10 Speakers Ranked Worst to First Under $300
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 8 มิ.ย. 2024
- Emotiva B1+ emotiva.com/products/airmotiv...
JBL Stage A130 howl.me/cf0q4lcW0e5
Jamo C93ii howl.me/cf295uVQJA0
Polk XT20 howl.me/cfWbPfVNiiG
Jamo S803 howl.me/cgAxryTQsPG
Elac B5.2 howl.me/cf3adDB3XWz
Elac B6.2 howl.me/cfRufFIUDmx
Sony SSCS5 amzn.to/3RdZ6yR
Polk ES15 howl.me/cgQ7HEMnXTt
Elac BS41 amzn.to/3Pe8wbH
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Crutchfield shop-links.co/cguPK8XEGmt
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CAM Store (New Products!) bit.ly/30Lgu4K
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Amazon Unlimited Music and Disney Plus Free Trial amzn.to/3DRAVj9
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Recommended Streamer
WIIM Mini amzn.to/33CL99w
Bluesound Node shop-links.co/cgGiqJ2UFIO
Recommended Speaker List
Around $100 (These prices will fluctuate between $75 - $150)
Sony SSCS5 - Lively amzn.to/3pZNnGk
Pioneer AJ First Gen - Laid Back
Neumi BS5 -Neutral amzn.to/3q0SR3B
Around $200
Emotiva Airmotiv B1+ - Crystal Clear and Punchy emotiva.com?aff=9
Elac Debut b5.2 - Neutral amzn.to/2WPNQxw
Wharfedale Diamond 11.2 (In and Out of Stock) - Laid Back/Bassy/Detailed amzn.to/37W8hPA
JBL Stage A130 - Neutral/Great All Arounder at $179 the best value amzn.to/3t7gOHe
Around $400
Klipsch RP600M - Neutral amzn.to/3pBoXCf (This speaker’s price can fluctuate between $440-630 which is really dumb)
Jamo C93ii Bit - Boosted on Top amzn.to/3beIG6F (Can also be found cheaper at Crutchfield)
Q Acoustics 3030i - Neutral with Punch - amzn.to/2OQkpLo
Around $500
SVS Prime bit.ly/2LozJgF
Wharfedale Diamond 12.2 bit.ly/2ZckoD9
Around $600
Elac Uni-Fi UB5.2 - Neutral amzn.to/3s3srPG
Elac Debut Reference - Buttery but Detailed amzn.to/39bt6WC
Polk Reserve R100 - Neutral
Aperion Novus - Neutral and probably the best desktop speaker one can get $599 bit.ly/2Q1H9rW
Aperion Novus Open Box $449 bit.ly/3us8zGx
Wharfedale Diamonds Lush and Detailed amzn.to/3aBAso0 Come as singles
Recommended Amp List
Under $100
Aiyima A07 - Neutral and Full amzn.to/3g9YLNf
Around $130
SMSL AD18 - DAC/Amp Lively on top but solid tone controls amzn.to/3rVZxkN
SMSL SA300 $140 amzn.to/3u83oLs
Around $250
SMSL DA-9 Balanced Amp amzn.to/34SdbLs
Around $400
Emotiva TA-100 - DAC, Phono Stage, Pre Outs - Balanced and Tasty emotiva.com?aff=9
Vista Audio Spark www.vista-audio.com/products.htm
Recommended DACs
FX D01 amzn.to/3d9GY6U
SMSL SU8s amzn.to/2SWTGiw
Denafrips Ares 2 www.denafrips.com/ares
Subs
Emotiva SE8 emotiva.com?aff=9
Emotiva SE12 emotiva.com?aff=9
SVS SB1000 Pro bit.ly/3scmwsc - บันเทิง
Emotiva B1+ emotiva.com/products/airmotiv-b1-pair?aff=9
JBL Stage A130 howl.me/cf0q4lcW0e5
Jamo C93ii howl.me/cf295uVQJA0
Polk XT20 howl.me/cfWbPfVNiiG
Jamo S803 howl.me/cgAxryTQsPG
Elac B5.2 howl.me/cf3adDB3XWz
Elac B6.2 howl.me/cfRufFIUDmx
Sony SSCS5 amzn.to/3RdZ6yR
Polk ES15 howl.me/cgQ7HEMnXTt
Elac BS41 amzn.to/3Pe8wbH
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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
Hi sir all speaker good price. Not for me.
