Polk R200 (On Sale) howl.me/cf5QY9RrLK1 Wharfedale Lintonhowl.me/cgBC4uJR2iz Elac BS41 amzn.to/3U1zEhw www.patreon.com/cheapaudioman Tidal Deal bit.ly/3siuqSF Crutchfield shop-links.co/cguPK8XEGmt Best Buy Deals shop-links.co/cf9yDZeYtUH amzn.to/3GkNaop CAM Store (New Products!) bit.ly/30Lgu4K apos.audio?sca_ref=552340.TY98BPcZ6P massdrop.7eer.net/qnOye5 Amazon Unlimited Music and Disney Plus Free Trial amzn.to/3DRAVj9
I don't always agree with you although I rarely voice my opinion to you directly but I will say that you are doing the Hi-Fi community a service and keep it up sir
Two years ago I sold my old B&W's for Meta's: mistake. Then got RP6000f's, had a lot of fun and challenged my eardrums daily for a year. Finally settled on Lintons. It's been emotional. I am home now.
@@MichaelHumbles Yamaha AS 1100. Very nice and sweet. Sometimes I go back to my vintage HarmanKardon PM650 for a while. It kicks a lot harder (something the Yamaha just politely refuses). Source is PC/streaming and Rotel CD-transport, both via Topping E50. All in all a neat little setup, IMO:)
I have found that KLH speakers are great sounding “cheap” speakers. I have three different models and love them all. I have a pair of indoor/outdoor minis on my patio; a pair of 900B’s on my A/V receiver and tv; I found a pair of 5002 BA that a dog had gotten his teeth on and shredded the 12” drivers. I replaced all the drivers with Goldwoods. I have those in my man cave and connected them to my Realistic STA95. No subwoofer needed!! 😄
I own the Klipsch Heresy, the ones made in the 1970s or 80's. I bought them for the pair at the local second hand store for 40$ the pair....fully functional, and to my old ears different but as good sounding, with a bit more bass, as my Kefs 104/2, that I bought for 400$ used, from a lady who divorced her hubby and wanted to get rid of his studio stuff....Bargain hunting is beautiful.
This is what we need! In so many of life's buying decisions, I am always trying to maximize performance/cost ratio unless I really need something extremely specific. This is perfect for the 99.9999% of music listeners who don't have an extra $30k lying around to blow on a high-end audio system. You're filling a huge void in the "audiophile" world and giving people who love music the straight goods on where the extra $ really makes a difference, and what can only be detected with laboratory equipment. THANK YOU!!
I have the Lintons and I LOVE THEM. This might be famous last words, but I honestly can't imagine ever wanting a further upgrade. To my ears they sound perfect for how I want to listen to music.
I own the Wharfedale Lintons, and I totally agree. They're heritage designed and awesome. My advice? Pop for the stands. They're heavy duty battle tanks that even allow for the storage of albums.
I have binge watched this channel for the last two weeks since I've found it. I believe most things the experts are saying cause I'm a newcomer to the audio world, but this pushing of Sony SSCS5 reeks of bias. (It almost feels like ... love) You keep elevating this budget speaker well above its league with less and less caveats mentioned as you keep getting more confident about it. Yet, I might still buy them because I believe it deserves a podium place in the price/value list and it is ideal for desktop usage with small available space as well as wall clearance, as you have noted in several videos. It costs $167 as of right now where I live. Perhaps I should wait til a good black friday sale. You know what's odd? There's almost nobody selling these speakers. Especially compared to its abundancy and sale history. People are holding on to them like they're endgame speakers haha. I guess many people view perfect price/value ratio to be their endgame. I'm also like this in computer parts where I feel like going above the curve bend is almost like wasting money.
I'm in England,from my experiences,the k.e.f. L.S.50 original was bought by the 000s,but, most were listened to and bought in the shop on a high quality source and amp,then used at home on a much lesser source/amp,hence why they end up on used market.
I have two setups using SONY SSCS5...one hooked to a FOSI BT30D and Monoprice sub; the other hooked to my Denon Streamer and a huge Behringer sub. I love both setups. My mixing speakers are PreSonus Eris E5.
THIS THIS THIS !!! Been watchin' since before 1000 subs and this channel just gets better and better. The content is so useful to so many. Great stuff. This though? This is awesome. The SVS call is "Chefs-kiss". And you can sit an Elac underneath a lot of great speakers and gape about the money. Speaking of: This channel is 'right on the money". I build much of my gear, make my own cables, etc: so this is just an engineer's opinion. Watching forever.
4:30 this is y ive kept my studio lab (sl-550) i have 2 sets... i use them as my mains.. 2 boxs on the right & 2 boxs on the left with tweeters in the middle woofers on he outside... top of the line $1200 a set in the 80s.... you can still find them in Ontario.. but they are 800 - 4500 a set depending on condition... if you think you can get a broken set & fix them... good luck... parts are basically unobtainable..
Great concept for $$$ vs $ value SQ comparisons. I recently purchased a pair of Klipsch RP 160-M bookshelf for 299/pr, new, with free shipping from Crutchfield. The 160's are filling my soul with happiness on the H.T. front and not too shabby on the live music. Overall, great value for the$.
Last year I swapped my JBL XTi 20 5.0 surround set for Klipsch speakers. 2x R50M, 2x R51M, 2x R620F plus a R-8SW sub. Not too expensive (Around 2000 Euro for all seven speakers). Usually these would be far above my budget. I'm happy with the sound for both movies and music.
