few weeks with my monitor audio bronze 100 as a first hifi system and I gotta say I am very happy with them! Some people might find them too bright but I like and for movies its great as well, very nice bass! I have a 5 month old so haven't been able to play with like crazy haha
Same great vibes over here as well with regards to my Arendal 1723 Towers! Have had them since 11/2023 and freaking love them just an absolute blast to listen to. Won’t ever get rid of them they will stay in the family for generations and eventually given to my son when he gets older 👍
@@marc8673 I wouldn't have a clue about the S series stuff. I have the full-sized towers paired with a 3rd gen Emotiva XPA-TWO (supposed to be 500 wrms per channel). EDIT: I'd purchase a standalone amp for the speakers if I were in your shoes. ...but I'm not you, ya know? I don't know about your expectations, goals, what type of music you'll be listening to, how big or small your room is, etc etc etc.
Would have love to see a comparison between the 1723 monitor s and the kef r3 meta. Just got the r3 meta but haven’t connected them yet but was hoping for a comparison somewhere
Randy, if you haven’t already, please review the B&W 706S3’s. Fabulous speaker. Great soundstage, detail, and balance. These are right around $2200, so similar to others on this list.
I think those Ascend Acoustics CBM 170SE you reviewed should be on this list easily, Especially with those Sony's and Elac's you have on this list I mean cmon.
You really need to listen to Paradigm... Founder 40b or the big boys. Even their older Studio 100 V5's will absolutely floor you! (All subjective of course)
Just pulled the trigger on a pair of the discontinued SVS's, $749 out the door, speakers, shipping and taxes. These will be my new office sound. The will replace the KEF 150's. The 150s will replace the sound bar on the den 65inch TV.
Love my ELAC BS41's. Have them on stands in my home office. Powered by a little Fosi Audio DA2120A and a Wiim Mini. A friend of mine came in and asked where I had the subwoofer hidden. It's all the BS41's. And I realize having an actual sub would definitely hit harder, but these little things are pretty great.
When it comes to speakers there is no replacement for displacement, that will never change. Still nothing ive heard compare with my Legacy Focus for metal music😊
Normally i would see Sony speaker and think it's probably bad. You were the reason that changed. When i decided to buy speakers i went on a journey to demo some that were 2 to 3 times more expensive. On the way i saw a sony store and remembered your recs. When i geard them i was blown away. They now proudly take their place as my first ever speakers. Thank you!
I've had phenomenal luck with Sony home audio products for over 20 years. Honestly, Sony has never let me down, but I'm no audiophile and have never owned any high-end gear.
I just found that the Emotiva T1+ was on your list. I gotta tell you that I was convinced I was upgrading to the XT2 when they became available. Well they became available today and for $1,300 I am having a terrible time pulling the trigger! I love these T1+'s...
I'm glad the Wharfedale Linton's stayed on your list. Now that there are brand new "Super" Dentons (3 way), and I think a 90th Anniversary Dovedale, hopefully we will see a new 90th Anniversary Linton coming out soon.
A bit more expensive than this list but when the Mofi Sourcepoint 10 went on sale a few weeks back. I paired them with my Yamaha a-s2200 integrated. Wow. The dynamics and huge sound out of these speakers is just amazing!! My Svs subwoofer has essentially been turned off at -60db since the Sourcepoint 10 speakers get amazingly deep despite their spec of 42Hz. Great review as always sir.
I get frustrated and annoyed when I watch videos of this type. Why? Because my Tannoy Revolution XT-8F towers just completely float my boat! I've no desire for an upgrade. (Then again, I got a major bargain when I go $2,600 speakers for $1800.) They just have a synergy with my system! But, despite having watched innumerable UA-cam reviews raving about them, nobody puts them on their top 10 list. Maybe just goes to show all of us that there are a LOT of good-great quality products available to us all!
Thank you for this. It's nice to have a place to start with so many choices in the marketplace. Appreciate you included Waffle House pricing, on up to the nice specialty brunch location choices.
SVS Ultra bookshelves should have stayed on the list IMO. They are great speakers and on sale because they are being discontinued. $800 for a pair! I don't see many used for sale. Easy to drive. A great rock and roll speaker as well as HT. Glad they were still mentioned.
What would be wonderful would be an actual list of the speakers you chat about here. Do you think you could post one up, please, if you wouldn't mind, thank you very much?
I have a penchant for acoustic music, and I crave a sonic experience that faithfully reproduces the instrumentation with utmost precision. I desire to discern each instrument - be it the violin's soaring highs, the drum's dynamic attack, the flute's airy subtleties, or the guitar's rich timbre - with crystal clarity and definition. a sound signature that is unfatigueing and suitable for extended listening , very easy to ears , an all day speaker .Furthermore, I seek vocals that are layered, lively, and nuanced, with a sense of depth and dimensionality. Finally, I require a bass response that is taut, nuanced, and capable of conveying the subtlest textural details, thereby immersing me in a truly captivating sonic landscape. Sir, please suggest me a sub 500 dollar speaker best suited for requirements and preference.❤
never buy new, get kenwood ls880a or something that looks very similar. 200 euros, and it performs like a 10k speaker. some million dollar options dont even beat it. just dont buy new! and definetely dont buy small speakers, get huge fridges.
