What of the 2 kit speakers you absolutely raved about...where would they fall on this list? Wondering why you didn't include them? "Best midrange you had ever heard in any speaker"...if I remember correctly. You're thoughts Randy. They, no longer your Favorite?
Asked and partially answered later in the comments...In what position might they fall on your list...The Top, middle or bottom of this list, would be my question. I'm also a bang for the buck guy (when it comes to audio) jsyk I landed a pair of EPOS epic 2s...new in the box pair called music direct a few years ago and offered them 350.00 for a pair...to my surprise he said, "I think we can do that"...then found a Wadia 151 Power DAC Mini for 350 also. Hi Fi shark. 700.00+ Wiring. Let's just say I haven't heard anything better yet and am excited to try one of the kits you reviewed...probably the CSS, as I'm a Dj here in Tampa and lean towards music with impact.
Cheap audio man I feel betrayed you left out the kef Q350's that you raved about to no end just last year- what up with that?! Change of heart? I wanna know cause they werent even mentioned!!😒
The chip reference doesn’t make any sense. If you’re gonna go for funny… Anyway, Randy is indeed busting his hump, and his audio chops are like a souped up sleeper. You don’t know what he’s got until he punches it.
Your $300 speaker shootout pushed me into the Emotiva B1+ and I'm super glad you did. It is such an amazing sounding speaker for $250. Thanks for the reviews. The audiophile journey can get pretty expensive, and I'm glad there is someone that leans towards the high value side of this hobby.
Chock full of nuts...all the way. Its 8 o'clock brand sold as Chock full of nuts...did blind taste test...unable to distinguish between. 60 to 70% what 8 o'clock costs. My 2 cents.
Proud owner of the Elac UB52’s. I’m so glad I came across your channel and purchased them per your recommendation. My friends and I enjoyed them very much! Great review as always.
I was originally intending to hold out for a good deal on the uni-fi 2.0 but decided to grab the c933ii while they were on sale recently based mostly on your glowing reviews and I am very impressed with how they sound. Thanks for putting a spotlight on them because I didn't want to deal with burning in the elacs
It's nice to hear Polk is getting noticed again. I haven't heard any of the Legend or Reserve series, but they seem to get good reviews. Keep up the good work.
Just got some Polk S20s as secondary speakers...running a vintage Marantz amp with some Cerwin Vegas 15"..the Polks are a perfect fit for the back of the room..
All that matters is what Your ears are happy with. Been using Mission m74i's for the last 20 years. Still makes me smile! I upgraded my avr to a Yamaha Aventage rx a2a last week and the speakers came to life again from what i was using before.
If you think the Polk R100 is good, just wait until you hear the R200. They make the 100s sound seriously flawed in comparison. They're that good. The best speaker under $2k that I've heard
I know this is an old thread, but it's great for someone like me who is just getting back into this again. Thanks to you, Cheapaudioman, I am currently auditioning the ES-15 (and the ES-35), SSCS5, Uni-Fi 2.0 UB5.2, and the SVS satellites (because why not). I am still waiting on the B1+ to arrive. I got everything on sale. Thanks for what you do and all your help! So far, I am the most impressed by the SSCS5's. I get it now. GREAT value! These are keepers. I'll find somewhere to use them . So far the ES-15's are at the bottom of the list and are most likely going back. I experienced some odd bass resonances (chuffing?). I wanted these to work because I am sticking with the ES-35 center channel because of space restrictions and cost. Now I will not have matching fronts and center. I'm wondering if I should try the ES-20's...decisions, decisions. The ELAC's are nice (really good imaging and staging), but I'm still breaking them in. Can't wait to A/B them with the Sony's and Emotiva's. Thanks again!
Wonderfully, endearingly, honestly, subversively, humorously, alternatively, critically, reliably, knowledgeably cheap ... without the cheapness. One of the few reviewers I respect and chuckle at.
WOW! I’m in Australia and new to your channel. I’ve kinda been binge watching a bit in the last few days. Some bloody good old honest down to earth advice Randy. Cheers mate! Gary
I guess I'm what one could call a "NO budget" audiophile, because even though I definitely have an ear for, and the utmost appreciation for/of extremely high-end equipment and speakers, with my extremely limited income, (which is just barely enough to cover my rent and utility bills each month, much less have any money left over to spend on anything else), I actually have to shop for audio equipment and speakers at thriftstores and yard sales, etc., or else I simply cannot afford it... Anything over $1/inch of woofer diameter is too expensive for me!... However, even at that price point, and always only in the used/second hand market, I have found a few extremely good sounding speakers over the years, with probably one of the best deals I've found being a still perfect condition pair of Polk Audio Monitor 10 speakers from the 80's for $20/pair! I still use those in my main LR system today and they sound great! Polk Audio has always made very good sounding, very good value speakers, with higher than average build, driver, and parts quality, so it's not surprising that at least one Polk model made it onto this list here in this video.
I've bought several pair of JBL and Polk bookshelf speakers at Goodwill, I have a pair of Klipsch R-41M's I found mint-in-box for $70 in a thrift store. Word of mouth and the occasional estate sale have yielded surprises: my 2nd McIntosh system was $200 (albeit needing repair) at a yard sale.
You're absolutely right about the Elac Unifi 2.0; listening to them near field I kept asking out loud, "How!? How the hell did Andrew Jones make this sound so damn good!?". Now they're in my living room on top of Emotiva SE8 Flex subs. The whole setup is worth every penny. Thank you for leading me in the right direction!
@@iakobkv271 , I find that a sub is needed with these. However, the bass is good for casual listening. It’s not going to energize a large room, and near field in a small space is the same result. I’m still breaking them in, but I don’t think I’m going to get much more bass output. Using Crown xls 1002 and Behringer a 800.
Where is Fluance? Wow! Your review quite a few months ago on speakers had Flance beating out some you mentioned today. I then ordered some and fell in love with them. Thanks for that review!
I have a pair of the Wharfdale Diamond 12.2 that I listen to when I don’t want to listen to my JBL 4312Gs. Best of both worlds. Good speakers for casual listening, and great speakers for serious listening.
Thank you for the video. I ended up picking up a pair of the SSCS5's after watching one of your videos for $75 last year during one of Best Buy's sales.. loved them so much, I went and picked up another pair. I spent a few hours sitting in front of them and my jaw dropped. The sound that comes out of these things for the price is ridiculous. I'm about ready to take the next step and venture into some KEF's or Missions, or go all out and pick up a pair of Martin Logan ESL's.. but these Sony's are a perfect speaker to dip your toe in for some seriously good quality sound!