I have always gotten my speakers at the thrift stores lol. The best I've found so far is a pair of klipsch epic cf-4. Just picked up a pair of phase technology 1.1. Nice little speakers for 15$
Another option people look over is vintage hi-fi speakers. Brands like: Acoustic Research (AR), Advent, and JBL. In reality, there hasn't been any significant improvement in speakers in 40yrs. Old speakers that sounded great, will still sound great. Re-foam them for $15. Call it a day.
I've been looking intently for end-game speakers in the $1200-$2000/pair range for months and I've changed my mind so many times it makes my head spin sometimes. It's a big decision and I don't want to experience regret. Anyway, in the meantime I decided to pull the trigger on a pair of Emotiva B2+ while they were still available for their $359 close-out price. I'm not quite certain if they're my end-game speakers but I gotta say I just love the clarity and detail in the mids and highs coming from these little guys...so much so that I've stopped looking so hard for my final pair of speakers. For $359 I consider the B2+ to be a flat-out steal. Four months ago I bought the Emo C1+ at it's close-out price and two months ago I bought their BasX A3 to power my front stage with authority. For the money I don't think I could've done much better.
Just purchased the Wharfedale Lintons and run them with an Audiolab 6000A and Bluesound Node 2i. Just amazing! Base is killer. And getting better every day.I have my Magnepans up for sale. Thank you for your honest review of them along with , Andrew & Kristi and Erin
You should do this for subs! I've been thinking of pulling the trigger on the 10" fluance but I've held off mostly because you haven't talked about them...
active bookshelf pc-speakers plus (ex bluetooth stripped down to lo-fi only) lo-fi bookshelf speaker plus guitar-pedal equalizer give an amazing result... )))))
I find it interesting that what are called bookshelf speakers actually fit on a bookshelf. I have, among other speaker systems, Altec Model 9s from the 1970s. They weigh about 50lbs each and have a 17 1/2" x 13 1/2" footprint. They're 3 way bass reflex "bookshelf" speakers. What are described as bookshelf speakers today, we considered nearfields.
One of you'r top videos ever.Remember you'r room size and acoustics play a huge role on sound quality .Also experiment on speaker placement.Most reviewers have room treatments and measured room responses.Some can hear the grass grow.They know witch recordings sound best on there speakers when you audition them.I worked for a high end manufacturer for many years.
Great informative content. It comes while I am shopping for some really good bookshelf speakers for my living room with a vaulted ceiling and very open and a slightly echo. I won't be playing often at a high volume but I would like it to be able to fill the room. My wife hears better than I do so I will be rocking in my basement where she fears to tread. I am deciding between Emotiva B!, The Sony SSCS5, and the Elac BS41.
Larry, the Sony SSCS-5 are fantastic! They are airy, warm, and detailed without being fatiguing. They sound GREAT with everything I've thrown at them. I love them so much that I purchased a 2nd pair, just because. Haha!
Great video. Sadly I need to find a cheapaudioman UK version. Most of these (all?) are sadly either not available or just no where near the same price point.
My cheap alternative to the KLH Model 5 is my Realistic (Radio Shack) Optimus 5b that I bought new, back in the late 70's (1976?) I feel that it was a direct copy (homage ?) to the Model 5 and still sounds great (looking forward to a crossover re-cap) cheers
Very good Randy the video, it helps a lot to have more options, unfortunately I live in Argentina and the truth is that the prices of speakers of more than US$1000 are unattainable. Greetings from Argentina.-
Cheap is a relative term, apparently. When I look at my bookshelf, I have a pair of the Sony SS-CSD-1 (at $60, second hand, EXC++) and another pair of Mourdant-Short MS20i's (EXC+) that I snagged at a Salvation Army shop for $39. The later was really an unplanned in-out visit where I quickly passed through the store, saw them...and then spent the rest of the time waiting at the cashier for the checkout. Both had no issues and sound really nice...to me. I did spend a little more for after-market isolation feet/pegs. Frankly, when buying speakers I tend to prefer buying locally...and buying used. Second hand speaker deals abound...but you need to inspect the merchandise first.
Thanks Randy. Your video is replete (did you really use this word?) with great advice about saving money and still buying great gear. Neat feat to repeat replete.
hey Randy, I have the svs ultras and I bi-wired them and what a difference. There are those that say bi-wiring is snake oil. I can only speak for the svs and it makes a HUGE difference. I have the matched with the rel tx7 and what a dynamic sound. I do have limited experience but these with a tube amp with 4 gold lion tubes and a emotiva A4 amp I'm pretty happy with the sound I'm getting. 9?11/22 update: It's bi amping, not bi wiring.
I bought the kef Q350s at $500 and I think it's a more affordable alternative to the LS50 metas. And the Q350s to my ears have better bass response due to the 6 inch woofer as compared to 5in in the LS 50s.
Rolk, I have a pair of KEF Q350s as well. Bought them per the various on Line reviews during COVID Hibernation. They weren't really achieving Randy's top honors in his comparison review in 2021. I have had them hooked to my Denon DRA-800H Receiver that they play with slight boominess at slightly higher volume. They sound better when hooked up to my Emotiva A300 Amp stacked with a IOTA PA3. To me, which in the past I didn't pay too much attention too (other than the total Watts per Channel), I have learned how the Amps have a bearing on the sound deliver in speakers.
Randy, I enjoyed the video. Hey, what do you think about reviewing some bookshelf speaker stands? Maybe it's not just me that needs a pair or two and wants to make an informed buying decision.
Hey, I heard the Klipsch 8000s a few weeks ago and thought “pretty dang good!” I have the cheap Reference R820F that I pump up with my modded Reisong A10 tube amp (thanks Randy). Sounds great enough. But the 8000s sound, um, a lot better. But… I also heard the Klipsch Cornwalls for the first time, and sorry I couldn’t throw down for new Klipsches unless I went into debt for those puppies. I’ll live with what I got, thank you.
