What speakers give the most bang for the buck?

TheChairGuy · « **Reply #40 on:** 23 Sep 2008, 10:12 pm »

Wow, tough question. No concise answer to it...only, more questions

John

Niteshade · « **Reply #41 on:** 23 Sep 2008, 11:44 pm »

Has anybody used Klipsch RF-83's? I think they're wonderful! They have outstanding dynamic range, are super sensitive, tube and ss amp friendly as well. They made the horn driver more linear vs the RF-7 series and I thought they did an excellent job.

AmpDesigner333 · « **Reply #42 on:** 24 Sep 2008, 12:00 am »

OK, questions:
1. Size/weight?
2. Price range?
3. Type (ESL, conventional, TL, ports, horns, ribbons)?

Mortsnets · « **Reply #43 on:** 24 Sep 2008, 12:08 am »

I've got to go with Wayner: Vintage Dynaco's, in my case A35s. Alot of bang for not much bucks. I don't play them very loud though.

some more modern runners up:
Paradigm Atom (haven't heard the newest version)
Magnepan MMGs

by reputation (would like to hear):
Reynaud Twin
Audio Note AX-2
Spendor S20
Gini LS3/5a "clone"

Freo-1 · « **Reply #44 on:** 24 Sep 2008, 12:27 am »

Quote from: Mortsnets on 24 Sep 2008, 12:08 am

I've got to go with Wayner: Vintage Dynaco's, in my case A35s. Alot of bang for not much bucks. I don't play them very loud though.

some more modern runners up:
Paradigm Atom (haven't heard the newest version)
Magnepan MMGs

by reputation (would like to hear):
Reynaud Twin
Audio Note AX-2
Spendor S20
Gini LS3/5a "clone"

I find it interesting that vintage speakers are mentioned. It is generally agreed that speaker design has made leaps and bounds forward progress over the past 10 years or so. Computer assisted design, tighter manufacturing tolerances, etc. have in general made todays moderate priced speakers perfrom on a par with much more expensive counterparts of yesteryear.

The bang for the buck was not meant to tie it to a given price point. Having said that, there is a law of diminishing return with everything, including speakers. Just trying to get a feel of where that line is.

By the way, DIY are good candidates. I'm reasonably comfortable with the fact that DIY tube amps can give outstanding performance, and provide a return on investment one cannot obtain with Audio Research, Conrad Johnson, McIntosh, etc. (IMHO)

soundbitten1 · « **Reply #45 on:** 24 Sep 2008, 12:45 am »

Quote from: Tyson on 23 Sep 2008, 04:53 pm

Any speaker you love so much that you keep long term is good "Bang for the Buck". For example, my VMPS RM40's certainly were not cheap, but I've had them several years and have no plans to sell them in the near or intermediate future. That got me off the "Speaker Merri-go-round", which saves me a lot of $$ in the buy-resell-buy cycle. My advice - listen to a lot of stuff, and buy what you truly love, regardless of cost. It will make you happier in the short term and give you better bang for the buck in the long term.

I agree , in my case it is the Dunlavy Alethas . I've too had them for several years and have absolutely no plans to get rid of them . That reason in itself would make it a good bang for the buck .

funkmonkey · « **Reply #46 on:** 24 Sep 2008, 12:49 am »

SalkSound SongTowers, win the "bang for buck" prize in my book. They come in under the $2g mark and compeet with speakers that cost $3g, add in the custom finish option and pick your own veneer or paint color and you have a combination of performance, aesthetics, and price that is very difficult to match.

In my opinion the "line" where you really notice the law of diminishing returns is around $2500...

Cheers,
Funk

planet10 · « **Reply #47 on:** 24 Sep 2008, 01:35 am »

Quote from: ebag4 on 23 Sep 2008, 03:07 pm

A couple of entries in the DIY genre, Hawthorne SIs with Augie

Not with Augies, but i'm living with SI at the moment, most of the time they are quite good, but all too often on human voice they get weird... i've been trying to catagorize what's happening -- the closest i can get so far is that they sound boxy (quite a feat for an OB)

dave

Steidl Guitars · « **Reply #48 on:** 24 Sep 2008, 02:03 am »

Quote from: Freo-1 on 24 Sep 2008, 12:27 am

The bang for the buck was not meant to tie it to a given price point. Having said that, there is a law of diminishing return with everything, including speakers.

That's what I was thinking as well: as overall cost increases, at what point does the amount of musical enjoyment become increasingly small?

I'm guessing that's at a pretty low price-point.

A few inexpensive speakers with high musical return that I know are the little Silverline Minuets ($600 new) and the Epos-3 ($400 ? new), both of which are very good, especially at those price-points.

Are those twice as good sounding as $200 Best-Buy speakers? I'd say that's possible.

Are speakers costing twice as much as those likely to sound twice as good? Maybe, but those would be some nice sounding speakers!

Are my Dali Helicons 10 times better sounding than the Epos? Nope!

denjo · « **Reply #49 on:** 24 Sep 2008, 02:27 am »

Axiom M3

Reasonably priced and sounds pretty good with the right equipment.

The Wharfedales are also reasonably priced and well worth a listen!

TerryO · « **Reply #50 on:** 24 Sep 2008, 02:45 am »

Quote from: Freo-1 on 24 Sep 2008, 12:27 am

Quote from: Mortsnets on 24 Sep 2008, 12:08 am
I've got to go with Wayner: Vintage Dynaco's, in my case A35s. Alot of bang for not much bucks. I don't play them very loud though.

some more modern runners up:
Paradigm Atom (haven't heard the newest version)
Magnepan MMGs

by reputation (would like to hear):
Reynaud Twin
Audio Note AX-2
Spendor S20
Gini LS3/5a "clone"

I find it interesting that vintage speakers are mentioned. It is generally agreed that speaker design has made leaps and bounds forward progress over the past 10 years or so. Computer assisted design, tighter manufacturing tolerances, etc. have in general made todays moderate priced speakers perfrom on a par with much more expensive counterparts of yesteryear.