Randy, could you try the next revolution in cheap audio men? A series of videos using mid range speakers like for example the klipsch 6000f gen1 and the 600M gen 1 but using a minidsp flex with Dirac Live. Source --> Minidsp Flex --> DAC --> Midrange AMP --> Speakers and compare them with more expensive speakers. 😁 Thanks!
@@cheapaudioman please help me choosing speaker emotiva b1 or b2, q acoustic 5020, dali obreon 3 or any other than these. i need it for music and movies. good soundstage, separation , good surround etc
After listening to you rave about the Sony SSCS5 ,I had to give them a try . I hooked them up to the Marantz PM7001 and there is a dirty grin on my face every time I play them..... no sub. Thank you.
@user-jp3vl5jx1j the make and model number is clearly stated. What other people do with them dies not concern me at all. For $120 CAD on the used market, I did not sweat it. As good as SSCS5'S sound with the Marantz, they are staying in my speaker cycle for a while. I didn't like them with NAD amps but very nice with the Marantz and Cambridge Audio. Most of those returns of the Sony's are novice listeners. Furthermore, I would like to see a percentage of the return rate. The more numbers that are sold, the higher the return number. Regardless of the outcome......they stay.
@user-jp3vl5jx1j I'm glad you posted that the SSCS5's return rate is very high. I decided to do a little test with a low end receiver. Dust of the Yamaha RX-V371 and hooked them up. This is a terrible listening experience worse than with the Nad BEE316 and 758 receiver. To be honest, It was kind of expected. It could be people are buying the Sony's and hooking them up to lower end receivers. After all the reviews people may buying these inexpensive well built speakers and expecting them to sound phenomenal with their one and only low end receiver. Doomed to fail in a lot of circumstances. Amp matching does exist and it is very real. Sticking good speakers on a mismatched or poor performing amp does not equate to a good listening experience. I'm not saying my findings are gospel for the high return rate but very possible.
@@dennisandrews9170 Hi! I am new to all this, I'd like to ask you if it is okay to pair this Sony model u are talking about with a pc mostly to play games? Thank you
Those little Elac's are insane. We're currently using ours in a 1,200 sf shop (filled with cars and home gym), and they EASILY fill it with sound.....including bass. I put them out there temporarily, with the intent do go with something larger, but I've been totally satisfied. Their bass is bloated, but it works for our environment. I'd really like to hear the Denton's. They look soooo good. I had the SVS Ultra's for a short time, but was never pleased with them. Their soundstage was huge, but a garbled mess. Nothing was really placed in space; everything was everywhere. Maybe it was my room, but I had cheaper speakers that didn't have that issue in the same space. Wondering if the new version is really that different.
I've read you need great amplification to set the best out of them. I just bought the Dali Oberon 1s (My l1st Dalis) just for for Denon X2800 home cinema fronts. Much lower down the range but surprised just how good they sound with music & wide soundstage too (small narrow room) 👍
@@andrewbrazier9664 I have a Rega Brio 70w into 4ohms and they sing. Did have an Arcam SA20 before rated at 100 w and I much prefer the Rega. Never had the Oberon, I went from Spector 2 to Opticon 1 mk2 to Menuets
Do you have an opinion about the technique of “ towering” bookshelf speakers? I would like tweeters at ear height while seated and another at ear height while standing (and dancing)?
Really think you should review the Kanto Passive 5.25 Great speaker that matches great with my Cambridge Audio AXA35. I think it would beat out some of the speakers in this list.
Idk about randy. I have been watching for a while. Bought two products he recommended. Both were apparently amazing, in reality meh. Not everything has to be super cheap. And cheap just isn't always as nice as expensive
Always be on the lookout for Klipsch older model specials and inexpensive prices.. currently I obtained two pair a stock perfect condition new in the box forte 3 both pair for the price of one pair.. delivered. Open them up plug them in and voila.. the last speaker you will ever buy for the rest of your life.. comparing that to the forte 4. Very little difference between the two generations.. if you can find or come across the forte V3 in matched pairs even in so-called beef stock which doesn't mean anything more than there might be a few blemishes on the outside of the speaker cabinet.. buy them if you can afford to without hesitation you'll thank yourself for it
The new Q Acoustics looks the best out of all these. Have to agree with the comment section about Arendal speakers (in white)........and that 10 year warranty is rare these days.
As my military duty-enhanced hearing degradation progresses (high frequency loss, added clipping sensitivity), I find there are many inexpensive loudspeakers that sound as good as I can hear. No reason to spend big backs for nuances that have become inaudible to me. On my daily driver PC, I'm using a pair of Neumi BS5 loudspeakers with a Kinter K2020A+ amp. For a total of
I really wanted the Lintons. Price was a barrier. They had dropped but then went back up. And then up again. But… probably should have bought them anyway, by the time I add a sub to my bookshelf speakers, I’m back in the price range. 🤦♂️. Plus, so hard to audition any of this stuff nowadays.
@@cheapaudioman There are numerous sources where you can find detailed measurements of various speakers. Incorporating these metrics into your reviews could greatly enhance the value of your content, offering your audience a clearer, more objective understanding . This approach would not only inform but also add a layer of empirical evidence to your assessments, making them more valuable to your viewers.
@hmmmmmm69 sure, I’m not saying amplifiers don’t distort, but as long as the amp measures reasonably flat with another power delivery for your speakers, you shouldn’t have an issues.