No Edifier products on your videos!!!!???? 🤷🏼♂️
I remember watching your very first video, and I came back recently, because somehow I lost you, and I’m so impressed with how much you have grown. This is quite a feat. People don’t realize how hard it is, no matter the content, to gain a following like the one you have. Anyway, props to you - thanks for being one of the good guys.
I was a little surprised that you didn't have any of the Fluance speakers (like the Signature series with the yellow cones) on your top 10 list as much as you raved about them in other videos. Just curious....
Hey there good sir.
So, I'd like your opinion. I'm looking to purchase some good budget speakers for my wife's dance studio (large rooms with high ceilings.) I was considering the Yamaha NS-6490.
Do you have any better suggestions for such a use case?
PS: The amps are Sony STR-DH190
I think Randy's right in saying if you like the sound of a speaker enough to buy it, leave it alone. I bought a pair of Pioneer SP-BS22-LR speakers as a second pair. Being somewhat OCD and compulsive, I did modifications that are highly recommended on line. I replaced the tweeter, built another upgraded crossover, strapped the woofer, mass loaded the frame, and braced and mass loaded and felt dampened the cabinet walls, going beyond the upgrades mentioned. I spent enough money to have bought a better speaker. The end result was that the Pioneers didn't sound any better, probably worse. Lesson learned.
Well andrew jones made it, why mess with it as im sure he knows a lot more than most of do lol
@@inglouriousmofo i had a couple of those pioneers made my Andrew ...
Sorry not impressed at all,and that's not Andrew fault. They were relatively budget intended speakers.
Same with the elacs , I wasn't that impressed with them. I guess it also depends what you're used too
@@inglouriousmofoNo matter how good the speaker designer is, you have to remember that speakers are always going to be designed within a specific budget. Adding all the things OP mentioned would skyrocket the price tag which is probably why Andrew Jones didn't implement them
I love these countdown videos. I think they are a real help for people looking for high value stuff at great prices. Please keep doing them when you feel the time is right.
Thanks for taking time out of your family road trip to post this info and advice. Take care, safe and happy travels. Got my B1+ pair on your recommendation, and will always be indebted to you for your advice and opening my ears again to the joy of music.
Great Randy, a Sunday speaker shootout of sorts. Most of the speakers on your list aren't the latest thing on the market but tried and true speakers that keep on delivering. Thank you.
Great breakdown! Good detail on each speaker. Helps me get a feel for a variety of speakers in this price range that I haven't found elsewhere. Thanks, Randy!
Hey Randy! My name is Kam and I am pretty new to your channel and loving every second of it. I really appreciate these kinds of videos, your knowledge, and your energy to help us get the best stuff possible! For sure, as a 22 year old kid, these great lists for reasonably priced products are right up my alley, and I would really love to see more like these!
I did have a few questions for you since my knowledge is pretty beginner, BUT, I really would like to build a quality stereo set-up.
1. Now that we have a lot of great options for speakers provided in this video, but now we gotta power these boinks up right?! I have watched some of your videos about amps and receivers and was wondering if you could possibly make a under $300 updated list like this one, but for amps?!
2. I really like the design and all the things that come with amps like the Yamaha AS801, primarily, the idea that I can plug my headphones into the amp and listen to my growing record collection without "disturbing" my roommates at school. But, the Yamaha, being $800, is a bit out of my price range at the moment as a college student, and I was wondering if you had any suggestions for amps that I can still plug my turntable into, can still plug my headphones into, that I can change the tone controls, and that are in the relative price range of maybe these speakers? I also dig the, not big or bulky, but sturdy amps in a similar shape to the Yamahas so any great suggestions for that?!
3. Also, for going forward and for our own research, what are some of the things that we should look for for pairing some of these speakers with the right amps? What do these speakers need to power them? What specs to look for for the kind of sound we are looking for (warm, clear, other audio adjectives, etc.)? Maybe for us beginners would you be willing to make segments for just learning about audio and these terms? I just dig your production and cadence so I just wanna keep learning!