Would you ever consider putting a rear ported "bookshelf" speaker on a bookshelf that would effectively block the port (even if it was off the rear of the shelf by a few inches)?
The result of smashing that rear port into a bookshelf, 1" off wall is a booming type of bass increase. Not in a good way. A slow reverberating bass exaggeration, which includes resonance from the actual shelf unit, especially if it has a thin backer panel. Cheap improvement in that situation is to cut or tear a piece of low density foam and "plug" the port. This will slightly change the response (but far better than without the plug in that situation. Will still have some bass increase but more natural). The foam will let some air / pressure pass but not much, and slower. Some manufacturers such as KEF include foam port plugs with their speakers for exactly that purpose. Good luck.
Wharfedales are really hard to beat in their respective price ranges. I went with the Wharfedale EVO 4.2's because there was nothing that I could find that would match their definition, clarity, and sound stage.
Your definitely right on the Sony speakers they are cheap but god they are just so GOOD! Another TH-camr did a review on them about two years ago Andrew Robinson he made them look the best speaker ever and I end up buying a pair and since them I haven’t bought nothing else I am one happy camper with my Sony speakers 😎👍🏼
IMO if on a budget used is the way to go. I just picked up some PSB Century 600i's in like new shape, built in 98. For $200 Canadian Dollars. Still sound fantastic and match my even older PSB 600's. Movies and music in my living room has never sounded so good. Now I just need to replace my horrible Bose 161's for something that sounds more inline with the two different PSB 600 series I have.
R200 and the Sony SSCS5 in the same sentence? Nope. R200 vs ELAC Debut 5.2/6.2/B6… makes a little more sense. Also, your viewers deserve a comparison between Emotiva Bookies and Wharfedale Diamond 225. I think you will find that the 225 is your favorite speaker under $500.
Yeah I thought that was an odd comparison to make. I happen to still own both the Sony and the Polks.. I think they are worlds apart. I feel the Sony have no bass, just some well tuned resonance lol. Randy must be comparing them to his modded Sony's. I'd like to hear those wharfedale diamonds though.
Consider buying used. If you look around, you can find the "old" model of a speaker on the used market at an affordable price. Is it a "new" speaker? No, but pre-loved speakers can be a way to hear high-end sound on a budget.
True and it is also less risky buying used speakers than used amps or other electronic components. Of course, that also depends on if one can check them in person or not.
Very, very good episode. Thank you so much. Spot on re the Klipsch models … super excellent comparison. Precisely (if that’s the word) my own experience.
Randy, what happened to Advent? I used to have a pair of Advent towers and the sounds that speaker made were so impressive. I could throw any type of music at them and they produced magic. Thanks. I think divorce number 1 got them.
I think I would love the SVS Ultra. I have their Mirco3000 sub paired with Klipsch The Fives for my turntable. Would love to experiment with other speakers.
Randy, can you do a video on a budget Bluetooth system for a shop setting that has no heat or air conditioner with temp's from -20° to 100°f . And 1200 sqft.? Currently running a Pyle PDA6BU.6 from a cellphone to 80's sony home speakers via speaker wire.
Ok here it goes just discovered your channel great videos I have a pair of Bose 901s I bought brand new a couple years ago for $500 really have enjoyed them but I've decided to sell them for more then I paid hopefully and get a great pair of bookshelf speakers and put money back in my pocket so what amount do you think I should try to sell the Bose for ?And what are a couple sets of bookshelf could you recommend 🤔
Hey CAM, I would love to hear your opinion on what expensive speaker is like Elac Reference Dbr62. Some B&W come to mind. Thoughts? Great video, thanks again.
Happy holidays! Was hoping I could pick your brain… I’m auditioning these 4 speakers: Canton Karat 300, Ohm FRS-7, Dahlquist DQM-9 Compact, Altec Lansing 305. I’m curious if one of the 4 really stand out and if you had to choose one (all in good condition) which would you pick? Sound + looks is important for me since these will be next to my McIntosh setup and my wife is a stickler for appearances in our living room. Also, from a value stand point is one more valuable than the others? These are from a friend so pricing is going to be similar across the board. I just tend to enjoy speakers for 5 or so years and then end up selling them to try something new so I’d like a pair that will hold or increase in value.
The midrange of the LS50 is supposed to be incredibly detailed with “holographic” imaging. I hear if you pair it with a sub, a nice powerful amp, it would actually beat most speakers under $1000. Though they are better close field, and aren’t large room filling, so maybe that’s part in why so many people are selling them. If you ever snipe a used pair for cheap, or maybe the metas, it would be interesting if your opinion has changed now that you have a lot of equipment to test them with. Or at least come away thinking “at a lower price point, these would be good options”
The B-1 from Emotiva had a powered model, I had that for my computer set up. Oh, man, it was sweet. Lost them in a fire, and they had stopped making them. I believe they were dual Amp per speaker like the Vanatoo One.
@cheapaudioman, I remember this video and thought it was very useful. Since you've done higher priced speakers this past year, ('23-24) it might be great to compare the pricier speakers you've reviewed recently with their less expensive distant cousins. The delta between these speakers is diminishing, and this would be a good public service announcement. And of course, there are some speakers that can't be touched by anything cheap. At least it will give you a topic that marries 'cheap' with 'not.' Just a thought. 🙃
Hey Randy great and fun video, good to know these alternatives that exist, whenever People ask me for what’s good reasonable speakers I refer over to this channel and the products you recommend! 👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾🔥💥
What do you think about the Emotiva T-Zero+ or Polk ES50? I have the SS-CS3 now, but I find its treble fatiguing. I listen to rock and pop of all sub-genres and eras, plus a little classical, piano, and female vocals.