I just bought the Sony SSCS5 for $88 on sale. They don't have any right to sound that good. I've been modding a pare of cheap Pioneer speakers (CS-G403 with new mids, horn tweeters and reworked crossovers) from the early 90s and these little Sonys blow them away in every aspect but LOW bass. I ran my favorite bass test (Techmaster PEB Bassgasm) and was seriously impressed at what the Sony speakers are capable of for their size. There are some low notes in that song they just flat out can't do but I also wouldn't expect them to go that low. They are less fatiguing and more balanced than my Klipsh R-820F towers as well. I know there is better stuff out there, but for $88 I'm freakin blown away.
@@joeljimenez3521 I don't run them with a sub, and it is fine for what I use them for. They are literally on a bookshelf, with their receiver, and provide a nice small system for my home office. If they were in a bigger room, they'd probably need a sub more. In my small room, they are fine.
Randy... I'm reminded that most people have never been to live concerts or seen any or most bands sound systems used? Back in my day, they all used Horns and large Bass Speakers systems in the old rock n roll days. It's no wonder kid's don't know what the true sound should sound like! Dolby, CDs and Digital has destroyed the real sound quality for over 40 more year's now, it's truly pathetic and happy to see the vintage anolog come back. But anyways, that's why Klipsch speakers are truly loved and sound so realistic, it's truly the same type systems that live bands have been preforming with for many many years now. It's not rocket science but kids have never listened to a live professional bands sound system. So, That's my story and I'm sticking with it's facts Randall 💯. Thanks for sharing your work, it's truly a great topic, as speakers are most important thing for systems to project the truth of real sound and quality music 🎶... Thanks again!
Moved from the B&W 606 S2 to the Elac Debut Reference mostly based on your reviews and could have not been happier. The sound and soundstage of these speakers, my goodness. It will be my end speaker until I’ll go into the area of 2k+ speakers, and not sure if I ever will do that.
My selections: Benesch Precision: Fantastic musical towers, but position is critical to get money's worth Watt/Puppy: Perhaps the best sounding--very musical and best simulated sound stage K-Horn: I love these. If you have the right room, they'll fill it up with music without taxing your amp. Some complain about horn honk, but I have no idea what they mean. Quad ESL: fantastic electrostatic. Don't know how loud you can play the new ones, but they were always loud enough for me. Exceptional musicality, if that's a word. You can sit back and listen for hours). Heresy: These are still the very best "book shelf" speakers I've ever heard. Add a high-end sub-woofer for decades of enjoyment Boise 901: These should be complete crap, yet I loved them when I first heard them. Two issues are that you need a really clean and powerful amp (at least 150w/ch or more) and the sound stage, when you get one is huge (a solo singer can sound like their head is 7 feet in diameter.
Wow…NO love for ANYTHING from GoldenEar? I picked up the Triton One.R’s, and they are SUPREME. We each have our likes, loves, and dislikes. Excellent video!
I picked up the Elac UniFi 5.2 and love them. I see people in forums bashing them based on computer programs showing less than perfect results. I don’t know, they sound great me!
I like your attitude about how you critique speakers. You sir are not a audio snob. I have 2 Kali LPs near field, and if you're sitting in their zone, they sound crystal clear. I think they were $299. each at Sweetwater, but it was well worth it to make my synths sound like electric warm sweet butter.
The best speaker I have is an 80 years old Gaumont British cinema double horn assembly. This is similar to the cinema Altec Lansing "Voice of the Theater" A2 model. That's the very big one, standing 9 foot tall and weighing around half a ton. Nothing beats these old cinema horns, and makes everything else sound very 3rd rate, whatever that is. A one watt amplifier is more than enough with these horns
Answers to Famous Quotes Quiz #1. Posted yesterday. These are to entertain and provide interest. 1. The dialog ""Somebody's Gotta Go Back and get a sh*tload of dimes" is from the movie Blazing Saddles. It was a scene in the desert with hinders of miles on either side of them. The scene is less than a minute long. To see it just punch in Toll Booth scene from Blazing Saddles. 2. The audio quote was from an interview with famous amplifier designer Bob Carver.
I have the Emotiva T1+, on some music with lots of acoustic instruments and vocals they are ideal, Jazz piano like Thelonious Monk is so good you can hear him touch the keys, Symphonic Metal such as Within Temptation sounds great, with poorly mixed/produced rock they seem to show and perhaps enhance noise and distortion. Am very pleased with them for the price. Kick drums and bass are right as they should be, I don't need a sub with these. If I had a larger listening area I probably would have gone for the T2+.
My buddy got RP-6000Fs, and I got T1+s, so I've listened to both a lot. I think, subjectively, Klipsch wins on looks by a solid margin, but Emotiva wins on sonic performance by a modest but not negligible margin, which is something considering the T1s are several hundred less. I like both a lot, but I also don't regret my choice.
I own a stereo in a near-field setup that sounds magnificent. I regularly watch Paul McGowen's PS Audio videos, which are excellent and highly edifying. I also watch everything Steve Guttenberg produces and appreciate his insights and common sense perspectives on things. Andrew Robinson is also very credible, though a tad limited in the topics he covers. "Thomas & Stereo" is also very well-researched and useful. All that said, Randy, the cheapaudioman has been the most helpful in selecting my components. This includes my Elac Uni-fi UB5s, my SMSL DA-9 integrated amp, my SMSL M500 II DAC/headphone amp and my very affordable, but adequate Yamaha NS-SW200 sub. Randy may not be as broadly edifying as Paul McGowen, but in the matter of identifying suberb value in audio equipment he is "best-in-class".
Paul McGowan is honest but Steve Guttenberg and Andrew Robinson shamelessly pander to certain players the industry. It's bandwagon reviewing endorsing the latest trendy and aggressively marketed products for reasons not hard to imagine... ahem. Steve is known for endorsing products from companies who's designer or owner is familiar to him. Funny that.
The Monitor Audio Bronze 50 and 100 are on sale for $440 and $540, and the Silver 50 and 100 are $675 (normally $975) and $775 (normally $1150), and the KEF R3 are down to $1700, normally $2200
Loving the content. Could you do a video about best small room (10x10-15x15 ft) speakers? I have a small bedroom in an NYC apartment and I’d love to get a vinyl setup going.
Just found your channel...couldn't b more amazed when you listed the klipsh 6000 i actually have them and they knock the building down as well as handle power without distortion that graphene driver delivers and actually helps in midrange reproduction the top end is definitely there but combine very well to the heart pounding woofers....they will always wow your company
Yup! All day long....Klipsch speakers are truly concert like speakers and that's why they sound so real... just like a live concert, truly. Most people just don't understand or have ever been to one or more truly live preforming band's. They've never heard real music 🎶.... and concert use Klipsch speakers type systems even in today preforming
I watched your video all the way through, and I was surprised you made a blanket statement that High Rez music (anything past 320Kbps) does not sound better. There is obviously direct data to support the higher bit rate/ higher freq argument, but any audiophile knows it comes down to what you can hear, what you can't, what type of music you are listening to and how it was mastered as well as the equipment used to play the piece of music. It is also paramount that the person who is listening take into account their own physical abilities, i.e. their hearing performance. No one hears things the same, it's almost like fingerprints. When you want to listen to an artist's music the sound staging, subtle imaging of instruments and reflections, etc. can make a huge difference to the listener's enjoyment and interpretation of the artists intents (if that's their objective). If all you want is to hear music playing, then CD is more than sufficient. The problem with people reviewing audio equipment and giving their judgement about its value is that it's subject to the reviewer's tastes, opinions and physical hearing capabilities and can be quite wrong and misleading. I have bought quite a lot of Hi Rez music and compared it to the CD quality and can readily hear a difference in the quality of the sound, the openness of the stage, subtle sounds which create the experience of listening as the artist intended. I do apologize if this feels like an attack, it is not however I hear this all the time and it steers people away from trying out a format and judging for themselves if it's worth the time and expense and I think it does a disservice.
