Modern Mass-marketed budget speakers

timsclips

timsclips

Well-Known Member
A friend's son is getting his first stereo setup to take to college. He is wanting recommendations on a pair of speakers bought new off the internet for dorm life. He is looking at a budget of $250 and bookshelf size. I am only familiar with a modern set of Polk monitor 35 I purchased several years ago and I do like the sound but how do they compare to others I cannot say.
A Yamaha entry level receiver will be the power source and the son says he likes all kinds of music.
Any recommendations in this price level?
 
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Everything's heavily skewed towards active monitors now. It's too bad. I did a brief search, and I had no idea what I would pick if I were shopping for new, passive bookshelf speakers.
 
timsclips said:
A friend's son is getting his first stereo setup to take to college. He is wanting recommendations on a pair of speakers bought new off the internet for dorm life. He is looking at a budget of $250 and bookshelf size. I am only familiar with a modern set of Polk monitor 35 I purchased several years ago and I do like the sound but how do they compare to others I cannot say.
A Yamaha entry level receiver will be the power source and the son says he likes all kinds of music.
Any recommendations in this price level?
Click to expand...

Screenshot_20180616-120405.png Screenshot_20180616-120330.png Screenshot_20180616-120305.png
 
Oh man, there’s:
Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
The aforementioned Polks
Pioneer BS22
Dayton B652 Air (pair w/ a subwoofer)
Micca MB42x (the ‘x’ model is important, has an upgraded crossover)
Philharmonic Audio Affordable Accuracy Monitor
Wavecrest Audio HVL-1
Dayton Audio Mk402

And I’m sure there’s more
 
It appears that we are down to the Polk Rti A3 vs. Wharfdale Diamond 10.1, Both are front ported, the Wharfdales are not the current model, recently replaced by the 220\225 models but were once highly thought of 5 years ago and still available new and discounted.
Modern Polks are not looked upon with favor by modern audiophiles but what I have heard I have liked.
 
musicdirec.com has a pair of Diamond 10.2's as well as a pair of Diamond 220's available right now for $250. Can't beat that. :)
 
For cost saving (and beer spilling) I would go with Parts-express:

6.5" Bookshelf speakers with the AMT tweeters: https://www.parts-express.com/dayto...kshelf-speaker-with-amt-tweeter-pair--300-651

8" Sub (I'm running one of these now and they're musical for their price): https://www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-sub-800-8-80-watt-powered-subwoofer--300-627

Bookshelf speakers (a PAIR, not jut one): $50.00
Sub: $100.00
-------------------
Total $150.00

This is a smoking deal.

Heck spend $150 on the 12" Dayton sub and you're still only at $200!

https://www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-sub-1200-12-120-watt-powered-subwoofer--300-629
 
lokerola said:
For cost saving (and beer spilling) I would go with Parts-express:

6.5" Bookshelf speakers with the AMT tweeters: https://www.parts-express.com/dayto...kshelf-speaker-with-amt-tweeter-pair--300-651

8" Sub (I'm running one of these now and they're musical for their price): https://www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-sub-800-8-80-watt-powered-subwoofer--300-627

Bookshelf speakers (a PAIR, not jut one): $50.00
Sub: $100.00
-------------------
Total $150.00

This is a smoking deal.

Heck spend $150 on the 12" Dayton sub and you're still only at $200!

https://www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-sub-1200-12-120-watt-powered-subwoofer--300-629
Click to expand...
Have two of the 12" subs, purchased a pair of both the B652Air for one friend and the T652Air for another so I'm familiar with all of the above. Nice for the ridiculously low price, but the Polks are waaaaaaay better speakers, and if desired the sub could be added later.

If the son was paying, budget was under $100, and used was out then yes, but really, the difference is obvious before even connecting the speakers.
 
Grenadeslio said:
Have two of the 12" subs, purchased a pair of both the B652Air for one friend and the T652Air for another so I'm familiar with all of the above. Nice for the ridiculously low price, but the Polks are waaaaaaay better speakers, and if desired the sub could be added later.

If the son was paying, budget was under $100, and used was out then yes, but really, the difference is obvious before even connecting the speakers.
Click to expand...

For speakers, yea, the Polks are better. I have a pair of the Tsi 200's in my den and they're doing great as front speakers in my 5.1 system. But the Dayton sub is miles better than the small subs Polk offers. I had a few small Polk subs and they were flubby, bah messes of subs.

I agree with you on the Polk speakers.
 
lokerola said:
For speakers, yea, the Polks are better. I have a pair of the Tsi 200's in my den and they're doing great as front speakers in my 5.1 system. But the Dayton sub is miles better than the small subs Polk offers. I had a few small Polk subs and they were flubby, bah messes of subs.

I agree with you on the Polk speakers.
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And I completely agree on the Dayton subs, but again for the price. There was a discussion in a thread 2 subs vs 1 where I was basically attacked for claiming one sub can be better than two if the sub is that much better. Well, as I said I have twin Dayton Sub1200's, I also have a servo controlled Infinity sub that will thrash them, and it better at twenty times the price lol.

I originally purchased the twin Daytons to use with the Infintys while waiting for a replacement for the original sub, so I've used both setups, it's really no competition. Now what would be the **** would be if I could add another of the Infinty subs, I do agree stereo subs "are" the way to go.
 
Grenadeslio said:
And I completely agree on the Dayton subs, but again for the price. There was a discussion in a thread 2 subs vs 1 where I was basically attacked for claiming one sub can be better than two if the sub is that much better. Well, as I said I have twin Dayton Sub1200's, I also have a servo controlled Infinity sub that will thrash them, and it better at twenty times the price lol.

I originally purchased the twin Daytons to use with the Infintys while waiting for a replacement for the original sub, so I've used both setups, it's really no competition. Now what would be the **** would be if I could add another of the Infinty subs, I do agree stereo subs "are" the way to go.
Click to expand...

It's funny you say that. I have a second Dayton on the way as part of my "cheap guy" stereo sub integration with Epi 500's. But.....I really want twin SVS SP-1000's! Those are drool worthy. But I just bought a Dynaco ST 70 from CT Jim, and a new Parasound preamp, so the pricey subs will have to wait. Anyway, I'll have my dual Dyaton's hooked up tomorrow into the tube amp and new pre, so we shall see!

I'm sure that Infinity kicks a@@....
 
lokerola said:
It's funny you say that. I have a second Dayton on the way as part of my "cheap guy" stereo sub integration with Epi 500's. But.....I really want twin SVS SP-1000's! Those are drool worthy. But I just bought a Dynaco ST 70 from CT Jim, and a new Parasound preamp, so the pricey subs will have to wait. Anyway, I'll have my dual Dyaton's hooked up tomorrow into the tube amp and new pre, so we shall see!

I'm sure that Infinity kicks a@@....
Click to expand...
When I got the Infinty I moved the Daytons to the main system as stands for my biamped Heresys, preserved the live Heresy presentation, just B I G G E R. Also the added benefit of lifting the Heresys to the perfect height for best imaging. Really liked this setup, but it's been replaced with a set of AR58S speakers for aesthetics with the added benefit that it also sounds better.

Still have the Heresys, also another pair currently in use in the master bedroom lol. No subs with those, the Daytons are currently sitting idle, along with about 20 pairs of other speakers ROFLMFAO. Yes I'm sick lol, I've been infected with the bug for many decades.
 
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