[driftingbunnies]

I'm basically looking for something for my tv at the moment. I set myself to a budget of hopefully under 1k since I know how easy it is to "justify" spending a little more. Right now I have some Onix Ref 1's as my computer set up so I have an idea of what I can get for ~500 bucks. Hopefully I can get something better. If it's too good, I'll throw the Onix's for my TV and use the new speakers for my computer. If anybody has advice, please chime in. I don't mind used but it doesn't look like audiogon has too many good deals at the moment. I'll probably power them with a HK3490. But if i decide to use them for my computer, i have a NAD C355bee so i think i'm fine on the amp side.
 
Speakers i've been looking at:
Paradigm Studio's 
anything in craigslist (dallas area)
aperion verus bookshelves
totem (used)
dali ikons (used)
wharfedale evo2-10 (don't like the light color available at musician's friend)
 
 
Please help!

 

[cifani090]

Quote:

I'm basically looking for something for my tv at the moment. I set myself to a budget of hopefully under 1k since I know how easy it is to "justify" spending a little more. Right now I have some Onix Ref 1's as my computer set up so I have an idea of what I can get for ~500 bucks. Hopefully I can get something better. If it's too good, I'll throw the Onix's for my TV and use the new speakers for my computer. If anybody has advice, please chime in. I don't mind used but it doesn't look like audiogon has too many good deals at the moment. I'll probably power them with a HK3490. But if i decide to use them for my computer, i have a NAD C355bee so i think i'm fine on the amp side.
 
Speakers i've been looking at:
Paradigm Studio's 
anything in craigslist (dallas area)
aperion verus bookshelves
totem (used)
dali ikons (used)
wharfedale evo2-10 (don't like the light color available at musician's friend)
 
 
Please help!

Would you go vintage? You could get some Klipsch Heresy's, LaScala's, etc.
 

 

[driftingbunnies]

Yeah, the heresy was on my list too. The only thing is that the ones on craigslist look kinda beat up and at the moment, I havne't had much time to meet up with them to check it out. But some of the vintage klipsch's are on my list. One concern about them is that they're fairly old so I wouldn't want to refoam or anything. Plus, I don't think i have the luxury have having such large speakers. I guess I could always try to make it work but I don't have a whole lot of space.

 

[mibutenma]

Quote:

Plus, I don't think i have the luxury have having such large speakers. I guess I could always try to make it work but I don't have a whole lot of space.

Well how much space do you have? 
You do want a good amount space for tower speakers.
Otherwise bookselfs will work better.

 

[cifani090]

Quote:

Yeah, the heresy was on my list too. The only thing is that the ones on craigslist look kinda beat up and at the moment, I havne't had much time to meet up with them to check it out. But some of the vintage klipsch's are on my list. One concern about them is that they're fairly old so I wouldn't want to refoam or anything. Plus, I don't think i have the luxury have having such large speakers. I guess I could always try to make it work but I don't have a whole lot of space.

Well also if depends on who you get them from. Ive had the chance to get a pair of $300 but i passed just because i rather of done a trade at the moment, but anyways... you want to get a pair of an audio reseller so that you can get them perfect.
 

 

[dBel84]

Have you considered active monitors? The Quad 12L has been highly rated and I had a listen to the ADAM A7X which were quite something with their heil ribbon tweeters ( aah, they are sold singly so will blow the budget ) . Newegg has some crazy deals that end today , but second hand is usually where the best deals are. For $1K you should be able to get great sounding speakers, even the new pioneer bookshelfs at $150  seem exceptional value (see latest stereophile for report and measurements) . This particular area for speakers is very difficult as there are so many options ( ie too many choices ) ..dB
 
These Martin Logans caught my attention 
 

 
 
 

 

[driftingbunnies]

 
The TV is against the small wall in the living room and I have a 55" tv there so floorstanding is probably out of the question. However, since it's only an apartment, I would rather not upgrade or anything after I move out of it. So as long as the benefit of having the floorstanding is much greater than the bookshelf, I will keep them on my list.
 
I don't think any of the audio stores around me would sell speakers that cheap. They're mainly custom home installation stores and the ones that are pure audio won't carry anything that cheap except for entry PSB speakers.

 

[dBel84]

To set up monitors correctly actually takes up as much space as a floorstander. My quick take on the benefit of a monitor vs floorstander is that monitors tend to provide better imaging and a sense of "speed" - bass is punchy but not "visceral" ( pardon the audio speak but these words really convey the impression - ie liver rattling bass ) Positioning is speaker dependent , some floor standers do better closer to walls others need space, same applies to monitors. A decent sand/shot filled stand for monitors is no smaller than the remainder of a floorstander. The advantage of monitors is that they can be placed on the component rack / shelf while you have no space and move them up onto stands when things change. Not ideal initially but given time, their full potential can be reached..dB 
 
 

 

[driftingbunnies]

I did see the martin logan deal from newegg. I bought the sub . The motion 12's were a bit disappointing. I listened to them at a store close to my place and it seems like the conventional speakers around that price range easily outperformed the martin logans. It just wasn't as engaging and the separation was just bad in comparison. I'm thinking of trying out the aperion verus grand bookshelves with their stands which cost about 700 total. They have a 30 day guarantee but I would rather make sure I have sorted through my choices before actually ordering a pair.

 

[dBel84]

I have to admit that I have not heard anything but the big ESL's from martin logan, their brand name is all I have to go on. I don't know the aperion either. I have been to quite a few shows and the thing that struck me was that speakers sound very different based in their room / positioning and matching equipment. Bottom line is that you have to hear them for yourself to be sure they work for you..dB

 

[Olias of Sunhillow]

I have a pair of Aperion 6B bookshelf speakers. They sound great paired with my Outlaw RR2150 receiver and Outlaw sub in a modest mid-fi living room system. Haven't heard the Verus yet, but I am generally impressed with Aperions for the money.
 

 

[driftingbunnies]

Have any of you heard the Dynaudio DM 2/7? As of now, I'm comparing that with the Aperion Verus. However, it doesn't look like a lot of people have heard both of them together.

 

[cifani090]

Quote:

Have any of you heard the Dynaudio DM 2/7? As of now, I'm comparing that with the Aperion Verus. However, it doesn't look like a lot of people have heard both of them together.

Dynaudio makes some very nice desktop speakers. I was looking at them with a few other brands before i got taken into the wave of vintage!
 

 

[dBel84]

well I have vintage Dynaudio monitors in my office , sound good but not up to the top end monitors today. ( but this is above the $1K  bracket) it would be another brand recognition for me as I have not heard anything from them recently..dB

 

[driftingbunnies]

I just placed an offer for a pair of Dynaudio focus 110 for under 1k. I felt that the dynaudio speakers would probably be a better fit for what I'm looking for and I'll probably transfer my Onix speakers to the living room instead. Hopefully this will help tame my upgraditus for a bit.