This was in my recommendations, so I decided to watch. My favorites have long been Paradigm. Bought a pair of 3Se back in ‘91. Still listening to them today. Sound just as beautiful as new. Also have the 9Se with 300CC in a different room. Have never been compelled to replace. Well, thought about some new ones, but why? My 30 year old speakers still sound amazing. I highly recommend Paradigm.
I get the shoot out. The funniest thing to me is my dad built his Harman Karon Citation Amp and pre Amp, with Ar-XA and Harkness C-40's. That was 1963 and it was near the best, even today is top 3. Now I had Pioneer sx-750 and 1050 with B&W 640s and Linn lp12(SoundSmith), And that is Awesome and 750 has such lows it incredible,I also use this now. Well I think I am good. But if you need speakers these are some interesting choices. I am at this time having the amp upgraded to Jim MacShane kits. Great Stuff.
Randy I have 2 of the Sony SSCS plus a Sony Sub in a near field set up...I can lean forward from my couch and touch them....and they sound awesome. And this is my first hifi system.
Can't impress upon you strongly enough the degree to which I love my Emotiva speakers. My office is set up with lots of sound deadening features and when I put my head in the sweet spot it surly is sweet.
I once told Randy I loved him. It all ended up with him asking me.. Many strange questions😂 And being a married man from Sweden we sorted it out ofcourse and he showed "a whole lot of Texas" before we did😉! One of my favourite tubers atm, and god damn if you dont wanna buy something after one of this guys videos!
@@cheapaudioman 😂 Yeah, sorry Randy.. I love your work thats all and sometimes i get a little emotional late at night after a couple of drinks😁 Keep up the good work!
PS I was told by a speaker guy that you are spot on for quality speakers. He told me "wake up man get with the times" I said "ok wisenhammer, lower your prices so people don't turn around, and walk out saying that Wal mart had the same setup up for $400 not $2250 hahaha. I might stsrt doing a DIY cheap speaker channel and would love to have you on board. Finances no worries. I spent 10 years reviewing vape mods and juices under a pseudonym name for a canadian company and a smal company in Tennessee .
Glad to see that the Debut Refs are still a favorite of yours. The list price has gone up $100 but they're on sale a lot more than they were before the price increase. My only personal gripe about the Elacs is that they like to play loud a lot better than they like to play at low volumes.
It seems like just Andrew Robinson and I got pair of DBR62 that are boring and not detailed. 🤷 They can definitely sound nice at higher volumes with some powerful amp. But at lower volumes and with cheap amps they are just some dead rocks that produce sounds. I've compared them in my room with Klipsch RP-600M and difference it really night and day. On klipsch you can really hear all the dialogue in movies and all the details in the songs, which are just missing with DBR62.
Randy's choices and recommendations of speakers might be good ones. They are from good manufacturers. Audio Magazine back in the 1980's/19900's used to come out with (around this time of the year too) an Annual Equipment Directory. It was much much thicker than their usual monthly issue. People who used to think that there are about 50 or 60 different speaker companies were shocked when they turned to the Loudspeaker pages and realized that there were actually many many hundreds of different speaker manufacturers. Some with dozens of different models. Some makes that you heard of, some you never had. My guess is that nowadays there are still many hundreds of different companies making speakers, maybe not as many hundreds but still hundreds. Don't think that the speakers reviewed on this site or any site are the only choices. Maybe they are among the best choices; maybe they're not. I really have no idea. But anyone who thinks their choice is between speaker A or B, would be smart to realize there are many more letters of the alphabet than that. I do know it's fun seeking out stuff. Shopping for speakers is a lot more fun than shopping for a new utility company. It's a big field and there are many stadiums. Don't limit yourself to a box seat or two. It would be interesting to know just how many speaker companies are currently making loud speakers. One thing for sure; it's way more than you know and way more companies than you've heard of. Which ones come to the forefront is notnecessarily dependent on quality; there is the marketing and exposure side also. I'm sure there are some amazing speakers out there, that we've never heard of, and maybe never will. Two of the three best pairs of speakers that I've ever owned were makes that almost no one had ever heard of.
Oh man the memories. I'm from Canada and we had a magazine called Sound & Vision. This was before it ceased publication in 2000 and when Stereo Review became Sound & Vision. Anyways they had an annual buyer's guide that was just enormous. So many brands one never heard of and some that I have never seen then or now. My brother and I would each buy a copy and absolutely nerd out for hours and hours, days and days. We would put together systems at different price points and compare our picks. Man that was fun. You brought back some good memories.
Great video, and you definitely make me laugh, good sense of humor. I'm surprised the JBL Studio 530 didn't make it in here. I recently got the 570s and they are excellent.
I also have the JBL Studio 530s in my studio for near-field use and 570s in our tiny living room matched with the JBL Studio sub. Purchased all when on sale for over 50% off with free shipping. The 570s are surprisingly good for such a small floorstander. I found that using really thick straps vs. bi - wiring improved the output of both sets. One can configure an excellent systems with consumer audio gear if you take the time to determine the proper size, wattage specs., cables, etc. for your particular needs. All my receivers are DENONs .
I'm pretty sure the Polk ring radiator tweeter is sourced from Vifa/Scanspeak, a Danish high end driver manufacturer, and the inventors of that tweeter style
I've been an audiophile since Nixon was president. Like cheapaudioman, I've always been concerned with getting more value for my limited audio dollar. You can certainly get very enjoyable sound from these budget products, but I'd like to suggest that you don't limit your experience to audio gear just because it is very low cost. I also agree that price does not equate to quality or enjoyment. Just because a product is expensive doesn't mean that it is better. Get out and listen for yourself. Take along recordings you know well. I recommend that you go with recordings of acoustic music, and hopefully of acoustic music you've heard live from a local artist. That's the standard you'll be best served with. Lastly you'll find that your best value and most enjoyment in audio is in DIY projects. By learning about how audio gear works, you get to make conscious choices about what you're hearing, instead of just reading the reviews of others. You become much more involved in what you're hearing.