Can you please give me some advice. I purchased Emotiva tower speakers and they have absolutely no bass. Is the a better speaker that I can get for the same amount of money approximately $2000? My previous speakers were Nestrovic Type 5 which were amazing speakers. Please let me know. This is my second set of speakers from this company. Thank you
Why has JBL killed off their boxed speakers in favor of their in wall THX monsters? They are all so damned expensive and they have ZERO BOX. So half the cost of production is not there. Fockx the rich, make a better world.
PMC and Sonus Faber on the list. I have heard lots of the Sonus Faber range, right up to the £15k range and all of them are good to great sounding. They look amazing too. PMC are quite bland to look at, but are very well made and the TL tech is floating my boat. Kudos Randy.
"breaks his cheater bar and punches a cow..." Okay Randy so now we know you seem to have grown up around Conan The Farmer. LOL How about top ten speakers under $1k in line with the cheaper side of things? Another cool video thanks.
Polk legend l100's. Best secret under $1k. Got em, couldn't be happier. Absolute shock how a 5 and 1/4 woofer and 1 inch tweeter does what it does. But I'm hooked. Can't shut em off.
Still looking for that desk audio set up... A lot of the speakers you talk about are all not for near-field listening per se, so I'm desperately looking for a setup around $500
Powered speakers are so much better than active. Shorter distance to the drivers and amps for each driver gets you superior transient response and crossover. They usury need a sub tho. I hate amps that color your music.
My favorites are Mirage Omni speakers. I like sound imaging above all else. With almost every other speaker, regardless of how good the specs on paper are I will hear the side I am closer to much more clearly than the other side. Unless you are sitting in the one sweet spot in the dead center of the room, you will not hear the balanced image you are supposed to hear. I absolutely hate that. Omnis on the other hand had their drivers aimed at reflectors which then disperses the sound widely. In my Home theater, the entire room is the sweet spot. You can clearly hear the left sounds coming from the left speaker and the right sounds coming from the right speaker from anywhere in the room, and the sound is balanced from every seating position. I'd like to get more speakers like that, but unfortunately that company is dead- killed by a tragic wave of corporate mergers and buyouts. Mirage, Athena, Jamo, Energy, Klipsch, Boston Acoustics, etc have all been swallowed up by the company that sells the aptly-named "spark-o-matics". Seeing the "Energy" brand name attached to a cheap sound bar sold at Wal-Mart felt like blasphemy. Could you recommend some good sweet-spot eliminating speakers for a square bedroom?
Can I drive Wharfdale Lintons with something like an NAD c700 v2 or Cambridge Audio EVO 75? If not Cambridge Audio Evo 150 or an Eversolo DMP 8? Looking for all-in-one streamer that can be the centerpiece of my system. Eventually would like to hook up a turntable to it for the few records I have.
Randy, you should do a video about the current incredible buys that can be found today! Examples, Cinema 30 replaced the Marantz SR8015, so you can buy the SR8015 for less than $2K. Six months ago, the SR8015 was $3,799! Ouch. Another good buy… Martin Logan Motion 60XTi replaced by the new Motion XT line, originally $1,749 each now going for $1,099! And when you consider this year’s top Motion is $2,749 each, its a freaking great buy. I think most of your followers would like hearing about great deals like this. Sometimes its not about being cheap, but getting the most value for your money! Thanks for the great videos.😮 11:24
First off, out the window with anything over $1000. Too high, too overpriced. Pushing the limit on what I would spend on a bookshelf speaker, I think I would give the Wharfedale 80th anniversary's a shot or the new Emotiva XB2's. I DID by the Sony SSCS5's based on Randy constantly coming back to them and bringing it home on the sound quality. I got them on sale at the $123 price point and they are certainly very impressive at that price. I would say mids and highs, I like them as much as my RP-600m's, but when it comes to the bass, the latter is FAR superior. Used in a small system and if you are very close, like within 3 feet of the Sony's, you may get away without a subwoofer, but further back, yeah, you need a sub. I was thinking about the Elac B42s as well, but have heard from several sources that even though the bass extension is good for a small speaker, it is not very accurate. When it come to Elac, I think I would like to try out the Uni-Fi 2.0. However, the $700 price point puts it JUST outside of what I would spend on a bookshelf speaker ($650). Perhaps if it went on sale. I would be curious if the Uni-Fi 2.0 would give the Kef LS50 a run for it's money. While I think the LS50 is an interesting speaker, I am not fond of the cabinet styling and it is FAR too overpriced. Definitely out of the affordable category as well as some of the speakers on Randy's list (cough cough Sonus, Q Acoustics).
Never tried any Klipsch speakers, but seriously considering getting the Nines and using its line out to feed my current Fosi ZA3/ Q150s setup when playing genres of music more suited to KEFs. It'd also save me from having to invest in a separate Pre, since I can just use the HDMI Arc on Nines for all my audio sources... Was hoping my LG C1's optical output would be sufficient, but it distorts audio terribly in the upper range. Bad ringing/Sibilance, which I thought was a speaker problem at first.
You should check out the PSB Synchrony bookies I brought on sale at 1.1k in the UK. Amazing clarity; beautiful dynamics; insane bass as the Canadian top reviewer says.
The Sonus Faber Lumina II Amator costs $3,000 AUD in Australia 😭 that's more than I was wantspend on my PC speakers. I was thinking max $1,500 plus a quality sub that can be shared withe the tv system and pc.