Thank you so much again, I know I left a damn essay for you, but I hope you have a great day and keep posting great content! Oh and have a great trip with your family!
Thanks Randy! I've been waiting for an updated top ten. Gonna check out some of these blasters soon!
I have the B1+ in an Emotiva 5.1 in my living room system. They really are amazing for their size and price!
I love these kind of comparison videos. thank you bro!!
Great video, Randy! It's been interesting to observe your slight migration from "u-shaped" and "warm" towards detail and clarity. Right on!, brother.
Bought a pair of emotivas based on your review to replace 30 year old jbl lx330s. I was completely blown away. Rock on and keep up the great work!
I purchased the Jamo C93ii pair, Jamo sub, and Bluesound Powernode streamer/amp a couple of months ago based on Randy's (and others) comments. I love this set up!
Enjoy the time off with family, thanks for all your great work!
I always have a cup of coffee handy when Randy drops a video. Cheers
I have the Emotivas hooked up to an Outlaw RR 2160 receiver and $100 Polk sub. Sounds fantastic! I am thoroughly happy with these speakers. I've thought about an upgrade but no need really. Still loving these.
Great Review Randy! Thank You for confirming my "must have" list. 👍👍👍
I bought Jamo C93IIs and an SMSL SD9 because of you. Im super happy.
Great video. Used a lot of your reviews to piece together a setup for my computer. hooking it up today, fingers crossed. *Edited after watching a couple more videos* How much better would you say the Neumi BS5's are than the Moukey M-20-3? I think I paid like $75 for the moukey's, the Neumi are $110. I got the Aiyima a07 & DACA2 with a couple of desktop stands (for desktop use, my "office" is an unfinished basement).
Another great comparison. Good explanations for the rankings.
Cool review and enlightening. Just a little surprised by the squat on #8 though. Love your vids!!
I just picked up a pair of klipsch R51-PM amazon return speakers for just under 300. If I’m not mistaken they regularly sell for over 400-500 new. Love them so far!
Thank you for this list it's exactly what I needed. I think I may pick up some C93ii's!
Although I do know a number of audio engineers who swear by them B1+ for audio mixing, for like the man said, clarity.
I went all in on Emotiva after trying the B1+ on your recommendation last holiday season. I use them now in a "budget" 7.2.4 home theatre setup, using Emotiva for the LCR , side and back surrounds (7 channel bed layer). The center channel speaker C1+ is equally excellent for voice clarity. It's hard to justify spending more money on speakers tbh. Got the tower T1+ for the living room, also very good. I am happy with it. My wallet is happy too.
That's what I'm looking to buy soon. The T1+, C1+, and 3 pairs of B1+s for side surrounds and heights. Then I hope to get a pair of the E1s for rear surrounds.
Nice. What subs did you pick?
Got 2 pair of b1+ for surround and surround back to replace 4 klipsch KF-26 towers. Planning to get 3 T1+ for LCR (behind screen) to replace my 3 Klipsch KF-28 towers. We’ve been breaking in the b1+ in our living room set up to listen to them for the last few weeks. Love them!
@@jeffjefferson7384 Me? If you're asking. I'm thinking dual 15" HO subs in the sealed box from Parts Express. Haven't figured out which amp to go with them though.
@@jeffjefferson7384 i started with one SVS SB 1000 Pro, and just got a second one this past week. With the Denon X3700H it can do Audessey calibration on two subs. Wow, really feel it now in my small room(18ft x 10.5ft x 9ft). Independence Day on 4K blu-ray sounded awesome.
Thanks for the list of speakers, great work
Hello Randy, excellent video as usual my man!
Have you ever listened to the Fluance SX6?, I love those speakers and I swear there's nothing even close at that price.
Give them a try when you get a chance.
Here's my "cheap" bedroom setup: Wiim mini streamer feeding a Schiit Modi into a Sony STR-DH190. For cd's I use an LG blue ray player going into an old Vizio flatscreen tv and then using optical out back into the modi. For speakers I switch back and forth between the sscs5's and the B1's. In a small room sounds pretty awesome to me. All thanks (mainly) to Randy's suggestions. Thanks again CAM.