KLH, Fluance, Mission, PSB, Monitor Audio. I'd like to invite you to expand your listening experience towards a new binge listening direction off the beaten path...you may be surprised? Try the Polk r600 for review if you like the r200, or better yet the Reference r700! In my 45yrs of audio experience, I've found that all speakers are influenced by the electronics. Just some scale really well with better equipment. Doing very well Randy, best of luck.
FYI… I watched your under $100 speaker video this morning and decided to purchase a pair of the Sony SSCS5’s based upon your recommendation. Much to my surprise, Amazon’s price today is $88 for a PAIR! Also, I’m not seeing a link for your #1 Wharfedale Diamond speaker… or am I blind? Thanks!
I worked as a machinist at a company that made magnetic seals for aviation gearbox transmissions. They would lap the ferrite magnets for days until they had a mirror finish. After that process the magnets were analyzed under a 20 power microscope for porosity. Most were scrapped. The scrapped magnets were recycled and used in loudspeakers. Most loudspeaker magnets are not very good quality.
Your accumulating quite the hoard of fun speakers, im starting to get a little jelly! Those are good picks for us common audio folk! Now can we see some Cerwin Vega reviews? They still make speakers ya know ; )
Good video, Randy. Glad you included the Wharfedales in the list.......I still love mine. When you get a chance, check out the Lonpoo LP12 speakers; they're a small bookshelf model that have an exceptional tweeter. Got them for $56/pair on Amazon. They'll need a sub, or tweak your EQ. If you don't like them, send them back!
I just ordered the Polk R100, thanks to your reviews, including the comparison with the R200. I'm super excited. I also ordered the R350 center speaker. I'd love a review on that one, as it also gets suggested as an optional low profile surround speaker, mounted to the wall.
I have both the Wharfedale diamond 11.4s and the Sony sscs5 based on your recommendations. I have the diamonds hooked up to a Marantz NR1200 in my living room and they sound great. I’m putting the sscs5 in my bedroom, but don’t have them hooked up to anything yet. Is there a dac/amp that you enjoy paired with them?
Thanks for this as it came from nowhere into my UA-cam suggestions when I needed it. went with the jamo c93II you suggested to replace some psb towers. new house smaller room , very happy . works with my old ears. like your understandable style. thanks again.
Randy's a strait forward knowledgeable person. Many of these "reviewers" are charlatans with no experience/knowledge. I trust his opinion and give weight to his suggestions.
I had a pair of POLK AUDIO SDA SIGNATURE REFERENCE speakers (excellent sound), until I went to an audition room in Upland Ca. in the early '90's. Now I only use Polks in my car (best car speakers I've found - @Crutchfield). I took my LP of Stanley Black conducting the LSO on "Three Blind Mice", and my early '60's RCA pressing of Al Hirt Honey in the Horn "I Can't Get Started". The 2 Lp's knocked the salemen on their butts and we auditiond about 25 pair of speakers (up to $23,000/pair), one CD player (I liked my LP's better), and a few mono-block amps (I really love the sound of tubes). I forget what turntable they had, but I ended up buying the Canadian PSB Stratus Gold (which I discovered got an excellent write-up in Stereophile) and were only $2,000 at that time.
Burn in is a thing. My Jbl sub/ sound bar was awful when I got it. I almost returned it . I felt scammed so bad. About 1 month later after I had essentially tried to blow it to justify the return- it gradually began sounding better, louder, more accurate every time I turned it on. Now it is a bass monster and sounds great throughout the apartment. Burn in is real
![If you can't hear this then you're not an audiophile [See description for link to followup video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/48PxwspDvrE/mqdefault.jpg)
Emotiva Airmotiv B1+ - Crystal Clear and Punchy emotiva.com?aff=9
Elac Uni-Fi UB5.2 - Neutral amzn.to/3s3srPG
Elac Unifi 2.0 Crutchfield shop-links.co/cfZDwzoSnay
Sony SSCS5 - Lively amzn.to/3pZNnGk
Elac Debut Reference - Buttery but Detailed amzn.to/39bt6WC
Jamo C93ii Bit - Boosted on Top amzn.to/3beIG6F
Polk R100 shop-links.co/cfZDxJezkCF
SVS Ultra bit.ly/3neJL49
Emotiva T1+ emotiva.com?aff=9
Klipsch RP6000F shop-links.co/cfZDiieBHzW
Amazon Music and Disney Plus Free Trial amzn.to/3DRAVj9
www.patreon.com/cheapaudioman
What of the 2 kit speakers you absolutely raved about...where would they fall on this list? Wondering why you didn't include them? "Best midrange you had ever heard in any speaker"...if I remember correctly. You're thoughts Randy. They, no longer your Favorite?
Asked and partially answered later in the comments...In what position might they fall on your list...The Top, middle or bottom of this list, would be my question. I'm also a bang for the buck guy (when it comes to audio) jsyk I landed a pair of EPOS epic 2s...new in the box pair called music direct a few years ago and offered them 350.00 for a pair...to my surprise he said, "I think we can do that"...then found a Wadia 151 Power DAC Mini for 350 also. Hi Fi shark. 700.00+ Wiring. Let's just say I haven't heard anything better yet and am excited to try one of the kits you reviewed...probably the CSS, as I'm
a Dj here in Tampa and lean towards music with impact.
What do you think of the audioengine A5+ ?
@@lexicon612 trust your ears only
Cheap audio man I feel betrayed you left out the kef Q350's that you raved about to no end just last year- what up with that?! Change of heart? I wanna know cause they werent even mentioned!!😒
Randy’s out here doing the Lord’s work. A sound enthusiast with advice for the 99%. I respect your devotion to real life budget concerns, man
But where are the Lords chips? Did he not tell them they are the Lords chips?
The chip reference doesn’t make any sense. If you’re gonna go for funny…
Anyway, Randy is indeed busting his hump, and his audio chops are like a souped up sleeper. You don’t know what he’s got until he punches it.
Thank you gentlemen
@@rc6717 I hope you are joking. Let me know if you’re not though.
@@rc6717 All hail the dark master!
Your $300 speaker shootout pushed me into the Emotiva B1+ and I'm super glad you did. It is such an amazing sounding speaker for $250. Thanks for the reviews. The audiophile journey can get pretty expensive, and I'm glad there is someone that leans towards the high value side of this hobby.
Thanks, Jimbo! Loves those B1’s!
Emotiva is great sound for the $$$.
Are they good for mains for watching movies?
Ya know speakers are like real estate...? Location.
They are 450 euro in europe🥺
I always get the urge for a cup of coffee when good old audioman releases a video. And that’s a nice thing. His videos and my coffee pair well
Watching while enjoying a good Colombian Gesha, perfect start to a good week-end.
The sponsors!!
Chock full of nuts...all the way. Its 8 o'clock brand sold as Chock full of nuts...did blind taste test...unable to distinguish between. 60 to 70% what 8 o'clock costs. My 2 cents.
