represent a VERY small percentage of the receivers sold by NAD. I have personally spoken to 4 dealers in 3 different states, and all four have said the same thing to me...they have had no more problems with NAD than they had with any other brand. If you look closely at the people who are making these "bug" reports...they are often people making their first posting on the forum. Obviously, they were seeking advice on their problem and came across this forum. If they had had no problems at all, would they have bothered to seek out the forum to give a report about their problem free unit? Probably not. Of all the bug reports out there, I seriously can't remember any about the T742. Just buy from an authorized dealer and you shouldn't have anything to worry about. That being said, it generally isn't advisable to buy a receiver "sight unheard". Have you listened to NAD before? I love the sound of NAD, but audio listening is a very subjective thing. Personal taste plays a big part in what "sounds good" or "sounds bad" to any person. Even though I am positive that you will love the sound of NAD, I do recommend that you try to listen to one before you buy to make sure. Either that, or buy from a dealer that allows you to return the unit if you are unsatisfied after trying it in your home. Let us know what you decide on!! |
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New member Username: TrailerparkkingGrand Rapids, MI Post Number: 8 Registered: Apr-04 | Johnny, In your opinion, since you have used NAD, would the 742 (@ 50 watts) have enough umph to drive my Kef q50's and a Kef Q9c center channel, with q10's for surrounds? I wasn't really looking at the 742 but Saturday Audio exchange has such a good price on the 742/512 combo that I almost can't pass it up. I ask this only because I know Kef's aren't the most efficient speaker in the world ( my q50's are 86db I believe) TIA! |
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Silver Member Username: JohnnyMissouri Post Number: 283 Registered: Dec-03 | Bruce, Are those 8 ohms? Are you sure of the 86db rating of the Q50? I am not doubting you...it is just that the current "Q" series KEF speakers all seem to be pretty efficient (90-91 db) and are all 8ohm. I realize that the Q50 is a bit older...just wanted to make sure. What are you using to drive them now? |
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New member Username: TrailerparkkingGrand Rapids, MI Post Number: 9 Registered: Apr-04 | Hey there Johnny, I just looked on Kef's website and I was mistaken. The sensitivity is 88db @ 6ohms. Currently I am driving them 2 channel with an early 90's Sansui RZ-590, which does a decent job although is underpowered as well. I think the Sansui is only rated at 45 watts. My concern isn't just with the Q50's but the review I read that stated the 742 was a little underpowered for 5 speakers during intense and dynamic movie scenes. Is your opinion that you think a 742 would do well? Room size is 10x15. |
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Silver Member Username: JohnnyMissouri Post Number: 284 Registered: Dec-03 | Bruce, To tell you the truth, I think I am going to have to defer to those more qualified to answer your question. I just don't have as much experience with this receiver as I do with the others in the NAD line. I don't want to tell you "yes, it will do well" and then get corrected by everyone else. However, I will share with you what I do know about the 742. When it says it has 50 watts per channel, believe it. NAD rates their receivers with all channels driven simultaneously wheras some other brands rate theirs with only 2 channels driven. Of any of the other receivers in this price range, the NAD will have more real power during those "intense movie scenes". Although NAD doesn't recommend it, there were a few people on this forum who reported that they used the 742 to drive 4 ohm speakers and it performed well. It is because of this reported ability to drive 4 ohms that I would say that according to what I know, the 742 should be fine with your speakers. However, I am sure that some others will have more indepth recommendations. Good Luck!! |
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Silver Member Username: John_aPost Number: 704 Registered: Dec-03 | Bruce, I can maybe add something to the sensible advice Johnny gives. I have KEF speakers at lower efficiency than yours (older models C15/SW2000 88 db? for mains; 83 dB "Corellis" for surround; KEF KHT 88 dB for center). I have been driving them with an NAD T760 rated at 5 x 60W. It has more power than I need. More effective power than my old Sony Power amp's theoretical 2 x 100 W. You should not worry about power. Nor about reliabilty. I have been watching this forum for some time and have never seen a single problem, only high praise, for the T742. I will stay with NAD, and with KEF, and with the combination. |
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New member Username: TrailerparkkingGrand Rapids, MI Post Number: 10 Registered: Apr-04 | John, Awesome, glad to hear about your success with the Kef/NAD marriage. I have a buddy who is building an HT system around his 104.2's and is looking seriously at NAD as well so I will pass it along. The advice everyone has given has been postive on the 742. I had narrowed it down to the Azure 540R or the Marantz sr5400 but the prices on the 742 are just too attractive to pass up! Looks like I will be heading down the Saturday Audio sometime soon... Oh well i wanted to take a road trip anyway :-) LOL Take care guys! |
