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Bronze Member Username: ChevivePost Number: 14 Registered: Mar-04 | Hi All, Summary of my situation below, but the main question is: which are better -- Energy RC-30s or Monitor Audio Silver RS6s? The Monitor pair is on sale for US$670 and the Energy pair is on sale for US$550. I can't demo them before buying, so I really need some advice here. I've just moved to Russia and have been setting up a HT system. So far, I've pieced together the following: Sharp 46" LCD PS3 (Using it as my only source for now) Cambridge Audio 540R v.3 Receiver Now all I need is the speakers (starting with 2-channel, but will work myself up to a 5.1 system over time). In the US, I had a Energy Connoisseur-based system with C-3s and C-1s in the front and back, a corresponding Center channel, and a REL subwoofer, all driven by a NAD T753 receiver. Here in Moscow, speakers are much more expensive than in the US, but I've stumbled upon the above-cited deal at an authorized dealer. I will use my system for music, movies, and gaming (almost equally). My pet peeve in the past has been bright speakers with little/no mid-range or bass. That's why I fell in love with my initial set of Energy speakers, which I chose over PSB and NHT options I also tested. I've never heard Monitor -- how do they compare to Energy? Even though Monitor is slightly more expensive than the Energy in this comparison, I'd happily pay extra if they have a better sound. Any advice on which is the better speaker, all else being equal? Need to decide soon, as they're constantly changing the deals... Thanks in advance. |
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Gold Member Username: DmitchellOttawa, Ontario Canada Post Number: 1134 Registered: Feb-07 | Oh man, this is an easy one. RS6 - hands down. |
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Gold Member Username: DmitchellOttawa, Ontario Canada Post Number: 1135 Registered: Feb-07 | Seriously though, I own the RS6 and I am very, very happy with them. The one caveat is that you have to be careful what you drive them with though. If you are going to use your CA 540 (I have the same receiver too), this should be fine since the CA is a tad on the laid back side. I also own a pair of Totem Sttafs and the RS6 I like just about as much (if not more), and this is saying a lot. |
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Gold Member Username: Nickelbut10Post Number: 1641 Registered: Jun-07 | I agree with David- RS6's easily. They are a very revealing speaker like David stated. Make sure you match them up with components suited for them. |
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Bronze Member Username: ChevivePost Number: 15 Registered: Mar-04 | Hey Guys, I took your advice and ordered the RS6s, only to be called back and told they were sold out. I then tried the RC-30s, and were told they were sold out as well. I can get the RS6s in another finish (not on sale) for US$1350 or the Bronze BR6s for $980. Bronze BR5s are US$770. The Silver bookshelf is $800, but I guess then I'd need a subwoofer, no? Is there much of a difference between Bronze and Silver? How would the Energy C-series compare to the Bronze? The speaker prices I'm getting here seem to be a lot higher than the US prices I see, and so I'm thinking of basically buying a pair of speakers for the front here in Russia and then buying my center, surrounds, and sub (if needed) abroad over time, bringing them in with me after business trips. Any visibility on how soon Monitor will change its Silver line? I'd hate to buy some expensive front speakers and then find out in 6 months' time that they've done away with the range and that I can no longer find a matching center speaker. Thanks for your help. |
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Gold Member Username: DmitchellOttawa, Ontario Canada Post Number: 1139 Registered: Feb-07 | The RS6 retail here in Canada for about $1500, so $1350 US for a pair does not seem too far off. They really are worth it. I'd encourage you not to settle for the Bronze. |
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Bronze Member Username: ChevivePost Number: 16 Registered: Mar-04 | I took David's advice and opted for the Silver at full price, only to told that they were out of stock and that it could take months for them to get a new shipment, at which point prices could change. Needless to say, I'm incredibly frustrated, as the store I've been dealing with is a major Best-Buy-like chain which is the only authorized dealer for Monitor and Energy in Russia (Mvideo.ru). Having enticed me with the advertised specials on the RS6s, they're now trying to sell me more expensive gold-series and larger silver series speakers instead. As much as I'd like to go for the Monitors, I'm starting to wonder if there are any alternatives to what we've discussed. How do PSBs and Focals (I think the 7-series for the latter is closest to the Monitor Silver in Russia) compare? Both these brands have several authorized retailers in Russia, as does B&W. When I bought my Energy C-3s, I'd compared them to the larger PSB Image bookshelf because of better mid-range and bass, but never heard the tower, so am not sure if I've been unfairly discounting the PSB ranges. Based on the good comments for Monitor Silver I saw here, I'm now willing to spend a little extra (upto say $1400ish) for a pair of fronts that has good bass and mid-range, but am wearing thin on my patience with the Monitor/Energy retailer's bait and switch tactics. Any other ideas for similar sounding and similar QPR speakers? Thanks for all your replies. |
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Gold Member Username: DmitchellOttawa, Ontario Canada Post Number: 1143 Registered: Feb-07 | Ah man, that sucks Chev. Sorry to hear the trouble you are having. Check out this guy here: http://sellspeaker.com/index.php?manufacturers_id=53 I've never ordered from them, so I can't vouch for them at all. But I did send the owner a few email questions and he responded in a timely manner. When I spoke to him last (about a week ago) he had the RS6 in stock. Just a thought. |
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Bronze Member Username: KothrushPost Number: 25 Registered: Feb-05 | Focals 700V series are amazing speakers. I have not heard them against RS6, but I have heard them against PSB, Paradigm Studios, B&W 600 series. I picked Focal against all the other ones. Focal 716V should be less than $1400 and 726V should be around $1600. |
