Best musical speakers for around $400 or less

[starbux48]

Help! The more I read the more confusing it gets. I do NOT have any way to audition any equipment unfortunately. Have bought an Onkyo A-9555 integrated amp to play music from my Macbook Pro, getting an HRT Music Streamer II also. Have about $400 and change I can put into some speakers.

 

Almost bought some Polk, now onto Definitive Technology Studio Monitor 450's. They retail around $670 but can buy some at the lower price.

 

Not as concerned about movie/blu-ray playback as I am my music files. Mostly lossless, some Mp3s, all going through the Mac/Onkyo/HRT gear.

 

Help!

 

[Paul R]

$279/pair. One of the best basic speakers on the market, period.

-Paul

 

 

[konoyaro]

If you're looking for new speakers, I would consider the NHT Absolute Zero

 

http://www.audioreview.com/cat/speakers/floorstanding-speakers/nht/absolute-zero/PRD_345059_1594crx.aspx

 

[bixby]

Get some with decent bass. The Image B-6s should do . I bought my Image B-25s on closeout before the B6s came out and love them. Very good quality for peanuts(b- stock that had no perceptible flaws in the cabinet).

 

The Image B-6 are avail for $400 in B stock.

 

http://www.saturdayaudio.com/picturepages/psb_bstock.htm

 

 

 

 

 

[starbux48]

Read good things about the Image B6's. What kind of amp/receiver are you running into your B-25s? Also read some on the Monitor Audio Bronze BX-2s. Mostly music listening, some movies.

 

[bixby]

Virtue Audio ONE.2 amp that uses the Tripath chip. Sounds fantastic with the upgraded linear power supply. One of the best sounding amps for this power range I have heard.

 

[coolsax]

I would also look at Jamo, since Klipsch bought them they have discontinued a lot of speakers and vanns has a tendency to get them.. I would look at the C600 and C800 series bookshelves. I know they recently had the old C803 on clearance between 4-500 which normally retail for 800.

 

[Bear]

Check out Audiogon as you will be able to pick up some nice used speakers of much higher grade than you can buy new anywhere.

 

[Amused]

How large of a space are you intending to fill with these speakers? That should help drive what you're needing.

 

[starbux48]

The space being filled is not large. Two queen beds would take up most of the space.

 

[Paul R]

Addenum:

 

I'm searching out a pair of small speakers to run in the upstairs listening room I am building. The Maggie MMGs are too much speaker for the teeny amp I have up there. Three that I have looked at recently, besides the PSBs (which are lovely speakers) are:

 

Totem Dreamcatchers - they have a sweet midrange and an extended treble that makes a lot of music sound really really fun, and they are easy to drive.

($575, a tab above your budget, but worth the stretch!)

 

Wharfdale Diamond 10.1's - clean sound - as good as the PSBs I think, but different. More detailed in the midrange or something along those lines. ($350, but sometimes on sale for $300 or thereabouts.)

 

 

Yours,

-Paul

 

 

[wgb113]

I'm a big Paradigm fan. Look into the Titan or Mini Monitor for your price range.

 

Bill

 

[AudioDoctor]

I would also recommend either PSB or Paradigm as good deals in that price range. If you have the power to drive them, Epos also makes a good speaker in the ELS-8 on sale right now at the Needle Doctor for ~$300 IIRC.

 

[Bear]

I am going through similar thinking process for my bedroom. Have concluded that Totem or NHT would fit the bill. I just saw some Totem Rainmakers (step up from Dreamcatcher) on Audiogon for $650 - very tempting. Couple those with a smallish sub from say Martin Logan down the road and you would have one sweet setup.

 

[Amused]

Totems are very musical speakers, but they like the juice. Both the Rainmaker and Dreamcatcher rate at 4 Ohm/87.5 dB, so make sure your amplification can handle that.

 

[realhifi]

No contest. Get em for around $400-$450 a pair and thank me later.

 

[wgb113]

Their 600 Series is nice as well.

 

The Nola/Alon Lil'Rascal is a nice speaker if you can find a pair used. While you're looking for those and some Totems keep an eye out for a nice pair of the old NHT SuperOnes.

 

Bill

 

 

[bikemig]

I like the PSB image speakers and the Wharfedale 10.1 as well. You could also look into some of the internet direct speaker companies. Ascend Acoustics is very well regarded; the cmb-170 fit your price, http://www.ascendacoustics.com/pages/products/speakers/cbm170/cbm170.html

 

[Bear]

They are running a special at $499 for the new super zero's with the matching 8" powered sub - hard to beat! I may have to pick some up myself.

 

[george99]

I have a pair of these + Onkyo A-5VL amp on the way.

I will let you know how they sound using the amp's optical input, in a few days.

 

[wgscott]

I bought a pair of Audioengine2 active speakers and hooked them up to my Nuforce USB microdac. $200 (-$50 audio show discount) for the speakers and $100 for the microdac, and I think these sound better than my $500 B&W MM1 speakers.