I'm curious, what you think about buying used speakers? Anything to watch out for when buying used? (I also bought my stuff before watching your videos on cheaper speakers I CAN buy in Japan) Backstory: I live in Japan so my options are different than in the States. Recently I purchased a pair of Elac CL301i Jet. They have to be like 10 to 15 years old and because of the smaller rooms here, the back ports are challenging. But they are amazing for the space I have.
Randy, I am a headphone user but am thinking of getting a pair of speakers since I have DACs I can use for both purposes. However, I only have a room that is 13 feet length x 10 feet wide, with bookshelves along both sides of the length and a work desk at the other end. Can I still get a pair of say Polk R700? Will I need to treat the room since there’s bookshelves, cabinets along both sides and I had stuck acoustic foams on all the glass doors of the cabinets?
I have some 70's speakers purchased at that time. Altec Valencia 15's with the large horns and Cerwin 212's connected to a Crest 3001 pro amp in parallel as well as JBL SR4725 and Wharfedale pros both 15 inch pro speakers in parallel to a Crest 4001 pro amp. The Altec combination is the best with deeper bass than the pro speakers and more natural sounding.
@cheapaudioman maybe you could try to get your hands on the Pioneer RM-05 or RM-07 active monitors on the second hand market. I own them, and think they are great, but nobody knows about them...?
I have to admit, I love my Sony SSCS5s. Not that much to look at, but they sound great so long as you don't drive them crazy hard. And I got my pair for $73. Randy, I would love for you to review the Micca OoO speakers. These are another cheap speaker that I fell in love with.
used klipsch heresy older models ($600-700 max) is a good alternative top $3k current model heresy. the original model 5 is $250-400, sos the model 6...the classic KLH speakers are easy to find and very affordable...and studio 530 has gotta be a cheap alternative to a buttload of more expensive speakers.
Buy used vintage speakers. I drove from Memphis to Atlanta for a pair of Klipsch Forte II speakers that were beautifully restored and upgraded with ALK crossovers. $1500 and worth every penny. Sure beats $5,000 for a new pair. Good enough for me. My speaker search is over.
I may need to try that mod on the bs41s seeing that they are on sale for $98 right now and if you guys are buying remember to use the links.. Thanks Randy!
Great comparative review and recommendation video Randy! This will be helpful for many of your listeners. Re: the Heresy IVs, I had a similar experience as you to the point where buyer's remorse began to kick in because of the flat bass response. But, after listening for two weeks, the bass response developed big time post break-in to the point where I no longer felt a sub was necessary. Impressive speaker. I'm so glad I gave them a chance. In the end I did pair them with a Rel S/510 sub which was an excellent decision overall. Keep up the great work!
I think this is the first time I’ve ever heard SVS mentioned in any of the audiophile videos I’ve ever seen. I get Emails from SVS daily and was thinking about buying or listening to them. Never heard a pair before. Nobody ever talks about them so I guess they’re not as great as I thought
Polk R200 (On Sale) howl.me/cf5QY9RrLK1
Wharfedale Lintonhowl.me/cgBC4uJR2iz
Elac BS41 amzn.to/3U1zEhw
www.patreon.com/cheapaudioman
Tidal Deal bit.ly/3siuqSF
Crutchfield shop-links.co/cguPK8XEGmt
Best Buy Deals shop-links.co/cf9yDZeYtUH
amzn.to/3GkNaop
CAM Store (New Products!) bit.ly/30Lgu4K
apos.audio?sca_ref=552340.TY98BPcZ6P
massdrop.7eer.net/qnOye5
Amazon Unlimited Music and Disney Plus Free Trial amzn.to/3DRAVj9
Those Elac BS41 looks like the only decent budget speaker at this time. I'd like to audition those at some time.
What is your opinion about the Mission LX3 mk2. When a review?
I like how Randy doesn't ran out of content AND always gives solid recommendations. 🙌🏼👏🏼
Did you mean sony recommendations?
I don't always agree with you although I rarely voice my opinion to you directly but I will say that you are doing the Hi-Fi community a service and keep it up sir
Thanks! Really appreciate that
It doesn’t last.
This praise and championing of budget gear.
The expensive stuff just sound better.
Steve Guttenberg used to do this.
Now this is in the spirit of what cheapaudioman is all about. Thanks!
Two years ago I sold my old B&W's for Meta's: mistake. Then got RP6000f's, had a lot of fun and challenged my eardrums daily for a year. Finally settled on Lintons. It's been emotional.
I am home now.
Thanks! I had same, now have Elac. Dont miss B&W price, but they are good. Decisions....
How you like your lintons
Which amp are you using with the Lintons?
@@MichaelHumbles Yamaha AS 1100. Very nice and sweet. Sometimes I go back to my vintage HarmanKardon PM650 for a while. It kicks a lot harder (something the Yamaha just politely refuses). Source is PC/streaming and Rotel CD-transport, both via Topping E50. All in all a neat little setup, IMO:)
@@Bob.martens beautiful amp, on my wishlist for sure. Thanks for sharing
I have found that KLH speakers are great sounding “cheap” speakers. I have three different models and love them all. I have a pair of indoor/outdoor minis on my patio; a pair of 900B’s on my A/V receiver and tv; I found a pair of 5002 BA that a dog had gotten his teeth on and shredded the 12” drivers. I replaced all the drivers with Goldwoods. I have those in my man cave and connected them to my Realistic STA95. No subwoofer needed!! 😄
I own the Klipsch Heresy, the ones made in the 1970s or 80's. I bought them for the pair at the local second hand store for 40$ the pair....fully functional, and to my old ears different but as good sounding, with a bit more bass, as my Kefs 104/2, that I bought for 400$ used, from a lady who divorced her hubby and wanted to get rid of his studio stuff....Bargain hunting is beautiful.