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George Unregistered guest | Johnny, Thanks for your advice. I will try to catch up with a dealer. Which do you think would be the most reliable online source to buy the 742. The dealer here is quite expensive. Could you also suggest a speaker system (sub sat) that would go best with the 742 (my budget is only $600). Thanks -George |
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Silver Member Username: JohnnyMissouri Post Number: 285 Registered: Dec-03 | George, For buying NAD, there are two dealers that I have personally dealt with and can easily recommend to you. The first is www.saturdayaudio.com, it is a store in Chicago. Ask for Andy, the owner. The second is www.kiefs.com, a store in Lawrence, KS. Ask for Ed, he is some sort of manager. Both places offer wonderful prices and their customer service simply can't be matched. While they both have websites, they do not take internet orders, so you will need to call. As for speakers, I have some suggestions, but I have to leave work now. I will write more tomorrow...but by then, I am sure others will have chimed in before me. |
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Bronze Member Username: JonmoonPost Number: 42 Registered: Dec-03 | George, I had the same reservations about buying a NAD and I do think that the complaints should give you cause. In fact, the unit I purchased went kaput. However, I found a dealer who I trust and NAD replaced the bad unit with an upgrade. I couldn't be happier with the new unit (T763) and I really recommend it. But, I wouldn't buy NAD except from a dealer you trust. |
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Silver Member Username: HawkHighlands Ranch, CO USA Post Number: 528 Registered: Dec-03 | Bruce: I am also a very pleased NAD owner, having purchased a T753 earlier this year. I know what you mean about the price of the T742/T512 combo from Saturday Audio--that is a killer price. I would not hesitate to pull the trigger. First, the 742 has had very few reported "bugs". Almost all of the complaints seen on this board over the past year have involved other models, but only one or two about the 742. It has been remarkably trouble free. Second, as others have said, it doesn't appear that NAD is any worse than any other brand. In fact, I checked with three different NAD dealers before I bought my receiver and each told me that they were not having any more problems with NADs than any other brand they carry, nor did anyone try to steer me to another product instead. One dealer, Kief's, did tell me that they had some problems with the 751 (two generations ago), but the 7x2s and the 7x3s had fewer problems than most of the other lines they carried (they carry about eight different brands of receivers). Sometimes it seems that NADs have a lot of bugs reported on this forum, but that is partly a function of the fact that NAD owners are simply more concerned about the sound quality--they really care about sound and want it to be perfect--they aren't the type of people who just buy the receiver of the month from Best Buy. Consequently, they demand more of their receiver than most consumers. Finally, your room is on the small side, and your speakers are moderately efficient, so I think the 742 will have more than enough power to drive your system where you are living. I also think you will like dealing with the guys at Saturday Audio. I have had some dealings with them as have a few friends--SA has always been very responsive and I have not heard of any problems--they seem to understand customer service very well. I had previously owned a Denon 3803 and the reason I decided to make a change was that I heard a 742 and it blew away my Denon and only cost half as much. From the time I heard the 742, I knew I would never be happy with my Denon and I am thrilled with the sound of my NAD T753. Cheers! |
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Silver Member Username: John_aPost Number: 711 Registered: Dec-03 | Bruce, If it is not too late, for the player, consider the advantage of getting the NAD T533 over the T512. The advantage is DVD-Audio. |
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Bronze Member Username: SemPost Number: 52 Registered: Mar-04 | Bruce and George, I have the T742 matched up with the PSB Image line. They sound great together, completely blowing away my previous stereo setup - Sony/KLH. I bought these through Saturday Audio in Chicago, I doubt you'll do any better price wise. I dealt with Andy, the owner of the store, he's great to work with. One thing, the T742, though short on features, is a solid 50w/ch, perhaps closer to 60w/ch or more. That said it will not blow the roof off your neighbor's house, or even yours for that matter. That is certainly not an issue with me, well it once might have been but not now. It is more than adaquet for both movies and music in my average sized room. After a month or so with this combo, I am still amazed at the clarity of the vocals, both spoken and in song. John A. has been giving glowing reports and recommendations for the T533 player. If you go that route and want to go through Saturday Audio, be advised, I don't see it listed on their website yet. |
