Floorstanding Speaker Advice
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Bronze Member Username: GosseGuayaquil, Guayas Ecuador Post Number: 12 Registered: Jan-08 | Hello to Everyone: I am looking to upgrade my speakers. The new speakers will be used only for music listening and will be powered through a DENON AVR-2808 receiver. Looks are important since they will be place in the living room. So far I have narrowed my search to the following two options: Definitive STS or Polk LSi25 Primarily I will be listening to Rock and Alternative music. My budget is less than $ 3.000 per both speakers. Please let me know which speakers will be a best fit. I will really appreciate if you could recommend other brands that will fit within my budget. Thanks in advance and look forward to your king help Regards Gosseling |
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Gold Member Username: DmitchellOttawa, Ontario Canada Post Number: 1116 Registered: Feb-07 | If you are going to be doing only music listening, you might want to consider taking some of your speaker budget and upgrading from an AV receiver to a good integrated. Definitive Tech are more known for HT duty rather than music, from what I've heard. |
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Platinum Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 12772 Registered: May-04 | . No doubt a decent integrated amp and some good standmounted speakers (with a subwoofer if you need thump) will give better sound for music than a HT receiver and some mass market floorstanders could ever muster. I'd say you either need to find the alternatives that exist in the marketplace or you at least need to get your priorities straightened out. $3k is a lot of cash to waste. What's important to you? How loud do you need it to play? How big is the room where the system will sit? What sort of music do you favor? What do you own now and why are you wanting to replace them? . |
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Bronze Member Username: GosseGuayaquil, Guayas Ecuador Post Number: 13 Registered: Jan-08 | Thanks for the replies. Actually I am going step by step in the upgrading process. Obviously, there is always the possibility to split the $ 3000 to get a nice amplifier and speakers, but I do not want to sacrifice speaker quality to get the amplifier right now. My intention is to buy the speakers right now and after a few months or whenever I have enough money, buy the amplifier. I own a very old (more than 20 years Boston Acoustics). The reasons why I would like to upgrade is because those speakers are not powerful enough for the living room (32m2), and also my wife is giving me a hard time about the looks. My music preference is rock and alternative music and speakers should be powerful enough to fill the room with music during small parties. Regards Gosseling |
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Silver Member Username: PcstocktonPost Number: 103 Registered: Apr-08 | DONT DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! $3000 on some big box store speakers???? Please look around some more. For $3000 you can get into just about any brand, and certainly one of their upper-end speakers. If you consider buying used, you can then source a $6000-$8000 speaker!!!! de Vries, i cannot stress it enough! Go to a local Hifi dealer and ask them to hear some options. Then come back in here with your impressions and your preferred style of presentation. What do you want the speaker to do? What would you like to end up powering them in the long run? Although, if you buy a pair of $3000 speakers, it will only make you want to upgrade the pre and power asap. If it doesn't, perhaps you dont need $3000 speakers. I am in no way a dedicated "source-first" guy, but i can say you will not get the most of your speakers, and it will probably not sound much different than before. The Denon can only do so much.... |
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Silver Member Username: PcstocktonPost Number: 104 Registered: Apr-08 | FYI, I just put together a amazing kit for about $3500, including Pre, Power, Speakers, Cables, and a new DAC. All Naim (save the DAC), and truly blistering performance. It might not be the brand for you. But you can easily put together an entire system for $3000 that will blow you away. And yes it will fill the room with sound. Where the hell are Art, Nuck, Stu and Frank??? Get in here and help this guy. Gosseling, lastly, much of what makes a certain kit sound right (good), is system "synergy" for lack of a better word. Some speakers do not pair well with some amplification. Some CD players sound horrible with the wrong preamp, etc.... At your level of budget I would step back, take a deep breath, and go slowly. In my very humble opinion. I would do the exact opposite of what you plan to do. I would get everything else in place first. Then find the speakers that match that kit. |