Funny you brought up a speaker that you purchased twice, that is exactly what I did with the Airmotiv B1. First time I had the full compliment of T2, C2 and B1 for my old HT setup, missed the B1 so much purchased them again when Emotiva had the refurbs on sale for $199.
I’m so glad the Jamo S 803 has made it into the $300 category! I believe that Randy even listed it around the $150 price, no wonder it ranked number 9. Although I have watched other videos by Randy where he gave these speakers a pretty fantastic rating. Happily I picked up a pair for $139 on Amazon and while not the perfect speaker, pretty impressive for the price. Apparently so good that they made it into the $300 comparison!
I love my jamo, they taught me a lot about my taste.
I guess our first speakers are kind of our first car or first place, it will always have a special place in our hearts,
despite not being the best fit !
haha yes i agree he changes his mind alot i see him say how good even really good then later he will trash it not sure why maybe he listens to to many cant remember what he rates them at but i notice that too but i still like the vids but is hard to get honest opinion if it changes ,
Amazon now has them in walnut for $99
I hope you are able to do more like this Thanks for all your hard work😀
Hi Randy, love the channel. I am not sure which one I would have switched but I love the Fluance Signature Hi Fi book shelf speakers. I bought a pair for a spare room system, and I find myself listening to them quite a bit($199.00 last time I checked). Anyway, good list.
Randy I got the original Debut B6 for under $200 as my first speaker and I’m loving it. Just paired it with a Schiit Modi and an emotiva A-150 and have that hooked to a laptop for volume control and source. I’m currently loving it and am all in for under $350 excluding the laptop
Right on
Great video as usual Randy. So would you replace the Sonys for the Emotivas?
I don't know about the Jamo's, but I own, or have heard everything else on this list and it checks out. Thanks Randy.
I bought the Sonys on your prior recommendation and could not be happier…I just have to cover up the Sony label on the front to maintain my audiophile cred….😉
Randy, 👍nice video, a few plot twists 😉
you brought all your experience on a bunch of different speakers up-to-date, appreciate the input. I was actually thinking about getting a pair of bookshelf speaker to pair with a Class D mini-amp.
I didn’t want to spend much money, so I was converging on the Neumi BS5’s, when I originally was looking at the JBL A130s on sale, and now after watching this video, I’m back to the JBL A130s when on sale 😂. 🥳👨🏻
I've got the Jamo S803 and wasn't super impressed at first, but over time they opened up a bit and then I added the matching little sub and they really do a pretty nice job of having a low profile living room system that still sounds decent.
Fantastic for the price - under-rated IMHO
I discovered the Sonys right here. I bought a pair and the Fosi BT30D as an economical system for my sons apartment.
After he acquired a sound bar system I got them back and moved them to my office.
On a whim I ditched the Fosi and put them on an old Yamaha RV701 receiver with an ADC Soundshaper 12 Band EQ.
BOOM!
I was able to EQ the Sonys to the moon. Having the ability to punch up the bass below 60hz and pulling out some 1k midrange I am able to drive them WELL into the low 90dB range. They will take 75% of the Yamaha’s output. Now I have a reason to hang onto the old EQ!
Randy- try EQing them on decent power and see if you concur.