Didn't you just make a video abut the PSB Alpha P3 and say that you like them more than the Elac BS41 ? Can you elaborate why you put the BS41 on the list after saying you like the Alpha P3 better?
Thanks audio man. I know absolutely nothing. Bewildering. I want to replace my old soundbar. And at this point why not go for something real. I think i´m going for the pioner lx305 av receiver. With the kef q350 In front. Then i´m going to see again. I can´t listen to anything around here. So really i do not have any reference points to understand. I listen to other speakers on tv😅
I really have to say if you’re new to getting into Audio. Start with a pair of edifiers. They sound so damn good for like 120 dollars. Great beginner speakers. You can’t beat the price for quality you get
Buuuuuuuuut......you really do love those Klipsch Nines? I am in serious doubt between these or saving tons of money and getting me some Buchardts. But hey; I'm in a divorce and need all the money that I can save. Wife is taking the NAD amps and the speakers.
Aiyima T9 pro is awesome. But your overall volume in stats for nerds is not, -12db over the entire video, I have to double my volume to hear you compared to normal content. Could you please finish you videos with more than 50% volume sir?
Excuse my ignorance, do the Sony ones need an Amp? I'm not sure but it looks like they are both passive bookshelf speakers, is that right? Will the presonus 4.5 be a good trade so I can get an active-passive pair?
@@EMSHWILLER86 Couldn't find anything I like more than my contour S1.4 LE after auditioning most available brands in many of their models... Sonus Faber gave me very close vibes, though, excellent too! Disappointed by B&W under high load - complex music, messy mix and high volume - and by KEF - meh sound except the old IQ30, but lacking meat on the bone. Paradigm atom monitor 7 are quite impressive too. Never enjoyed Klipsch or Focal... except maybe Klipsch RF7 mkii playing Pink Floyd. In your face but the live version came out impressively realistic!
@@nc3419From what I've read Emit are not as good value & sound as the rest of their range. Like many premium speaker manufacturers around lockdown time Dyn brought out this entry level product range to compete. Dali have had much more critical & commercial success with their Oberon & Opticon Mk 2 ranges launched at a similar time. Now owning a pair of Oberon 1s (designed to be used with grills ON! ) I can clearly hear why. 👍
few weeks with my monitor audio bronze 100 as a first hifi system and I gotta say I am very happy with them!
Some people might find them too bright but I like and for movies its great as well, very nice bass! I have a 5 month old so haven't been able to play with like crazy haha
I'm about 6 months into owning Arendal's 1723 THX floor standing speakers. Still in love. I ain't ever replacing 'em.
Agree I’ve had mine for over a year and they still rock my house every time. Incredibly well built. 10 year warranty. Highly recommend.
Same great vibes over here as well with regards to my Arendal 1723 Towers! Have had them since 11/2023 and freaking love them just an absolute blast to listen to. Won’t ever get rid of them they will stay in the family for generations and eventually given to my son when he gets older 👍
I’m about to buy the 1723 s bookshelf’s and centre speaker do you think a Marantz cinema 50 is a good match heard they are power hungry?
@@marc8673 I wouldn't have a clue about the S series stuff. I have the full-sized towers paired with a 3rd gen Emotiva XPA-TWO (supposed to be 500 wrms per channel).
EDIT: I'd purchase a standalone amp for the speakers if I were in your shoes. ...but I'm not you, ya know? I don't know about your expectations, goals, what type of music you'll be listening to, how big or small your room is, etc etc etc.
Would have love to see a comparison between the 1723 monitor s and the kef r3 meta. Just got the r3 meta but haven’t connected them yet but was hoping for a comparison somewhere
Randy, if you haven’t already, please review the B&W 706S3’s. Fabulous speaker. Great soundstage, detail, and balance. These are right around $2200, so similar to others on this list.
I think those Ascend Acoustics CBM 170SE you reviewed should be on this list easily, Especially with those Sony's and Elac's you have on this list I mean cmon.
You should audition the Paradigm Founders 80f or 100f’s
even the 40b's
You really need to listen to Paradigm... Founder 40b or the big boys. Even their older Studio 100 V5's will absolutely floor you! (All subjective of course)
im still in love with my paradigm reference studios from 1998 !
Just pulled the trigger on a pair of the discontinued SVS's, $749 out the door, speakers, shipping and taxes. These will be my new office sound. The will replace the KEF 150's. The 150s will replace the sound bar on the den 65inch TV.
I sold my lumina 2’s for lintons and I’m happy but man. I miss those luminas they were really nice in my space and vocals were great
Love my ELAC BS41's. Have them on stands in my home office. Powered by a little Fosi Audio DA2120A and a Wiim Mini. A friend of mine came in and asked where I had the subwoofer hidden. It's all the BS41's. And I realize having an actual sub would definitely hit harder, but these little things are pretty great.
When it comes to speakers there is no replacement for displacement, that will never change. Still nothing ive heard compare with my Legacy Focus for metal music😊
That's what $12,000 buys ya. I have always wanted to hear those too!👍
HAVE A COUPLE OF WHARFEDALE 12.1 DIAMOND SPEAKERS. BEAUTIFUL SOUND. WELL MADE. Thanks Randy as always. HAVE A HAPPY EASTER BREAK.
Normally i would see Sony speaker and think it's probably bad.
You were the reason that changed.
When i decided to buy speakers i went on a journey to demo some that were 2 to 3 times more expensive.
On the way i saw a sony store and remembered your recs.
When i geard them i was blown away.
