Hello all,

I have a Yamaha HTR 5240. I need to buy some speakers that I can use for listening to music, watching DVDs, listening to the radio and watching TV. I don't want something geared completely towards home theatre. I'm looking for speakers that are good for both. My price range is about $300 - I know its low, but I don't need a sub, specially if the speakers I buy have some sort of semi-decent bass response. I have been consdering the following - JBL NSP1 speaker system, Acoustic Research Bookshelves (PS2052 something) wiht JBL sats and center, infinity RS-2,RS-3s.
Please comment on any of the ones I mentioned or suggest anything you feel is appropriate. I have a liking for JBL's, Infinity's and I'm not so sure about Acoustic Research, but they seem fine..

Thanks.

I've been recommending the JBL NSP1 speaker system - and it sounds great with my Yamaha RX-V995!

I created a website Why you should add JBL N & S Series to your audition list! that documents the accolades of speaker review by 5 different Reviewers!

The common accolades were - "Timbre matching; imaging; smooth, uniform response; pleasingly natural with stereo music" and it just proves that JBL was successful in designing the "NSP1" using technologies employed in JBL's professional recording studio monitors.

Compare the JBL NSP1's frequency response to 19 other sOUND&vISION Speakers, see my website Are Bose Speakers Over Priced vs. Performance??.

Unlike the Speaker MFG's Anechoic Chamber displayed Frequency Graph's, Tom Nousaine qualifies his benchmarks for S&V with this general process: Have fun reading,
Phil

Phil thanks for your advice. I really like the NSP1 system, but the only problem is that it lacks bass, so I would probably need to get a sub right away. I don't really need a sub since I live in an apartment and would scare people away, but I would like my speakers to have some bass. I was thinking of some bookshelf speakers perhaps by JBL, infinity or Acoustic Research..any sugguestions?

FYI: Brent Butterworth wrote Adding a subwoofer to the NSP1 brings out the full glory of 5.1-channel sound (having, as it does, a dedicated low-frequency effects channel--the ".1" in 5.1)

So, since the entire "N" & "S" series were designed after the design principles and technologies are directly derived from JBL's Professional Series LSR studio monitors

http://www.dba-pr.com/clients/jbl/releases/north.htm,

you can choose 1 of these;

N26
Frequency Response (–3dB) 55Hz –20kHz

or

S26
Frequency Response (–3dB) 48Hz - 20kHz

They should benchmark as well as the JBL N24's.

JBL N24 rated:
Frequency Response (–3dB) 75Hz –20kHz

Sound&Vision benchmarked:
Frequency Response
N-24 front left/right... 89 Hz to 18.9 kHz ±2.7 dB
N-Center................ 89 Hz to 20 kHz ±5.5 dB
N-24 surround........... 89 Hz to 18.4 kHz ±3.2 dB

=========
cNet.com price check $129.99 + S/H @ eCOST.com for the N26:

http://electronics.cnet.com/cgi/CEML...rs&pid=1002638

and $189.99 + S/H @ Etronics.com for the S26:

http://electronics.cnet.com/cgi/CEML...5&sortby=price

Keep in mind, you want to choose the 'same' Series Center Channel speaker.

Have fun shopping,
Phil

Phil,

I'm not quite sure what you said about the center channel matching. Do you mean that it is not ideal to get something like the s26 for fronts, n24 for surrounds and n-center? i like the look of the s26, but have not heard them yet...how do they compare in terms of bass?
Cheers.

Correct! One goal you want, is that most glorious 360-degree seamless surround effects, that only an entire set of 'timbre' (voice) match speakers were designed to accomplish.

So, once you choose which JBL Series bookshelf you want, JBL recommends that your other choices (Center & Surrounds) be within the same Series. So, if you like the S26, then, choosing the S-Center and another set another S26 would achieve that total 'timbre' match.

The key is the 'high frequency driver'. All S-Series use:

High-Frequency Driver 1" Pure titanium dome with EOS™ waveguide

whereas, the N-Series use:

High-Frequency Driver 3/4" Titanium-laminate dome with EOS™ waveguide

I personally have not auditioned them, but Home Theater Magazine reviewed the S26, and they wrote: so it will have bass.

Actually, it would be hard for me to compare the two (N24 vs. S26) bass output, because I would use them with my 200w 15" AudioSource SW15 Sub. When I choose the JBL NSP1, I was more concerned if the satellites would have usable frequency @ 90** Hz (the N24's do!) and that they would provide a smooth, flat sound output (& the N24's does).

**90 Hz - crossover handled by my Yamaha AV Receiver.

Phil

Has any anyone had any experience with these speakers? i found them for about 125 a pair somewhere..please reply soon as i need to decide.

Has anyone heard the Infinity RS-3 speakers before?

I would suggest actually listening to the speakers you are going to buy before you buy.

All the graphs and charts are one thing, but just because a speaker represents a relatively good value and has a flat response over all ranges doesn't mean you will like the way it sounds.

I did this with a pair of NHT Superones about 3-4 years ago when I was a HT newbie. I read the reviews and saw the charts. I went and bought them brought them home and hated them until I took them back a month later; not because they were bad speaker, but because I didn't like the way they sound to my ear.

Everyone is different and you may actually prefer the sound of a slightly bright speaker or one with a small spike in the midrange.

At your price point there aren't many options, but at least get out and listen, compare and make your own decision and use the graphs, charts and reviews to guide you along the way.

Good Luck

my .02....i am using boston acoustics with my 5240. it sounds fantastic. they are an older set of mains with last years center (can't remember the model number...but it's a huge speaker. almost as big as my mains!). the tweeters are the same, so timbre matching was not a problem.

i wanted a slightly warmer speaker that what i was hearing from the infinity's and jbl's that i looked at, since the yamaha could be described as a 'cool' sounding receiver.

i also built my subwoofer...and am looking forward to replacing my surrounds with boston's.


cranky.