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Best Audiophile Studio Speakers?
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Baninated
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Aug 16, 2005, 10:37 PM
 
I'm going to be getting a vintage 2 channel receiver soon, and it's going to be pretty nice. Not sure what yet ,but it's going to be specifically for the computer. Anyway, I'd like to pick up a nice pair of studio speakers...... I'd like to go vintage, purely to match the receiver. What do you guys suggest? I'm not looking for something extremely pricey, hopefully something I can find on ebay for $30-50 or so. Right now I'm looking at advent bookshelf speakers. Your suggestions?
     
Posting Junkie
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Aug 16, 2005, 10:48 PM
 
Audiophile. $30. Wha?
     
Mac Elite
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Aug 16, 2005, 11:04 PM
 
Originally Posted by Eug Wanker
Audiophile. $30. Wha?
No crap..

You aren't going to get audiophile speakers for that cash.
     
Baninated
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Aug 16, 2005, 11:59 PM
 
I think he's being sarcastic. I can't be sure though...

Audiophile speakers for $30.00? You have to pay a lot more for audiophile speakers. Somewhere in the range of $39.95 to $59.95 I think.



Best get some SHURE E2C Ear phones for $99.00, I think they are audiophile quality.
     
Mac Elite
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Aug 17, 2005, 12:07 AM
 
Originally Posted by Eug Wanker
Audiophile. $30. Wha?

There is this guy in the alley...
I, ASIMO.
     
Registered User
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Aug 17, 2005, 12:13 AM
 
I've got about 20 sets of great speakers if not more and I didn't pay 30$ for any of them/set.

I'm a speaker freak and when I see some lovelies at a good price I buy them.

I also have five vintage 70's receivers. all under 30$
Technics, Pioneer,Toshiba, Harmon Kardon and Sharpe. I love KNOBS! I like controlling the balance, the tone or the equalizer. I'm an analog guy.

Just got some B&W sorry Boston A40 speakers for near free. They are hooked up to my Technics SA-450 (50 watts/channel) which is hooked up to my mac.

I use iTunes and I'm in heaven. But best of all I love my vintage headphones. All name brand all in excellent working condition, all for between 5 and 10$ each.

How?

People are dumb, take that for granted. They get these newfangled digital sh!t with no knobs. They then think "what do I do with this 30 year old stuff?"

Well...

Yard sales, donate them to Sally Ann stores, Goodwill stores and Value Village stores, leave them on the curb whatever.

I change my amp or my speaker once a week just to keep em from getting lazy.

You just gotta look, keep your eyes open and even get your friends in on it.

I don't have a digital camera right now or i'd post some of my beauties.

Oh, I forgot, I just got a Fisher amp for free because one side doesn't work. 20 bucks later I'm in heaven.

I've also got all that expensive Phillips digital 100 watt/channel A/V 5.1 crap for my TV for 30$ and a bunch of sets of speaker sets for it. Man I love that powered thumper.

PS...I'm not a Yankee but Im as cheap as one...er..ah..I mean thrifty.
     
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Aug 17, 2005, 01:37 AM
 
/in white van

dude i work for this hi end stereo place and they let accidently put two shipments on my van. these are normally 1200 but ill sell them to you for 500.
12" AI book REV B, mac mini core duo 1.66
     
Baninated
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Aug 17, 2005, 07:28 AM
 
Originally Posted by Atomic Rooster
I've got about 20 sets of great speakers if not more and I didn't pay 30$ for any of them/set.

I'm a speaker freak and when I see some lovelies at a good price I buy them.

I also have five vintage 70's receivers. all under 30$
Technics, Pioneer,Toshiba, Harmon Kardon and Sharpe. I love KNOBS! I like controlling the balance, the tone or the equalizer. I'm an analog guy.

Just got some B&W sorry Boston A40 speakers for near free. They are hooked up to my Technics SA-450 (50 watts/channel) which is hooked up to my mac.

I use iTunes and I'm in heaven. But best of all I love my vintage headphones. All name brand all in excellent working condition, all for between 5 and 10$ each.

How?

People are dumb, take that for granted. They get these newfangled digital sh!t with no knobs. They then think "what do I do with this 30 year old stuff?"

Well...

Yard sales, donate them to Sally Ann stores, Goodwill stores and Value Village stores, leave them on the curb whatever.

I change my amp or my speaker once a week just to keep em from getting lazy.

You just gotta look, keep your eyes open and even get your friends in on it.

I don't have a digital camera right now or i'd post some of my beauties.

