Author Topic: Recommend a Speaker (Read 365979 times)

akyatbundok · « **Reply #90 on:** Jul 08, 2003 at 12:26 PM »

thanks sa advice, av_phile & levi... i didnt notice my shortlist was all british until u pointed it out. that may be because i haven't seen that many american brands below 20k. i heard a psb image floorstander w/c sounded good but it was too expensive for me.

i shouldn't have said it "doesn't matter if its the most expensive as long as its the most improvement". truth is im still very much budget conscious, w/c is why i reluctantly want to upgrade. what i should have said was: i may be willing to spend 20-30k as long as the improvement is proportional to the cost. hmmm... maybe thats whats keeping me from upgrading - its hard to put a value on sound quality. is the b&w 2x better than mordaunt? is mission 3x better? even if it is, my electronics may not be up to the task. which begets an amp upgrade. yikes, magastos talaga ito, so im being very careful.

av_phile · « **Reply #91 on:** Jul 08, 2003 at 02:27 PM »

Quote from: akyatbundok on Jul 08, 2003 at 12:26 PM

thanks sa advice, av_phile & levi... i didnt notice my shortlist was all british until u pointed it out. that may be because i haven't seen that many american brands below 20k. i heard a psb image floorstander w/c sounded good but it was too expensive for me.

Not your fault. Just so happens most brands on the local market and those rellished by many members here including me are british or european

Quote

i shouldn't have said it "doesn't matter if its the most expensive as long as its the most improvement". truth is im still very much budget conscious, w/c is why i reluctantly want to upgrade. what i should have said was: i may be willing to spend 20-30k as long as the improvement is proportional to the cost. hmmm... maybe thats whats keeping me from upgrading - its hard to put a value on sound quality. is the b&w 2x better than mordaunt? is mission 3x better?

Not really. Remember that speakers, and audio gears in general, have various charateristic traits, whether measureable or not. One brand may excel on one of these but not all. Another might be very good in one or even two but fail on another. Price difference among these could be yawning. I can say that a brand's 10% improvement could cost 3x over the lower brand. And even that is very subjective. You could hear an improvement that another may not. And what i say is just 10% could be 200% to another. It all boils down to the listener's value judgement. If getting a wider soundstage is important to him and feels justified spending 10x more, that's his call. Perhaps to someone else, soundstage expanse doesn't matter and will not feel justified spending a single cent any more over another brand's narrower soundstage. I don't know what you value in a speaker, you just have to listen to many brands and know what you really want. Then go for it. (Almost like getting a spouse. In your case, it's like getting a new and better spouse, hehe

)

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even if it is, my electronics may not be up to the task. which begets an amp upgrade. yikes, magastos talaga ito, so im being very careful.

To be in this hobby, i have the feeling that it's an all or nothing proposition. Even if i start with a P10M system, i'm sure i can still find a reason to upgrade. I could be HAPPY with it, but i certainly wouldn't mind being HAPPIER.

Being careful is a good trait. And being careful with your hard-earned dough is the prudent way to go. (hmm, it rhymes!!) Just don't expect every price increase to be commensurate to the benefits. (I, too was like that, and learned differently.) Othewrise, you might end up buying nothing, and miss so much that this uncommensurate world offers. Good for the bank, but not for this soul-enriching hobby.

Just my 3 cents.

akyatbundok · « **Reply #92 on:** Jul 08, 2003 at 06:33 PM »

very well said av_phile! i will audition and let the ears decide. first on the list would be mordaunt 902 (i just couldnt resist the price). then maybe monitor audio b2 and b&w 601 s3. i think i can pretty much decide from there. i am aware of the pitfalls of auditioning so i'll take the matching components and listening room into consideration.

levi · « **Reply #93 on:** Jul 09, 2003 at 12:07 AM »

I think AV_phile was able to explain it very well but one problem with auditioning is that the speakers are new. There are speakers that sound average during break in period but becomes very good after. Try to audition from friends also. If you have a budget or 20-30T then you can also try B&W 602. Im using it and it can really sing.

greatness · « **Reply #94 on:** Jul 09, 2003 at 08:31 AM »

guys,

need your suggestions and expert opinions pls, which front bookshelf speakers would be excellent in music and good also in movies, my receiver is a hk 3550. Budget would be around 10k-15k... Also noted that I don't have any subwoofer yet.

