Favorite speaker under 1000.....

timind · « **Reply #40 on:** 31 Mar 2007, 01:40 am »

Vandersteen 1C is the best under $1K speaker I've owned. For a small room they are hard to beat as monitors never satisfy me. My Vandersteens were replaced by a pair of Meadowlark Audio Kestrel Hot Rods that I got for under $500 a few years ago. Now that was a bargain.

JoshK · « **Reply #41 on:** 31 Mar 2007, 02:31 am »

gma europa
my diy modula mtm

TheChairGuy · « **Reply #42 on:** 31 Mar 2007, 02:53 am »

The NHT Three is very interesting....the Paradigm Mini Monitor is outstanding clear and dynamic for the price (I heard the one with the metal dome tweeter - one of the precious few that don't sound metallic in all that bad way)

http://www.paradigm.com/Website/SiteParadigmProduct/PReviews/Paradigm/Audio/AudioMiniMonitor.pdf

alotaklipsch · « **Reply #43 on:** 31 Mar 2007, 07:40 am »

BRSE HR1

Blue Ridge sound

CSI · « **Reply #44 on:** 4 Apr 2007, 10:04 pm »

I've owned the Vandersteens and Maggies and agree with both recommendations. But if you change the question slightly to, "Best speaker under $1,000 I could live with forever" then the answer has to be ACI Sapphire XL. Wait for a B-stock sale, calculate the difference between ACI's price and $1,000 and steal the difference from your kid's lunch money if you have to.

shep · « **Reply #45 on:** 5 Apr 2007, 07:20 am »

Mine of course! http://www.crafty.nl/ (Azumi's) 700$ + shipping anywhere world-wide. Amazing little TL's
(this is a shameless plug

)

TONEPUB · « **Reply #46 on:** 6 Apr 2007, 12:04 am »

Ship me a pair (in lime green of course!) and Ill be happy to review them....

They sure do look nice!

JimJ · « **Reply #47 on:** 6 Apr 2007, 12:36 am »

Fascinating, sensitivity is way too low for my amps though

WEEZ · « **Reply #48 on:** 6 Apr 2007, 12:41 am »

yeah, but remember...they are not large drivers, and presumably an easy load..

I use some small 82db speakers with 20w in my 'TV' system..actually my wife does..and I always ask her to turn it down

WEEZ!

jkelly · « **Reply #49 on:** 6 Apr 2007, 01:07 am »

Bob Brines FT-1600 Mk II.

Jeff

JimJ · « **Reply #50 on:** 6 Apr 2007, 01:15 am »

Quote from: WEEZ on 6 Apr 2007, 12:41 am

yeah, but remember...they are not large drivers, and presumably an easy load..

I use some small 82db speakers with 20w in my 'TV' system..actually my wife does..and I always ask her to turn it down

WEEZ!

I'm a dynamics junkie...and have 8W amps. Contradiction in terms maybe, but I need speakers that can hack it

I'm considering a pair of Vandy 1C's, but I'm not sold they'll do well enough with the tubes. 2C's are out of the question, but I hear the 1's are more sensitive...

TheChairGuy · « **Reply #51 on:** 6 Apr 2007, 01:56 am »

The 1c's are plenty sensitive - at least in my 12 x 15 x 8-12' room here.

I drove it with the little T-amp (6 watts) plenty loud enough.

I just couldn't stand the metal dome tweeter it had. Even well damped by Vandersteen, I disliked the ringing. Tubes might blunt that issue, tho.

JimJ · « **Reply #52 on:** 6 Apr 2007, 02:06 am »

Well, I have a 15-band EQ, so worst case I could always EQ the nastiness out of it if needed.

I'm coming from a pair of Klipsch Forte II's, my main beef with those were how harsh and upfront the midrange was. Loved the volume, but they just weren't a well-balanced speaker at all. I've heard there are Xover mods to tame it, but I was kinda wanting something else anyway...