Oh, I forgot, I just got a Fisher amp for free because one side doesn't work. 20 bucks later I'm in heaven.

I've also got all that expensive Phillips digital 100 watt/channel A/V 5.1 crap for my TV for 30$ and a bunch of sets of speaker sets for it. Man I love that powered thumper.

PS...I'm not a Yankee but Im as cheap as one...er..ah..I mean thrifty.
Exactly what I'm talking about. Have any suggestions for speakers? I'm looking for 60s-70s speakers, preferably smaller than bigger, and they should sound pretty nice. Old audiophile stuff is today's garbage.
     
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Aug 17, 2005, 07:40 AM
 
Originally Posted by ASIMO
There is this guy in the alley...
But watch out lest he run you over in his bad Karma.
Give petty people just a little bit of power and watch how they misuse it! You can't silence the self doubt, can you?
     
Clinically Insane
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Aug 17, 2005, 07:54 AM
 
In answer to the question posed by the thread title rather than by the top post, here you go...

http://www.genelec.com/products/1036a/1036a.php
Been inclined to wander... off the beaten track.
That's where there's thunder... and the wind shouts back.
     
Mac Enthusiast
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Aug 17, 2005, 08:50 AM
 
     
Baninated
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Aug 17, 2005, 08:59 AM
 
Again, I don't want new ****. It's overpriced and pointless.
     
Grizzled Veteran
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Aug 17, 2005, 12:37 PM
 
Exactly what Atomic Rooster said. I am the same way about bikes as well. Its hard to say what to look for by the side of the road, etc. Just grab what ever you can find and then in the end just stick with what sounds best. After a few weekends you should have stuff to choose from.

If you are patient then good things will come to you. I grew up in a real rich town and people threw out the best stuff. I have several mid level to high end systems built up with just stuff I found at the local dump during the course of a single summer. I would suggest heading to an affluent area and checking out their dump towards the end of the weekend as well as hitting up yard sales when you are in the area. Lowball the heck out of them! As Atomic Rooster said you also might want to check out Goodwill and the like. I dont know if this is an option in your area but a lot of high end audio stores will have a back room full of old vintage gear - of course it wont come free .

Some informative links for researching your finds and the like:
Also, you should talk to G4ME - I seem to remember that he built his own speakers using a kit which might be fun.

Good luck.
Change your world and you will change your mind.
     
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Aug 17, 2005, 01:16 PM
 
I know you don't want to get new speakers but Wharfedale makes great bookshelf speakers and they are pretty cheap!!!
The Diamond 8.1 speakers should be around $140/pair


(and I recently bought a €750.- centre speaker for €22.- at ebay - if your lucky, you might find your audiophile speakers fro $30)
     
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Aug 17, 2005, 02:11 PM
 
Originally Posted by suvsr4terrorists
Exactly what I'm talking about. Have any suggestions for speakers? I'm looking for 60s-70s speakers, preferably smaller than bigger, and they should sound pretty nice. Old audiophile stuff is today's garbage.
No, today vintage Audiophile gear usually sells for many multiples of what it originally sold for.

Yeah, you can find some steals on older JBL, Yamaha, Advent, Fisher, Infinity, HK, etc. pairs, but they /= Audiophile.

Retired
     
Posting Junkie
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Aug 17, 2005, 02:16 PM
 
^^^ Yep. Ca$h wants cheap used low end (or if he's lucky, mid-end) gear that sounds OK, not high end audiophile gear.
     
Baninated
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Aug 17, 2005, 02:18 PM
 
Not really. I've seen tons of really really high end recievers go on ebay for about 130-200 bucks, a fraction of what they cost originally.
     
Posting Junkie
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Aug 17, 2005, 02:23 PM
 
Originally Posted by suvsr4terrorists
Not really. I've seen tons of really really high end recievers go on ebay for about 130-200 bucks, a fraction of what they cost originally.
Receivers ≠ speakers

And the really high end "audiophile" receivers usually don't get sold cheap. They keep their value very well. The upper mid end gear drops quickly though. I for one only buy a lot of mid-end gear, so I know first hand how quickly its value drops. (I consider most of the high end "audiophile" gear markedly overpriced, so no big loss.)

The really high end audiophile speakers keep their value even better than the really high end audiophile receivers, too.

And anyways, your original post said $30, not $200.
     
Baninated
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Aug 17, 2005, 02:27 PM
 
That's why I'm trying to figure out what to look for. I like hitting up estate sales, garage sales, vinnies, etc.
     
