New speakers comparison

[Concorde1]

(update 2)

Previously had a thread about a 5.1 setup, asking for suggestions of speakers for a computer setup.

Now I have a list of brands/speakers I'm looking for opinions on, for a 2.1. Most of them I can't try without buying them as I'm not in the right region. Budget is about $800-1000 usd for a set of 2.

I am getting a subwoofer.

Want all-rounder for music, games and movies.

Going roughly from most likely to least likely suitable:

JBL
•studio 530

Monitor audio
•bronze 2
•(older) bx-2

HIVI/swan
•H5
•T200C

Boston acoustics
•vs260

PSA
•mt-110




Other suggestions are welcome, but some I have listened to and didn't like much include: paradigm, totem, cambridge, martin logan. Think there were a couple of others..

Thank you

 

[DarthBaggins]

I'd recommend these guys: http://www.kantoliving.com/product/yu5/

Also M-Audio monitors are nice and both have inputs/outputs for subwoofer

 

[flmatter]

http://www.thonet-vander.com/ or these?

 

[Dent1]

(update 1)

Previously had a thread about a 5.1 setup, asking for suggestions of speakers for a computer setup.

Now I have a list of brands/speakers I'm looking for opinions on, for a 2.1. Most of them I can't try without buying them as I'm not in the right region. Budget is about $800-1000 usd for a set of 2.

I am getting a subwoofer.

Want all-rounder for music, games and movies.

Going roughly from most likely to least likely suitable:

JBL
•studio 530

Monitor audio
•bronze 2
•(older) bx-2

HIVI/swan
•H5
•T200C

Boston acoustics
•vs260

PSA
•mt-110

Vitavox

Electro-voice

ELAC




Other suggestions are welcome, but some I have listened to and didn't like much include: paradigm, totem, cambridge, martin logan. Think there were a couple of others..

Thank you

This is a fantastic forum for general audio advice, but most users are focused more on computer hardware.

For in-depth home theatre advice I would try AVS Forum.

 

[Concorde1]

Haha, funnily enough I posted there also. Just wanted to try my luck back here again, see if anyone here had heard the stuff on my list

 

[flmatter]

see if anyone here had heard the stuff on my list

Yes I heard and used most of what you listed and I am sure the members here also have heard or used what I have not. You can get away with using cheap JBL, or harmon kardon, or Logitech for all around movies and games and save yourself a ton of cash. Off of your list I would go after Monitor Audio or JBL's.

 

[Concorde1]

Yeah but I want something with excellent sound quality, I think I could probably tell the difference between cheap jbl / Logitech and the stuff at the top of my list. Or maybe you find thonet-vander better yet than the JBLs/monitor audios? It's more for music

 

[flmatter]

I have not used Thonets, @kiddagoat could answer that better. Personally I use headphones on my laptop and pc. I have used monitor audio and jbl at work.

 

[awesomesauce]

hi Concorde,

i use audioengine atm
a5+ series with no subwoofer
and for the price they sound really good and they are powerful.

i use them with sound card asus.

http://audioengineusa.com/Store/Powered-Speaker-Systems/A5-plus-W-Powered-Speakers
(color: black,white and bamboo)

and if u want sub , they offer one
the S8
http://audioengineusa.com/Store/S8W-Powered-Subwoofer
(color: black and white)
adding sub and u go for 800-1000$

also, m-audio and thonet look good too!

speak are important but where u plug it, is more!

 

[DarthBaggins]

My Sound setup is a Rotel 6 Channel amp (6 x 100) and Rotel Pre-Amp with Polk Monitor 40's and a Klipsch 10" Woofer. Only reason why I mentioned the Kanto's (powered Studio Monitor speakers) is I've been eyeing them myself since I would like to simplify my sound setup yet be able to maintain the quality of what I have now minus all the hardware and the pricetag it carried (will be moving the audio into the livingroom for the main TV)


Wonder if you could watercool those a5+'s lol, good sized heatsink on the onboard amp


Those Thonet M6's look amazing

 

[Concorde1]

Yes I heard and used most of what you listed ... Off of your list I would go after Monitor Audio or JBL's.

Have you heard the hivi/swan ones?

 

[flmatter]

No sorry I have not. I will google them later

 

[morphy]

How about the Kef Q series..specifically Q300 or Q100?

They are good all rounders too.

If paired with a good subwoofer, I'd go with the Q100 over the 300 or R100 if budget allows.

 

[kiddagoat]

I give a +1 for the Thonet and Vader Rastel. They have been very very good to me. Though I did get the bluetooth version, the non-bluetooth ones are exactly the same. Wasn't expecting what I got coming from my Klipsch Pro Media 2.1.

I very much notice a crisper and much improved sound field. The bass isn't very heavy handed at all. Listening to music anyway, I enjoy being able to pick out the different instruments. FFXIV sounds really solid too

 

[Frederik S]

The KRK Rokit series is also pretty damn good if you don't mind their studio oriented design. The other ones you listed are also the usual suspects in my book. Perhaps Audio-engine should be on the list as well. If you are sitting close to the speakers you should consider how you are going to get them placed correctly according to your head, usually stands is the way to go.

 

[xfia]

https://www.bose.com/products/speak...o-ht-r593-receiver.html#v=am10_v_bundle_black
I would go a little over budget for this package

 

[cadaveca]

New @ CES 2016.