I bought the Jamo S 5.0 set about 3 years ago. I have since moved the 801's to height duties and purchased another set of 803's for surrounds. I put together a sealed sub box running dual GRS 12" subs powered by a Fosi Audio sub amp, which replaced two Polk PS108's. I keep eyeballing other speakers, but always talk myself out of pulling the trigger because..why? these things sound great to me. Love my Jamos
Using the high excursion subs? or the even cheaper ones? Im looking for someone with experience using the HE subs because they sure do have an attractive response and inductance curve for the price. Much like everything GRS makes
Basically everything GRS makes, (besides their sealed mid ranges intended for low end vintage enclosure retrofitting lol) punch far FAR above their market price if paired with other drivers and crossover networks properly. Im running a set of 2cuft 12" monitors i build/designed. Im using $20 grs paper cone woofers, built some sealed cavities for a couple dayton full ranges im using as mid range drivers, were like $30. And got some GRS ribbon tweets, the cheapest ribbons on the market ($89, with a data sheet to rival $200 ribbons, that in my experience, is accurate), They have dead flat inductance and response all the way to near 40k. Crossed at 700hz and 4500 with air core inductors and german caps im basically dead flat and smooth from 40hz to 40k now. I have a dayton 10" reference sub in a 1cuft sealed enclosure too. I wish i had noticed that the $40 GRS high excursion 10" woofer actually had a SMOOTHER response in the needed pass band with just as much LF extension as the dayton reference, and conveniently demands the exact same enclosure i put the dayton reference in. It's inductance curve is smoother then the dayton as well, at under 20% the price of the dayton reference HO 10"....
Had i noticed that, and had GRS made a full range with the desired sensitivity, my setup would be entirely dirt cheap GRS drivers, while out performing most $1500 pairs. And a lot of $2000 pairs. The accuracy and listenability of this build blew my expectations far out of the water, and i may still switch to the GRS HE 10" sub and experiment with padding down some grs full range drivers/mid range enclosure size and dampening to make it an entirely "cheapest drivers you can get" system that punches orders of magnitude above its investment cost and can make some multi thousand dollar pairs whimper. My off axis response and accuracy would make you average audiophile cry if they looked at the numbers on my order invoices, vs their own.
You can get some truly remarkable return on investment results with GRS drivers if you design your enclosure and crossover network properly. I swear people don't ever even bother checking the data sheets for drivers if they see a price below a certain point lol.
Excellent video. Any recommendations for a speaker to complement my B1+'s?
Hey Randy, what camera did you use in this video, which was awesome by the way... and is it still the current camera you are using, this video looks fantastic!
Randy, always love ur information bro, do u typically shop for ur components on Amazon?
Thanks for this one. Good to have as reference In case I want speakers, in the future 🙂👍
Great video, Randy. The Elac B6.2 were a surprise, but I hear they are picky about amplification........ Glad to see the Sony SSCS5 in there; for $78 they were the best "cheap" speaker I ever bought!
Hi Randy , if it were my English pound I would buy the JBL stage . I heard them on demo in my local dj store and man they sounded sweet . Great vid mate 👍
Randy, forgot to mention that I agree with you on the crossover upgrades. Something I generally don’t do until I tire of the speaker sound and it becomes an appropriate venture, or the caps are losing their capacity, but I agree with you. The speaker should really be decent straight away. I don’t buy a speaker with the intent to change the crossovers, only doing it when the speakers have been around for quite a while and they are keepers. 👨🏻
PS) The last time it did a crossover upgrade after having a set of speakers for a couple decades, it was very worthwhile the first few years after, but then it became apparent that something else was going wrong. It turned out that the tweeters needed to be replaced because of issues with ferrofluid.
For $53 I got a "open box" set of SSCS-5's, glad these things are still so highly recommended in this budget price range. I paired them with a Loxjie a30 and a Dayton sub-1200 for an insane desk setup just under $400. Love the content man, keep up the great work!
Are you running a line out from the a30 or passing the speakers through the sub12?
@@FloridaboyabroadI'm using a line out from the a30 to the sub
@@Floridaboyabroad use RCA y adapters! Audioquest makes a good cheap one piece one.
Congrats on your Family Event!
I wonder if you would consider doing something like this for tower speakers. Great video!
Randy - I have a suggestion/request for a video. This could be a "side video" that you release as an extra, or maybe a short. "Randy's reference system check-in." You could do it whenever you make a change to the "best system in your house." You could also do the same with your home theater system, if it's not your reference system. You could also do the same with your personal desktop system, and your (name a specialty setup you have for a particular purpose). You could do a reference headphone setup short. I'd just be interested to see what things you are using on a personal level just to listen to for fun, or to compare new things to.
Thanks for the great videos. Keep up the good work!
Great Review....were you to have made it just a week ago, the JBL Studio 530 would certainly have made your list for consideration....they were below $250...now they are just under $400.