Proud owner of the Elac UB52’s. I’m so glad I came across your channel and purchased them per your recommendation. My friends and I enjoyed them very much! Great review as always.
They're on sale for $450 right now, which is a steal of a deal!
What center do you have?
@@Pro-kesh no Center speaker, it's a stereo system.
I was originally intending to hold out for a good deal on the uni-fi 2.0 but decided to grab the c933ii while they were on sale recently based mostly on your glowing reviews and I am very impressed with how they sound. Thanks for putting a spotlight on them because I didn't want to deal with burning in the elacs
It's nice to hear Polk is getting noticed again. I haven't heard any of the Legend or Reserve series, but they seem to get good reviews. Keep up the good work.
Just got some Polk S20s as secondary speakers...running a vintage Marantz amp with some Cerwin Vegas 15"..the Polks are a perfect fit for the back of the room..
All that matters is what Your ears are happy with. Been using Mission m74i's for the last 20 years. Still makes me smile! I upgraded my avr to a Yamaha Aventage rx a2a last week and the speakers came to life again from what i was using before.
If you think the Polk R100 is good, just wait until you hear the R200. They make the 100s sound seriously flawed in comparison. They're that good. The best speaker under $2k that I've heard
Last year, you said to buy the Sonys. I did. I'm happy for that. Thank you.
I know this is an old thread, but it's great for someone like me who is just getting back into this again.
Thanks to you, Cheapaudioman, I am currently auditioning the ES-15 (and the ES-35), SSCS5, Uni-Fi 2.0 UB5.2, and the SVS satellites (because why not). I am still waiting on the B1+ to arrive. I got everything on sale. Thanks for what you do and all your help!
So far, I am the most impressed by the SSCS5's. I get it now. GREAT value! These are keepers. I'll find somewhere to use them .
So far the ES-15's are at the bottom of the list and are most likely going back. I experienced some odd bass resonances (chuffing?). I wanted these to work because I am sticking with the ES-35 center channel because of space restrictions and cost. Now I will not have matching fronts and center. I'm wondering if I should try the ES-20's...decisions, decisions.
The ELAC's are nice (really good imaging and staging), but I'm still breaking them in. Can't wait to A/B them with the Sony's and Emotiva's.
Thanks again!
Wonderfully, endearingly, honestly, subversively, humorously, alternatively, critically, reliably, knowledgeably cheap ... without the cheapness. One of the few reviewers I respect and chuckle at.
WOW! I’m in Australia and new to your channel. I’ve kinda been binge watching a bit in the last few days. Some bloody good old honest down to earth advice Randy. Cheers mate! Gary
I guess I'm what one could call a "NO budget" audiophile, because even though I definitely have an ear for, and the utmost appreciation for/of extremely high-end equipment and speakers, with my extremely limited income, (which is just barely enough to cover my rent and utility bills each month, much less have any money left over to spend on anything else), I actually have to shop for audio equipment and speakers at thriftstores and yard sales, etc., or else I simply cannot afford it... Anything over $1/inch of woofer diameter is too expensive for me!... However, even at that price point, and always only in the used/second hand market, I have found a few extremely good sounding speakers over the years, with probably one of the best deals I've found being a still perfect condition pair of Polk Audio Monitor 10 speakers from the 80's for $20/pair! I still use those in my main LR system today and they sound great!
Polk Audio has always made very good sounding, very good value speakers, with higher than average build, driver, and parts quality, so it's not surprising that at least one Polk model made it onto this list here in this video.
I've bought several pair of JBL and Polk bookshelf speakers at Goodwill,
I have a pair of Klipsch R-41M's I found mint-in-box for $70 in a thrift store.
Word of mouth and the occasional estate sale have yielded surprises: my 2nd McIntosh system was $200 (albeit needing repair) at a yard sale.
You're absolutely right about the Elac Unifi 2.0; listening to them near field I kept asking out loud, "How!? How the hell did Andrew Jones make this sound so damn good!?". Now they're in my living room on top of Emotiva SE8 Flex subs. The whole setup is worth every penny. Thank you for leading me in the right direction!
Did you need sub with ub52?
@@iakobkv271 , I find that a sub is needed with these. However, the bass is good for casual listening. It’s not going to energize a large room, and near field in a small space is the same result. I’m still breaking them in, but I don’t think I’m going to get much more bass output. Using Crown xls 1002 and Behringer a 800.
Always nice seeing your speakers mentioned in someone’s recommendations
I appreciate these videos because there's lots of sensible real world advice. Man knows what he's talking about...
Where is Fluance? Wow! Your review quite a few months ago on speakers had Flance beating out some you mentioned today. I then ordered some and fell in love with them. Thanks for that review!
I have a pair of the Wharfdale Diamond 12.2 that I listen to when I don’t want to listen to my JBL 4312Gs.
Best of both worlds.
Good speakers for casual listening, and great speakers for serious listening.
Thank you for the video. I ended up picking up a pair of the SSCS5's after watching one of your videos for $75 last year during one of Best Buy's sales.. loved them so much, I went and picked up another pair. I spent a few hours sitting in front of them and my jaw dropped. The sound that comes out of these things for the price is ridiculous. I'm about ready to take the next step and venture into some KEF's or Missions, or go all out and pick up a pair of Martin Logan ESL's.. but these Sony's are a perfect speaker to dip your toe in for some seriously good quality sound!
I just bought the Sony SSCS5 for $88 on sale. They don't have any right to sound that good. I've been modding a pare of cheap Pioneer speakers (CS-G403 with new mids, horn tweeters and reworked crossovers) from the early 90s and these little Sonys blow them away in every aspect but LOW bass. I ran my favorite bass test (Techmaster PEB Bassgasm) and was seriously impressed at what the Sony speakers are capable of for their size. There are some low notes in that song they just flat out can't do but I also wouldn't expect them to go that low. They are less fatiguing and more balanced than my Klipsh R-820F towers as well. I know there is better stuff out there, but for $88 I'm freakin blown away.
Hey did u buy a sub to go with them or are they good on their own
@@joeljimenez3521 I don't run them with a sub, and it is fine for what I use them for. They are literally on a bookshelf, with their receiver, and provide a nice small system for my home office. If they were in a bigger room, they'd probably need a sub more. In my small room, they are fine.
Randy... I'm reminded that most people have never been to live concerts or seen any or most bands sound systems used? Back in my day, they all used Horns and large Bass Speakers systems in the old rock n roll days. It's no wonder kid's don't know what the true sound should sound like! Dolby, CDs and Digital has destroyed the real sound quality for over 40 more year's now, it's truly pathetic and happy to see the vintage anolog come back. But anyways, that's why Klipsch speakers are truly loved and sound so realistic, it's truly the same type systems that live bands have been preforming with for many many years now. It's not rocket science but kids have never listened to a live professional bands sound system. So, That's my story and I'm sticking with it's facts Randall 💯.