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Silver Member Username: JohnnyMissouri Post Number: 288 Registered: Dec-03 | George, Sem makes a wonderful recommendation of the PSB Image line if you decide to go with the NAD T742. I have some PSB Image speakers paired with my NAD T762 and I LOVE it. The sound is increadibly detailed and inviting. For the money, PSB Image speakers are some of the best out there. I mentioned Saturday Audio Exchange in my posting above. If you decide for the 742, definately check them out. They have an insane deal right now on their PSB Image speakers provided that you buy a receiver through them at the same time. Their current deal on the 742 is $449 last I heard. Through the deal, you can then get 4 PSB Image 1B's for front and surround, and an 8c for center for right at $600. I know, you still need a sub...but maybe you can stretch the budget a little bit? Try the PSB Subzero i (retail $349) or the HSU STF-1 (retail $299-available from www.hsuresearch.com). If you are buying the full system from Saturday Audio, they may make you a pretty good deal on the PSB sub. I think it would be well worth it to try to streatch your speaker budget for the sound of the Image speakers. At a budget of only $600 for a full sub/sat system, it is going to be very hard to find something that will give the 742 a chance to really sing. PSB does have a model of speaker lower than the Image (the Alpha), but at those prices from Saturday Audio on the Image line, the two will likely be about the same price. Also, the Alpha line is definately a "budget" model. It just doesn't give the same sound quality as the Image line does. Give Saturday Audio a call and see what they can do for you. If you are unable to stretch the budget at all, try checking out the Athena Micra 6 speaker system. It retails for $499 from Best Buy. I have not actually heard this speaker system in person, but I read a review of it in either Home Theater or Sound and Vision magazine this month, and they gave it very high marks. Although I am certain you would like the PSB Image speakers better, the Athena system will match well with NAD and is a capable alternative in my opinion. Good luck, and please report back when you get this all straightened out. |
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Bronze Member Username: TrailerparkkingGrand Rapids, MI Post Number: 11 Registered: Apr-04 | wow, thank you to everyone for the terrific reviews of both the NAD's and Saturday Audio. I spoke to them last night on the phone just to confirm that they still have the 742's in stock. The guy I spoke with (I didn't ask if it was Andy or not)seemed very nice. My only decision now is if the Componenet switching and OSD is a worthy upgrade and justifies moving to the 743 since I am running HDTV it would be nice to have the switching capabilities and remove a remote from operation. John A. - I had already been thinking of moving to the 533, although that would mean sticking with my cheapie phillips for a month or two. I am not familiar with DVD-A from experience. Is this format worth having access to? Does the 532 have dvd-A? Thanks again guys, all of you are such a huge help! -Bruce |
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Bronze Member Username: SmittyCanada Post Number: 50 Registered: Dec-03 | Bruce, there are a couple of other nice features on the 743 over the 742 as well such as: - better remote - A/B speaker switching - adjustable crossover (the 742 is fixed at 80Hz) - reassignable digitial inputs - presets (on the 742 you have to manually change things such as speaker size & sub on/off on the front panel. This may be an issue if for instance you prefer to listen to HT with all speakers set to small & sub on and stereo with speakers set to large & sub off.). I own a 742 and am very happy with it. Personally, I didn't want to fork out the extra C$350 the 743 would have cost me. If the difference was say around C$200 then I probably would have went for the 743. |
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Silver Member Username: John_aPost Number: 713 Registered: Dec-03 | Bruce, I must be quick re DVD-A:- " Is this format worth having access to?" YES!! "Does the 532 have dvd-A?" NO. See https://www.ecoustics.com/electronics/forum/home-video/16456.html ... which is linked on ecoustics front page. Best. |
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Bronze Member Username: TrailerparkkingGrand Rapids, MI Post Number: 15 Registered: Apr-04 | Smitty, Thanks for the contrast i actually hadn't realized that there were so many differences. (I was too focused on finding component switching)The adjustable crossover is a nice feature and the general flexibility improvements might be nice to have for the long term. I have seen Hawk and others stating that it is better to run directly to the TV with the dvd so i may even do that. Glad to hear that the 742 has been a good unit for you Smitty! |