This is what we need! In so many of life's buying decisions, I am always trying to maximize performance/cost ratio unless I really need something extremely specific. This is perfect for the 99.9999% of music listeners who don't have an extra $30k lying around to blow on a high-end audio system. You're filling a huge void in the "audiophile" world and giving people who love music the straight goods on where the extra $ really makes a difference, and what can only be detected with laboratory equipment. THANK YOU!!
The Wharfedale Dimiond 12.1 are excellent bookshelf speakers. Plus they are well made.
I have the Lintons and I LOVE THEM. This might be famous last words, but I honestly can't imagine ever wanting a further upgrade. To my ears they sound perfect for how I want to listen to music.
The ultimate stage ! Congrats.
I own the Wharfedale Lintons, and I totally agree. They're heritage designed and awesome. My advice? Pop for the stands. They're heavy duty battle tanks that even allow for the storage of albums.
I have binge watched this channel for the last two weeks since I've found it. I believe most things the experts are saying cause I'm a newcomer to the audio world, but this pushing of Sony SSCS5 reeks of bias. (It almost feels like ... love) You keep elevating this budget speaker well above its league with less and less caveats mentioned as you keep getting more confident about it. Yet, I might still buy them because I believe it deserves a podium place in the price/value list and it is ideal for desktop usage with small available space as well as wall clearance, as you have noted in several videos. It costs $167 as of right now where I live. Perhaps I should wait til a good black friday sale. You know what's odd? There's almost nobody selling these speakers. Especially compared to its abundancy and sale history. People are holding on to them like they're endgame speakers haha. I guess many people view perfect price/value ratio to be their endgame. I'm also like this in computer parts where I feel like going above the curve bend is almost like wasting money.
Thanks
Thank you!
I'm in England,from my experiences,the k.e.f. L.S.50 original was bought by the 000s,but, most were listened to and bought in the shop on a high quality source and amp,then used at home on a much lesser source/amp,hence why they end up on used market.
I have two setups using SONY SSCS5...one hooked to a FOSI BT30D and Monoprice sub; the other hooked to my Denon Streamer and a huge Behringer sub. I love both setups. My mixing speakers are PreSonus Eris E5.
From a price point and esthetic I've been partial to the Wharfedale Linton 85th Anniversary. Sounds great and looks great.
THIS THIS THIS !!! Been watchin' since before 1000 subs and this channel just gets better and better. The content is so useful to so many. Great stuff. This though? This is awesome. The SVS call is "Chefs-kiss". And you can sit an Elac underneath a lot of great speakers and gape about the money. Speaking of: This channel is 'right on the money". I build much of my gear, make my own cables, etc: so this is just an engineer's opinion. Watching forever.
4:30 this is y ive kept my studio lab (sl-550) i have 2 sets... i use them as my mains.. 2 boxs on the right & 2 boxs on the left with tweeters in the middle woofers on he outside... top of the line $1200 a set in the 80s.... you can still find them in Ontario.. but they are 800 - 4500 a set depending on condition... if you think you can get a broken set & fix them... good luck... parts are basically unobtainable..
Good job Randy! Any chance you could do a 5 Cheap Alternatives to Awesome Powered Speakers?
Great suggestion!
Great concept for $$$ vs $ value SQ comparisons. I recently purchased a pair of Klipsch RP 160-M bookshelf for 299/pr, new, with free shipping from Crutchfield. The 160's are filling my soul with happiness on the H.T. front and not too shabby on the live music. Overall, great value for the$.
I use RP160m's for surround speakers. Got them pretty cheap from Adorama a few years ago and they do a great job from what I can tell.
Last year I swapped my JBL XTi 20 5.0 surround set for Klipsch speakers. 2x R50M, 2x R51M, 2x R620F plus a R-8SW sub. Not too expensive (Around 2000 Euro for all seven speakers). Usually these would be far above my budget. I'm happy with the sound for both movies and music.
I have always gotten my speakers at the thrift stores lol. The best I've found so far is a pair of klipsch epic cf-4. Just picked up a pair of phase technology 1.1. Nice little speakers for 15$
I've been trying to get one of my coworkers into hi-fi lately, this is a great video to send him
Another option people look over is vintage hi-fi speakers. Brands like: Acoustic Research (AR), Advent, and JBL. In reality, there hasn't been any significant improvement in speakers in 40yrs. Old speakers that sounded great, will still sound great. Re-foam them for $15. Call it a day.
AR & Advent are great entry level speakers. I’ve never been a real fan of JBL in my opinion they’re overrated and overpriced
I've never heard the sscs5, but I have a pair of sscs3 speakers and I love them.
I've been looking intently for end-game speakers in the $1200-$2000/pair range for months and I've changed my mind so many times it makes my head spin sometimes. It's a big decision and I don't want to experience regret. Anyway, in the meantime I decided to pull the trigger on a pair of Emotiva B2+ while they were still available for their $359 close-out price. I'm not quite certain if they're my end-game speakers but I gotta say I just love the clarity and detail in the mids and highs coming from these little guys...so much so that I've stopped looking so hard for my final pair of speakers. For $359 I consider the B2+ to be a flat-out steal. Four months ago I bought the Emo C1+ at it's close-out price and two months ago I bought their BasX A3 to power my front stage with authority. For the money I don't think I could've done much better.
Just purchased the Wharfedale Lintons and run them with an Audiolab
6000A and Bluesound Node 2i. Just amazing!
Base is killer. And getting better every day.I have my Magnepans up for sale.