Thanks for sharing your work, it's truly a great topic, as speakers are most important thing for systems to project the truth of real sound and quality music 🎶...
Thanks again!
Spot on. Between my son and myself, we have all of these but the Polk and the Jamo. Really good stuff.
Have following you for a while! Your contents and channel name really have a perfect match! I do enjoy all your videos! Thanks for for contents.
Moved from the B&W 606 S2 to the Elac Debut Reference mostly based on your reviews and could have not been happier. The sound and soundstage of these speakers, my goodness. It will be my end speaker until I’ll go into the area of 2k+ speakers, and not sure if I ever will do that.
Ascend acoustics makes some amazing speakers under 2 grand
How are they different from the B&Ws? What is it in particular that makes you glad you switched?
My selections:
Benesch Precision: Fantastic musical towers, but position is critical to get money's worth
Watt/Puppy: Perhaps the best sounding--very musical and best simulated sound stage
K-Horn: I love these. If you have the right room, they'll fill it up with music without taxing your amp. Some complain about horn honk, but I have no idea what they mean.
Quad ESL: fantastic electrostatic. Don't know how loud you can play the new ones, but they were always loud enough for me. Exceptional musicality, if that's a word. You can sit back and listen for hours).
Heresy: These are still the very best "book shelf" speakers I've ever heard. Add a high-end sub-woofer for decades of enjoyment
Boise 901: These should be complete crap, yet I loved them when I first heard them. Two issues are that you need a really clean and powerful amp (at least 150w/ch or more) and the sound stage, when you get one is huge (a solo singer can sound like their head is 7 feet in diameter.
Thanks so much, this video could have not come at a better time for me. Looking to upgrade in time for Black Friday
I just picked up the Sony speakers and I have to say, they’re absolutely lovely sounding speakers. For exactly the reasons that you said.
This is an excellent idea. From time to time a list like this helps us sort it out. You are the chief and the cheap audio man
Wow…NO love for ANYTHING from GoldenEar? I picked up the Triton One.R’s, and they are SUPREME. We each have our likes, loves, and dislikes. Excellent video!
Clicked it so fast! 😂 And liked it in advance. Now I'll start watching it.
I picked up the Elac UniFi 5.2 and love them. I see people in forums bashing them based on computer programs showing less than perfect results. I don’t know, they sound great me!
This is a great video, Randy. They should all have this much information for the viewer.
I like your attitude about how you critique speakers. You sir are not a audio snob. I have 2 Kali LPs near field, and if you're sitting in their zone, they sound crystal clear. I think they were $299. each at Sweetwater, but it was well worth it to make my synths sound like electric warm sweet butter.
We love Cheap Audio Man. He’s cheap. He’s talks audio. He’s a man. Lovin’ da vids Randy, thank you. 👏🏻
Thanks!
So, no place for the DIY ones like the X-LS encore or the Criton?
See my comment, big miss for cheapaudio man,
Was thinking the same
What about Jamo 628? Are they still good?
The best speaker I have is an 80 years old Gaumont British cinema double horn assembly. This is similar to the cinema Altec Lansing "Voice of the Theater" A2 model. That's the very big one, standing 9 foot tall and weighing around half a ton. Nothing beats these old cinema horns, and makes everything else sound very 3rd rate, whatever that is. A one watt amplifier is more than enough with these horns
Your lucky...
Burn-in is very much a thing. My Klipsch R-41PM speakers did not sound good until I put in the time to break them in. Now, they sound incredible!
What happened to the JBL A130s?
Answers to Famous Quotes Quiz #1. Posted yesterday. These are to entertain and provide interest.
1. The dialog ""Somebody's Gotta Go Back and get a sh*tload of dimes" is from the movie Blazing Saddles. It was a scene in the desert with hinders of miles on either side of them. The scene is less than a minute long. To see it just punch in Toll Booth scene from Blazing Saddles.
2. The audio quote was from an interview with famous amplifier designer Bob Carver.
I have the Emotiva T1+, on some music with lots of acoustic instruments and vocals they are ideal, Jazz piano like Thelonious Monk is so good you can hear him touch the keys, Symphonic Metal such as Within Temptation sounds great, with poorly mixed/produced rock they seem to show and perhaps enhance noise and distortion. Am very pleased with them for the price. Kick drums and bass are right as they should be, I don't need a sub with these. If I had a larger listening area I probably would have gone for the T2+.
My buddy got RP-6000Fs, and I got T1+s, so I've listened to both a lot. I think, subjectively, Klipsch wins on looks by a solid margin, but Emotiva wins on sonic performance by a modest but not negligible margin, which is something considering the T1s are several hundred less. I like both a lot, but I also don't regret my choice.
I own a stereo in a near-field setup that sounds magnificent. I regularly watch Paul McGowen's PS Audio videos, which are excellent and highly edifying. I also watch everything Steve Guttenberg produces and appreciate his insights and common sense perspectives on things. Andrew Robinson is also very credible, though a tad limited in the topics he covers. "Thomas & Stereo" is also very well-researched and useful. All that said, Randy, the cheapaudioman has been the most helpful in selecting my components. This includes my Elac Uni-fi UB5s, my SMSL DA-9 integrated amp, my SMSL M500 II DAC/headphone amp and my very affordable, but adequate Yamaha NS-SW200 sub. Randy may not be as broadly edifying as Paul McGowen, but in the matter of identifying suberb value in audio equipment he is "best-in-class".
Paul McGowan is honest but Steve Guttenberg and Andrew Robinson shamelessly pander to certain players the industry. It's bandwagon reviewing endorsing the latest trendy and aggressively marketed products for reasons not hard to imagine... ahem. Steve is known for endorsing products from companies who's designer or owner is familiar to him. Funny that.
Thanks!
thank you! Wow. Really appreciate the support
The Monitor Audio Bronze 50 and 100 are on sale for $440 and $540, and the Silver 50 and 100 are $675 (normally $975) and $775 (normally $1150), and the KEF R3 are down to $1700, normally $2200
Before watching the video, I had picked several speakers myself and surprisingly picked many that you did...great video!
Loving the content. Could you do a video about best small room (10x10-15x15 ft) speakers? I have a small bedroom in an NYC apartment and I’d love to get a vinyl setup going.
Never clicked so fast on a notification. This should be a yearly series, thanks allot Randy! 💯
Just found your channel...couldn't b more amazed when you listed the klipsh 6000 i actually have them and they knock the building down as well as handle power without distortion that graphene driver delivers and actually helps in midrange reproduction the top end is definitely there but combine very well to the heart pounding woofers....they will always wow your company
Yup! All day long....Klipsch speakers are truly concert like speakers and that's why they sound so real... just like a live concert, truly. Most people just don't understand or have ever been to one or more truly live preforming band's. They've never heard real music 🎶.... and concert use Klipsch speakers type systems even in today preforming
CSS Criton and xls encore not here?
