What are the best value for the $ new floor standing speakers below $500?

[Delta77]

Don’t have experience with these, but I don’t see you going wrong $400 for $1,000 bookshelf speakers ..??
Or $600 for a pair of $1,800 center channels used as monitors (much nicer than mainstream brands)
I’ve been keeping an eye on DANNY RICHIE’s (DIY) designs also , from what I read from experienced AC’ers

N3
Your Price: $519.00

DANNY knows what he’s doing..! At. http://www.gr-research.com/

List Price: $899.00
Your Price: $299.00
You Save: $600.00 (67 %
Davanti
List Price: $1,299.00
Your Price: $399.00
You Save: $900.00 (69 %)


Carnegie Acoustics Davanti

 

[Delta77]

“New
A little over budget at $710 but I've heard good things about the Tekton Mini-Lores. Cool thing is that they play well with tubes.“

I own TEKTON’s and second that recommendation.. Eric makes almost anything you want, Monitors, Centers, Subs, Small Floorstanders, Large Floorstanders,.. ( you have to call and get his recommendation) ..Very live sound , can be a little bright, but Images Very Well, Very well.. But Prices start around $700 , $1,000 , $1,600 , $2,000..
http://www.tektondesign.com/uploads/9/8/4/7/98478018/lorereference_1_orig.jpg

 

[the skipper]

Pretty much every model recommended so far in this price range (below $500 for a pair of speakers) is "good" when you read reviews but still has some serious imperfections - either high frequencies are no good or low frequencies handling is bad or things do not sound well when you turn up volume too high. Except for Onkyo 4800. Nobody said it's a top model, of course, it's pretty cheap, but I have not seen anything negative about it anywhere.

Let's be real. No speaker is perfect. Each and every one has strengths AND weaknesses. The trick is finding one with the weaknesses you can live with. And, reading about them is an exercise in mental masturbation. You can read everyone else's opinion but, in the end, only your ears can tell you what's the right one for you.

Whatever you buy, make up your mind that you'e either gonna live with them beforehand or make sure the vendor has liberal return policies and save all packing materials.

 

[SPL db]

Found this list with what looks to be some decent speakers right in you price range.

Not sure if any local shops in your area have them to audition or if shipping might be a deal breaker but have a look.

http://avproductreviews.com/best-floorstanding-speakers-under-500

 

[goodolpg]

OK...Prices are getting interesting. Best Buy has a plastic SONY Core on sale for $99.99 a piece now which is less than a wooden JBL Arena 180 or it's cheaper equivalent. Price difference is still negligible but the question remains - SONY or JBL ? Which one sounds better?

Doesn't matter "what sounds better" to anyone else.
You really should go listen for yourself if possible.

 

[Alex11210]

I think you are right. I should just go and listen this week-end in Best Buy. I will let you know what I hear.

 

[Alex11210]

Some people are saying that Best Buy is consistently offering 50% off Klipsch speakers on Thanksgiving day only. Are "inexpensive" Klipsch much better than Sony? They have ugly design (that shiny gold reflecting in your eyes) but I guess I could live with it.

 

[Alex11210]

Stupid question: How many sets of speakers (with amplifiers, of course) and average family of 4 (2 teenage kids) normally has if everyone has a separate bedroom plus there is a living room, a library and office room (so space is not an issue)?

 

[jasn]

Amazon is currently selling the Elac Uni-Fi UF5's for $399 ($100 off). I've had a pair in my system for about 4 months now and am very, very happy with them.

 

[Alex11210]

Thank you. I am sure an $800 (after discount) pair of speakers can make a lot of people very, very happy. I am trying to find a pair of speakers for $200 - $500 (after discount) that will make me very, very happy with them.

 

[darkblue94]

You're never going to get any closer to choosing any speakers until you make an effort to get out and listen to some for yourself.

 

[SteveS in VA]

This thread is on its third page and no one as asked what kind of music he or his family likes to hear, and how loud. Neither has there been a discussion of what amplifier power he has or expects to have. We are given he has a large house, but no details about the specific listening room and any impact that and it's furnishings would have on the speakers.

It would also help if we ask about what specific speakers he has heard and either liked or didn't like.

Just note that it is really important to go out and listen to speakers, either in stores or in friends homes. The only speakers I could buy without serious audition would be Magnepan, but that's because I have owned several models over the years, including my current pair.

 

[the skipper]

This thread is on its third page and no one as asked what kind of music he or his family likes to hear, and how loud. Neither has there been a discussion of what amplifier power he has or expects to have. We are given he has a large house, but no details about the specific listening room and any impact that and it's furnishings would have on the speakers.

It would also help if we ask about what specific speakers he has heard and either liked or didn't like.

OP's statement/question in post 51 sort of make this impossible to answer and therefore a somewhat moot point.

