Newb Question: high-quality speakers for $500?

Hi!

Doesn't anybody have an idea?

Hmmmmm I dont know a great variety of speakers, but with about $500 you can buy some B&W 602:

http://www.bwspeakers.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/products.models/Label/Model%20DM602%20S3

About 265 EURO each one. The problem is the thing they have below (I dont know its name in english), because this thing is about 175 EURO ($175 more or less). So If you don´t need those things 602 are a good choice.

I don´t recommend you the 601 or 600 because their sensitivity is 88dB, in my oppinion that´s not enough. 602 have 90dB and a frecuency between 49Hz and 22KHz. I think that´s enough. 601´s frecuencies are between 60Hz and 22Khz, and 600´s between 75Hz and 22KHz, so in those two models the bass will be softer (it´s softer the appropiate word? I don´t think so, but you understand me).

webon, I guess you are talking about a stand?
using small speakers with a stand instead a floorstanding one is - at this budget - a very good idea. good floorstanding speakers for a price about $500 are rare. at moment i dont know any. if i found one i'll tell you.

Hey!
Floorstanding might be difficult, I don't have any speaker in mind but let's see what I can find .

Yes, a stand. I´ll remember it.

I´ve thought in 601 or 602 because the cheapest floorstander I know is the 603 and it´s about $475 each.

Hmmm nope... It wll be the 602.5 one, but it´s worse than the 603 one.

Hello!

There are some good speakers by canton.
Another good brand is Wharfedale (ask kimber-frank on this).
I, too, think the ideo of using stands and bookshelf speakers is very good.

Hi!

I wanted floorstanding speakers. But by now I think bookshelf speakers with stands might be good, too.
So does anybody of you know any good speakers (besides the b&w 60x speakers) for about $500?

What's the price for the b&w stands? $175 per stand or for one pair?

My dealer says it´s 150 EURO (bout $150) +IVA (that´s like the VAT, but here in Spain and it´s a 16% more) EACH STAND(. So take your own conclusions.

I´m referring to the stand that appears in the photo of the link of below concretely, there are more stands:


http://www.bwspeakers.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/products.models/Label/MODEL%20DM600%20S3

Hi!

So B&W would be 2*250 + 2*150 = $800 ??
If they really sound good maybe that's an option.

Any other suggestions?

Yep. but on this price you´ve got the 603 ones. I´ve heard them today.

I´ll post now with a little review with photos of an exposition and about the 603 vs a pair of JBL and in a near future a pair of mission too.

Read it!

Hello!

That B&W price sounds good. What's the price of the JBL speakers?
I think we'll find some good speakers for David

Hi!
I just read webon's report about these great speakers. And his opinion on the JBL speakers. And yes, that sounds good!
What about the mission speakers?

Hello! That B&W price sounds good. What's the price of the JBL speakers? I think we'll find some good speakers for David :)

As I said on the review the price of the JBL speakers is about $660. But I think it´s better to spend a little more and for about $750 or $800 buy the 603 ones, they´re really better at middle and high frequencies in my (and my father´s) opinion. We think the sound´s much natural than JBL XTi80´s sound. But that´s our opinion, you must heard them

Check out the Quad 12L or the wharfedale pacific series..they might be what you are looking for.

Hi guys!
So I will try to listen to the B&w, Quad and wharfedale speakers.

@kimber-frank: any comment on wharfedale?

Hi daviblub,

if you have the space for "real" speakers, then have a look into ebay for an Infinity Renaissance 80 or 90 , a Infinity Kappa 8.2i or similar.
They all go for around 500 to 600 EUR per pair and are MILES better than any little B&W 603 or other models of compareable size.

It was never cheaper to get hold of this superb line of speakers which were sold originally for 10 times the price as these days. And they will last another 6-10 years easily.

Regards,
Axel

Conclusion: Don´t buy B&W. Listen to Bass-Oldie. 603 are really a shit

Better B&Ws are good, but 603 concretely is a big shit.

Hi, Webon,

can't see where the agression is coming from.
I never said that a 603 is bad as such, I just mentioned a bigger speaker is a better solution for the given price.
As you may see in my settings, I own both speaker series and so I think I know what I am talking about.

Cheers,
Axel

Hi again,

Webon, NOW I see why your spanish blood cooked high
I checked the net for the B&W models and found that I mixed up the model numbers. Very sorry for this.
Surely the DM 603 (S2) is in a whole different range than my little B&W speakers which I bought some years ago.

However, I would be very surprised to see the B&W model you own in a price range of 500 EUR. B&W tends to be more expensive, even used, as they are not too long in the marketprice.