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George Unregistered guest | Thanks for all the great reviews everyone. The NAD now seems very very inviting. I checked the site for Saturdayaudio and they are giving out the 742 for $399. Will my warranty be valid if I buy online? One last question about the Nads, will I be missing out on any of those features offered in certain other brands like Pioneer. Will calibration be tough doing manually (as compared to auto calibrations on Pioneers) especially since I'm a newbie? |
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Silver Member Username: JohnnyMissouri Post Number: 289 Registered: Dec-03 | George, Great questions. I didn't know SA reduced their price again...that is a STEAL!!! Your warranty is most definately valid from Saturday Audio. You are not really buying online with them. They just have a website, but you cannot actually order the item online. You have to call. Technically, you are buying the receiver at their store, and rather than you going to pick it up, they will mail (ship) it to you. Plain and simple. Even being a newbie, it shouldn't be a problem to calibrate the unit manually. Get a $50 SPL meter from Radio Shack to help you and you should be fine. If you need more help once you actually get to that point, those on this board will be able to help you out. I was a newbie when I did mine, and I found it very easy. Obviously, it is probably not "pro quality"...but it is probably pretty close. In my opinion, that auto calibration on the Pioneer is definately not worth changing to the Pioneer...especially at that price for the NAD. The superior sound quality of the NAD far outweighs the auto calibration in my mind. |
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Bronze Member Username: SmittyCanada Post Number: 51 Registered: Dec-03 | George, Hard to say, I didn't see anything specifically on their website mentioning this. However, yawaonline.com has the T742 for $419 and does state the following:
I have not had any dealings with either of these retailers. |
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Bronze Member Username: KendridPost Number: 13 Registered: Apr-04 | If you are curious about Yawa, check out my posts in the 'Frustrated with NAD T762' thread. I have had two DOA NAD receivers from them and they took care of the problem both times. My new T753 is arriving next Tuesday. |
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Bronze Member Username: KendridPost Number: 14 Registered: Apr-04 | I forgot to mention that both of my malfunctioning units were refurbs. They just did an even swap of a DOA T762 to a NIB T753. |
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Bronze Member Username: TrailerparkkingGrand Rapids, MI Post Number: 16 Registered: Apr-04 | George, I spoke to a guy at Saturday Audio yesterday and he seemed to think that the $399 price was only with the combo 742/512, but I think he was mistaken. I see today that they are listing them for $399 with no exceptions. I think I will be running to meet you there! LOL Kevin, good to hear you had such good luck with YAWA. i will have to go check them out. |
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Bronze Member Username: SemPost Number: 53 Registered: Mar-04 | Bruce, I think you're right, the price should now be $399 with no exceptions. I believe that's a recent change on their website, so maybe whoever you talked to wasn't yet aware of the change. I would advise you to do what I did: send an email to Andy (andy@saturdayaudio.com) and talk prices with him. He's the owner, he will know. He responded promptly to all my inquiries. Good luck and post back when decide. |
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George Unregistered guest | Johnny, I was reading the editorial in this forum about the T742 and it says that it does not handle complex and busy soundtrack too well. Since I will be using this primarily for HT purposes will this be a problem. (I usually listen at a lower volume -stay in an apartment). Bruce, Did you get yours? |
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Silver Member Username: JohnnyMissouri Post Number: 291 Registered: Dec-03 | George, I just read the editorial you are speaking of, and I must say that I am a bit confused by it. Throughout the whole review, the author stays very vague and doesn't really present too many specifics. For example, the author mentions a movie ("A.I.") that he used to to test the system and proceeds to say that "image steering could be more fluid". What exactly does that mean? That seems very vague to me. I would have liked some more specific information (specific scenes, desicriptions of what it sounded like, etc). The author compares the T742 to the Pioneer VSX-D912 and the Yamaha RX-V540 and says that these two receivers "handle the complexities of a busy soundtrack much better". What does this mean? What exactly is the 742 lacking in? Once again, I would have liked some more info. I wouldn't worry about this editorial very much. In my opinion (and many others on this forum), the 742 will have a much clearer and much fuller sound than any other receiver in the price range. I didn't notice any mishandling of the "complex and busy soundtracks" when I listened to the 742...but I did notice a dicernably better sound than any other receiver that I have listened to in the price range. I have said it before and I will say it again. If you have a small-medium room and you don't plan on blowing any walls down with loud movies or music, then the 742 is about as good as you can get in this price range. I know that if I was in your situation, the 742 is where I would put my money...but that is just me...I don't have much use for those frilly features offered by other brands and I care a lot about sound quality and clarity...the others in the price range just didn't "do it" for me. Listen for yourself. I am quite certain that when you listen to the other $400 options out there you will always come back to the 742. |
