Decent "tiny" speakers?

Mortsnets · « **Reply #20 on:** 22 Jan 2008, 09:36 pm »

How about NHT Absolute Zeros.

This audigon seller has them for $230 new.
http://buy.audiogon.com/cgia/cls.pl?spkrmoni&1205512935

JLM · « **Reply #21 on:** 23 Jan 2008, 12:35 am »

A bit more money, but the Majestic Diamond I (from the TBI tiny/fast/amazing sub folks) seems promising:

http://www.musicalsubwoofers.com/dsp_products_monitors_d1.asp

jasonc · « **Reply #22 on:** 23 Jan 2008, 12:43 am »

A lot of really good suggestions to go through here. Thank you very much everybody, I'll let you know what I go with. Yikes, I may have to increase my budget a little bit too

.

Doublej · « **Reply #23 on:** 23 Jan 2008, 01:28 am »

Now that you have upped the budget look at Ariel Acoustics, Thiel, and Micorpure Kotaro.

If it deflates again add PSB and Hsu Research to the list of brands to consider.

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #24 on:** 23 Jan 2008, 09:52 am »

Quote from: PhilNYC on 22 Jan 2008, 09:21 pm

Quote from: IronLion on 22 Jan 2008, 09:06 pm
Without doubt then, given your budget, and even not having heard them, I would recommend either AudioEngine A2's or used AudioEngine A5's if you can swing that. Self-powered, should sound great.

For family-room use, the A5's are great (I use a pair with my family-room TV and a Squeezebox hooked up to them). IMHO, the A2's are pretty much a "desktop-only" speaker tho...

(disclaimer: I'm an Audioengine dealer...)

I did hear A5's at toprounds.....they sounded very good....great buy for the price...

PhilNYC · « **Reply #25 on:** 23 Jan 2008, 01:09 pm »

Quote from: Russell Dawkins on 22 Jan 2008, 09:28 pm

how would A2s sound on/near a wall?

Although I haven't tried putting them on/near a wall, the A2's have a pretty strong bass emphasis (geared more towards gamers moreso than music listeners IMHO), so I'd expect them to get a little over-emphasized on bass. The good news is that they are front-ported, so are more friendly to near/on-wall placement (in fact, as they sit on my desk, if I turn the volume up fairly loud, they will blow the paper on my desk around!). But the bad news for on-wall placement is that the volume control is on the back of the left speaker, so if you're relying on them to control volume, it would be a pain....(the volume control of the A5 is on the front)...

philltubes · « **Reply #26 on:** 23 Jan 2008, 02:20 pm »

Proac Super Tablettes would be a good choice and I just happen to have a pair at a very good price! Let me know.

Phill

saisunil · « **Reply #27 on:** 23 Jan 2008, 03:54 pm »

If these speakers will also be doing Home Theater duties - then I strongly suggest the newest flagship offering from ZVOX
http://zvoxaudio.com/zvox425hs

They are $699 shipped

it has left, right, center and two subs with amp built in - sound quality - fantastic.
Sure it is more than $200 but it also has the built in amp and sub.

I am looking for reasons to get one myself

I heard them at the HE show last year - I was blown away (ok ok I was not blown away) - I was really impressed. It sounded better than any Home Theater under about $1500

Audio Engine 5 $350 retail is another impressive buy (sounds better than many commercial and audiophile offerings).
Audio Engine 2 did not sound good enough - I did hear a bass hump - I would not suggest that as your main speakers in you living room.

Good Luck

Parnelli777 · « **Reply #28 on:** 23 Jan 2008, 08:30 pm »

This little Bohlender Graebener Z1 is a great all-arounder.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Bohlender-Graebener-Z1-Bookshelf-Speakers-Ribbon-Tweet_W0QQitemZ150156917821QQihZ005QQcategoryZ14991QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQtrksidZp1638.m118.l1247QQcmdZViewItem

HiFiSoundGuy · « **Reply #29 on:** 24 Jan 2008, 02:59 am »

Come on now.....the BOSE ACOUSTIC WAVE SYSTEM 2 is a FINE little music system....one of BEST SOUNDING small systems on the market!

kyrill · « **Reply #30 on:** 24 Jan 2008, 10:40 pm »

wow
once i had a BOSE 901 their top speaker, really believed their marketing..
i was sooo convinced..

miklorsmith · « **Reply #31 on:** 24 Jan 2008, 10:42 pm »

HFSG in the house, YEAH OH YEAH OH YEAH OH YEAH BABY YEAH, ROCK ON.