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Bronze Member Username: GosseGuayaquil, Guayas Ecuador Post Number: 14 Registered: Jan-08 | Thanks for your comments. I understand from your comments that may approach may not be the best option; in this case, your guidance will be highly appreciated. I live in Ecuador; thus, I do not have access to most of the speakers different brands; that is why I am asking for your kind assistance; what I will have to do is purchase everything in the US through the internet and have them delivered to Ecuador. |
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Platinum Member Username: NuckPost Number: 10452 Registered: Dec-04 | GdV, keep the money tightly in your pocket for now, please, sir! You have an opportunity to create something entirely new for yourself, and building around a HT receiver would be something that I would advise against. Can your budget expand at all? I would not like to suggest something that is not achieveable, however, I understand that waiting is a pain. Lets see if we can help you with this project, Goss. |
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Bronze Member Username: GosseGuayaquil, Guayas Ecuador Post Number: 15 Registered: Jan-08 | Thanks a lot to everybody for your input. I'll wait for your recommendations. However, there is not much flexibility beyond my $ 3000 budget, maybe a few hundred dollars, but not more than that. |
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Gold Member Username: DmitchellOttawa, Ontario Canada Post Number: 1117 Registered: Feb-07 | You can build a pretty decent 2 channel system for 3k, no worries. Buying used speakers is pretty safe. This may be the way to go. I buy and sell speakers all the time. |
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Silver Member Username: PcstocktonPost Number: 106 Registered: Apr-08 | $3000 is WAY more than enough. Goss, you should be looking on Audiogon for options as well as to gauge current pricing for certain brands/models. Firstly, you should post a short reflection on what kind of presentation you would ideally like from your kit. You stated you like rock and alternative. But how do you want it to sound. Do you want buttery soft and smooth. Do you want hard and edgy? Do you value timing over imaging? Do you want huge amounts of bass? Do you like a slightly bloated midrange? etc...... Secondly, what is your preferred source(s)? Are you CD only, do you need vinyl replay, are you going purely PC generated music? We will have to know what you will need there. Once that is determined, many people in here will give you a short list of brands to investigate that will easily fit into a $3000 budget. For example, I personally would recommend getting a very nice integrated amplifier, a decent CD player, and a nice pair of floorstanders. Dont forget to include the price of interconnects and speaker cables. Dont go crazy there, but get something respectable. Keep in mind that you will be paying shipping/insurance as well as possible Paypal charges. That will need to be budgeted. Perhaps the shipping could be the method for expanding your budget a bit. Work with the $3000 for actual kit, and dont worry about the shipping.... |
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Bronze Member Username: AfjGaboroneBotswana Post Number: 87 Registered: Jan-08 | guys, i understand where de vries is coming from. i;ve got the same issue where geographics limit me from listening to products before i buy. give him a few options in terms of brands / models so he can look them up on the net, read reviews and get the opinions of people on this forum. those are the only tools he has |
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Silver Member Username: PcstocktonPost Number: 107 Registered: Apr-08 | I would be happy to give him some options, as would many here. But he needs to answer a few of the questions above. Despite being very wise, Art and Frank and others, cannot read minds. I bought speakers I was unable to demo based somewhat on the reviews/suggestions of those here. But I think I wrote a fair amount about what i want, what I lie, and what i specifically listen to. |
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Bronze Member Username: GosseGuayaquil, Guayas Ecuador Post Number: 16 Registered: Jan-08 | Thanks everybody for your input. I prefer to buy new speakers because they will have to be shipped to Ecuador and if there is a problem it is going to be very hard to return; I am aware that by buying new ones I also have no guarantee that everything is going to be perfect but I feel somehow a bit safer. I will listen mostly to mp3 music; it is easier to create a playlist and have the computer mixed them for you. A good balance between mids/highs and bass is desirable. I do not like hip hop or rap music so huge amounts of bass are not needed, just enough to feel the music . I prefer my music somewhere between hard and edgy and smooth. I have checked the audiogon web page, but to be honest I am not familiar with most of the speakers brands being offer there, so is hard for me to pick some. One last thing, speakers must be good looking since they will be placed in my living room. Regards Gosseling |