Thanks.

speakers to choose from:

polk audio rt 28 or r20
mission m70 series
monitor audio bronze series
b&w
infinty entra
klipsch

Philander · « **Reply #95 on:** Jul 09, 2003 at 08:56 AM »

greatness,

I think you have a good choice of speakers, all of them are very good and has own distinction and merits.

What you can do is audition them with the H/K 3550. Then you decide, trust your ears.

You may also add KEF Coda & Cresta series speakers.

Why don't you get floorstanders instead?

greatness · « **Reply #96 on:** Jul 09, 2003 at 09:44 AM »

thanks Philander

I'll also consider kef's cresta and coda series. One reason that I'm not considering yet floorstanders is because of the lack of space.

Are there any floorstanders that will fit within my budget though 10-15k that would address the best sound quality for both music and movies?

thanks in advance..

av_phile · « **Reply #97 on:** Jul 09, 2003 at 12:21 PM »

Quote from: greatness on Jul 09, 2003 at 09:44 AM

thanks Philander

I'll also consider kef's cresta and coda series. One reason that I'm not considering yet floorstanders is because of the lack of space.

Are there any floorstanders that will fit within my budget though 10-15k that would address the best sound quality for both music and movies?

thanks in advance..

The Mission m73i floorstander at Spectra and Tech Central goes for only 12.5T

The Mordaunt Short MS914 floorstander goes for a little over P15T (discounted) while its smaller MS904 floorstander goes for P12T at 5th Ave.

The Wharfedale Diamond 8.4 goes below P10T at Tech Central and Spectra.

Lack of space is the most common inducement to get bookshelf. But if you're going to set those bookshelf speakers on stand, the inducement fades away. A stand and a floorstander occupies the same real estate space. And the savings aren't that much. An m72 bookshelf + Lovan stands can cost slightly more or equal to the next model m73 floorstander.

av_phile · « **Reply #98 on:** Jul 09, 2003 at 12:35 PM »

Quote from: greatness on Jul 09, 2003 at 08:31 AM

guys,

need your suggestions and expert opinions pls, which front bookshelf speakers would be excellent in music and good also in movies, my receiver is a hk 3550. Budget would be around 10k-15k... Also noted that I don't have any subwoofer yet.

Thanks.

speakers to choose from:

polk audio rt 28 or r20
mission m70 series
monitor audio bronze series
b&w
infinty entra
klipsch

If Sarah Brightman or Andrea Bocelli sound convincingly good on a speaker, an Arnold or a Sharon will sound just as great on it. If it can well reproduce triangles and cow bells, it can well reproduce the most delicate cicadas and bluebirds and whatever sound effects you throw at it. In short, what is good for music will be good for movies. Not the reverse.

(Except of course for low frequencies, which is another topic altogether.)

Having said that, i can say that your choices are all excellent brands. I could just blindly pick any one and it will sound excellent on a high current HK that can drive any load. The sonics differences will probably be very subtle, if any.

Find an AV shop that has an HK receiver and carries most ofthe speaker brands in your list and audition each one. Spectra and most shops at Park Sqaure carry them. See if you can detect differences among the bookshelf types. A more audible difference will be obrtained between a bookself and a floorstander, regardless of brand. I personally would go for a floorstander.

levi · « **Reply #99 on:** Jul 09, 2003 at 12:53 PM »

I agree with AV_phile. All of your choices will sound good with your AVR.

greatness · « **Reply #100 on:** Jul 09, 2003 at 02:12 PM »

Thanks av_phile and levi.

akyatbundok · « **Reply #101 on:** Jul 09, 2003 at 04:48 PM »

salamat din! my shortlist has changed since reading your comments. mission 78x and b&w 600 series have been bumped off my list due to price. too bad, they look absolutely stunning. i'm sure they sound as good as they look. but it turns out i have to spend 30k-40k to upgrade to those models and even then its still based on small bookshelfs. not that its a bad thing, in fact i love the bookshelf sound with a tight sub. just that i wanna try floorstanders for a change. it wont hurt to add more bass slam at lower cost.

which brings me to mission, mordaunt short and monitor audio. good thing about having an existing system is that u have old stuff to sell to fund an upgrade. so in the order of cost after selling equivalent components of my old system, here's my new list:

5-spkr package incremental cost
------------------ ---------------------
mordaunt ms-904.... +10k
mission m73i............ +14k
monitor audio b2..... +15k
mordaunt ms-908.... +16k
monitor audio b4..... +22k

except for the B2, all of them are floorstanders. im assuming of course that i will like the sound of floorstanders. any other recommendations? these are the speakers on my list only bcoz i know exactly where to buy them. would appreciate info on where to buy kef q3 and energy connoiseur.

levi · « **Reply #102 on:** Jul 09, 2003 at 04:53 PM »

Hyperaudio is selling a set of Mission. Check out Assorted Buy and Sell

marty_e · « **Reply #103 on:** Jul 09, 2003 at 06:53 PM »

Energy Connosieur series are a notch above the speakers noted in your list I believe the C-1 which is the smallest bookshelves are above P20k. The C-3 is almost P30 at list price. Try AV Driver in Shang, across the B&W shop. Look for girlie.

akyatbundok · « **Reply #104 on:** Jul 09, 2003 at 07:38 PM »

yikes 30k on a bookshelf that would be out of my budget. i was interested in the C-5 but now im afraid to ask. thanks for the tip though, ganjaman. maybe it is that good. ms-908 for the same price has metal tweeter and dual metal cones plus a 10" sub per speaker. i haven't heard both so im just comparing specs. then again its the sound that matters not the size & number of cones. so i'll go ask. maybe they'll let me listen to it.

haribon · « **Reply #105 on:** Jul 12, 2003 at 12:48 AM »

Quote from: greatness on Jul 09, 2003 at 09:44 AM

thanks Philander

I'll also consider kef's cresta and coda series. One reason that I'm not considering yet floorstanders is because of the lack of space.

Are there any floorstanders that will fit within my budget though 10-15k that would address the best sound quality for both music and movies?

thanks in advance..

greatness,
I think space is not an issue since floor stander and book shelves occupies the same floor space if you will put the bookshelves on a speaker stand. Considering your HK3550, i think mission74i will be great! it can also give you the bass you need if you still don't have a subs.

greatness · « **Reply #106 on:** Jul 12, 2003 at 06:23 PM »

Ok I might consider also the m74i but I already have an existing stand that's why Im into bookshelves.....

thanks anyways for all who suggested...

Adam Warlock · « **Reply #107 on:** Jul 17, 2003 at 09:53 AM »

Try Upscale and audition the underrated PSB alpha series. This a real deal, value for money speaker.

Crisel

akyatbundok · « **Reply #108 on:** Jul 18, 2003 at 06:33 PM »

which is the better speaker for you? they're about the same price. reviews on the net say they're both good. but some pips i've talked to gave the thumbs down for mordaunt as a brand, and all praises for monitor audio. will find out why soon enough.

mordaunt short ms-908
- 3-way
- metal dome tweets, 2 x 5.25" mids, 10" woofer
- 8 ohms, 200w
- low freq 31hz
- 90db sensitivity
- 19kg

monitor audio b4
- 2.5-way
- metal dome tweets, 6.5" mids, 6.5" woofer
- 6 ohms, 150w
- low freq 36hz
- 91db sensitivity
- 18kg

Audioboy · « **Reply #109 on:** Jul 18, 2003 at 07:04 PM »

akyat bundok,

how about this?

BGA VI · « **Reply #110 on:** Jul 18, 2003 at 09:07 PM »

Hi, i'm a newbie and just in the process of setting up a home theater system, what speakers would you recommend ? i bought a yamaha rxv-630, i'm leaning towards the wharfedale diamond 8.3 for fronts, and the diamond center, i got some b&k speakers for the rears, i think their called bipolar speakers, are the wharfedales good with the yamaha ? what about a subwoofer ?Thanks in advance for any advice !!!