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Bronze Member Username: SmittyCanada Post Number: 53 Registered: Dec-03 | George, I guess you mean this one: T742 Review? It's hard to say if the reviewer was expecting too much from a 50Wx5 receiver considering they didn't specify the speakers they were using, whether a sub was used, small/large speaker settings etc. I'm certainly happy with my T742 (as I was with my previous 60W/ch H/K pro-logic AVR30), but if you're power-hungry, have inefficient speakers or a very large room then you may need more. |
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Bronze Member Username: TrailerparkkingGrand Rapids, MI Post Number: 21 Registered: Apr-04 | George, I haven't been able to make it to Saturday's right now.. i had one of those "emergencies" pop up and my toy budget was raided to fix the problem. I am going to head down there sometime by mid-june and if they have some 742's left then I am sure I will pick one up but more than likely I will just up it to the 743 and get the additional features. Hopefully the price will drop slightly by then. George, I honestly wouldn't worry about that review. I am running my Q50's right now with a 45wpc sansui and it is plenty loud enough for the room. I have no reason ro assume that the NAD (which I am sure has more uumph) wouldn't do a fine job!!! |
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George Unregistered guest | Johnny, Smitty, Bruce, Thanks for all your feedback. That's it, I'm going for the NAD T742. About the speakers, Johnny, you had mentioned the PSB Image. Unfortunately it is a little too big for my small room and wasn't able to sell the idea to my wife. (This was a pity especially since Andy was ready to give me the subzero for $249). The other system you spoke of was the Athena Micra. Is there any other similar sized speaker systems worth looking at? A nearby C-city was offering a good bargain on a Polk RM6700, you think it would go well with the NAD? Thanks. |
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Silver Member Username: John_aPost Number: 749 Registered: Dec-03 | Just to say I read the review linked by Smitty (Aug 26). I would discount that reviewer's opinion completely. As Johnny says, he is vague. Comparisons seem to made, but he does not say with what, so it is more about the writer's state of mind than it is about the receiver. He seemed to be irritated mostly by having to think, and make up his mind about what he wants, whilst setting it up. Also he is clearly unhappy about having only 5.1 channels, and probably regrets the absence of surround effects such as "church" and "stadium". The comment "speaker distances have to be set indirectly, in milliseconds" shows a lack of basic understanding of what he was doing. The control sets speaker delays, in units of time. That is what you want. If you choose distance in feet, as he recommends, you might think you will have to change ALL values every time you move, quite unnecessarily: the delay time is just a difference in the time it is going to take the sound the reach your ears. He clearly does not understand that. |
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Bronze Member Username: TrailerparkkingGrand Rapids, MI Post Number: 22 Registered: Apr-04 | Hey George, I don't know if I am breaking the rules by posting this link but I saw this and thought of you! Seems like a pretty good deal being that it is brand new with the sub. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=32861&item=3093593154&rd= 1&ssPageName=WDVW Good luck! |
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George Unregistered guest | Bruce, Thanks for the info. You are right, that is something that I want. Only problem is that the seller is offering no warranty of any kind in that bid. Thanks for looking out. |