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Gold Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 7208 Registered: Feb-05 | "I will listen mostly to mp3 music" (Shakes head in disgust) "A good balance between mids/highs and bass is desirable. I prefer my music somewhere between hard and edgy and smooth." You are kind of not saying anything here Gosseling. Based on what you are going to be listening to and with the Denon receiver, I think that the Def Techs or perhaps some PSB's would probably do the trick. PSB speakers are generally not difficult to drive and are well balanced. The Image series is particularly versatile. |
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Gold Member Username: DmitchellOttawa, Ontario Canada Post Number: 1127 Registered: Feb-07 | Why even bother trying to put together a half decent system to listen to mp3's? It's like trying to run a Ferrari on regular fuel, or feeding an Olympic athlete a steady diet of Snickers and beer. |
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Bronze Member Username: GosseGuayaquil, Guayas Ecuador Post Number: 17 Registered: Jan-08 | Well, the speakers are for my living room where normally social gatherings take place. MP3s are much more versatile since you don't have to worry about changing discs. I am just looking for advice/recommendations on a good sounding speakers, or system. The fact that you play MP3s doesn't mean that you can not get a good sound out of the speakers, maybe not as good as the CDs but with MP3 encoded at 320kbps sound can be very decent. |
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Platinum Member Username: NuckPost Number: 10467 Registered: Dec-04 | OK, Goss, if you are using a decent bitrate, then yes, digital servers can be pretty good. What format do you use and how do you store it for playback? There ar some very good DAC's out there to help us along, and this has a big impact on your budget. Also, do you have the facilities to save cd's in formats other than mp3? Or have you looked into that? Source first, my friend, that is what Art so ham-fistedly alluded to, and we have all done that. Let's look at your source. pc only? |
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Gold Member Username: DmitchellOttawa, Ontario Canada Post Number: 1131 Registered: Feb-07 | 320 is not bad. I still can tell the difference between that and CD quality, though. Have you considered FLAC? |
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Gold Member Username: Frank_abelaBerkshire UK Post Number: 3055 Registered: Sep-04 | MP3 is bad. It doesn't matter whether it's 320 or 128. It's bad. Bad bad bad bad bad. Sorry. MP3 creates artefacts in the signal such as pre-echo, even at 320kbps. If you intend to use a computer for the tasks of storage and playlists etc., then why not use FLAC or Apple Lossless if using iTunes? This will give you better quality. If you don't do this, then I see little point in using quality speakers and electronics because the result will actually be worse than if you used less capable components which will mask the limitations of the source. Consider this carefully before you make a decision. Now, I am a bit confused as to why you wish to use a surround sound amplifier with these speakers when the room they're in is a lounge and the aesthetics are important? Is it that you are using zone 2 and wiring up to the Denon in a different room? If so, I can see why you're choosing this solution. If not, then I can't understand why you'd have a surround receiver in the lounge when aesthetics are an issue. Our demonstration room is 7.5m x 5.5m so it's a bit bigger than your room. We regularly fill the room with sound, even with smaller systems. One way of ensuring a good decent coverage is to place the speakers on the long wall. If you place the speakers on the short wall, shooting down the length, it may not be quite so easy to achieve uniform coverage. Also, if you want to have parties in there, it's probably wise to find wall proximity speakers - i.e. speakers that work best close to a wall, which usually meets more approval from your significant other!  Most speakers are designed for free space so wall proximity speakers are a restriction on your choice. Can you please expand on the application for us (such as the zone 2 scenario as well as wall proximity), because this may help us give you better advice? I'd rather know what you're trying to do before saying which models to consider. After all, it would be wrong of me to mention B&W CM7s if you're placing the speakers near the wall since they will boom like mad! Best Wishes, Frank. |
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Silver Member Username: PcstocktonPost Number: 120 Registered: Apr-08 | Goss, Given your comments and desires... I would recommend getting whatever speaker fits your eye and ear. But I would scale back the budget to around $400-500. That is more than you need. A $3000 pair of speakers will most likely be unappreciated in such a kit. Go to your local source for hifi and buy something reasonable and cheap. DO NOT SPEND $3000 on anything. |
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Bronze Member Username: AfjGaboroneBotswana Post Number: 91 Registered: Jan-08 | if you;ve got a bigger picture in mind in terms of upgrading your amp etc at a later stage then go for that sort of budget on your speakers. but have a definite plan in mind on what would suit the speakers that you buy. like a master plan. if youre not planning to upgrade anything else, then i suggest you dont spend so much on the speakers. for 1-2k usd you get really good stuff |
