[sohels]

According to the tech specs, they have a + or - 1.5 db response down to 50 Hz, which I don't doubt. The bass is excellent, and I don't see the need for a separate sub (a sub out is provided), unless you listen to a lot of rap (or something that requires a lot of very low frequencies).

In my dorm room (about 16' X 12'), I'd say over 50% volume is too loud, over 75% is insane. I did test them near the full volume once and the guy in the next room said he heard as well as 'felt' the music.

They also do a very good job with movies. The sound stage is excellent and I have experienced a visceral impact during explosions - which I didn't expect considering their size. However, don't expect insane, floor-rattling, 1000 Watt sub-in-the-boot bass.

 

[Fallen]

I've been reading a lot about the Usher S-520 Speakers. Raves all around as far as I can tell.

Visiting my local audio dealers soon, hoping someone has it in stock.

(I've seen them on sale online anywhere from around 200USD to 400USD)

http://www.usheraudiousa.com/product...s-520-shielded

 

[TheAnomaly]

i see, thanks. yes, even 50hz is already most of the audible bass most music has -- although you'd want a sub for the room shaking bass (40 and lower). this is the only real hangup i think i might have with these, or pretty much any other, mini monitor. i am in somewhat the same situation as you, college dorm room etc., and the audioengine is attractive if only because it's the complete solution for a reasonable price.

on the other hand, i could get some 6.5" bookshelf speakers and a T-amp for about the same price, and that might be a better option. more upgradeable too, not as convenient perhaps, but probably a wider sound spectrum.

 

[sohels]

Well you can try them out. Audioengine have an excellent return policy, and in any case you'll probably want to keep them. Another advantage is the ease with which you can connect them to Airport Express. Your friends can bring over their laptops and stream music from their iTunes libraries - this gives you access to a huge collection of music.

 

[TheAnomaly]

bah i'm so close to buying these

every time i think about waiting for a month, comparing all prices, waiting for used stuff, getting a more elaborate setup, i remind myself "but you're just in college and $350 is pushing it already" -_-

 

[mtkversion]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheAnomaly /img/forum/go_quote.gif bah i'm so close to buying these every time i think about waiting for a month, comparing all prices, waiting for used stuff, getting a more elaborate setup, i remind myself "but you're just in college and $350 is pushing it already" -_-

do it ...

just got them yesterday ... set them up and tested them out with the tv, xbox and squeezebox.

let them play overnight and all day on random mix to get them warmed up. got home from work and giving them a listen now ...

i've thrown it quite a mix of stuff and it really handles it all well. good clarity, detail and suprisingly, bass.

i'll have to listen to them more to really make a final judgement but so far i'm liking them a lot.

 

[feverfive]

@ mtkversion: what speaker stands are you using w/ your A5's?

 

[classicalguy]

Guarneri: My primus 142s arrived yesterday, and I've been listening to them for hours. I'm very impressed with the quality. Build quality is very nice - they are heavy little suckers with nice quality binding posts. Grills connect with a noiseless connector. I am using them with a panasonic saxr55 receiver and an 8" athena sub crossed over at 100 hz. The primuses replace my older NHT super zeros. They are clearly more accurate than the NHts. On strong male vocals, the NHts would sound sibilent - like the singer was too close to the microphone - a tizzy distorted sound. The primuses sound just right - very accurate with voices. Great imaging and soundstage, very good clarity. I'm very impressed at what you can get here for $100. This is a well designed and accurate speaker, no doubt about it. Far better in every way than those best buy speakers I bought on the hype some time ago. These are the real deal. I'd like to get a pair of 152s for my desktop. I'm that impressed.

 

[tstarn06]

Fun thread. As office mini-systems go, I have one that is hard to beat. My setup is an original SI T-Amp ($27 from Amazon free shipping), a pair of KLH speakers (circa 1964, with 6-inch bass cones in yellowed paper, given to me free when a friend's parents decided to downsize), and a Sony CD/DVD player, also free with Sony credit card points (worth about $70). Cheap speaker wire (with the T-Amp clips, the best I could get).

Total cost: around $30 for a system that continues to blow me away. I did pick up a V2 t-amp, but I still use the original since it's already burned in nicely and am keeping the V2 as a backup.

Now, the KLHs, rated at 89db, still sound fantastic despite their years (KLH used to make pretty good speakers). And with the large bass cones, not bad on the bottom end (as someone pointed out, you will not get much deep bass with a pair of bookshelf speakers and a t-amp).

Adding a sub would be great, especially since I have a pair of PSB Alpha Intro CLRs sitting around collecting dust. Without a sub, the KLHs sound better than the PSBs (very small bookshelf speakers, but at $169 each, not too shabby either).

Anyway, I almost pulled the trigger on the Primus 152s, just for kicks. But the $38 S&H had me stop before I did anything crazy. The urge to try new stuff, even if you don't need it, is overwhelming sometimes, no?

I am waiting to see if a promised Tripath-based amp (currently called the Gizmo) ever becomes reality, because it has T-Amp innards with a pre-out for a sub, and 25w per channel at 4 ohms (and is launching at an $89 intro price. It will be $129 after that). Then, I can pick up the least expensive PSB sub, add it to the the CLRs, and have an awesome office sound system. As classicalguy has pointed out, the Gizmo amp may be nothing more than vaporware, but nearly 500 people have signed up to buy one at the reduced rate, whenever they finally produce it (this year, is my hope).

Anyway, nothing quite like low-cost hifi.

 

[mtkversion]

Quote:

Originally Posted by feverfive /img/forum/go_quote.gif @ mtkversion: what speaker stands are you using w/ your A5's?

Sanus Basic Foundation Series 16" Wood Speaker Stands BF16B (Black Ash)

 

[soundboy]

I'd love to try those Usher S-520. Too bad I already have a pair of Energy Connoisseur C-3s.

