[yage]

Ah yes... the RTS-3...

I actually did get to hear a pair while toying with the idea of buying a modded Dynaco ST70. The system consisted of a Music Hall Turntable, Rogue preamp, and the Dynaco.

They sounded pretty good.

I say 'pretty good' because beforehand the Dynaco was powering some Snell towers and *that* combination sounded... well... very good.

Of course, next to the Snells, the RTS-3 didn't have the bass, but the midrange was clear and smooth while the treble came across a bit on the rough side (but I attribute that to the fact that the speakers were right out of the box and hadn't been broken in yet).

Can't really go wrong since they're under $200 (by a whole nickel!)

 

[Ctn]

I just thought of a speaker my bro has.
Its from TDL electronics but I forgot which model.
Its about 500 US quite a few years back and sounds
bloody awesome !! just a bookshelf lacking in bass.

 

[XXhalberstramXX]

Monitor Audio's bronze series has gotten great reviews just about everywhere (what hi fi?).

Acoustic Energy is coming out with a new series of speakers, the Aesprit or something like that. should compete with the B&W 600 series i think.

Speaking of which, DON'T BUY THE S2's!!!

they're coming out with S3's very very very soon i think. and B&W's new 303s are supposed to be a stunning bargain, grammophone mag claiming that the treble response is better than in more expensive models.

oh yeah, and i love my AE Aegis ones. crisp, clear.... ahhh....

 

[myke]

I'd recommend Acoustic Energy Aegis 1- I believe it sells for around US$250. If you don't mind used, I'd find an LS3/5a (any version Spendor, Rogers or Harbeth). These are amazing speakers- they may not have the best bandwidth (no minimonitors can achieve this), but the mid-band is so wonderful. A new one used to sell for US$700 (correct me if I'm wrong) so a used one (provided you can find one) should be cheaper.

 

[lini]

May I suggest JM Lab? I've got the Opal 607 and found a nice review of its apparently similar successor here: http://www.secondbeat.com/html/articles/april/jm.html

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini

 

[CRESCENDOPOWER]

Oh yeah! JM Lab makes killer speakers, and that's at all price ranges.
Now, if I only had a ton of money, and a huge room for the Grand Utopias. Oh man!

 

[thomas]

I bought the Axiom M22 TI SE's a few days ago (boxing day sale

)... Right now they are still quite harsh, but that should go away with some break-in.

They certainly have tons of detail and have a great flat, balanced sound from the mid-bass up. Unlike any other budget/bookshelf i've heard, they also don't have a bloated mid-bass.

The midrange is what sets them apart from the acclaimed M3's. In an AB comparason, the M3's sounded quite thin in the midrange, and had a bloated mid-bass. But both have amazing treble...

THe build quality of Axioms is also first-rate, the wood veneer is much better than other budget speakers i've seen.

Soundstage's review said many of the same points, though i wouldn't go as far as saying "you just may be crazy for paying more than for a pair of Axioms"...

 

[Tim D]

I'm also interested in new budget speakers. But here's to hoping that my dated "bookshelves" haven't been left in the dust by now. I'm really happy with them. I only had to pay for a refoam job as well as retrofitting some gold binding posts plate so I'd say they're pretty budget.