Love your videos man but jheesus your reviewed speakers are hard to find in Australia. You guys got it good in the states for audio equipment
Hi, Randy, thank you for the great video. My speakers are Polk S20, which is discontinued right now. I know you rank only the speakers still on sale in this video but if you squeeze in my speaker, what will be the ranking for it?
I watched your video here, and decided on the Sony speakers. Wow!! You are spot on. They bested my Elac B 5.2's. I use a Creative external Soundblaster digital stereo 45 watt amp with the software equalizer set to flat on Windows 10 Pro. I listened to different music through TH-cam, Spotify, and also some lossless tracks. Every sound from treble to midrange to bass was clear, precise and musical. They are extremely efficient, and really resolve and perform beyond the $180 price I paid. Better than a majority of speakers three times it's price range. And this is another reason why I favor the soft dome drivers over horns, or most metal tweeters. Thank you for your educated, thorough and detailed explanations. You are a breath of fresh air, and speak to us the general consumer in a down to earth way. And you show us the truth: we can get excellent and precise sound without breaking the budget!
I would add Paradigm Monitor SE Atoms as well. $224 on sale right now. It's just a 5.25" but does have a decent sound and 8 ohms 89 dB efficient
I agree. My firstvthoughtvwhen I saw the title. My HT has a Paradigm reference front soundstage with atom monitor x4 as surrounds. I couldn't part with them.
Anything else out there as good as the 2.0 ElacBu52, got them apox. 3 months ago, after lots of research, including your review, got them on sale for 489.00,! Instantly pulled the trigger. They are outstanding in every way. Especially for that price. Soundstage, imaging, clarity, detail, Thanks for your help! Really couldn't find a bad review, think it's AJs best, including, the new model. Thanks again, love your entertaining and informative reviews ❤️🤘
interesting review and comparison. great, intriguing points of view. one i really disagree though, is the elac B6.2; love them and find them more engaging and even better than the Wharfedale diamond 11.2 or the Elac Carinas (waaaay more expensive!) I also own.
Thank You for your #1 , choice I've owned mines for a year or two,🔊🔊💯✌️
I love my Sonys!! Happy with 4 of them!!👍🏾
Excellent video! Out of the top 4 on your list, I haven't heard the Jamo C93 but tempted! I totally agree on the Emotiva B1+, nothing had bumped them in their price range list for me neither! From Jazz to Rock, these speakers always put a smile on my face! Also have the TA-100 and pairs Excellent. Emotiva is a great company with phenomenal value to performance ratio.
Hi, I'm planning to get Emotiva B1+. Do you think it is a good speaker for low volume and nearby listening (
@@roberttv7758 I haven't used mine in that type of setup but I would believe they would be. Excellent clarity at lower volumes in my experience
@@roberttv7758 Yes
Depends on the sound you like. If one likes it flat, Elac, if one likes a more lively presentation, the Jamo's or JBL's. The Elac's are so flat they come across as boring but the audiophiles like it. I have them but I also have KLIPSCH too. Depends on mood. Great review thank you.
Great review!!
Hey Randy, I haven't heard you mention Fluance in a long time. Any particular reason? I'm curious where their Signature Bookshelf speakers would be on this list.
Been waìting for a vid like this AWESOME
Randy on the recommended DAC list the SABJA a20d 2022 and the J2 are missing in one of the recent videos you stated that the denafrips, the Sabja, and the J2 were your new favorite three? am I missing something or were these done on price point?
I got the Stage A130, Sony 190 receiver and Fluance RT82. Really happy with everything considering how much everything cost. I think the A130 sounds awesome, inoffensive and natural but as you said could just be a little more exciting or dynamic.
Plus it looks great, the black and white color scheme is really elegant.
Pair it with some a170s
Hey Randy, what do you think of the Sony SSCS5? I'd like to see you review it some day.
What’s better than a Saturday Speaker Shootout? A Sunday Speaker Seminar! Thanks Randy.
Hey Randy, I also want to say that in the early 1980s I had a Tandberg 2060 reciever and a $650 Revox turntable with a nice pair of ESS speakers and this Emotiva and Sony system sounds better!