 

[TheAnomaly]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mtkversion /img/forum/go_quote.gif do it ... just got them yesterday ... set them up and tested them out with the tv, xbox and squeezebox. let them play overnight and all day on random mix to get them warmed up. got home from work and giving them a listen now ... i've thrown it quite a mix of stuff and it really handles it all well. good clarity, detail and suprisingly, bass. i'll have to listen to them more to really make a final judgement but so far i'm liking them a lot.

neat setup! how do you like the squeezebox?

your stands look a bit short though...16" wouldn't even put them close to ear level for me. is that an issue for you?

 

[mtkversion]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheAnomaly /img/forum/go_quote.gif neat setup! how do you like the squeezebox? your stands look a bit short though...16" wouldn't even put them close to ear level for me. is that an issue for you?

love the squeezebox. so convenient to have your entire music collection at your hands. i rarely listen to cds straight through, i'm too fickle sometimes .. so i skip from artist to artist, song to song .. with the remote there it all is. not to mention all the internet radio stations, access to live music archives, portable (will start setting it up in the backyard with the speakers outside while i grill/chill.

).

the stands are cool for my seating position, i'm usually reclining back .. but for reference i'm 5'10 and the woofer of the a5 is at my kneecap. the stands usually hold the insignia speakers.

nice small system with big sound/options/fun.

 

[Guarneri]

Quote:

Originally Posted by classicalguy /img/forum/go_quote.gif Guarneri: My primus 142s arrived yesterday, and I've been listening to them for hours. I'm very impressed with the quality. Build quality is very nice - they are heavy little suckers with nice quality binding posts. Grills connect with a noiseless connector. I am using them with a panasonic saxr55 receiver and an 8" athena sub crossed over at 100 hz. The primuses replace my older NHT super zeros. They are clearly more accurate than the NHts. On strong male vocals, the NHts would sound sibilent - like the singer was too close to the microphone - a tizzy distorted sound. The primuses sound just right - very accurate with voices. Great imaging and soundstage, very good clarity. I'm very impressed at what you can get here for $100. This is a well designed and accurate speaker, no doubt about it. Far better in every way than those best buy speakers I bought on the hype some time ago. These are the real deal. I'd like to get a pair of 152s for my desktop. I'm that impressed.

I know this is a head-fi forum but a speaker setup with even something as cheap as the Infinity's and a decent amp gets far more listening time than any of my headphones at home. UE-10pro is obviously still needed for on-the-go =P

Infinity has impressed be very much with all their recent product lines as pretty much every single one amounts to quality comparable to products double their price. I did a direct comparison of p152 to Polk r150 last week and found that they were very similar in performance except the superior midbass on the p152s, which tilt me toward the Infinities.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tstarn06 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Fun thread. As office mini-systems go, I have one that is hard to beat. My setup is an original SI T-Amp ($27 from Amazon free shipping), a pair of KLH speakers (circa 1964, with 6-inch bass cones in yellowed paper, given to me free when a friend's parents decided to downsize), and a Sony CD/DVD player, also free with Sony credit card points (worth about $70). Cheap speaker wire (with the T-Amp clips, the best I could get). Total cost: around $30 for a system that continues to blow me away. I did pick up a V2 t-amp, but I still use the original since it's already burned in nicely and am keeping the V2 as a backup. Now, the KLHs, rated at 89db, still sound fantastic despite their years (KLH used to make pretty good speakers). And with the large bass cones, not bad on the bottom end (as someone pointed out, you will not get much deep bass with a pair of bookshelf speakers and a t-amp). Adding a sub would be great, especially since I have a pair of PSB Alpha Intro CLRs sitting around collecting dust. Without a sub, the KLHs sound better than the PSBs (very small bookshelf speakers, but at $169 each, not too shabby either). Anyway, I almost pulled the trigger on the Primus 152s, just for kicks. But the $38 S&H had me stop before I did anything crazy. The urge to try new stuff, even if you don't need it, is overwhelming sometimes, no? I am waiting to see if a promised Tripath-based amp (currently called the Gizmo) ever becomes reality, because it has T-Amp innards with a pre-out for a sub, and 25w per channel at 4 ohms (and is launching at an $89 intro price. It will be $129 after that). Then, I can pick up the least expensive PSB sub, add it to the the CLRs, and have an awesome office sound system. As classicalguy has pointed out, the Gizmo amp may be nothing more than vaporware, but nearly 500 people have signed up to buy one at the reduced rate, whenever they finally produce it (this year, is my hope). Anyway, nothing quite like low-cost hifi.

Yes, low-cst "hifi" can be quite fun and adventurous. Yea, the p152's price on Amazon really is amazing... funny how the shipping is the cost of another of the speakers...lol

I'm not sure if this has already been mentioned, but I see a lot of posts around here requesting info about "sub $xxx budget systems" and "budget pc/bookshelf speakers". Perhaps it's time someone made a guide for popular low-cost systems including a basic background of the options people have as well as a list of respectable equipments/setups in the sub $200-$500 class.

 

[orthopa]

Same here Guarneri. Most time I am listening at work. I'd listen to my Senn's at work but I am not sure other people would like to also hear them. With my job, any time spent at my desk is spent with my Audioengine A2's on either plugged into my ipod touch or computer. When we are doing surgery we listen to Pandora on the net hooked up to some Sony SRS-T77 speakers. They sound good for this use. Of course I could carry my A2's or A5's in but that would be overkill. We can't really have the music on that loud or we couldn't communicate with each other. We keep the sound level at a comfortable easy listening level.

I am just getting into this "hobby" and am enjoying myself very much. I am looking forward to many years of happy listening.