They now proudly take their place as my first ever speakers.
Thank you!
I've had phenomenal luck with Sony home audio products for over 20 years. Honestly, Sony has never let me down, but I'm no audiophile and have never owned any high-end gear.
I just found that the Emotiva T1+ was on your list. I gotta tell you that I was convinced I was upgrading to the XT2 when they became available. Well they became available today and for $1,300 I am having a terrible time pulling the trigger! I love these T1+'s...
My favorite speaker is a filling I got in 1974. It reproduces a powerhouse AM station with startling clarity. However it is difficult to predict.
"ok"..said Lori Partridge's braces...😁
I'm glad the Wharfedale Linton's stayed on your list. Now that there are brand new "Super" Dentons (3 way), and I think a 90th Anniversary Dovedale, hopefully we will see a new 90th Anniversary Linton coming out soon.
Dynaudio Evoke 10 and Dynaudio Contour 20i are truly magical, when paired with a high current amp.
I'm surprised the Fluance Signature wasn't on there considering you raved about it and rated it above the Sony SSC5. 🤔
A bit more expensive than this list but when the Mofi Sourcepoint 10 went on sale a few weeks back. I paired them with my Yamaha a-s2200 integrated. Wow. The dynamics and huge sound out of these speakers is just amazing!! My Svs subwoofer has essentially been turned off at -60db since the Sourcepoint 10 speakers get amazingly deep despite their spec of 42Hz. Great review as always sir.
any of these better than the elac 3.0's? lookin into new speakers rn and thinking on the new elac debuts
I get frustrated and annoyed when I watch videos of this type. Why? Because my Tannoy Revolution XT-8F towers just completely float my boat! I've no desire for an upgrade. (Then again, I got a major bargain when I go $2,600 speakers for $1800.) They just have a synergy with my system! But, despite having watched innumerable UA-cam reviews raving about them, nobody puts them on their top 10 list. Maybe just goes to show all of us that there are a LOT of good-great quality products available to us all!
Would love to hear your take on some Zu Dirty Weekends!
Thank you for this. It's nice to have a place to start with so many choices in the marketplace. Appreciate you included Waffle House pricing, on up to the nice specialty brunch location choices.
@cheapaudioman great list. Thanks! I’ve really enjoyed your channel and continue to get better educated on all things audio.
Awesome, thank you!
for a budget set, I love, love my Martian Logan ESL's
One of the very very best never sell!!❤
SVS Ultra bookshelves should have stayed on the list IMO. They are great speakers and on sale because they are being discontinued. $800 for a pair! I don't see many used for sale. Easy to drive. A great rock and roll speaker as well as HT. Glad they were still mentioned.
What would be wonderful would be an actual list of the speakers you chat about here. Do you think you could post one up, please, if you wouldn't mind, thank you very much?
Hoping for a Speedwoofer 10e review soon!
What happened to KEF?
I have a pair of the Arendal 1723 S monitors, they will be staying around for a long time.
I have a penchant for acoustic music, and I crave a sonic experience that faithfully reproduces the instrumentation with utmost precision. I desire to discern each instrument - be it the violin's soaring highs, the drum's dynamic attack, the flute's airy subtleties, or the guitar's rich timbre - with crystal clarity and definition. a sound signature that is unfatigueing and suitable for extended listening , very easy to ears , an all day speaker .Furthermore, I seek vocals that are layered, lively, and nuanced, with a sense of depth and dimensionality. Finally, I require a bass response that is taut, nuanced, and capable of conveying the subtlest textural details, thereby immersing me in a truly captivating sonic landscape.
Sir, please suggest me a sub 500 dollar speaker best suited for requirements and preference.❤
never buy new, get kenwood ls880a or something that looks very similar. 200 euros, and it performs like a 10k speaker. some million dollar options dont even beat it. just dont buy new! and definetely dont buy small speakers, get huge fridges.
Any reason why I rarely see Dali speakers been reviewed?
Randy, could you try the next revolution in cheap audio men?
A series of videos using mid range speakers like for example the klipsch 6000f gen1 and the 600M gen 1 but using a minidsp flex with Dirac Live.
Source --> Minidsp Flex --> DAC --> Midrange AMP --> Speakers
and compare them with more expensive speakers. 😁
Thanks!
Have acoustic energy ae1 that are around 40 years old. Never going to replace them ❤❤❤❤😊😊😊
Fun fact:
Average price top 10 speakers 2022: $620
Average price top 10 speakers 2023: $830
Average price top 10 speakers 2024: $1143
nice. that's so cool that you did the math. Fun fact... legit no one sent me expensive speakers in 2022. More did in 2023 and even more in 2024
Average inflation rate lately, priceless.
@@cheapaudioman
please help me choosing speaker
emotiva b1 or b2, q acoustic 5020, dali obreon 3
or any other than these.
i need it for music and movies. good soundstage, separation , good surround etc
After listening to you rave about the Sony SSCS5 ,I had to give them a try . I hooked them up to the Marantz PM7001 and there is a dirty grin on my face every time I play them..... no sub. Thank you.
@user-jp3vl5jx1j the make and model number is clearly stated. What other people do with them dies not concern me at all. For $120 CAD on the used market, I did not sweat it. As good as SSCS5'S sound with the Marantz, they are staying in my speaker cycle for a while. I didn't like them with NAD amps but very nice with the Marantz and Cambridge Audio. Most of those returns of the Sony's are novice listeners. Furthermore, I would like to see a percentage of the return rate. The more numbers that are sold, the higher the return number. Regardless of the outcome......they stay.