Gratitude is the great peace maker when the "it could be better " starts up in one's mind .
This is an awesome vid!
I have the debut 6.2 running for a week now. I drive it with linn equipment. Completely agree with Randy. I'm switching back and forth to my old Tannoy mercury m1(1997) speakers 3 times a day.
Thing is the Elac's are grainy and musical instruments do not have the wooden "body" they have on the Tannoys.
First I was WOW! WHAT A SPEAKER! But after les than an hour I prefered the more laidback character of the Tannoy. While the Tannoy images way less compared to the Elac, the Tannoys are more fun every time.
So I guess I will ship them back tomorrow, and maybe try them in a few months again to find out if it is not purely me😀
Randy, I'll watch Towers for $800.
Nice reasoning with the list. I'm still debating between the Elac Debut 2.0s for a new small home theater or going with all Emotiva.
Last year I had the Jamo C93 II for exactly 30 days, but forced myself to return them. I was very close to keeping them. However, I got lucky and caught the Sony SSCS5 for $88 and had similar feelings for them as Randy. I immediately bought 2 more pairs for a 5.2 setup.
I have the 5.1 with these Sonys and I'm so happy with them. They're just a joy and fun to listen to.
I bought the Jamo C93 on your recommendation. They replaced my Polk Rt1000i powered towers. I'm in an apartment in a small room and they were massive. Great speakers though. However, the Jamo's are awesome. In white they are great looking. I added a Jamo 12inch sub. These C93's are awesome. I'm thinking of changing out my surrounds for the bidirectional Jamo's. I'd would like to see you review those. Thank you for a great channel and useful advice.
wondering if you ever have done or plan to do a lineup of best smaller Desktop Speakers that don't require amplification. Such as the Bose Companion series and others in that category.
Makes me proud to say I have 7 pairs of SSCS5's that I bought a few years back for about $60/pair. Built two 5.2 home theater setups with them in my home and still have 2 pairs left (might add them into the mix for atmos)
Is it good quality speakers for my CD hifi system?
Being that you have Nirvana and Metallica logos behind you in other videos, I wonder how you would rate some of these speakers for thrash metal or abrasive rock. I've been using yamaha with Klipsch and wondering if by default I am having a sound that is too harsh on the top end with not enough mid frequencies to push the electric guitar forward. As an alternative to "audiophile" opinions out there, you might do a sub-series of videos that focuses on speakers and amps that help to bring out the best in overdriven/distorted metal/rock guitars.
I love Emotiva. Front 2 T1+, 2 10” subs, Centre C1+ and Back 2 B1+. Beware of matching though. Need really good ‘warmish’ amp or too much sibling. I bi amp with MOSFET power amp on mids/high and really fast thight power amp for bass. I pre amp it with very good DAC for hifi and for surrounds with Emotiva 5 channel processor.
Finally ordered some JBL A130's. I need something mostly flat and can always pick up the Sonys on sale for a different flavor.
Hi! Any recommendations for budget stand mount speakers that do great with aggressive music like death metal? Budget amp tips (with at least bluetooth aptx or preferably streaming) would be great to!
Hello! I’ve heard you mention break-in several times now, and am curious what that really means. Could you make a video on break-in? What causes it, which kinds break in more (subs vs towers vs bookshelf, which brands, etc). Maybe include some recording measurements of before/after?
Could be some really interesting content.
The elastic response of diaphragms and rubber surrounds changes after some time of use. This varies between materials used. The biggest example of this was my Wharfedale evo 4.3's. They took two weeks to sound "normal", and another two weeks to sound amazing.
Edit: Capacitors also change spec slightly after being charged and discharged a few times.
The mere fact that the result of break in is always a perceived improvement makes it evident that it's just people getting used to the sound.
I bought the B1+s & the Q150s at the same time 2 yrs ago. The Q150s had been in the closet since.
I haven't used Polk's since they used a heart over the i in audio. Nearly every speaker they had used a passive radiator which ended up driving the active driver when played at volume. I'm now a snob against them. Mine were Monitor 5's.
It seems like most speakers that use a ribbon tweeter like the Emotiva do sound great.
