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Bronze Member Username: Unreal_tUnited States Post Number: 21 Registered: Feb-06 | I am looking for a pair of front floorstanders. I have a yamaha htr5740 receiver. A polk audio 12 inch sub. I have enough bass and I am mainly looking for a pair of floorstanders that will deliver nice warm crisp and clear tones. My budget is 400 dollars. Any recommendations? I was looking towards the Polk Audio Monitor 50's...Are those good? |
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Bronze Member Username: Unreal_tUnited States Post Number: 22 Registered: Feb-06 | I was looking at the RTI4's book shelfs and I was wondering if they would actually do me better than the towers? I I always tend to look at bookshelves as kind of junky due to their small sizes but I do not know if bookshelves can perform better than towers.. |
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Bronze Member Username: Jingka99Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia Post Number: 51 Registered: Aug-06 | As I have learned in this forum, it does not necessarily mean that bookshelfs are inferior as against floorstanders, some bookshelfs are better than floorstanders, of course it all depends on your overall system and the synergy behind this system...as far as I know, the floorstanders only had an edge in the low frequency region, the bass response...but the bookshelfs excel on the high and mid frequencies, and in others includes the low frequency as well...in your case, if your intended application is HT and you've mentioned that you already have a sub, then I would say that bookshelfs might suffice your requirement...again, it all boils down to how much $$$ you're willing to spend, the application (HT or Music), and the overall matching with your current gears... |
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Bronze Member Username: Jingka99Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia Post Number: 52 Registered: Aug-06 | review on RTI4: http://www.stereophile.com/budgetcomponents/1004polk/ |
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Bronze Member Username: Jingka99Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia Post Number: 53 Registered: Aug-06 | http://www.audioreview.com/POLKRTI4crx.aspx |
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Bronze Member Username: GavdawgPost Number: 61 Registered: Nov-06 | I myself am partial to the Paradigm Esprit towers. They have excellent highs, and put out respectable bass. The mids are excellent, and the imaging is quite good for a floor speaker of this price. They can be slightly boxy sounding because of a slight resonance in the lower midrange, but many users may not notice it if you don't know what you are listening for. If you aren't against looking into a monitor (bookshelf) speaker, than I would reccomend taking a look at the Paradigm Focus and Mini Monitor speakers. The focus is a little larger, and uses a less expensive tweeter. The cabinet has a little more resonance than the Mini Monitor, and does not image quite as well. The mini monitor is one of the best speakers that I have heard under $400. The highs are smooth and extended. The midrange is clear and clean, without being forced. The bass is also quite deep, yet tight. You may discover that you may not even need the sub :-) Now, of course these are MY preferences, and your ears differ from mine. I have heard the Polks, and feel that the Paradigm monitors best them in every way, especially in the treble performance. Now, if you aren't against going internet direct, I would also reccomend taking a look at the X-series from AV123.com. There are some users here that have had experience with the X-LS and love them. They are only $219 a pair. The towers are only a little over $300 a pair, and are beautiful to look at. Now, users have stated that they do take time to open up, so if you go that route, be prepared. The towers are still in development, but you can order them. http://www.av123.com/products_category_brand.php?section=speakers&brand=55 The X-LS bookshelf has many reviews online here at www.ecoustics.com |
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Bronze Member Username: GavdawgPost Number: 62 Registered: Nov-06 | Tommy... A good bookshelf will almost always outperform a similarly priced tower speaker due to a smaller cabinet. This leads to less cabinet resonance, and a cleaner sound. This also improves the image that you percieve as the performance. Most bookshelf speakers (also called monitors or music monitors by some audiophiles) place the speakers closer together, this creates greater coherence between what you hear. You hear the music as it was recorded, instead of it sounding like it is comming from a tweeter and a woofer cone. Larger tower speakers on a budget have to cut corners in manufacturing, and this is usually done in the cabinet construction. You will hear this in the form of resonance (buzzing) in the midrange. Bass energy from the woofers makes the cabinet vibrate at certain frequencies, and your ears pick this up, and hear it as distortion. Better tower speakers are braced very well, but this comes at a cost. Usually, upwards of $1500 for a pair is when they start getting silent. One of the only affordable tower that I can really listen to for any length of time is the $750 Paradigm Monitor 7. While I like the Esprit, I picked out the resonance at my dealer, and once I did it detracted from my listening. I am not saying it is a bad speaker. My dealer stated that he sells quite a few of them. My mother could hear it, but it was not offensive to her, and she enjoyed the sound. Although we both agreed that the atoms imaged better, and lacked the resonance. They were the speakers I bought A bookshelf overcomes this compromise by working with a smaller cabinet, and allowing the designer to concentrate his efforts on employing better drivers, better bracing, better crossover technology, better etc. etc. etc. BUT.... this is not always the case.. I have NOT heard the AV123 speakers. They are factory direct, and can compete with many of the more expensive brick and mortar store speakers. My advice to you is invest in a good, quality bookshelf system. With a yamaha receiver, you will want to stay away from anything bright (klipsch, axiom, aperion) The brands that I would reccomend you check out are th following paradigm wharfedale athena mirage polk (like the RTi...dont care for the monitor series) B&W Also... my favorite small speakers... The ERA design series they are tiny, and look beautiful... definatly not cheap. used, they may run you $400 a pair at the max. They are not meant for large rooms, but the coherency from them can not be delivered from a floorstanding box. They have the boxless sound down pat. |
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Silver Member Username: ExerciseguyBrooklyn, NY USA Post Number: 759 Registered: Oct-04 | There is ONE pair of Mission M35i's available @ amazon.com. Grab them while you can. At $450 delivered, They are an exceptional value. http://www.amazon.com/Mission-M35i-3-Way-Floorstanding-Speakers/dp/B000ARG2T6 |
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Silver Member Username: ExerciseguyBrooklyn, NY USA Post Number: 760 Registered: Oct-04 | Another exceptional value are the Infinity Beta 40's (Factory New Reburbs.) here on eBay for $399 + delivery http://cgi.ebay.com/INFINITY-BETA-40-CHERRY-ONLY-399-PREMIER-SELECT_W0QQitemZ130 054505977QQihZ003QQcategoryZ61376QQcmdZViewItem There are also Beta 50's for $499., but they are a budget buster. Black or Cherry. ...I would still go with Mission M35i. |
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Bronze Member Username: Unreal_tUnited States Post Number: 23 Registered: Feb-06 | Thanks for all the help. I am sticking with the rti4's. I have no clue about how I can wire these to get the best connection. I am looking into the stereo monster cables but do not know which ones I should buy. I also have no clue about bi wiring etc. so if anyone can help me out on what cables to get that would be great. Thanks! |
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Bronze Member Username: GavdawgPost Number: 68 Registered: Nov-06 | I myself feel that monster is overpriced for what it offers, it is like the McDonalds of the speaker cable industry so to speak. There are other posters that will be able to advise you better than I can. |
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Gold Member Username: PetergalbraithRimouski, Quebec Canada Post Number: 1978 Registered: Feb-04 | They would be the McDonalds of cables only if McDonalds sued everybody with that last name. |
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Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 4774 Registered: Dec-04 | Liberty cable is good and not overhyped/overpriced. 14g/biwire works for me. |
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Silver Member Username: ExerciseguyBrooklyn, NY USA Post Number: 761 Registered: Oct-04 | Yes, go with the Liberty Cable. |