HiFiSoundGuy · « **Reply #32 on:** 25 Jan 2008, 01:13 am »

Quote from: kyrill on 24 Jan 2008, 10:40 pm

wow
once i had a BOSE 901 their top speaker, really believed their marketing..
i was sooo convinced..

I have some 901's too....I like my Acoustic Wave Music System 2 a lot better...its their best product that they sell right now. I heard that they will being coming out with a all new 901 soon....

Russell Dawkins · « **Reply #33 on:** 25 Jan 2008, 01:25 am »

Quote from: HiFiSoundGuy on 25 Jan 2008, 01:13 am

I heard that they will being coming out with a all new 901 soon....

I'd better put any speaker upgrading plans on hold 'till then.

doug s. · « **Reply #34 on:** 25 Jan 2008, 03:13 am »

i still have my original 901's purchased back in 1969 when i was a kid & didn't know any better. i used them as end tables for a lotta years before they finally ended up in the basement. as speakers, they weren't half-bad, when eq'd w/a 12 band equalizer & pink noise generator. compared to the wave, tho, they sound like live music there in the room, & and any other hyperbole you can think of.

the bose wave is so god-awful, it's sad, to think anyone ever wasted a penny on 'em. you would have to be stone-deaf to think they were any good. i had the (mis)fortune of having to listen to one for several daze on a long thanksgiving weekend, where it was the rental house's "stereo", & it was the only way to hear tunes.

doug s.

Quote from: HiFiSoundGuy on 25 Jan 2008, 01:13 am

Quote from: kyrill on 24 Jan 2008, 10:40 pm
wow
once i had a BOSE 901 their top speaker, really believed their marketing..
i was sooo convinced..
I have some 901's too....I like my Acoustic Wave Music System 2 a lot better...its their best product that they sell right now. I heard that they will being coming out with a all new 901 soon....

jasonc · « **Reply #35 on:** 1 Jan 2009, 03:33 pm »

Quote from: F-100 on 22 Jan 2008, 06:45 pm

Give Orb speakers a try. These tiny speakers have big and full sound that will put Bose into shame. They also offer 30 days in home trial. Price is very reasonable and customer service is excellent too.

Well, just placed an order a set of these in their hand polished steel finish. They'll be paired with my old JVC F-10 digital amp, look forward to getting everything up and running. Finally I'll have a working system on my main floor!

Thank you for the recommendation.

timind · « **Reply #36 on:** 1 Jan 2009, 04:09 pm »

Well I got here too late as you've made your purchase. I have used the Cambridge Audio speakers you asked about. Purchased a set on ebay with two cubes and a small [wered sub. They worked very well in my daughter's room with her ipod as source. Purchased another set, this set had four cubes and was used for my other daughters college dorm.
They are great for that purpose and cheap as all get out on ebay.
Hope your new Orbs work well for you.

hifitommy · « **Reply #37 on:** 3 Jan 2009, 05:01 pm »

the nht sub zeros are VERY good. i even put them in place of my spendor s3/5s and wasnt disappointed with the sound. the whole line is quite robust in build and musical too.

Mariusz · « **Reply #38 on:** 3 Jan 2009, 05:31 pm »

Sampan FTL - are quite awesome for their size. They are also easy to drive.
Mark&Daniel Minis - they need at least 100wpc to open up.
Neat Acoustics Momentum 3i - they disappear like magic.

Wayner · « **Reply #39 on:** 3 Jan 2009, 05:59 pm »

I am enjoying my new Focal JMLab signature 908's with 6 1/2" woofer, 1" inverted dome tweeter, front port. Very nice imaging and they are smack up against the wall. However, price is 1.1K

Wayner