Thank you for your honest
review of them along with ,
Andrew & Kristi and Erin
I really appreciate this speaker advice and also your speaker shootout comparisons! Very helpful! No one else is doing what you're doing.
You should do this for subs!
I've been thinking of pulling the trigger on the 10" fluance but I've held off mostly because you haven't talked about them...
active bookshelf pc-speakers plus (ex bluetooth stripped down to lo-fi only) lo-fi bookshelf speaker plus guitar-pedal equalizer give an amazing result... )))))
and for a cd-mp3 player there are old active pc-speakers swapped into a wooden soundbar plus a cheap active automobile subwoofer...
I got some Polk Audio bookshelf speakers for 10 bucks at a garage sale, they sound great and weren't expensive when they were new.
I find it interesting that what are called bookshelf speakers actually fit on a bookshelf. I have, among other speaker systems, Altec Model 9s from the 1970s. They weigh about 50lbs each and have a 17 1/2" x 13 1/2" footprint. They're 3 way bass reflex "bookshelf" speakers. What are described as bookshelf speakers today, we considered nearfields.
One of you'r top videos ever.Remember you'r room size and acoustics play a huge role on sound quality .Also experiment on speaker placement.Most reviewers have room treatments and measured room responses.Some can hear the grass grow.They know witch recordings sound best on there speakers when you audition them.I worked for a high end manufacturer for many years.
I love my KEF LS50's. Yes, I have it paired with a subwoofer.
Great informative content. It comes while I am shopping for some really good bookshelf speakers for my living room with a vaulted ceiling and very open and a slightly echo. I won't be playing often at a high volume but I would like it to be able to fill the room. My wife hears better than I do so I will be rocking in my basement where she fears to tread. I am deciding between Emotiva B!, The Sony SSCS5, and the Elac BS41.
Larry, the Sony SSCS-5 are fantastic! They are airy, warm, and detailed without being fatiguing. They sound GREAT with everything I've thrown at them. I love them so much that I purchased a 2nd pair, just because. Haha!
Great video.
Sadly I need to find a cheapaudioman UK version.
Most of these (all?) are sadly either not available or just no where near the same price point.
I have the Klipsh RP-8000F and love them. I DO wish I had a bigger room though.
My cheap alternative to the KLH Model 5 is my Realistic (Radio Shack) Optimus 5b that I bought new, back in the late 70's (1976?) I feel that it was a direct copy (homage ?) to the Model 5 and still sounds great (looking forward to a crossover re-cap) cheers
I have a pair and love them.
Very good Randy the video, it helps a lot to have more options, unfortunately I live in Argentina and the truth is that the prices of speakers of more than US$1000 are unattainable. Greetings from Argentina.-
Hi Folks ..latest garage sale score Sound Dynamics R818 $10.00cdn :).I have them hooked up to my H/K 730 they sound sweet .Keep up the great vids.
Cheap is a relative term, apparently. When I look at my bookshelf, I have a pair of the Sony SS-CSD-1 (at $60, second hand, EXC++) and another pair of Mourdant-Short MS20i's (EXC+) that I snagged at a Salvation Army shop for $39. The later was really an unplanned in-out visit where I quickly passed through the store, saw them...and then spent the rest of the time waiting at the cashier for the checkout.
Both had no issues and sound really nice...to me. I did spend a little more for after-market isolation feet/pegs.
Frankly, when buying speakers I tend to prefer buying locally...and buying used. Second hand speaker deals abound...but you need to inspect the merchandise first.
Thanks Randy. Your video is replete (did you really use this word?) with great advice about saving money and still buying great gear. Neat feat to repeat replete.
I did. I learned it a couple of days ago and I've been dying to try it out, DD
great video, got me thinking if my triangle Borea BR03's were the right purchase.
hey Randy, I have the svs ultras and I bi-wired them and what a difference. There are those that say bi-wiring is snake oil. I can only speak for the svs and it makes a HUGE difference. I have the matched with the rel tx7 and what a dynamic sound. I do have limited experience but these with a tube amp with 4 gold lion tubes and a emotiva A4 amp I'm pretty happy with the sound I'm getting. 9?11/22 update: It's bi amping, not bi wiring.
No difference on my B&W if that helps.
@@peterbaugh51 I’ve done it in the past twice and couldn’t hear any difference personally.
@@peterbaugh51 I made a mistake, it's bi amping, not bi-wiring
I made a mistake, it's bi amping, not bi-wiring
I bought the kef Q350s at $500 and I think it's a more affordable alternative to the LS50 metas. And the Q350s to my ears have better bass response due to the 6 inch woofer as compared to 5in in the LS 50s.
Agreed. 100% facts, I like the q350 better
Rolk, I have a pair of KEF Q350s as well. Bought them per the various on Line reviews during COVID Hibernation. They weren't really achieving Randy's top honors in his comparison review in 2021. I have had them hooked to my Denon DRA-800H Receiver that they play with slight boominess at slightly higher volume. They sound better when hooked up to my Emotiva A300 Amp stacked with a IOTA PA3. To me, which in the past I didn't pay too much attention too (other than the total Watts per Channel), I have learned how the Amps have a bearing on the sound deliver in speakers.
Randy, I enjoyed the video. Hey, what do you think about reviewing some bookshelf speaker stands? Maybe it's not just me that needs a pair or two and wants to make an informed buying decision.
Hey, I heard the Klipsch 8000s a few weeks ago and thought “pretty dang good!” I have the cheap Reference R820F that I pump up with my modded Reisong A10 tube amp (thanks Randy). Sounds great enough. But the 8000s sound, um, a lot better. But… I also heard the Klipsch Cornwalls for the first time, and sorry I couldn’t throw down for new Klipsches unless I went into debt for those puppies. I’ll live with what I got, thank you.