Narayan · « **Reply #111 on:** Jul 21, 2003 at 11:42 PM »

akyat bundok,

bro, what speakers did you finally get? How is the performance? am curious kasi am using ms all around: 902,903,905 & 907.

akyatbundok · « **Reply #112 on:** Jul 22, 2003 at 12:40 PM »

narayan, ive decided to go all ms: 908, 905c, 902 & 907w. in the end, value & cost played the crucial role. plus on the aesthetics side they look great. i didnt get the bipoles for the rear bcoz i still want the flexibility to use the 902's for audio. the 902 w/ sub sounds great.

i had lofty goals for an all mission m5 setup but thats 2x the price of the ms. maybe 3yrs from now ill upgrade to that price range if i can afford it. if i ever get to that (i wish), my choices would be mission m5, energy, b&w or ma. ive always wanted to own mission. the m7 is within the budget but after seeing the 78 & m5 series i thought mission can wait.

i was able to listen to ma b2's w/c sounded really good on mf/rotel pre-power amps. too bad the ma subs r out of my budget. if i were getting only 1pair for audio w/o a sub i would probly hav chosen b2. its just that ma doesnt have a budget sub to complete its bronze range; their subs are too expensive. ms-902 is more of a match for the b1. the b2 deserve to be compared to a bigger contender like the 912 w/c unfortunately i didnt get to audition bcoz my mind was set on the 908 after i heard it.

as for the 908, all i can say is its got big sound. it looks great too in either black or cherry finish. i listened to The Who Live at Leeds and i knew this is it. the drums by keith moon was just wild. i wanted the excitement of a live rock concert. i read somewhere that ken ishiwata (the KI in marantz signature cd players) assisted in voicing the ms speakers.

Narayan · « **Reply #113 on:** Jul 22, 2003 at 08:21 PM »

akyat bundok,

i think you made a great decision. would love to hear the set-up. i didnt get to audition the 908 back then. ano nga pala receiver which you will pair the ms with? congrats and enjoy your new toys!

akyatbundok · « **Reply #114 on:** Jul 23, 2003 at 03:23 PM »

thanks bro, im using an old denon 2700 receiver plus an integrated stereo amp (onkyo integra). i use the pre-outs of the receiver to power the fronts separately. i get better results this way even though the onkyo is just a japan surplus amp that i got for 3.5k. the denon is rated 5x80w at 0.02% THD and i dunno the wattage of the onkyo but it does consume 292watts which i thought is kinda high. hope it has enough juice to drive the 908.

Superman · « **Reply #115 on:** Jul 23, 2003 at 03:56 PM »

Quote from: akyatbundok on Jul 23, 2003 at 03:23 PM

thanks bro, im using an old denon 2700 receiver plus an integrated stereo amp (onkyo integra). i use the pre-outs of the receiver to power the fronts separately. i get better results this way even though the onkyo is just a japan surplus amp that i got for 3.5k. the denon is rated 5x80w at 0.02% THD and i dunno the wattage of the onkyo but it does consume 292watts which i thought is kinda high. hope it has enough juice to drive the 908.

bro,

glad to hear that your set-up is ok na...enjoy, pare...EB tayo sa niyo...ako, thinking of upgrading...waaaahhhh!!!

akyatbundok · « **Reply #116 on:** Jul 24, 2003 at 10:44 AM »

thanks superman, hehe break in ko muna. yun ba tawag dun, o burn in? naku pag nakagat ng upgrade bug magastos! buti na lang ginamit ko muna calculator ko. baka in the end between 10k - 15k lang gastos ko hehe.

Superman · « **Reply #117 on:** Jul 24, 2003 at 11:00 AM »

Quote from: akyatbundok on Jul 24, 2003 at 10:44 AM

thanks superman, hehe break in ko muna. yun ba tawag dun, o burn in? naku pag nakagat ng upgrade bug magastos! buti na lang ginamit ko muna calculator ko. baka in the end between 10k - 15k lang gastos ko hehe.

hinayang pa rin ako sa AE aegis mo...i want that talaga eh...thanks

akyatbundok · « **Reply #118 on:** Jul 25, 2003 at 01:38 PM »

onga superman, miss ko na yung lullaby ko bago matulog courtesy of aegis one. mas may midbass weight sya kaysa ms-902 although nasa break-in pa lang ang ms. lamang sa mids pababa ang aegis. lamang naman sa treble detail ang ms. tama ka amplification lang ang kulang ko dati, yun din sinabi nung mama sa upscale audio.

instinct311 · « **Reply #119 on:** Aug 05, 2003 at 09:53 AM »

mga dude need advice tungkol sa mga speakers balak ko kasing palitan yung speaker ko.
Ano bang magandang brand yung the best talaga pero nde naman masyadong mahal. front speaker lang na pwede sa audio/video kahit nde naman masyado maganda yung receiver pero maganda ang performance ng speaker.

(BOSE,Wharf,b&w etc...)