The bang for the buck was not meant to tie it to a given price point. Having said that, there is a law of diminishing return with everything, including speakers. Just trying to get a feel of where that line is.

By the way, DIY are good candidates. I'm reasonably comfortable with the fact that DIY tube amps can give outstanding performance, and provide a return on investment one cannot obtain with Audio Research, Conrad Johnson, McIntosh, etc. (IMHO)

Just a note about vintage speakers, there have always been very good speakers and after enough years many of them have receded from the popular memory. That, my friend, means that there are some bargins out there as many of the younger people won't waste their time with brands they've never heard of.

One brand of speaker that can be a very good bang for the buck are the Braun/ADS speakers. I've got a pair of the ADS 570/2 in walnut veneer cabinets in nearly mint shape, and I picked them up for ...$1.00! The more elaborate models (3-ways, biamped, etc.) were excellent and can better the majority of today's speakers, in fact my more modest 2 way is good enough to shame many vaunted bookshelf speakers.

Another one that's still a good speaker is the AR3a. Refurbished with clean pots and caps they still sound very good and given a decent amp can still deliver pretty good sound. If you build mirror imaged baffles over the existing baffle you can get even better performance. Listen to a pair that's been brought up to specs along with an amp with some horsepower and I think you'll agree that they're not too shabby at all. Best of all they go for very modest prices, my pair were given to me by the original owner.

Older Tannoys, Kefs, Dahlquist and so forth offer the opportunity to get some real great sound and if you're lucky, for very little money. In fact, I turned down a free pair of the big Dahlquists recently, because I just didn't have room for them. These can be modified and mirror imaged for very little and deliver great results.

Lots of good stuff out there and if you're patient you can have a really decent system for peanuts. I once bragged (on another forum) that I had "The World's Best Under $100 System" and was I ever embarrassed, as people such as Dave (Planet 10), cleaned my clock.

I personally like DIY, but I'm not one to pass up a vintage bargin.

Best Regards,
TerryO

AmpDesigner333 · « **Reply #51 on:** 24 Sep 2008, 05:34 am »

Watch out for speakers with drivers you can't replace. Also, take a good look at the condition of woofer surrounds, dust caps, and the like. It may work well and sound good, but for how long? I have two speaker systems, one DIY and the other a well known high end name, that I blew out woofers on, and couldn't replace the burnt drivers with exact replacements. One was luckily fixable with a "close replacement", and one lays dormant (Focal dual coil woofers). Of course, when one side blows out, you want to replace both sides. Crossovers are easier to find replacement parts for, that is, if the components are marked with the value (air coil inductors are notorious for no markings). Also check if the drivers are original. Good luck.

Russell Dawkins · « **Reply #52 on:** 24 Sep 2008, 06:42 am »

Quote from: Tyson on 23 Sep 2008, 04:53 pm

Any speaker you love so much that you keep long term is good "Bang for the Buck". My advice - listen to a lot of stuff, and buy what you truly love, regardless of cost. It will make you happier in the short term and give you better bang for the buck in the long term.

That is truly excellent advice!

rockadanny · « **Reply #53 on:** 24 Sep 2008, 11:44 am »

For rock (and all of its flavors) and blues, especially electric blues, I'd have to vote for Ed's HornShoppe Horns as best BANG for your buck. Especially if you like to crank the volume.

JLM · « **Reply #54 on:** 24 Sep 2008, 11:51 am »

Active speakers, as in small studio monitors like Mackie 824s, provide very high value as they replace power amps and often even subwoofers while providing very good sound.

2gumby2 · « **Reply #55 on:** 24 Sep 2008, 01:01 pm »

I purchased my Boston Acoustics T1000 speakers new in 1987 and they are still very nice sounding speakers and holding up well. Having and enjoying speakers for nearly 22 years seems like a pretty good value to me in this hobby. I am only just now considering selling them because I want to build an OB design and don't have room for them both.

Brown · « **Reply #56 on:** 24 Sep 2008, 01:46 pm »

Check out Silverline. Bang for the buck personified. Heard them at the last Sterophile Show. Quite amazing for the price. Have fun trying.

mca · « **Reply #57 on:** 24 Sep 2008, 02:33 pm »

The HT series from RAW Acoustics

Devore 8's selling used

Norh speakers

consttraveler · « **Reply #58 on:** 24 Sep 2008, 02:38 pm »

From $3,500 to ??, Emerald Physics CS-2's. There may be others out there that I have not heard, but I closely compared them to TAD and B&W (both at $14,000 +) and the EP's were better to my ears.

Dave

Freo-1 · « **Reply #59 on:** 24 Sep 2008, 07:36 pm »

Quote from: 2gumby2 on 24 Sep 2008, 01:01 pm

I purchased my Boston Acoustics T1000 speakers new in 1987 and they are still very nice sounding speakers and holding up well. Having and enjoying speakers for nearly 22 years seems like a pretty good value to me in this hobby. I am only just now considering selling them because I want to build an OB design and don't have room for them both.

Interesting. I owned a pair of Boston A400's for a few years back in the mid to late 80's, and did not realize how nice they were until after I sold them. I bought a pair of Acoustat Spectra 33's, and experienced frustration for years with those puppies. ESL's are not for the faint of heart.