What is your experience about used prices on these speakers in Spain?

Cheers,
Axel

I was talking seriously friend. I´m really dissapointed with my new 603.

I wouldn´t agress you this way

By the way, they were 800 EURO (about $800).

So, you were serious.
What a luck, I just thought...

Hmmm, what do you not like on this model? B&W has a good reputation and the DM603's are not a small or low-end speaker as far I checked it out briefly.
And: Why did you buy them, if you don't like them?

CU,
Axel

When I listened to them it was different... It will be surely because of the amplifier, but mine is new and I don´t want to buy another.

I bought them because my dealer said that if I was dissapointed with them I could return them without any problem and I wanted to test them in my house.

Tomorrow I´ll test them with my father´s system, composed, in part, by a Musical Fidelity E100, a Musical Fidelity X-10 D and a JVC CD/MD player (can´t remember the model, it was XU and a number). He´s got a pair of B&W CDM7 and they sound pretty good, specially compared with these 603.

The only thing I dislike (I hate really) is their bass. Arrrrf, I HATE IT. But I love their middle and high frequencies.

Yeah, understand the problem.

One's gifted with good ears do have a problem, especially if the room condition/layout need to be compensated for.
My Bass was very unsatisfactory too after we moved into our new house three years ago.
I had to exchange my speakers twice to get happy again.

Good luck!

Cheers,
Axel

Surely the DM 603 (S2) is in a whole different range than my little B&W speakers which I bought some years ago.

Mine are S3 not S2, but as you´ll probably know there´s not a big different between them, an improved tweeter and little style changes.

webon maybe your b&w got some damage and thats the reason for them to play that bad? if they sounded well at your dealer, why should they produce bullshit by now? or did your dealer use a really great amp? what did he use to show you? what do you use? and yes, try them using your fathers set.
daviblub, if you get inifinty kappa maybe thats a good idea, too, try to listen to them.

Hey again!

Looks like webon's amp is damaged?

daviblub: if you are able to get really good (older) top-speakers, buy them! Good speakers are build to last at least 20 years!

Hi all!

Thanks for your answers. So I try inifity kappa and renessance too! If I find them. I really hope like that!

So

Thanks for your help I call back here when I tested the speakers.

Hey!
Any results yet?

i would recommend Cadence Arita/Diva speakers but the infinity suggested are also pretty good....I have heard them.

manek, are you speaking about the cadence electrostats? don't they cost a bit more than daviblub wants to spend?

cadence also makes dynamic speakers called the arita and diva....bookshelves and floorstanders...I own arita and man are they magical....arita goes as low as 45Hz and as high as 23Khz...no need for subs and stuff.

Hi daviblub,
maybe you should listen to those cadence speakers? If they are within your limit. If not, maybe you can get a reduced pair?

cadence arita(entry level)on amazon sell for 2000 US $ but you may find them in the used market for less...

Oh my good! $2000 for a pair of speakers. This is a very far over my small budget. But if I would be able buy them used for about $500 man this would be great!
And Frank: I did not have so much time last week, I had to do many work but I hope I can visit some dealers next week. I hope I'll find a pair nice speaker.

maybe these speakers are good for my pc these speakers i now use they are just bullshit. so i'll try these cadence speakers.

I also auditioned the tannoy reveal bookshelves series of speakers costing approx 400$.
Nothing like the cadence speakers but pretty neat...

Hey sledge!
So you are searching for pc-speakers? Ain't your system loud enough to listen to it all over you flat?

got no flat. of course my system can play loud enough to listen in the garden. but thats not what i want. im searching some nice good sounding speakers for my personal computer.

PC speakers....Hmmm...all of them are so bright and noisy...I remember hearing a decent sounding bose PC multimedia speakers...maybe you could audition that.

Hi Sledge,

I solved this by sending the PC signals to an 40W Amp and connect B&W speaker (see my Profile) to it.
Sounds very good.

Cheers,
Axel

Maybe you´re interested on my amp (haven´t sold it yet )I have it connected to the PC too and to my B&W and it sounds good.

In my oppinion ALL pc speakers, those that are made to connect to a pc, are not good enough. Take a normal amplifier, a pair of normal bookshelfs and forgot pc speakers

just make sure your sound card is of a decent quality, Ep pins and jacks are pretty prone to humm and scratchyness.

soundcard is very good. i got an old accuphase amp which i'll use with some good speakers. but i still dont know which one to buy.

try and hear your choice of speakers and go with your heart....

yeah! thats what i will do!

what kind of music do you listen to sledge ?