Thanks for the info

mcrespo71 · « **Reply #53 on:** 6 Apr 2007, 03:59 am »

Sound Dynamics 300ti. That was a classic! I shouldn't have ever sold them!

Zero · « **Reply #54 on:** 6 Apr 2007, 05:59 am »

This is an extremely challenging notion, if not thought provoking. At least, thats how things are on this side of the fence. There is no shortage of exceptional products in the $1000 (retail) and under range. The entry level market has great contendors that fill just about every void you can think of sans enormous fridge sized transducers. Full-range drivers are represented, as are compact two way monitors, three-way towers, horns, hybrids, dipoles, open baffle, the list goes on. Culminating together the experiences I've had and pretending for a moment that I have no choice but to splurt out a product I've considered to be the most significant given the criteria, my vote would be caste towards the Onix XLS monitors sold through www.av123.com

Now some of you may be thinking; "Yeah they are good, but there are plenty of products that can put the hurt on the affordable XLS as you creep closer towards the $1000 cap". I will not disagree with you. The XLS is does not incorperate anything new or exciting. It's a typical two-way monitor in a traditional box that has been thus far produced primarily in China. What is special about the XLS hides in its value; and just how far your green takes you. For the entry fee of just over two benji's; you get a product that is extremely well built, wrapped in an attractive veneer (white shadow maple), with great drivers complimented by a first rate cross-over design. It's been done before, but never for anywhere NEAR the price-point av123 has made it available for. Consider the excellent customer service av123 has to offer as an added bonus. Even die-hard and well seasoned audiophile's will cave in to the easy going sound and extreme value offered by these particular speakers. The best part is; the XLS offer strangers to our often pricey hobby a livable entry fee into the show. As time goes on, I feel this product will be responsible for turning many casual listeners into bona-fide audio enthusiasts.

The tower versions will command a minimal hike in price and will be released sometime this year. For those of you that haven't seen the finishes Mark Schifter at av123 has up his sleeves from his new factory in Colombia... prepare yourself for some 'shock and awe'.

Again, there are plenty of exceptional products in this range - but when you consider value, market, and influence... my vote goes to the award winning XLS.

TONEPUB · « **Reply #55 on:** 6 Apr 2007, 04:06 pm »

I can't suggest the Skiing Ninja updates to the x-ls speakers enough.

The stock ones are really good, but the SN updates really take em
to the next level and you are still way under 1000...

larryrx7 · « **Reply #56 on:** 6 Apr 2007, 09:28 pm »

I am going to throw in the Soliloquy sm 2a3 minimonitors . When paired with the correct amp, they sound very good indeed. They were had with stands for 700. I think a great buy

doug s. · « **Reply #57 on:** 6 Apr 2007, 11:11 pm »

my faves are my proac tablette 8 reference signatures. but i cheated - i got these retail $1800 little gems for $1k even.

the ref 8 sigs are even better than the spendier proac 1sc's, imo. and, the 1sc's are damned nice in their own right...

doug s.

larryrx7 · « **Reply #58 on:** 6 Apr 2007, 11:51 pm »

Hi Doug...What amp are you using with the proacs?

doug s. · « **Reply #59 on:** 7 Apr 2007, 12:49 am »

well... due to an embarrassment of riches in the speaker department, (i also have a pair of diapason adamantes lll's & a pair of coincident victory's), i am not presently using the proacs. it's not that they are in any way lacking, but i am just trying different things. but, w/the ref 8 sigs, i have successfully used a mesa baron, a manley stingray (the ~25wpc in triode mode was plenty, in a ~14x22x10 room), and a pair of 40w audio mirror 6c33c set monoblocks. i have used varied s/s gear, including vintage sansui au719, revox b251, & more modern thule (i forget the model). all were outstanding, but i am partial to tubed gear.

even tho the proacs aren't presently in use, i don't have any intention of letting them go any time soon. however, when the gr research ls9's come out, i may be tempted to part w/two of the three above-mentioned speakers to check out a pair of those. not sure which two would go... hmmm... aa

doug s.