[Mark T. Montgomery]

I though Cerwins were some of the pioneers in the area of quality speakers?  I realize they are not by any means top of the line but what other brands ofer equal or better performance for the price?  Id love to hear any input on speakers that better Cerwins and are in the same price range.

[Rob Babcock]

This oughta draw some advice! C/V isn't too bad for stuff you can buy at Best Buy or other large retail outlet (don't know what you have where you live), but there's a lot better at that price.

Some suggestions:
Monitor Audio
Axiom
Athena
Paradigm
PSB (the Image series)
Polk
GR Research
JBL (not much of a step up, but maybe a little better, depends on model)
 

I'm sure there's some I've forgotten.  You can usually get pretty good sound down to $250 or even less, again depending on your tastes and where you shop (tip:  you can get great gear and save a bundle by shopping the internet.  Check out some of the companies in our vendors circles).

[Mark T. Montgomery]

Thanks I'd heard of those brands before but thought they had higher prices than that.  I'll definitly give them a look again.

[Rob Babcock]

I guess I'm not sure what your C/Vs cost.  The Athena speakers have gotten raves, they start at about $200 and you can buy 'em at Best Buy.  Not "hi end" but nice for the price.  If you don't have BB down there, try here: http://www.audioadvisor.com/store/categorylisting.asp?CategoryID=38&Page=1&hdnCat=Loudspeakers

Monitor Audio makes some very nice bookshelf speakers in the $300 range.  The Bronze B3 floorstanders cost about $600.

Axiom is only sold direct, I think.  I can't recall the link, you might have to Google for it, or maybe someone here knows it.

The PSB Image 4T & 5T are considered very nice and are both under $600 or so, if I recall.

One other usefull site:  http://cheaphometheater.com.  They tend to focus on inexpensive stuff which is usually entry level.  They also are helpful with a lot of reviews and newbie material.

[Mark T. Montgomery]

I have the E-706s and payed 175 fro them hear I am not sure what they cost in the USA.

[bob82274]

Also a couple of other things to consider might be ordering from an online company.   I know that AC has many resident companies that might fit your budget and provide some great sound.  Another good method is to purchase speakers used.  Audiogon.com has a large listing and AC has some classifieds as well.  Personally I have a pair of speakers (not my mains) that fit into both catagory's.  I was able to purchase a pair of speakers made by Odyssey for half of what they cost online (which would probably fit into your budget) and they looked brand new.  If I were to go to a brick and mortar store it could have easily cost me 3 times as much for a similar speaker.

Edit: And I see that Rob has already beat me to this suggestion.     Curse you Rob!  

[Timmargh]

My first pair of speakers were Cerwins - AT40's if I remember rightly.

They certainly took up some space and gave a damn kick!

*bathes in nostalgic glow*

[Rob Babcock]

The first *real* speakers I had (aside from some Sony bookshelf speakers that came with my first rack system) was a pair of Infinity SM 150+'s.  Man, they did rock!  15" woof, dual mids, 1" tweeter- sensitivity was something like 102 dB/W/meter!  My 25 Watt int amp would drive them to deafening levels!

Many years later my brother bought a 5 pc Infinity SM rig for his HT (in the early years of DVD).  The modern versions still rocked out, but I was surprised at how mediocre they sounded!  In my youthfulness I had thought mine sounded pretty good, but obviously I'd learned a bit in the intervening years!   Luckily my brother evenually sold 'em to a guy that thinks they're the best speakers in the world, so everyone's happy.

[IanATC]

Removed because John wanted balance.

[Rob Babcock]

For very cheap speakers, the JBL HLS-610's were actually quite good.  Corey Greenberg, once of Stereophile, gave them a rave review and said they were among the most important products he'd seen that year as they marked a return of JBL to the high end.  I still have a pair in my attic in case I or someone else needs a compact, cheap little monitor.

[rosconey]

my  friend bill thinks cv are the cat ass-he has the ones with a horn tweeter-12'' 3way for the front and 10''3 way for rear.
can you say bloody ears his actual criteria for speakers is how  loud they sound from outside

[Rob Babcock]

Now that's a measure TAS probably never thought of!     NathanM might approve of that, though.

[rosconey]

its a caveman thing i think-
his next door goof cranked his klipsch one day so bill got the big cv's and put them in the window and cranked it, the the goof does the same, it was funny got better when it looked like there was a lit cigarett in his reciever of coarse there wasnt

[Mark T. Montgomery]

Thanks again for the info guys, these Cerwin have been my start in this audio buisness and for about a year they were the best I'd heard but now that I know what's up I will start saving for some loudspeakers and eventually a good Sub kit , caus I can't afford to by a biy name brand one.  But you guys have taught me that the brand means nothing.

[Carlman]

The brand means nothing, and your ears mean everything.

Buy what you think sounds good.... not what people tell you is good.  If you like CV's, enjoy them.  If you find something better, enjoy those more!  That's what this hobby is all about.  

Vaya con dios!

[Mark T. Montgomery]

I am american man but thanks for the Jesture.