Posting Junkie
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Aug 17, 2005, 02:30 PM
 
Originally Posted by suvsr4terrorists
That's why I'm trying to figure out what to look for. I like hitting up estate sales, garage sales, vinnies, etc.
Well, if you're just getting it for your computer, just get whatever's available. To be honest I find that much of the low end and lower mid end stuff sounds just fine for such use. It doesn't sound like it's to be your main system. Or is it?

For under 100 bucks there will be a bazillion brands of used stuff to choose from in garage sales, etc. Somebody mentioned JBL, HK, Infinity, etc. Most stuff from those companies should be just fine, as long as the speakers are not blown or something.

I don't know what "vinnies" are.
     
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Aug 17, 2005, 03:50 PM
 
Originally Posted by suvsr4terrorists
Not really. I've seen tons of really really high end recievers go on ebay for about 130-200 bucks, a fraction of what they cost originally.
There are no "high-end" or audiophile receivers, there are a few such IAs (integrated amps), but not many. Almost all audiophile components are seperates. FYI.

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Baninated
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Aug 17, 2005, 03:55 PM
 
Originally Posted by MacNStein
There are no "high-end" or audiophile receivers, there are a few such IAs (integrated amps), but not many. Almost all audiophile components are seperates. FYI.
Today. But not always.

http://www.oaktreeent.com/Stereo_Receivers.htm
     
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Aug 17, 2005, 04:01 PM
 
Originally Posted by suvsr4terrorists
Those are nice, mid to upper-mid range pieces, not audiophile. They don't suck, they're good, just not in the same league.

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Aug 17, 2005, 04:07 PM
 
I think we were all had a different idea of what "audiophile" quality was. I doubt anyone would expect to find McIntosh tube amps by the side of the road or at yard sales for $30. I am sure that Rob knows this. However it is very easy to find good sold mid range equipment for nothing (i.e. Yamaha natural sound series). I have found gear that _now_ goes for over $300. Lets all help him find that and stop the semantic bickering.

Basically though it is hard to say, "look for X speaker" since there is so much stuff out there. You can usually tell if the speaker came off a Radio Shack unit or not. Just stick with what sounds best to you.
Change your world and you will change your mind.
     
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Aug 17, 2005, 04:12 PM
 
Originally Posted by crazyjohnson
I think we were all had a different idea of what "audiophile" quality was. I doubt anyone would expect to find McIntosh tube amps by the side of the road or at yard sales for $30. I am sure that Rob knows this. However it is very easy to find good sold mid range equipment for nothing (i.e. Yamaha natural sound series). I have found gear that _now_ goes for over $300. Lets all help him find that and stop the semantic bickering.

Basically though it is hard to say, "look for X speaker" since there is so much stuff out there. You can usually tell if the speaker came off a Radio Shack unit or not. Just stick with what sounds best to you.
We did. We told him JBL, Infinity, HK, Yamaha, etc.. As long as they aren't damaged, they should be more than adequate for almost anyone's needs.

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Baninated
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Aug 17, 2005, 04:25 PM
 
Originally Posted by MacNStein
Those are nice, mid to upper-mid range pieces, not audiophile. They don't suck, they're good, just not in the same league.
To me upper range products= audiophile, as they certainly aren't junk. I'm not talking about plasma based tweeters. Jesus. You know what, if you even consider yourself an audiophile, don't bother responding. I'm just looking for some pretty sweet sounding speakers from the 70s.
     
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Aug 17, 2005, 04:34 PM
 
Originally Posted by suvsr4terrorists
To me upper range products= audiophile, as they certainly aren't junk. I'm not talking about plasma based tweeters. Jesus. You know what, if you even consider yourself an audiophile, don't bother responding. I'm just looking for some pretty sweet sounding speakers from the 70s.
JBL, Infinity, HK, Yamaha, Paradigm, Advent, Klipsch, BA, etc.. just no Bose.

Want to aim higher? Sometimes you can find a good deal on old McIntosh or Martin Logan pairs, but you're still going to pay $300-400. Stay with the list above, of get a new pair of Wharfedales.

Retired
     
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Aug 17, 2005, 04:38 PM
 
Originally Posted by crazeazn
/in white van

dude i work for this hi end stereo place and they let accidently put two shipments on my van. these are normally 1200 but ill sell them to you for 500.
LOL I see you live in Houston too...

That exact thing has happened to me about 3 or 4 times...it's impossible to get rid of those guys...
     
   
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