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

[zieglj01]

Be careful, Playing Loud and Sounding Good do not always go together.

Bingo!

 

[kvining]

IMHO:

https://frys.com/product/8376787?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG

Can't go wrong, and exactly $498. Cheaper if you're on their "promo code" mailing list and it comes up on the promo ad, which they do quite frequently.

 

[kvining]

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.

If you're a Yamaha fan, the Yammie TSR-7810 is a far better receiver for just a few bucks more. The pre-outs (that you don't get on V-361) allow you to add EQs and amps and processors to one's hearts content, it's a great value in a $350 receiver, and even without added amplifiers you're pushing 170 watts per channel.

 

[kvining]

Well, they are not Floorstanders but Audio Advisor has the Elac Uni Fi UB5 for 350.00 a pair - excellent deal...

http://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=ELUB5

You know, that really is a great looking speaker at a really great price, I think you win.

 

[Alex11210]

I forgot about the subwoofer. I have one (Yamaha) but is it the right one? How many watts in a subwoofer would you recommend if 2 speakers are 150 watts each?

 

[goodolpg]

 

[Alex11210]

I would like to thank everyone for your advice. I ended up ordering Klipsch R-28F speakers from Best Buy probably like a lot of people now - not so much because of the sale but because I know what it is. I had an opportunity to go to the store and listen and basically was satisfied with the quality of the sound. Most likely there was something better out there and possibly for the same price or less but finding an opportunity to listen to it was rather time consuming and inconvenient.

 

[Drum]

Enjoy.