Best Buy Insignia B2111 still worth it?

Ultralight · « **on:** 28 May 2011, 02:59 am »

A few years ago, then the Best Buy Insignia B2111 got raves for the $50 Insignia B2111. These are now about $80.

Are they still remarkable speakers or have other speakers caught up in value?

UL

bunnyma357 · « **Reply #1 on:** 28 May 2011, 03:07 am »

I've have a pair of these that I got for about $70 - I think they are a good value, but if you shop for bargains or used speakers, there are a lot of better speakers out there.

I also have Energy C-100's, and AV123 X-LS's that were in the same price range, and are better sounding speakers.

Jim C

cujobob · « **Reply #2 on:** 28 May 2011, 04:00 am »

I'd agree with Jim... the used market can find you some nice deals. I'd look for WAF-1s from Chase Home Theater/Tweak City Audio or old AV123 X-series stuff.

face · « **Reply #3 on:** 29 May 2011, 07:09 pm »

I modded a pair with Danny's(GR Research) crossover design for my brother, I still find them very enjoyable.

Rclark · « **Reply #4 on:** 30 May 2011, 05:11 am »

I am in the middle of modding a pair. They're super nice (for the money). Danny Ritchie has a kit for them. All I needed to know.

fredgarvin · « **Reply #5 on:** 30 May 2011, 07:13 pm »

http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?spkrmoni&1311962093&/Athena-AS-B1.2

srb · « **Reply #6 on:** 30 May 2011, 08:05 pm »

I guess sound truly is in the ear of the beholder. I sold my like new pair of Athena AS-B1.2 for $40 and was glad to be rid of them.

Steve

soundbitten1 · « **Reply #7 on:** 31 May 2011, 12:11 am »

I still have mine. I think they better than the Klipsch SB-3's that I picked up used for the same price.

Letitroll98 · « **Reply #8 on:** 1 Jun 2011, 01:53 am »

I don't know how this morphed in to a thread about Athena AS-B1.2's unless somebody's had both the BB Insignia's and the Athena's and prefers one over the other. Is that what you were suggesting fredg? When it was available retail the AS-B1.2 was quite a bit more expensive than the NS-B2111 is now, I think mine were about $160 for an open box set. I do know we just had a thread about the best cheap speaker and the NS-B2111 was mentioned twice, but the poor Athena brand wasn't mentioned for any model.

Stu Pitt · « **Reply #9 on:** 1 Jun 2011, 02:56 am »

Bought the Insignias for my teenage brother a few years ago for Christmas. I also gave him my old NAD 304 integrated to pair up with them.

The Insignais were a bit of a one trick pony to my ears. Maybe two trick pony...

The imaged and soundstaged very well. A function of the coax design IMO. They also sounded very cohesive. Another function of the coax design IMO. If you're expecting much beyond those traits, you may be let down.

In all fairness they were better than anything I've heard for the $50 or so I payed. But then again, is their really anything in that price range worth having. So I guess I'm saying that they're worth their price (even $80), but they never made me evaluate why I paid what I did for my speakers.

Stu Pitt · « **Reply #10 on:** 1 Jun 2011, 02:58 am »

My previous post may sound a bit snobbish, but it's just what I think. More money doesn't inherently mean a better speaker, especially 20x more money. But buying those $50 speakers in no way made me question why I paid about $1k for mine. The Insignias certainly aren't the world-beaters some Internet gurus made them out to be. Very, very good for the money, but realistically speaking, what else is out there for equal money? Maybe some crap Sony speakers?

Letitroll98 · « **Reply #11 on:** 1 Jun 2011, 01:08 pm »

Let's revisit the OP here:

Quote from: Ultralight on 28 May 2011, 02:59 am

Are they still remarkable speakers or have other speakers caught up in value?

Have other speakers caught up in value, we have to go with retail prices as I haven't seen a big market in used NS-B2111. I haven't seen anything proposed yet that fits the bill.

Energy C-100 over $200/pair new, $175 used on Amazon now.
AV123 X-LS $219 when new.
WAF 1 no longer available as well, but $200 or so new.
Athena AS-B1.2 $179 new.

Nothing even close to the $79 retail price of the Insignia's, and nothing that is currently available on store shelves. So I'd have to say yes, they are still remarkable for the price. That begs the argument that one should buy a nice set of used speakers rather than the BB's, but that question was not an option originally.

eclein · « **Reply #12 on:** 1 Jun 2011, 01:24 pm »

Buying used would be my choice now also...considering some of the remarkable speakers I have found over the past year and at most spent $70 on, not bragging but just to show you what I found on CL over the past year-they are all JBL but thats just my thing and if you look for a certain brand I'm sure you'll get awfully close if not spot on-so here is my list of finds...

JBL-4312A Control Monitors- $50 (mint)
JBL-S38ii Monitors - $70 (mint) they are my mains
JBL-ND310ii Floorstanders- $70- were my mains but just sold them for $200
JBL-PB10 ?? Subwoofer- FREE- (mint) and used in my main system today

Like I said I just wanted to show you the list so you could see that there are some great old vintage speakers on some of the boards and in the thrift shops if you look a little, just another option for you to consider.

milford3 · « **Reply #13 on:** 1 Jun 2011, 01:42 pm »

Used speakers are a bargin if one finds the right speaker. I have heard the Insignias and find them to be very good for price paid. The common understanding that the more money a speaker cost the better the sound rest solely on the buyer. Sound is very subjective. Here is great example (review.)

http://www.soundstage.com/revequip/axiom_m2i.htm

bunnyma357 · « **Reply #14 on:** 1 Jun 2011, 01:43 pm »

Quote from: Letitroll98 on 1 Jun 2011, 01:08 pm

Let's revisit the OP here:

Have other speakers caught up in value, we have to go with retail prices as I haven't seen a big market in used NS-B2111. I haven't seen anything proposed yet that fits the bill.

