which book shelf speakers brand are best?

weeman8888

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May 27, 2014
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hello everyone i am having a problem choosing between these three(audio engine, klipsch, krk rocket) companies for speakers but i cant seem to come to my decision. im looking to not break the bank to much and say under 450 but thats really pushing it. any help would be muchly appreciated thanks again.

lias :)
 
Solution

faalin

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Feb 22, 2012
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I run a full set of polk audio speakers for my 7.1 setup. CS1 Series 2 for center, monitor 70 for front, monitor 30 for mid, and monitor 40 for rears, bass is handled by a klipsch 10" sub.

It all depends on what you want for the speakers.

KRK's are a studio monitor and will show you the good and bads in music
Klipsch is more of an all around speaker and you wont have to tweek it to listen to it.
I have not heard audio engine speakers so I cant say much about them.

Im not one to break the bank on a setup but the polks do extremely well for their price range. If I was to ever replace them I would go with a full Focal setup, but first I would need to have kids so I could sell them off to afford them LOL
 

weeman8888

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May 27, 2014
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okay thanks for the imput haha. what do you think about the audio engine http://audioengineusa.com/Store/Powered-Speaker-Systems/A5-plus-B-Powered-Speakers i really like the design of these but im not sure if there a ok price? and yea i dont really want to mess around with them a tong.
 

weeman8888

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May 27, 2014
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do you know of any other brands that have a good set of speakers?
 

Cristi72

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Jun 25, 2014
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Hello,

My choice will be Rokit (Rokit8 will run you 250US$), but I would not recommend them for compressed music (mp3 and like), as any audio artifact will be promptly heard (especially in the medium-high spectrum); they will go great with FLAC or CD tracks.

AudioEngine's A5+ is more expensive (399 USD) but they are more user-friendly and mp3's will sound good on them.

If you go for Klipsch, you will also need a good amplifier, as their best speakers are passive (RP150, R14, R15, P17). You could go for a 2.1 system (ProMedia), but they don't qualify as bookshelf speakers (you will need to find a place for the subwoofer).
 

Big-Andy

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May 29, 2015
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From your choices I would say your American (English people would have something like B&W, Kef and another) the advice is the same no matter what you are looking at though.

Find someone or where that has the speakers your looking at, and listen to them, either with the amp your going to use or better yet, with that amp and an amp that you have in the back of your mind you want to upgrade to. You want to listen too (take with you), music you like and ideally know really well, and samples of anything else your likely to use them for. Bookshelf speakers don't need to be huge, you can use a sub with them later and get your deep base when you want it.

Makes can give you an idea of the market place your buying into, some do rock or dance or classic or even folk well others AV and are not particularly aimed at music. Some have a very defined sound (company signature) which you may find you like, but remember one product gets it right for you, others even in the same range might not, you wont know until you listen, you buy when your happy and have fun finding your new purchase (its a big part of the fun of owning this kit).

If you get the right ones btw, you wont ever stop using them, I own the top of the range reference series Kef speakers now with Chord amps, and home made sources, with that setup, the cables cost more than my first set of bookshelf speakers (B&W DM602 s1's). I still love my B&W's even though all the other pairs of speakers cost 5x or more than them per pair, and I never bought another pair of B&W's because I didn't like the sound of the other speakers they make (over the kef uni Q's). I did listen to the B&W's a lot before I bought them (I had to save for them and the local HiFi store owner was very patient with me) I tried several amps, new and old music I loved and after 18 years I am still happy with the £280 ($420 ish) I spent on them, and they still sound better than some of the speakers being released today.

Don't be in a rush and go and do some listening, you may find, you save more money, or even walk away with a bargain you didn't realise existed.
 

weeman8888

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May 27, 2014
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wow thanks for the lengthy response i really like the detail you put in, i am Canadian and very new to speakers so i guess the best way to find the speakers right for me would be to go into a store and test some out.
 

Big-Andy

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May 29, 2015
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Your welcome and very much so, your ears will always be the best for finding the right product for you, and if you can't hear a difference between models, don't worry too much and don't get pushed into something because some one says something is better. You're buying them, you're going to live with them for a long time (hopefully) so take your time and try and have fun, also seek out some of the more unusual makes/models if they are in your price range have a listen to them too, you may ask your self why certain speakers have such good reputations, and others don't based on your own listening experience.

Also you don't need to go new, some of the older speakers are gems and very cheep second hand, look for smoke free houses with some one who has looked after them. If they are distraught that there is a scratch (the size of a pin head) on one of them then they are probably a good buy. Rather than a pair that have been thrown around or dropped.

 
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mr one

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Jun 25, 2015
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