@user-jp3vl5jx1j I'm glad you posted that the SSCS5's return rate is very high. I decided to do a little test with a low end receiver. Dust of the Yamaha RX-V371 and hooked them up. This is a terrible listening experience worse than with the Nad BEE316 and 758 receiver. To be honest, It was kind of expected. It could be people are buying the Sony's and hooking them up to lower end receivers. After all the reviews people may buying these inexpensive well built speakers and expecting them to sound phenomenal with their one and only low end receiver. Doomed to fail in a lot of circumstances. Amp matching does exist and it is very real. Sticking good speakers on a mismatched or poor performing amp does not equate to a good listening experience. I'm not saying my findings are gospel for the high return rate but very possible.
@@dennisandrews9170 Hi! I am new to all this, I'd like to ask you if it is okay to pair this Sony model u are talking about with a pc mostly to play games? Thank you
Those little Elac's are insane. We're currently using ours in a 1,200 sf shop (filled with cars and home gym), and they EASILY fill it with sound.....including bass. I put them out there temporarily, with the intent do go with something larger, but I've been totally satisfied. Their bass is bloated, but it works for our environment.
I'd really like to hear the Denton's. They look soooo good.
I had the SVS Ultra's for a short time, but was never pleased with them. Their soundstage was huge, but a garbled mess. Nothing was really placed in space; everything was everywhere. Maybe it was my room, but I had cheaper speakers that didn't have that issue in the same space. Wondering if the new version is really that different.
Hey I love my Debut 2 b6.2. I don't understand why SOME critics do not like them. They are phenomenal.
GoldenEar BRX with AMT ribbon tweeters, 40hz-35 Khz, 90db sensitivity.
Apple Music
Dali Menuet, the best bookshelf speaker by a mile
I've read you need great amplification to set the best out of them.
I just bought the Dali Oberon 1s (My l1st Dalis) just for for Denon X2800 home cinema fronts.
Much lower down the range but surprised just how good they sound with music & wide soundstage too (small narrow room) 👍
@@andrewbrazier9664 I have a Rega Brio 70w into 4ohms and they sing. Did have an Arcam SA20 before rated at 100 w and I much prefer the Rega. Never had the Oberon, I went from Spector 2 to Opticon 1 mk2 to Menuets
Is it telling that there are no speaker kits that made it into the top 10? What happened to CSS Audio?
this was a list for factory speakers only
Bonjour is in French, in Italian we say Buongiorno (buon=good; giorno=day)!! best regards!
Do you have an opinion about the technique of “ towering” bookshelf speakers? I would like tweeters at ear height while seated and another at ear height while standing (and dancing)?
Hey Randy how would you say the CSS Criton 1TDX compares to your Sonus Faber's?
Really think you should review the Kanto Passive 5.25 Great speaker that matches great with my Cambridge Audio AXA35. I think it would beat out some of the speakers in this list.
does the css 1tdx still hold up in this list? im considering building on myself when I get the budget!
You’ve probably built it by now and I’m sure it blows away every speaker on his list
Idk about randy. I have been watching for a while. Bought two products he recommended. Both were apparently amazing, in reality meh. Not everything has to be super cheap. And cheap just isn't always as nice as expensive
Always be on the lookout for Klipsch older model specials and inexpensive prices.. currently I obtained two pair a stock perfect condition new in the box forte 3 both pair for the price of one pair.. delivered. Open them up plug them in and voila.. the last speaker you will ever buy for the rest of your life.. comparing that to the forte 4. Very little difference between the two generations.. if you can find or come across the forte V3 in matched pairs even in so-called beef stock which doesn't mean anything more than there might be a few blemishes on the outside of the speaker cabinet.. buy them if you can afford to without hesitation you'll thank yourself for it
The new Q Acoustics looks the best out of all these.
Have to agree with the comment section about Arendal speakers (in white)........and that 10 year warranty is rare these days.
As my military duty-enhanced hearing degradation progresses (high frequency loss, added clipping sensitivity), I find there are many inexpensive loudspeakers that sound as good as I can hear. No reason to spend big backs for nuances that have become inaudible to me. On my daily driver PC, I'm using a pair of Neumi BS5 loudspeakers with a Kinter K2020A+ amp. For a total of
I really wanted the Lintons. Price was a barrier. They had dropped but then went back up. And then up again. But… probably should have bought them anyway, by the time I add a sub to my bookshelf speakers, I’m back in the price range. 🤦♂️. Plus, so hard to audition any of this stuff nowadays.
I love my new polk ES15 they sound lovely, can you please review the ES20 randy??
Best UA-cam channel ❤❤
LOUDNESS : I would love to know the Rating on all of these LOUDNESS BEFORE DISTORSION i have yet to see anyone do this ??? WHY ?
I don't know what any of that means
@hmmmmmm69 speakers distort above a certain volume regardless of amp you use lol
@@cheapaudioman There are numerous sources where you can find detailed measurements of various speakers. Incorporating these metrics into your reviews could greatly enhance the value of your content, offering your audience a clearer, more objective understanding . This approach would not only inform but also add a layer of empirical evidence to your assessments, making them more valuable to your viewers.