Getting rave reviews.

$500 a set.

http://www.cnet.com/products/elac-uni-fi-ub5/

I mention these because:

A) Completely new, and not many will know about them

B) They kick ass.

C) If you haven't heard of ELAC, you need to investigate.

Now, I will also suggest Athena Technologies; speakers so good the company was bought and then killed after purchase. Also award-winners from years ago, very hard to find, while being very special if you've seen then in person (I own many pairs). A Canadian company, too. Or, well, used to be. They AS-B1/ AS-B2 speakers were raved about for being truly affordable (<$250 a pair), but beating many other speakers that were 10x the price. Circa 2000 or so.

 

[morphy]

New @ CES 2016.

Getting rave reviews.

$500 a set.

http://www.cnet.com/products/elac-uni-fi-ub5/

I mention these because:

A) Completely new, and not many will know about them

B) They kick ass.

C) If you haven't heard of ELAC, you need to investigate.

Now, I will also suggest Athena Technologies; speakers so good the company was bought and then killed after purchase. Also award-winners from years ago, very hard to find, while being very special if you've seen then in person (I own many pairs). A Canadian company, too. Or, well, used to be. They AS-B1/ AS-B2 speakers were raved about for being truly affordable (<$250 a pair), but beating many other speakers that were 10x the price. Circa 2000 or so.

Probably the best recommendation so far and at a price that doesn't make the wallet cry.

Design reminds me alot of the Kef R300 with the concentric driver + subwoofer in a bookshelf but with Andrew Jones' (THE Andrew Jones) own touch and $1200 price difference in favor of the Elac.

The only niggle is they probably need a higher end power amp as they're 4-ohm speakers. My current Yamaha AVR wouldn't cut it.

 

[AsRock]

New @ CES 2016.

Getting rave reviews.

$500 a set.

http://www.cnet.com/products/elac-uni-fi-ub5/

I mention these because:

A) Completely new, and not many will know about them

B) They kick ass.

C) If you haven't heard of ELAC, you need to investigate.

Now, I will also suggest Athena Technologies; speakers so good the company was bought and then killed after purchase. Also award-winners from years ago, very hard to find, while being very special if you've seen then in person (I own many pairs). A Canadian company, too. Or, well, used to be. They AS-B1/ AS-B2 speakers were raved about for being truly affordable (<$250 a pair), but beating many other speakers that were 10x the price. Circa 2000 or so.

Before i got those i would wait until some TOTEM Dreamcatcher popped up seconhand on ebay.

In fact there is some on their now.

 

[Alex69]

Hi,I'm new here and I have a quick question,if you have a second.
We moved to a new house that has a 6 ceiling speaker in the living room and 2 speakers outside,I found 7 cables coming out of the wall,only one has four wires.
What kind of receiver should I buy to be able to make the system work.
No specifications on the cables for the front or back speakers.
Thank's a lot,I have no qualification in the field!

 

[hertz9753]

What are these speaker things you guys are talking about? Just kidding. I'm just waiting to see what the OP bought.

 

[Concorde1]

Oh, I got Studio 530's. They are pretty incredible imo. Had them for a few months

 

[The Norwegian Drone Pilot]

If you really want a 2.1 system that really gives you amazing sound for your money, you simply can't go wrong with this speaker setup with a sub for about 844 dollars in total.

1. Audio Pro T14 2.0 Speaker set: http://www.audioaffair.co.uk/audio-pro-addon-t14-active-speakers-pair. Here you have more info about them.

2 Audio Pro Addon Sub: http://www.audioaffair.co.uk/audio-pro-addon-sub-subwoofer. Here you have more info about the Addon Sub.

I do have the Audio Pro Addon T12 speaker set that was the model before the Addon T14 that came out not so long time ago. And they are really great. Audio Pro is from Sweden.

 

[bermel72]

If you really want a 2.1 system that really gives you amazing sound for your money, you simply can't go wrong with this speaker setup with a sub for about 844 dollars in total.

1. Audio Pro T14 2.0 Speaker set: http://www.audioaffair.co.uk/audio-pro-addon-t14-active-speakers-pair. Here you have more info about them.

2 Audio Pro Addon Sub: http://www.audioaffair.co.uk/audio-pro-addon-sub-subwoofer. Here you have more info about the Addon Sub.

I do have the Audio Pro Addon T12 speaker set that was the model before the Addon T14 that came out not so long time ago. And they are really great. Audio Pro is from Sweden.

For this price they better be some reference speakers, I could get a complete 7.1 home theater and run it into a sound card for less then that price. Also if they want an amazing sounding speaker for their computer I recommend a soundbar 5.1 from Vizio (I know its a TV brand). Thing is though that the 5.1 soundbar sounds better then my expensive setup with huge speakers and an amplified and surround sound. Shrugs just an idea.

 

[Dethroy]

Couldn't recommend the Nubert nuPro A300/A200highly enough. But I don't know if these are easily available in New Zealand.

If not I'd probably look into Elac. Both @cadaveca 's advice and the the Elac Debut B6 are very good value for the money.
You may want to look into the Dali Zensor 1 AX as well.

Edit: apparently you are only looking for bookshelf speakers → removed redundant info