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Silver Member Username: JohnnyMissouri Post Number: 294 Registered: Dec-03 | George, When I very first got my NAD T762 receiver, I actually had it running some Polk RM series speakers (the RM 5400 I think). There was about 3 weeks in there that I used this setup before I got the PSB Image speakers. The only way I can describe the sound is "mediocre". Don't get me wrong, it sounded nice. There was definately some detail there (provided by the NAD), but the sound just didn't sound nearly as "full" as it does with the Image speakers. I mean, you can't expect a speaker as small as the palm of your hand to fill up the room like a spaker that has a 6.5 inch driver and 1 inch tweeter. I haven't taken a physics class in some years now, but it seems logical to me. So I guess what I am saying is that in my opinion, you will get quality sound with Polk speakers...just not the same quality you would get with the larger PSB Image. Does that make sense? If I may ask (hopefully this doesn't get to personal), what part of the Image setup was too large? The mains, the center, or the sub (or all three)? If it was just the sub that was too large, we can certainly find smaller subs. PSB also makes a line of speakers lower in price (and size) than the Image...it is called the Alpha line. You may want to check them out. While the are certainly not on the same level as the Image, I think they will give you better results than Polk. You might also want to check out some of the speakers in the Paradigm Performance series. The Atom and the Titan are wonderful speakers for the money (a bit cheaper than the PSB Image) and they are physically smaller than the Image. Once again, in my opinion they won't give the same type of sound quality that the Image would, but they will be MUCH better than the Polks you mentioned. |
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Silver Member Username: JohnnyMissouri Post Number: 296 Registered: Dec-03 | George, Something else. I was just looking at the Circuit City website and noticed something. Are you aware that the Polk RM6700 is sold without a sub? Maybe that is why it seems like such a good deal. The price listed on the website was $599 for just the 4 satellites and 1 center speaker, NO SUB!!! You would have to buy a sub on top of that. I am not trying to imply that you are stupid or something, it is just that sometimes those salesman at CC tend to leave some important information out sometimes (because THEY are usually stupid). I was just trying to make sure you don't buy the thing and then get it home only to find out it didn't have a sub. Cheers!! |
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john1 Unregistered guest | On the NAD fan noise issue -- just installed new T753. Sound from speakers is great... but sound from receiver is annoying. The fans are audible, as some other have mentioned, on quiet music or movie passages... even from 10 feet away. I could not hear fans at the store. Is this fan whirring/fluttering really typical? |
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Bronze Member Username: Gatt767Malta Post Number: 44 Registered: Feb-04 | My T762 is installed with 2 fans, in very quite instances, I do sometimes hear the fans running. But to me, I do not find it annoying,. Newer models the T7x3, are installed with 4 fans running at lower speed. As I can see it, NAD had to install those fans to 1) keep the current chassy 2) not to increase the size of the unit due to larger heat sinks 3) and keep to the promised power output! |
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Unregistered guest | I have a pair of JBL L7 series speakers. Which RECEIVER ( $500- $700 )do you recommend to get the best sound. I also want great video. |
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George Unregistered guest | Johnny, For the speakers, I was looking for small sized front, surround and center speakers. I know this won't be half as good as speakers the size of the image but can't seem to find a way around. Thanks for all the options you gave me. I found the alpha series matching the size I was looking for and you say it is also better than the Polk. About the Polk actually they have this deal going on that if you get their RM6700 then you get $200 off any of their subs. I also took a look at the Paradigm Atom. Do you know how the Paradigm Micros compare with the PSB Alpha Intro.? |
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Silver Member Username: JohnnyMissouri Post Number: 297 Registered: Dec-03 | George, I have never directly compared Paradigm to PSB, but I do know that both are very similar sonically. Both have a very warm yet detailed sound, and both make very good matches with NAD. Even though the PSB Alpha intro spekaers are in the "Alpha" line, they are a little different than the others. The Intro's are meant to be a smaller alternative (which I guess is what you are looking for). That being said, the Alpha Intro's are closer to the Polks you were looking at in size and performance in my opinion. If I remember correctly, the Alpha Intro's are made of plastic (I may be wrong though), and the grills on the front of the speakers are metal and are not removable. They just "feel cheaper" than the others. The other Alpha's (the Alpha B) is made of wood and feels like it has a much higher quality than the Intro's. I would put the Paradigm Atom and Micro in the same ballpark build and sound wise with the Alpha B. The Atom has a 5.5 inch driver and the Micro has a 4.5 inch driver. The Alpha B has a 5.25 inch driver. So, all of them are very similar in size and in my mind in sound quality as well. On the other hand, the Alpha Intro has a 3.5 inch driver (as does the Polks you were looking at I think). Therefore, for build and sound quality, I would recommend the Alpha B (not the Alpha Intro) or either the Paradigm Micro or Atom. I think they will give you a much better sound than the Alpha Intro's or those Polks. |