@hmmmmmm69 sure, I’m not saying amplifiers don’t distort, but as long as the amp measures reasonably flat with another power delivery for your speakers, you shouldn’t have an issues.
Regardless of price and you didn’t even think of one of the Magnaplaner models. Do you have a problem with planar speakers or electrostatics?
Can you please give me some advice. I purchased Emotiva tower speakers and they have absolutely no bass. Is the a better speaker that I can get for the same amount of money approximately $2000?
My previous speakers were Nestrovic Type 5 which were amazing speakers. Please let me know. This is my second set of speakers from this company. Thank you
Curious to know about genelecs and aperion, genelecs seem to get rave reviews
Best bargin in hifi right now is the Borresen X series
Why has JBL killed off their boxed speakers in favor of their in wall THX monsters? They are all so damned expensive and they have ZERO BOX. So half the cost of production is not there. Fockx the rich, make a better world.
Hey what about Kef q 150 ?
PMC and Sonus Faber on the list. I have heard lots of the Sonus Faber range, right up to the £15k range and all of them are good to great sounding. They look amazing too. PMC are quite bland to look at, but are very well made and the TL tech is floating my boat. Kudos Randy.
"breaks his cheater bar and punches a cow..." Okay Randy so now we know you seem to have grown up around Conan The Farmer. LOL
How about top ten speakers under $1k in line with the cheaper side of things?
Another cool video thanks.
Oh I love that idea!
What happened to the kef q150? That you loved?
How much better are Prodigy 1's than ELAC DEBUT 3.0 62's?
Polk legend l100's. Best secret under $1k. Got em, couldn't be happier. Absolute shock how a 5 and 1/4 woofer and 1 inch tweeter does what it does. But I'm hooked. Can't shut em off.
Great speaker.
My son is disabled n continues to watch you n sometimes purchase your stuff
Well I have to deal with it n it gets cancelled.
Still looking for that desk audio set up... A lot of the speakers you talk about are all not for near-field listening per se, so I'm desperately looking for a setup around $500
Check out the PSB alpha vid I did
@cheapaudioman ironically that video is what led me to the PSB. Right now I'm looking at the SU-1 and the Fosi Audio V3 to pair with the PSB P3
@@onehellofanerd would be a brilliant combo
Powered speakers are so much better than active. Shorter distance to the drivers and amps for each driver gets you superior transient response and crossover. They usury need a sub tho. I hate amps that color your music.
I believe you meant to say "passive" speaker. Powered speaker and active speaker are the same thing.
Yeah no one cares about THX in fact it makes the speaker sound cheap
What about Edifier r1280db.
How come no mention of a price on the Sonos Faber speakers. My guess is about 3 grand. 😅
ZU DW6
DIY projects should hit the list
My favorites are Mirage Omni speakers. I like sound imaging above all else.
With almost every other speaker, regardless of how good the specs on paper are I will hear the side I am closer to much more clearly than the other side. Unless you are sitting in the one sweet spot in the dead center of the room, you will not hear the balanced image you are supposed to hear. I absolutely hate that.
Omnis on the other hand had their drivers aimed at reflectors which then disperses the sound widely. In my Home theater, the entire room is the sweet spot. You can clearly hear the left sounds coming from the left speaker and the right sounds coming from the right speaker from anywhere in the room, and the sound is balanced from every seating position.
I'd like to get more speakers like that, but unfortunately that company is dead- killed by a tragic wave of corporate mergers and buyouts. Mirage, Athena, Jamo, Energy, Klipsch, Boston Acoustics, etc have all been swallowed up by the company that sells the aptly-named "spark-o-matics". Seeing the "Energy" brand name attached to a cheap sound bar sold at Wal-Mart felt like blasphemy.
Could you recommend some good sweet-spot eliminating speakers for a square bedroom?
Hope you review the new super denton soon!
I hope so too!
@@cheapaudioman and the 5050 by q acoustics! i bet these two have the potential to be in the next top 10 list you make! 😀
The Linton 85 sale is usually $1500, not $1800. Nice job for getting rid of products that are no longer on the market 👍
Can I drive Wharfdale Lintons with something like an NAD c700 v2 or Cambridge Audio EVO 75? If not Cambridge Audio Evo 150 or an Eversolo DMP 8? Looking for all-in-one streamer that can be the centerpiece of my system. Eventually would like to hook up a turntable to it for the few records I have.
did you ever heard teufel speakers? The teufel Theater 500 or 500s are very goog speakers. maybe
Randy, you should do a video about the current incredible buys that can be found today! Examples, Cinema 30 replaced the Marantz SR8015, so you can buy the SR8015 for less than $2K. Six months ago, the SR8015 was $3,799! Ouch.
Another good buy… Martin Logan Motion 60XTi replaced by the new Motion XT line, originally $1,749 each now going for $1,099! And when you consider this year’s top Motion is $2,749 each, its a freaking great buy.
I think most of your followers would like hearing about great deals like this. Sometimes its not about being cheap, but getting the most value for your money!