To wit:

Stupid question: How many sets of speakers (with amplifiers, of course) and average family of 4 (2 teenage kids) normally has if everyone has a separate bedroom plus there is a living room, a library and office room (so space is not an issue)?

 

[darkblue94]

This thread is on its third page and no one as asked what kind of music he or his family likes to hear, and how loud. Neither has there been a discussion of what amplifier power he has or expects to have. We are given he has a large house, but no details about the specific listening room and any impact that and it's furnishings would have on the speakers.

It would also help if we ask about what specific speakers he has heard and either liked or didn't like.

Just note that it is really important to go out and listen to speakers, either in stores or in friends homes. The only speakers I could buy without serious audition would be Magnepan, but that's because I have owned several models over the years, including my current pair.

He's got multiple threads running concurrently with all that information already covered. Thank you for checking in.

 

[Alex11210]

The receiver is Yamaha RX V-361 and it looks like it's only 100 watts per channel. Do I need a better receiver?
I don't have much furniture in the area where I put speakers and there is plenty of open space.
The type of music is quite diverse because different family members like different things - classic, rock, rap, pop, disco.

I did go to Best Buy Magnolia place to listen to some speakers and it was a big disappointment.
In that store they only had very expensive speakers to be tested.
Very few relatively inexpensive models were on display and I could only listen to a SONY which is on sale for $200 a pair now and a Klipsch - $900 for a pair of speakers.
My impressions: SONY - while performing OK at low to mid volume, definitely started to tremble at high volume, Speakers were small, cheap looking and in any respect seemed inadequate for a large space in a mid-to-large house.
Klipsch was performing 100% adequately in all frequencies and at all volume levels, did look much better than I expected, the only thing I needed to buy it was a 50% off deal.
JBL 180 - they didn't even have it in stock. There were some Polk models on display I didn't care about but it wasn't even possible to listen to them. The salespeson was not very knowlegeable about the products and was the only one to help. Well, at least he was trying.

 

[darkblue94]

The receiver is Yamaha RX V-361 and it looks like it's only 100 watts per channel. Do I need a better receiver?
I don't have much furniture in the area where I put speakers and there is plenty of open space.
The type of music is quite diverse because different family members like different things - classic, rock, rap, pop, disco.

I did go to Best Buy Magnolia place to listen to some speakers and it was a big disappointment.
In that store they only had very expensive speakers to be tested.
Very few relatively inexpensive models were on display and I could only listen to a SONY which is on sale for $200 a pair now and a Klipsch - $900 for a pair of speakers.
My impressions: SONY - while performing OK at low to mid volume, definitely started to tremble at high volume, Speakers were small, cheap looking and in any respect seemed inadequate for a large space in a mid-to-large house.
Klipsch was performing 100% adequately in all frequencies and at all volume levels, did look much better than I expected, the only thing I needed to buy it was a 50% off deal.
JBL 180 - they didn't even have it in stock. There were some Polk models on display I didn't care about but it wasn't even possible to listen to them. The salespeson was not very knowlegeable about the products and was the only one to help. Well, at least he was trying.

You are more likely to find a real audio retailer in Tampa than you are in your neighborhood. BestBuy does not qualify.

 

[nfafan]

BestBuy is useful due to return policy and ability for instant gratification; take any example sold locally out of the sucky BB showroom and install at home for a truer audition.Then decide.

BB once had a house-brand "post-Indignia" Insignia that they didn't even bother to push to sell or even have set up for demo (as it was apparently superceded by their AJones Pioneer BS22 deal), yet in an at-home audition it easily meets/exceeds AJones BS22 Pios in performance. A complete sleeper. Whoever made it for BB did a good job, but few knew.

 

[lico]

It’s not that I don’t respect it. The OP hasn’t given a reason why he wants new, he came here to be driven in the right direction. If someone came to you and said I want to spend $30k on a brand spanking new Ford sedan, it would be a shame if someone didn’t point out the $30k Lexus that’s better in every single way with only 6000 miles on it.

OP, just throwing this out there, but in your area on CL there is a pair of Vandersteen model 3s and a much newer pair of JBL studio 590s. The JBLs are fairly recent and are supposed to be awesome. You could get each pair at $500 with some talking and either would squash the Onkyo.

If you absolutely only will look at new then my opinion of what has been suggested thus far is a few posts up.

Dan

A set of 590s for $500? That would be my choice.

 

[zieglj01]

A set of 590s for $500? That would be my choice.

A no-brainer and can take the power and fill the room

 

[Alex11210]

A new pair of JBL 590 would be awsome and they look very sexy but it's $2,000. Less glamorous Klipsch R-28F will definitely be on sale next week at Best Buy for $450 a pair and may be adequate. My receiver is 100 W though and those are 150 W so I guess I don't have to buy a new receiver but if I want to make it real loud (in relative terms, of course), I think I better buy a 145-150 W receiver. Probably Klipsch RP-280F would be even better but I don't think that one will be on sale, not at Best Buy anyway.