Energy C-100 over $200/pair new, $175 used on Amazon now.
AV123 X-LS $219 when new.
WAF 1 no longer available as well, but $200 or so new.
Athena AS-B1.2 $179 new.

Nothing even close to the $79 retail price of the Insignia's, and nothing that is currently available on store shelves. So I'd have to say yes, they are still remarkable for the price. That begs the argument that one should buy a nice set of used speakers rather than the BB's, but that question was not an option originally.

The Insignias are a great value, but like I said there are better values if you look for them. I got my AV123 X-LS's B-Stock new for $99, my Energy C-100's were $104 on closeout at Woot, and I think I saw them drop to $94 at the end of the liquidation.

If you shop for closeouts and bargains there are better values - sure it takes a little bit of patience and effort, but something is always on sale, or an old model is being closed out.

If you go with used speakers there are endless possibilities for better speakers. I don't think anyone is denying the value of the B2111's just answering the question of whether they are still worth it at double their original price.

I use my Energy C-100's everyday at work, I use the AV123 X-LS's probably 4 times a week in my home office, the Insignia's ($88) have been relegated to the garage system, and probably get used 8 times a year, they just don't sound as good as the other speakers that I paid a similar price for.

I also have some KLH 911B's which are to my mind the best new speaker value ever - $20 for a pair of good sounding speakers, but at the end of the day that's all they are is a decent good sounding speaker. They got replaced by the Insignia's as my garage speaker.

Here is the current equivalent of the KLH 911B's, though they're up in price to $35:

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?partnumber=300-652&source=googleps

If you want to try the Insignia's because you'd like to try a coaxial, or you want to try a mod to a cheap speaker before venturing into pricier territory, or if you just want to run down to the store and pick up a good speaker rather than putting in any effort searching for alternatives, they are still a good value. But for me, I don't think it would be hard to find speakers I would like better at the $100 price point, so for me they are not worth it.

Jim C

Letitroll98 · « **Reply #15 on:** 1 Jun 2011, 03:02 pm »

Quote from: bunnyma357 on 1 Jun 2011, 01:43 pm

The Insignias are a great value, but like I said there are better values if you look for them. I got my AV123 X-LS's B-Stock new for $99, my Energy C-100's were $104 on closeout at Woot, and I think I saw them drop to $94 at the end of the liquidation.

If you shop for closeouts and bargains there are better values - sure it takes a little bit of patience and effort, but something is always on sale, or an old model is being closed out.

Jim C

Have to agree with you wholeheartedly on this one, I shop this way all the time, target of opportunity. So we''ll amend to include on sale and closeout, so price the Insignia's about $50 or so on whatever sale comes around soon.

Quote from: bunnyma357 on 1 Jun 2011, 01:43 pm

I also have some KLH 911B's which are to my mind the best new speaker value ever - $20 for a pair of good sounding speakers, but at the end of the day that's all they are is a decent good sounding speaker. They got replaced by the Insignia's as my garage speaker.

Ha! I have these in a closet and was looking at them thinking, hmmmm, just before I came back upstairs to see your post. Great minds think alike.

Ultralight · « **Reply #16 on:** 1 Jun 2011, 05:36 pm »

Thanks everyone for the active responses. Much appreciated.

My application is near field and I figure coaxial will have better imaging - not sure, but it makes sense.

Sounds like there are better deals - I wonder if they are better for near field about 4 to 5 feet distance.

As to shopping used, my problem is that I don't know a good used speaker on Craigslist even if it hits me on the head....

I'm not sure what brands/models to look for.

Question: How much improvement is there after the B2111 is modded? I imagine the enclosure can be strenthened and the crossover swapped. Does it make a dramatic difference? I was also looking at the KEH IQ10 or IQ30. Amazon had the IQ10 at $150 once but no longer.

Thanks,
UL

soundbitten1 · « **Reply #17 on:** 1 Jun 2011, 06:12 pm »

If you're relatively close to a Best Buy it wouldn't hurt to try them out. If you don't like them just return for a refund, you wouldn't have to pay for shipping.

fredgarvin · « **Reply #18 on:** 1 Jun 2011, 08:47 pm »

Quote from: Letitroll98 on 1 Jun 2011, 01:53 am

I don't know how this morphed in to a thread about Athena AS-B1.2's unless somebody's had both the BB Insignia's and the Athena's and prefers one over the other. Is that what you were suggesting fredg? When it was available retail the AS-B1.2 was quite a bit more expensive than the NS-B2111 is now, I think mine were about $160 for an open box set. I do know we just had a thread about the best cheap speaker and the NS-B2111 was mentioned twice, but the poor Athena brand wasn't mentioned for any model.

Since the discussion had turned to used speakers, It was something I saw that was in his price range. I imagine they sound at least as good as the Insignia, per ones tastes.

eclein · « **Reply #19 on:** 1 Jun 2011, 09:09 pm »

I also listen nearfield and the insignia's I think would work well that way. I didn't know speaker models either in fact two of my favorite pair I'd never heard of. I understand what your saying and hey honestly for that price and like someone mentioned if your nearby a BB they would easy enough to return. The mods will definitely be educational at least for me they definitely would be.