Hi Randy, love your videos. I have been a follower from the start. I have the Sony speakers you raved about. My question, is the emotiva speaks an upgrade big enough to buy over already having the Sony's?
I have both and would say absolutely not. The sscs5 and B1 are very close to upgrade those Sonys you’ll realistically be in the 4-600$ range.
@@crisjr6478 thanks Cris, that's what I thought. You saved me some money. Maybe jumping to the kef q350 is my next step.
Randy you should give it a try on the Jamo C-603. Here in Brazil I paid 1350 reais which would be around 270 dollars . I'm not sure if you can still find them on Amazon US . Amazing speakers for that price range .
Hey Randy...love your videos...very informative and clear. I presently have a set up with a65 inch Samsung 4K TV, a Denon AVR-S760H receiver and an Energy 5.1 speaker system. Thinking about adding a pair of bookshelf speakers as my fronts and then using 2 of my Energy speakers as ATMOS fonts. I don't presently have anyplace to actively listen to speakers to see what I like. We do have a local Best Buy, but they do not have a listening room (shame on them). I am retired so need to keep my cost down a bit (thus contacting cheapaudioman) and wondering what you would recommend. I use my system for watching movies, but also listen to music... mostly smooth jazz, some 70s-80s stuff and some quiet meditative music. Would love to hear your take. Thanks ahead of time. Dave
I have the same set up as you and I'm thinking the same way as you are. Looking to move the front speakers to the ceiling and picking up either sony or klipsch r51m. What did you end up getting and how do they sound with the rest of the set up?
Randy, I got the emotiva on your recommendation a while back. I am of two minds on this speaker. Like you said sometimes it sounds amazing, but other times the tonality doesn't sound that good.
Hey Randy, where would you place the Q Acoustics 3020i and Kef Q150s in this list?
I got my entire Jamos S803 system $230, absolutely love them.
Hi Randy, new subscriber here! Where would Dali Spektor 2s substitute into this list?
What would you say is the best/fastest way to break in the Sony sscs5? Bought some on Friday when they went on sale and should be showing up today
I'm so much on the fence passive or powered speakers kinda going towards the powered but which ones Randy 🤔...
I bought the 5.0 Jamo Studio's in white for $175 and paired them with the Jamo C912 for $165. I paid $200 for the Atmos speakers and they sound great with the Denon AVR S760H I got on clearance for $250.
Very nice video!
Hey Randy, have you ever reviewed the tower version of the Sony SSCS5, that is the SSCS3? They are ~$450 on Amazon right now. Just curious. Great video!
I saw them for $228 each & was thinking about getting a pair with an SMSL all in one box, or the Jamo C class towers maybe.
You will have to look back in his video history to find the video - he did not like them. If you are willing to go $400 - order a pair of the Emotiva T-Zero towers they really good $399.00 shipped. Great company to buy from. I like my T-Zero's. use them everyday, music and movies.
The sscs5 actually blow the towers outta the water. The towers just weren’t designed right almost like the bookshelves were designed for sound and the towers were simply designed bye stretching the bookshelves.
I was able to pick up a pair of Jamo S803s, S801s, and a S81 center channel home theater packager for $189. I couldn't be happier for that price. They absolutely get my recommendation!
Would you recommend any of these for surround speakers? Definitely prefer clarity.
After reading tons of reviews I am really torn between SVS and Emotiva. The price if the Emotivas are great, but they are a 4ohm speaker. While My Denon AVR-X3400 says it can handle 4 ohm loads, I have been told that the power output is also reduced pretty significantly, so if I do go with them ill be gettinf a separate amplifier, probably an Emotiva, which is fine because I plan on doing that anyway. Love the SVS ultras but don't want a tower that I have to place so far away from the wall. I was considering Prime pinnacles as mains with an ultra center amd ultra surrounds since they don't offer a pime surround. Ive also looked at Martin Logan ESL but the price to get good matching center and surround speakers gets higher than I'd like because what I don't want is a center channel that is too small to keep up with the mains.
Hey Randy will the Emotiva B1+ speakers pair well with the Aiyima T9 amp?