PISSED!
Emotive T1+ for the large room filling detail win!
I bought my daughter ELAC Debut 2.0 after a bunch of research and knowing what she was looking for… I was blown away by them.
I love your name! I just found this channel, and as a pro audio engineer I'm baffled how much folks will pay for 2 drivers in a box.
Thanks Randy! I'm keeping my eye open for my next set of buttery speakers. Great Video 👍
Like the way you express your perceptions when listening to music .
I watched your video all the way through, and I was surprised you made a blanket statement that High Rez music (anything past 320Kbps) does not sound better. There is obviously direct data to support the higher bit rate/ higher freq argument, but any audiophile knows it comes down to what you can hear, what you can't, what type of music you are listening to and how it was mastered as well as the equipment used to play the piece of music. It is also paramount that the person who is listening take into account their own physical abilities, i.e. their hearing performance. No one hears things the same, it's almost like fingerprints. When you want to listen to an artist's music the sound staging, subtle imaging of instruments and reflections, etc. can make a huge difference to the listener's enjoyment and interpretation of the artists intents (if that's their objective). If all you want is to hear music playing, then CD is more than sufficient. The problem with people reviewing audio equipment and giving their judgement about its value is that it's subject to the reviewer's tastes, opinions and physical hearing capabilities and can be quite wrong and misleading. I have bought quite a lot of Hi Rez music and compared it to the CD quality and can readily hear a difference in the quality of the sound, the openness of the stage, subtle sounds which create the experience of listening as the artist intended. I do apologize if this feels like an attack, it is not however I hear this all the time and it steers people away from trying out a format and judging for themselves if it's worth the time and expense and I think it does a disservice.
I have a nice old pair of Teledyne Acoustic Research AR28s.
Nice blend of sound from the early 80s.
Great stuff; I especially like the balance of objective and subjective content. Also, your vids are really, really not boring. Cheers.
Nice to hear an endorsement for the Wharfedales. I love my Diamonds.
Back in my solid state days I lusted after AR-1s and Carver Amazings. Now days I would just as soon DYI.
No GR Research or CSS kits on your top ten list? I thought they were your two best ever
He can't sell those through an affiliate link.
@@G3rain1 Ok, so it's all about the Benjamins. Doesn't that kind of put his credibility in question?
Im goin to say the gr xls encores should be on that list randy, come on, u know they should be, my favorite bookshelf ive ever heard actually.
Yes as should the CSS Critons need to be there. I'd say better than more of these. Own both and the Elac unifi 2.0 so know a little bit.
This was in my recommendations, so I decided to watch. My favorites have long been Paradigm. Bought a pair of 3Se back in ‘91. Still listening to them today. Sound just as beautiful as new. Also have the 9Se with 300CC in a different room. Have never been compelled to replace. Well, thought about some new ones, but why? My 30 year old speakers still sound amazing. I highly recommend Paradigm.
I get the shoot out. The funniest thing to me is my dad built his Harman Karon Citation Amp and pre Amp, with Ar-XA and Harkness C-40's. That was 1963 and it was near the best, even today is top 3. Now I had Pioneer sx-750 and 1050 with B&W 640s and Linn lp12(SoundSmith), And that is Awesome and 750 has such lows it incredible,I also use this now. Well I think I am good. But if you need speakers these are some interesting choices. I am at this time having the amp upgraded to Jim MacShane kits. Great Stuff.
Randy I have 2 of the Sony SSCS plus a Sony Sub in a near field set up...I can lean forward from my couch and touch them....and they sound awesome. And this is my first hifi system.
A lot of good speakers. In that price range the NHT C3 speakers are hard to beat. 3 way with aluminum midrange and tweeter. Great clarity.
I own SVS Ultra Bookshelf paired with a SVS SB-3000 subwoofer - perfecto!! 😁
Can't impress upon you strongly enough the degree to which I love my Emotiva speakers. My office is set up with lots of sound deadening features and when I put my head in the sweet spot it surly is sweet.
I once told Randy I loved him. It all ended up with him asking me.. Many strange questions😂 And being a married man from Sweden we sorted it out ofcourse and he showed "a whole lot of Texas" before we did😉! One of my favourite tubers atm, and god damn if you dont wanna buy something after one of this guys videos!
AJ. I thought we both agreed we wouldn’t talk about that anymore.
@@cheapaudioman 😂 Yeah, sorry Randy.. I love your work thats all and sometimes i get a little emotional late at night after a couple of drinks😁 Keep up the good work!
Still have a pair of Rogers I bought in 1986…they still do the job.
PS I was told by a speaker guy that you are spot on for quality speakers. He told me "wake up man get with the times" I said "ok wisenhammer, lower your prices so people don't turn around, and walk out saying that Wal mart had the same setup up for $400 not $2250 hahaha.
I might stsrt doing a DIY cheap speaker channel and would love to have you on board. Finances no worries. I spent 10 years reviewing vape mods and juices under a pseudonym name for a canadian company and a smal company in Tennessee .
Sounds so mysterious
Glad to see that the Debut Refs are still a favorite of yours. The list price has gone up $100 but they're on sale a lot more than they were before the price increase. My only personal gripe about the Elacs is that they like to play loud a lot better than they like to play at low volumes.
i own the towers. they play well at low volumes but yes they like to play loud
It seems like just Andrew Robinson and I got pair of DBR62 that are boring and not detailed. 🤷
They can definitely sound nice at higher volumes with some powerful amp. But at lower volumes and with cheap amps they are just some dead rocks that produce sounds.
I've compared them in my room with Klipsch RP-600M and difference it really night and day. On klipsch you can really hear all the dialogue in movies and all the details in the songs, which are just missing with DBR62.
Wow.. good video.. really liked your taste.. you almost covered all the price ranges...
Randy's choices and recommendations of speakers might be good ones. They are from good manufacturers. Audio Magazine back in the 1980's/19900's used to come out with (around this time of the year too) an Annual Equipment Directory. It was much much thicker than their usual monthly issue. People who used to think that there are about 50 or 60 different speaker companies were shocked when they turned to the Loudspeaker pages and realized that there were actually many many hundreds of different speaker manufacturers. Some with dozens of different models. Some makes that you heard of, some you never had. My guess is that nowadays there are still many hundreds of different companies making speakers, maybe not as many hundreds but still hundreds. Don't think that the speakers reviewed on this site or any site are the only choices. Maybe they are among the best choices; maybe they're not. I really have no idea. But anyone who thinks their choice is between speaker A or B, would be smart to realize there are many more letters of the alphabet than that. I do know it's fun seeking out stuff. Shopping for speakers is a lot more fun than shopping for a new utility company. It's a big field and there are many stadiums. Don't limit yourself to a box seat or two. It would be interesting to know just how many speaker companies are currently making loud speakers. One thing for sure; it's way more than you know and way more companies than you've heard of. Which ones come to the forefront is notnecessarily dependent on quality; there is the marketing and exposure side also. I'm sure there are some amazing speakers out there, that we've never heard of, and maybe never will. Two of the three best pairs of speakers that I've ever owned were makes that almost no one had ever heard of.