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Bronze Member Username: AfjGaboroneBotswana Post Number: 92 Registered: Jan-08 | a very popular speaker is the monitor audio rs6. it would set you back about us$1000 |
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Bronze Member Username: GosseGuayaquil, Guayas Ecuador Post Number: 18 Registered: Jan-08 | Thanks for all the feedback received. I know that many of you feel that if I am going to play MP3 there is no need to spend a lot of money on speakers. However, I am a big music fan, I have a collection of over 1000 music CDs and enjoy having my friends over to my house every once in a while. The most practical way to play the music is by using MP3s; otherwise, I will spend quite some time changing CDs. I was looking for speakers for my main living room, basically to play music in company of my friends, what I did not want was some lousy sounding speakers. Anyway, the input I received from all of you help me look at things from a different point of view; after considering all comments received from you finally I decided to purchase Marantz PM7001 amplifier to go along with some POLK LSi15 speakers; the complete set up was below $2000, more than $1000 savings over my original budget. Thank again for your help. Regards Gosseling |
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Gold Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 7263 Registered: Feb-05 | What we were saying is that your speakers will sound lousy no matter what you buy if you're playing mp3's. Garbage in garbage out...simple. Enjoy the new setup. |
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Gold Member Username: Stu_pittIrvington, New York USA Post Number: 2888 Registered: May-05 | Gosseling, Do you sit down and listen to your music when you're alone, or is the setup only really used as a party-type system? The reason why I ask is because mp3 is probably the best way to go for parties, but not for sitting down and listening attentively. When you're listening to your music attentively, you should definitely play uncompressed music. |
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Gold Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 7270 Registered: Feb-05 | There are so many ways to get continuous music from a server or hard drive application that don't involve mp3 that I don't think it's the best thing for parties either, especially if as you say you don't want lousy sounding speakers. In that statement you're saying that it matters to you what your system sounds like in company so why not go the extra step of playing lossless music. Just my opinion and certainly not meant to discourage, just trying to make sense of the whole thing. |
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Bronze Member Username: AfjGaboroneBotswana Post Number: 94 Registered: Jan-08 | goss, since you havent listened to the polk, you might want to reconsider your decision. personally i wouldnt buy them |
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Silver Member Username: PcstocktonPost Number: 126 Registered: Apr-08 | MP3 is good for ipods only. OR something that will only play MP3s. If your "speakers" are ear buds, MP3s might be fine. But for home listening, on real speakers, critical or not, FLAC, ALAC, or WAV are the ONLY ways to go. Goss, If you truly are a music lover, you owe it to yourself to get acquainted to how most people are using HD based music. Bummer about your decision to buy Polks.  Bad idea. Return them if you can. |
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Platinum Member Username: NuckPost Number: 10520 Registered: Dec-04 | As you can see, Goss, you joined a forum of music lovers who want the very best, settle for what is achieveable, and continue to discuss and search out ways to real live music reproduction. |
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Bronze Member Username: GosseGuayaquil, Guayas Ecuador Post Number: 19 Registered: Jan-08 | I fully agree with your comments. I have learned a lot and will implement some of the recommendations. Thanks again to everybody. |
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Silver Member Username: PcstocktonPost Number: 135 Registered: Apr-08 | Yeah we do a lot of... |
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New member Username: ImhoaudioCanada Post Number: 3 Registered: Jul-08 | Hey dude; one of the currently best bang-for-your-buck speax I've heard in some time are the Onix Strata Minis available online at www.av123.com. We had a similar "conundrum" as you as we were auditioning "reference" speakers for our $2000-4000.00 testing room and the Mini's came up (especially sound vs. value) easily at the top. You can check out our review at www.imhoaudio.com (free to register, but you DO have to register to see all the content; shameless plug I know but we're pretty small!). Let me know what you think. Take care and have fun choosing! Sincerely, Jason Gower |
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