Thanks for the great videos.😮 11:24
First off, out the window with anything over $1000. Too high, too overpriced. Pushing the limit on what I would spend on a bookshelf speaker, I think I would give the Wharfedale 80th anniversary's a shot or the new Emotiva XB2's. I DID by the Sony SSCS5's based on Randy constantly coming back to them and bringing it home on the sound quality. I got them on sale at the $123 price point and they are certainly very impressive at that price. I would say mids and highs, I like them as much as my RP-600m's, but when it comes to the bass, the latter is FAR superior. Used in a small system and if you are very close, like within 3 feet of the Sony's, you may get away without a subwoofer, but further back, yeah, you need a sub. I was thinking about the Elac B42s as well, but have heard from several sources that even though the bass extension is good for a small speaker, it is not very accurate. When it come to Elac, I think I would like to try out the Uni-Fi 2.0. However, the $700 price point puts it JUST outside of what I would spend on a bookshelf speaker ($650). Perhaps if it went on sale. I would be curious if the Uni-Fi 2.0 would give the Kef LS50 a run for it's money. While I think the LS50 is an interesting speaker, I am not fond of the cabinet styling and it is FAR too overpriced. Definitely out of the affordable category as well as some of the speakers on Randy's list (cough cough Sonus, Q Acoustics).
Never tried any Klipsch speakers, but seriously considering getting the Nines and using its line out to feed my current Fosi ZA3/ Q150s setup when playing genres of music more suited to KEFs. It'd also save me from having to invest in a separate Pre, since I can just use the HDMI Arc on Nines for all my audio sources... Was hoping my LG C1's optical output would be sufficient, but it distorts audio terribly in the upper range. Bad ringing/Sibilance, which I thought was a speaker problem at first.
How about introducing some new players to the game, like Dali, Mission, PSB, Dynaudio, Triangle, Paradigm, Fluance, just to name a few!
You should check out the PSB Synchrony bookies I brought on sale at 1.1k in the UK. Amazing clarity; beautiful dynamics; insane bass as the Canadian top reviewer says.
The Sonus Faber Lumina II Amator costs $3,000 AUD in Australia 😭 that's more than I was wantspend on my PC speakers. I was thinking max $1,500 plus a quality sub that can be shared withe the tv system and pc.
Didn't you just make a video abut the PSB Alpha P3 and say that you like them more than the Elac BS41 ? Can you elaborate why you put the BS41 on the list after saying you like the Alpha P3 better?
Thanks audio man. I know absolutely nothing. Bewildering. I want to replace my old soundbar. And at this point why not go for something real.
I think i´m going for the pioner lx305 av receiver. With the kef q350 In front. Then i´m going to see again. I can´t listen to anything around here. So really i do not have any reference points to understand. I listen to other speakers on tv😅
I really have to say if you’re new to getting into Audio. Start with a pair of edifiers. They sound so damn good for like 120 dollars. Great beginner speakers. You can’t beat the price for quality you get
Buuuuuuuuut......you really do love those Klipsch Nines?
I am in serious doubt between these or saving tons of money and getting me some Buchardts.
But hey; I'm in a divorce and need all the money that I can save. Wife is taking the NAD amps and the speakers.
The Arendal 1723 S Monitors were the "perfect speaker" but were an addendum to the list? Would love to know why you sent back the perfect speaker?
Hey Randy, what a surprise the KEF LS50's are not on your list :D Try to test the Dynaudio Emit 10 or 20, they are kinda cheap but great value ;-)
Aiyima T9 pro is awesome. But your overall volume in stats for nerds is not, -12db over the entire video, I have to double my volume to hear you compared to normal content. Could you please finish you videos with more than 50% volume sir?
Arendal are expensive since it's a Norwegian brand.. Everything cost 100 times more here to research, produce, store and so on.. a shame..
How would the L100 classics compare to my avantgarde trio g3's? And would they pair well with my ongaku.
I'm looking for a good sounding stereo receiver for my garage under $300 I have the Klipsch rf51 speakers out there any suggestions?
Excuse my ignorance, do the Sony ones need an Amp? I'm not sure but it looks like they are both passive bookshelf speakers, is that right? Will the presonus 4.5 be a good trade so I can get an active-passive pair?
How did Dynaudio not make the list?
I've never heard one
Please try and get a pair, especially a set of Special 40s. You'll be blown away! 😁
Didn't like the Emit 10. Perhaps up the line.
@@EMSHWILLER86 Couldn't find anything I like more than my contour S1.4 LE after auditioning most available brands in many of their models...
Sonus Faber gave me very close vibes, though, excellent too!
Disappointed by B&W under high load - complex music, messy mix and high volume - and by KEF - meh sound except the old IQ30, but lacking meat on the bone.
Paradigm atom monitor 7 are quite impressive too.
Never enjoyed Klipsch or Focal... except maybe Klipsch RF7 mkii playing Pink Floyd. In your face but the live version came out impressively realistic!
@@nc3419From what I've read Emit are not as good value & sound as the rest of their range.
Like many premium speaker manufacturers around lockdown time Dyn brought out this entry level product range to compete.
Dali have had much more critical & commercial success with their Oberon & Opticon Mk 2 ranges launched at a similar time.
Now owning a pair of Oberon 1s (designed to be used with grills ON! ) I can clearly hear why. 👍
Dali Spektor 2 not in the list? How does the Denton 80th vs Dali Spektor 2? Overlall perjormance. thanks!
Dude, just found your channel. What a great presenter you are! Keep it up, my man. Have a nice day.
Wharfedale just announced the SUPER DENTON
SourcePoint 8’s here. 2023/24 EISA Stand mounts of the year. Just wow.
Great list!
thanks, Steve O!
Hilarious how deep speaker producers think my bookshelves are. Most bookshelves I have seen would be able to hold half the speaker at most 😂😂