Would you ever consider putting a rear ported "bookshelf" speaker on a bookshelf that would effectively block the port (even if it was off the rear of the shelf by a few inches)?
Not me.
The result of smashing that rear port into a bookshelf, 1" off wall is a booming type of bass increase. Not in a good way. A slow reverberating bass exaggeration, which includes resonance from the actual shelf unit, especially if it has a thin backer panel.
Cheap improvement in that situation is to cut or tear a piece of low density foam and "plug" the port. This will slightly change the response (but far better than without the plug in that situation. Will still have some bass increase but more natural). The foam will let some air / pressure pass but not much, and slower.
Some manufacturers such as KEF include foam port plugs with their speakers for exactly that purpose. Good luck.
Wharfedales are really hard to beat in their respective price ranges. I went with the Wharfedale EVO 4.2's because there was nothing that I could find that would match their definition, clarity, and sound stage.
I have the wharfadale S 2s love them .Great work randy as always greetings from Scotland 👍🙂
I have the 225's...I like them.
More audio awesomeness coming from the CheapAudioMan! Thank you!
Interesting information on alternative speakers, just proves there's something out there for everyone to try.
Great vid . What about an alternative to the Jbl L100 . 4000 grand is up there .
Your definitely right on the Sony speakers they are cheap but god they are just so GOOD! Another TH-camr did a review on them about two years ago Andrew Robinson he made them look the best speaker ever and I end up buying a pair and since them I haven’t bought nothing else I am one happy camper with my Sony speakers 😎👍🏼
IMO if on a budget used is the way to go. I just picked up some PSB Century 600i's in like new shape, built in 98. For $200 Canadian Dollars. Still sound fantastic and match my even older PSB 600's. Movies and music in my living room has never sounded so good. Now I just need to replace my horrible Bose 161's for something that sounds more inline with the two different PSB 600 series I have.
R200 and the Sony SSCS5 in the same sentence? Nope. R200 vs ELAC Debut 5.2/6.2/B6… makes a little more sense.
Also, your viewers deserve a comparison between Emotiva Bookies and Wharfedale Diamond 225. I think you will find that the 225 is your favorite speaker under $500.
Thanks so much for watching, Twisty
Yeah I thought that was an odd comparison to make. I happen to still own both the Sony and the Polks.. I think they are worlds apart. I feel the Sony have no bass, just some well tuned resonance lol. Randy must be comparing them to his modded Sony's. I'd like to hear those wharfedale diamonds though.
I have a pair of the Klipsch R-800F speakers.... very nice speakers indeed
Consider buying used. If you look around, you can find the "old" model of a speaker on the used market at an affordable price. Is it a "new" speaker? No, but pre-loved speakers can be a way to hear high-end sound on a budget.
True and it is also less risky buying used speakers than used amps or other electronic components. Of course, that also depends on if one can check them in person or not.
Another useful video and it will likely introduce new people to high end audio.
A short cut to quality speakers is active near field monitors like Adam, Tannoy or focal - the prices are crazy low compared to 'hifi' equipment
I finally grabbed a cup of coffee ☺️
Very, very good episode. Thank you so much. Spot on re the Klipsch models … super excellent comparison. Precisely (if that’s the word) my own experience.
Glad it was helpful!
Randy, what happened to Advent? I used to have a pair of Advent towers and the sounds that speaker made were so impressive. I could throw any type of music at them and they produced magic. Thanks. I think divorce number 1 got them.
I think I would love the SVS Ultra. I have their Mirco3000 sub paired with Klipsch The Fives for my turntable. Would love to experiment with other speakers.
For most people, including myself, the cheaper speakers at a fraction of the price and 70% of the performance are easily good enough.
I think you should try KEF LS50 Metas with KEF KC62 sub
I've yet to find an alternative to the dual concentric Tannoys I used to love.
Randy, can you do a video on a budget Bluetooth system for a shop setting that has no heat or air conditioner with temp's from -20° to 100°f . And 1200 sqft.? Currently running a Pyle PDA6BU.6 from a cellphone to 80's sony home speakers via speaker wire.
Ok here it goes just discovered your channel great videos I have a pair of Bose 901s I bought brand new a couple years ago for $500 really have enjoyed them but I've decided to sell them for more then I paid hopefully and get a great pair of bookshelf speakers and put money back in my pocket so what amount do you think I should try to sell the Bose for ?And what are a couple sets of bookshelf could you recommend 🤔
Great food for thought Randy!! 👍👍👍
Thanks 👍
Hey CAM, I would love to hear your opinion on what expensive speaker is like Elac Reference Dbr62. Some B&W come to mind. Thoughts? Great video, thanks again.
Happy holidays! Was hoping I could pick your brain… I’m auditioning these 4 speakers: Canton Karat 300, Ohm FRS-7, Dahlquist DQM-9 Compact, Altec Lansing 305.
I’m curious if one of the 4 really stand out and if you had to choose one (all in good condition) which would you pick?
Sound + looks is important for me since these will be next to my McIntosh setup and my wife is a stickler for appearances in our living room.
Also, from a value stand point is one more valuable than the others? These are from a friend so pricing is going to be similar across the board. I just tend to enjoy speakers for 5 or so years and then end up selling them to try something new so I’d like a pair that will hold or increase in value.
The midrange of the LS50 is supposed to be incredibly detailed with “holographic” imaging. I hear if you pair it with a sub, a nice powerful amp, it would actually beat most speakers under $1000. Though they are better close field, and aren’t large room filling, so maybe that’s part in why so many people are selling them.
