[Quezacotl]

Up until now I'd been using Klipsch Promedia 2.0 speakers, but after getting tired of the random dropouts I decided to invest in something new. Rather than go for another set of standard PC speakers I wanted to try my hand at some 'real' speakers, as they say. It was suggested to me that a good entry-level solution was this:

Sonic Impact T-Amp Gen 2 + Insignia 6.5" Bookshelf Speakers

The T-Amp can be found for around $50-$60 online. I went to Best Buy to check out the Insignias and nearly fell over by how utterly HUGE they are (basically, they won't fit on my desk). They are also unshielded, and I use a CRT monitor, so thats an additional problem. I asked a sales associate if they had any alternatives that were smaller but had similar or equal performance. He pointed me to these speakers:

Sony 5.25" Bookshelf Speakers

After a comparison listen the Sony speakers sounded clearer and sharper to me than the Insignias, and they were a more manageable size. He couldn't tell me if they were shielded or not though.

So, I wanted ask if anyone here has any experience with these particular speakers or Sony bookshelf speakers in general. They seem to sound great to me, however for $49.99 they seem almost too good to be true. I want to make sure I'm not buying into something dubious.

I also wanted to know if anyone had an opinion on these:

JBL 5" Speakers

I know for certain those are magnetically shielded, but I haven't had a chance to listen to them yet. Any advice/opinions would be appreciated.

 

[furball]

The Sony's sensitivity is rated at 87 dB, the JBL is rated at 86 dB. Your T amp will have an easier time driving the Sony.

People always bash Sony, just because Sony is Sony. But Sony makes some really decent stuff. A while ago there as a Sony sub that went for around $100 that performed really well after a little modding.

 

[Budgie]

My advice- never buy a speaker you can't listen to first, unless you can return them for money back. Watch out for restocking fee's. Buy locally when ever possible.

Another place to look is the local music store (Guitar World etc.). Small desktop monitors speakers are used for computer music creation (midi, mixdown, etc.) Last trip to Musican's Friend I saw 10 or 12 different small "nearfield monitor" speakers.

Don't be afraid of stopping by Radio Shack to see what they have. They carry some nice small shielded speakers that sound good and don't cost a fortune.

Minimus 7

I am listening to the Minimus 77's right now.

 

[ayso78]

Plenty of reviews here:

Amazon.com: Customer Reviews: Sony SS-B1000 5.25" Bookshelf Speakers (Pair)

 

[TheBends]

Just out of curiosity, what exactly about the sony's did you perceive in your listening comparison to be clearer?

I have both the insignias and the Polk R150s (~$60 shipped form fry's/outpost.com) which are another internet budget darling. Having compared the two, the insignia's obviously have much stronger bass, and a solid mid range but recessed upper mid treble which is lamentable. They still maintain a bright sound though because of the spike that reoccurs in the treble in combination with the nice mids. They also image quite nicely, a very nice wide throw that blends quite well regardless of price (relatively speaking of course). They are however huge.

The R150s are much smaller (5 1/2" drivers) which makes them almost unfair to compare for the bass, which is not as deep, but also not as boomy. I actually have the r150s on my desk right now. They are a more neutral, plain sounding speaker in comparison, which is preferable as they aren't fatiguing and the bass isn't overwhelming. I should like some upper mid clarity but i couldn't complain. It's definitely a far more laid back sound that is perfect mated with my marantz 1060. btw, the 1060 blows the t amp out of the water.... i've gotten into "discussions" about this before, but even without a recap i stand by this 30 year old analog 30wpc beast of an integrated amp.

regardless, sensitivity is going to be something you'll definitely want to consider with the t amp, which is a very solid amp in and of itself, especially with some mods or at least a proper power supply.

You could also consider checking out Craigslist for local stuff. this is harder because there's so much more to learn about and choose from, or nothing at all depending on where you live. It is a much better deal though to go used.

 

[juventuscadillac]

@TheBends

so the insignias are better than the Polk R150?