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Bronze Member Username: ChevivePost Number: 17 Registered: Mar-04 | Thanks for your responses. I'm still trying to work around the Monitor dealer's stock problems, but will also try to check out the Focals. One question -- Focal doesn't seem to have an authorized dealer in Russia. Does that mean I have no warranty from Focal if something goes wrong? What happens if I buy Monitor from a dealer that is not listed as their authorized Russia dealer? Do I still get the warranty from them? |
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Platinum Member Username: NuckPost Number: 10485 Registered: Dec-04 | Any source must be identified and verified as an authorized dealer to honor any warranties, expressed or implied. |
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Gold Member Username: DmitchellOttawa, Ontario Canada Post Number: 1145 Registered: Feb-07 | You sound like a lawyer Nuck. |
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Platinum Member Username: NuckPost Number: 10486 Registered: Dec-04 | Dacks did it to me. Where the hell is Dave anyhow? |
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Gold Member Username: DmitchellOttawa, Ontario Canada Post Number: 1147 Registered: Feb-07 | I'm right here. |
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Platinum Member Username: NuckPost Number: 10487 Registered: Dec-04 | Dave Dakulas. California lawyer with good taste. Too many daves, Horton. |
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Gold Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 7219 Registered: Feb-05 | Dave was Spokane lawyer with good taste. |
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Platinum Member Username: NuckPost Number: 10489 Registered: Dec-04 | A fine and missed fellow... Sansui, Lansing speaks... |
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Bronze Member Username: ChevivePost Number: 18 Registered: Mar-04 | Hi All, So I spent ALL of Sunday running around Moscow trying to test out speakers. I went to the Focal dealer first to audition the Focal 716V, which was being driven by a NAD integrated amp and CD player. I thought the sound was OK. They definetly did a good job with the bass in some swing and Harry Belafonte tracks I had in my test CD. The problem might have been with my test CD which was based off some of my iTunes downloads (can't find any decent CD shops here anymore since its all mp3s or pirated pop music). The Focal dealer (who I've checked is an authorized one) is a "high end" shop with many such brands, but doesn't carry Monitor. When he heard that I was driving the setup with a Cambridge 540R he began to trash the receiver and say that it would make all the speakers sound horrible. Is this true? He kept pushing NAD, but after my prior experience with the humming, I didn't want to go that route, and anyway, now have to deal with the Cambridge at least for a year or so. After many pleas on my part he suggested a pair or Wharfedales (don't remember which series) as the only thing that MIGHT work with the Cambridge. On the NAD they sounded rather sterile to me, and especially lacking in bass. The Focals are going for c. US$1500. My next stop was to the Monitor dealer -- I spent a lot of time calling around to find the shop where they apparently had one last pair of RS6s left and where I could also audition the demo model. The Monitor retailer is a BestBuy-like place, but stocks Energy, Monitor, and Cambridge Audio. I head the RS6s on a Denon DVD player and Cambridge 340 or 540 (can't remember which) combo. To be honest, I wasn't overly impressed. The bass was somewhere between the Wharfedale and Focal, but I thought the imaging was not that great -- I definitely felt like I was listening to two speakers. On the other hand, I was listening in a far noiser environment (background noise, huge open salesfloor, speakers not properly placed, etc.) with poor source material (my audio CD based on mp3 downloads), so I can't put too much stock in my test. I was willing to discount my imperfect audition and go for the Monitors based on the reviews but then was told -- once again -- that they'd just run out of stock. Now I have to wait for both dealers to replenish both their stocks. I can get the Focal 716V for US$1500 or the Monitor RS6s for US$1400. I'll be driving either pair with a Cambridge 540R for some time. Which is the better pair for both music and home theater if I were to choose between these two? I had been considering PSB Image T55 or T65 speakers, but discounted them based on a previous comment that said the Focals were better. The PSBs retail here for c. US$800 and US$1000, respectively. |
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Platinum Member Username: NuckPost Number: 10499 Registered: Dec-04 | Chev, if your source is ultimately going to be mp3, then go see about the Psb's. If your source is going to be something else, then bring that as a rest cd, and leave the mp3 in the car. |
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Bronze Member Username: ChevivePost Number: 19 Registered: Mar-04 | Thanks Nuck. The problem is that all my CDs are overseas and the only things I can find here in the stalls are cheezy techno/pop CDs that I'd never listen to. I'll try to find something half-decent and give it another go. Thanks |
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Bronze Member Username: ChevivePost Number: 20 Registered: Mar-04 | Went again with my CA amp to test the Focals. Environment may have been an issue, but I thought they sounded better than the Monitors. My gf was convinced a set of Dynaudios was better, but they were 40% more, so I went with the Focal. MA might very well be better, but after my experience with their only Russia AD's stock situation, I gave up from sheer exhaustion. |
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Gold Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 7246 Registered: Feb-05 | Focal makes a very good speaker and there are a lot of folks who would chose them over MA. Enjoy! |
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Gold Member Username: DmitchellOttawa, Ontario Canada Post Number: 1158 Registered: Feb-07 | Say it ain't so Art! |
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Platinum Member Username: NuckPost Number: 10505 Registered: Dec-04 | He says it's so. |