If you ever snipe a used pair for cheap, or maybe the metas, it would be interesting if your opinion has changed now that you have a lot of equipment to test them with. Or at least come away thinking “at a lower price point, these would be good options”
I found these LS50 enjoyable at first but, then too bright after a while.
@@rca6576 tbh I agree they can be bright. I ended up finding a pair and I use EQ to make them sound more warm.
@@NuggetsXInfinite I'm happy to hear that worked for you!
You mentioned an cross-over Inductor mod for the Elac speakers. Can you provided additional information? Thanks
This is very useful, make another one of these when you find similar matches to compare.
The B-1 from Emotiva had a powered model, I had that for my computer set up. Oh, man, it was sweet. Lost them in a fire, and they had stopped making them. I believe they were dual Amp per speaker like the Vanatoo One.
@cheapaudioman, I remember this video and thought it was very useful. Since you've done higher priced speakers this past year, ('23-24) it might be great to compare the pricier speakers you've reviewed recently with their less expensive distant cousins. The delta between these speakers is diminishing, and this would be a good public service announcement. And of course, there are some speakers that can't be touched by anything cheap. At least it will give you a topic that marries 'cheap' with 'not.' Just a thought. 🙃
Always enjoy your reviews and you give options for all price points. This allows a wide range of entries into this HiFi market.
Have you heard.the Magnat Transpuls 1500 or the Eltax Vintage PWR 1959?
They would be right up your alley in terms of price to performance.
Have the emotiva b2 bookshelf. Get great fantastic sound. How does it rate to more expensive?
Thanks for this! Comparison reviews are always nice. I have raw B-1s and three Pelonis fans because of your reviews. The Lentons are next on my list
Hey Randy great and fun video, good to know these alternatives that exist, whenever People ask me for what’s good reasonable speakers I refer over to this channel and the products you recommend! 👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾🔥💥
What do you think about the Emotiva T-Zero+ or Polk ES50?
I have the SS-CS3 now, but I find its treble fatiguing. I listen to rock and pop of all sub-genres and eras, plus a little classical, piano, and female vocals.
Hey, since you mentioned it, any suggestions for good used speaker resale sites?
I'm curious, what you think about buying used speakers? Anything to watch out for when buying used? (I also bought my stuff before watching your videos on cheaper speakers I CAN buy in Japan)
Backstory: I live in Japan so my options are different than in the States. Recently I purchased a pair of Elac CL301i Jet. They have to be like 10 to 15 years old and because of the smaller rooms here, the back ports are challenging. But they are amazing for the space I have.
Another question! Where would active speakers like Edifier S2000 MKIII and S3000 Pro?
Would the Sonys be a good alternate to the Rolex Submariner?
Triangle Borea is maybe the best deal still. Wharfedale also make some very good speakers for the buck.
Randy, I am a headphone user but am thinking of getting a pair of speakers since I have DACs I can use for both purposes. However, I only have a room that is 13 feet length x 10 feet wide, with bookshelves along both sides of the length and a work desk at the other end. Can I still get a pair of say Polk R700? Will I need to treat the room since there’s bookshelves, cabinets along both sides and I had stuck acoustic foams on all the glass doors of the cabinets?
I have some 70's speakers purchased at that time. Altec Valencia 15's with the large horns and Cerwin 212's connected to a Crest 3001 pro amp in parallel as well as JBL SR4725 and Wharfedale pros both 15 inch pro speakers in parallel to a Crest 4001 pro amp. The Altec combination is the best with deeper bass than the pro speakers and more natural sounding.
@cheapaudioman maybe you could try to get your hands on the Pioneer RM-05 or RM-07 active monitors on the second hand market. I own them, and think they are great, but nobody knows about them...?
Many thanks for taking the time to offer us these great alternatives. Great info.
I saw the Klipsch RP 600 M on Amazon for $349. a pair. If you think it's a good buy I might getnthem. Thanks for the video.
What happened to the Elac 2.0s reference ❤ amazing 😁
Hey cheapaudioman, I like a lot of rap and electronic music with trembling bass. What qualities should I look for in a bookshelf?
I have to admit, I love my Sony SSCS5s. Not that much to look at, but they sound great so long as you don't drive them crazy hard. And I got my pair for $73. Randy, I would love for you to review the Micca OoO speakers. These are another cheap speaker that I fell in love with.
used klipsch heresy older models ($600-700 max) is a good alternative top $3k current model heresy. the original model 5 is $250-400, sos the model 6...the classic KLH speakers are easy to find and very affordable...and studio 530 has gotta be a cheap alternative to a buttload of more expensive speakers.
Buy used vintage speakers. I drove from Memphis to Atlanta for a pair of Klipsch Forte II speakers that were beautifully restored and upgraded with ALK crossovers. $1500 and worth every penny. Sure beats $5,000 for a new pair. Good enough for me. My speaker search is over.
I may need to try that mod on the bs41s seeing that they are on sale for $98 right now and if you guys are buying remember to use the links.. Thanks Randy!
Great comparative review and recommendation video Randy! This will be helpful for many of your listeners. Re: the Heresy IVs, I had a similar experience as you to the point where buyer's remorse began to kick in because of the flat bass response. But, after listening for two weeks, the bass response developed big time post break-in to the point where I no longer felt a sub was necessary. Impressive speaker. I'm so glad I gave them a chance. In the end I did pair them with a Rel S/510 sub which was an excellent decision overall. Keep up the great work!
I think this is the first time I’ve ever heard SVS mentioned in any of the audiophile videos I’ve ever seen. I get Emails from SVS daily and was thinking about buying or listening to them. Never heard a pair before. Nobody ever talks about them so I guess they’re not as great as I thought