Oh man the memories. I'm from Canada and we had a magazine called Sound & Vision. This was before it ceased publication in 2000 and when Stereo Review became Sound & Vision. Anyways they had an annual buyer's guide that was just enormous. So many brands one never heard of and some that I have never seen then or now. My brother and I would each buy a copy and absolutely nerd out for hours and hours, days and days. We would put together systems at different price points and compare our picks. Man that was fun. You brought back some good memories.
Great video, and you definitely make me laugh, good sense of humor. I'm surprised the JBL Studio 530 didn't make it in here. I recently got the 570s and they are excellent.
I also have the JBL Studio 530s in my studio for near-field use and 570s in our tiny living room matched with the JBL Studio sub. Purchased all when on sale for over 50% off with free shipping. The 570s are surprisingly good for such a small floorstander. I found that using really thick straps vs. bi - wiring improved the output of both sets. One can configure an excellent systems with consumer audio gear if you take the time to determine the proper size, wattage specs., cables, etc. for your particular needs. All my receivers are DENONs .
I'm pretty sure the Polk ring radiator tweeter is sourced from Vifa/Scanspeak, a Danish high end driver manufacturer, and the inventors of that tweeter style
I've been an audiophile since Nixon was president. Like cheapaudioman, I've always been concerned with getting more value for my limited audio dollar. You can certainly get very enjoyable sound from these budget products, but I'd like to suggest that you don't limit your experience to audio gear just because it is very low cost. I also agree that price does not equate to quality or enjoyment. Just because a product is expensive doesn't mean that it is better. Get out and listen for yourself. Take along recordings you know well. I recommend that you go with recordings of acoustic music, and hopefully of acoustic music you've heard live from a local artist. That's the standard you'll be best served with.
Lastly you'll find that your best value and most enjoyment in audio is in DIY projects. By learning about how audio gear works, you get to make conscious choices about what you're hearing, instead of just reading the reviews of others. You become much more involved in what you're hearing.
Awesome content! Finally someone not saying "for the price". God I hate that statement.
KLH, Fluance, Mission, PSB, Monitor Audio. I'd like to invite you to expand your listening experience towards a new binge listening direction off the beaten path...you may be surprised?
Try the Polk r600 for review if you like the r200, or better yet the Reference r700! In my 45yrs of audio experience, I've found that all speakers are influenced by the electronics. Just some scale really well with better equipment.
Doing very well Randy, best of luck.
You have one choice between the focal 806, Dali 3,Revel m16,elac unify 2.0 wharfield dentin or Polk res.
Wow, that's a lot of info in a very short time. You get in, you say your piece, you get out. Thanks.
FYI… I watched your under $100 speaker video this morning and decided to purchase a pair of the Sony SSCS5’s based upon your recommendation. Much to my surprise, Amazon’s price today is $88 for a PAIR! Also, I’m not seeing a link for your #1 Wharfedale Diamond speaker… or am I blind? Thanks!
I worked as a machinist at a company that made magnetic seals for aviation gearbox transmissions. They would lap the ferrite magnets for days until they had a mirror finish. After that process the magnets were analyzed under a 20 power microscope for porosity. Most were scrapped. The scrapped magnets were recycled and used in loudspeakers. Most loudspeaker magnets are not very good quality.
Usher S-520 is still making me smile 10 years later and for $500 Australian dollars at the time were I think decent value given how lovely they are.
Loved the info, keep up the good work 👍 😀 please 🙏
The first video I’ve seen with kef not on the list. Thanks for sharing!
Your accumulating quite the hoard of fun speakers, im starting to get a little jelly! Those are good picks for us common audio folk! Now can we see some Cerwin Vega reviews? They still make speakers ya know ; )
Good video, Randy. Glad you included the Wharfedales in the list.......I still love mine. When you get a chance, check out the Lonpoo LP12 speakers; they're a small bookshelf model that have an exceptional tweeter. Got them for $56/pair on Amazon. They'll need a sub, or tweak your EQ. If you don't like them, send them back!
You’re the man Randy, the Sony’s are awesome
How would you rate the Polk ES50/55/60 compared to the Emotiva T1/2+?
I just ordered the Polk R100, thanks to your reviews, including the comparison with the R200. I'm super excited. I also ordered the R350 center speaker. I'd love a review on that one, as it also gets suggested as an optional low profile surround speaker, mounted to the wall.
I have both the Wharfedale diamond 11.4s and the Sony sscs5 based on your recommendations. I have the diamonds hooked up to a Marantz NR1200 in my living room and they sound great. I’m putting the sscs5 in my bedroom, but don’t have them hooked up to anything yet. Is there a dac/amp that you enjoy paired with them?
Thanks for this as it came from nowhere into my UA-cam suggestions when I needed it. went with the jamo c93II you suggested to replace some psb towers. new house smaller room , very happy . works with my old ears. like your understandable style. thanks again.
Randy's a strait forward knowledgeable person. Many of these "reviewers" are charlatans with no experience/knowledge. I trust his opinion and give weight to his suggestions.
I had a pair of POLK AUDIO SDA SIGNATURE REFERENCE speakers (excellent sound), until I went to an audition room in Upland Ca. in the early '90's. Now I only use Polks in my car (best car speakers I've found - @Crutchfield). I took my LP of Stanley Black conducting the LSO on "Three Blind Mice", and my early '60's RCA pressing of Al Hirt Honey in the Horn "I Can't Get Started". The 2 Lp's knocked the salemen on their butts and we auditiond about 25 pair of speakers (up to $23,000/pair), one CD player (I liked my LP's better), and a few mono-block amps (I really love the sound of tubes). I forget what turntable they had, but I ended up buying the Canadian PSB Stratus Gold (which I discovered got an excellent write-up in Stereophile) and were only $2,000 at that time.
Nice one!! First time I've come across your good self and will treat myself to a subscription to your channel....thanks.
David
Love your reviews man. Hopefully you will review the klipsch rp8000f.
I was just at the Emotiva website. The B1+ is now $299. Is it still good value at that price or can it be beat by similar priced speakers?
It’s an incredible value
Burn in is a thing. My Jbl sub/ sound bar was awful when I got it. I almost returned it . I felt scammed so bad. About 1 month later after I had essentially tried to blow it to justify the return- it gradually began sounding better, louder, more accurate every time I turned it on. Now it is a bass monster and sounds great throughout the apartment. Burn in is real
Nah, you just get used to it and accept its flaws. You’re burning in your ears.