I need cheap, but good, bookshelf speakers
10-14-03, 08:17 AM
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I need cheap, but good, bookshelf speakers
The title pretty much says it all. What's the best bookshelf speaker you can get at about $100/pair?
10-14-03, 11:28 AM
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I will get flamed but
There is not better value to be had at this price.
Pioneer S-DF1-K retail was $199 pr but now they can be found for $99 pr
The drivers are mounted to a baffle that has suspension (isolation) built in which reduces cabinet resonance ~ 20dB. The material content of this speaker compared to others in the $200 price is much higher.
These are a steal that I can guaranty the performance of
Also Consumer reports gave the larger version (S-DF3-K) best speaker against 23 of the top brands! They also gave this speaker great reviews.
http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/pe..._33395,00.html
There is not better value to be had at this price.
Pioneer S-DF1-K retail was $199 pr but now they can be found for $99 pr
The drivers are mounted to a baffle that has suspension (isolation) built in which reduces cabinet resonance ~ 20dB. The material content of this speaker compared to others in the $200 price is much higher.
These are a steal that I can guaranty the performance of
Also Consumer reports gave the larger version (S-DF3-K) best speaker against 23 of the top brands! They also gave this speaker great reviews.
http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/pe..._33395,00.html
10-16-03, 06:42 AM
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Originally posted by nekobus
Circuit City often puts Polk Audio bookshelves on sale for under $100.
Circuit City often puts Polk Audio bookshelves on sale for under $100.
10-16-03, 07:40 AM
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If you can bring your price up just a bit try www.axiomaudio.com
FANTASTIC speakers!
I have the M22Ti's...Got them from their 'factory outlet' not a scratch to be seen. They sound AMAZING
FANTASTIC speakers!
I have the M22Ti's...Got them from their 'factory outlet' not a scratch to be seen. They sound AMAZING
10-16-03, 10:48 AM
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Dead- trust me on this one.
They are far better then much of the competition at the $200~$300. They had to be because of the brand. The tweeter is a revised version of the driver used in the Infinity Prelude, Overture, Reference and CC lines of product.
Because the tweeter was very good (98dB efficiency in horn) and the woofer was ~88 the crossover point could be moved way down compared to other two-way bookshelfs. This gives an improved image stablitiy. This imaging was enhanced by overlapping the tweeter horn into the woofer with minimizes interference between the drivers (closer to a point source).
The isolation baffle removes the coloration from the cabinet. You will be shocked by the bass performance for a 5 1/4" woofer (as was noted by Consumer Reports)
It has a built in wall mount and gold 5-way binding posts.
I promise you can’t find a better speaker for $100 pr because these are discontinued and are now 1/2 price.
(I have a pair at home
)
They are far better then much of the competition at the $200~$300. They had to be because of the brand. The tweeter is a revised version of the driver used in the Infinity Prelude, Overture, Reference and CC lines of product.
Because the tweeter was very good (98dB efficiency in horn) and the woofer was ~88 the crossover point could be moved way down compared to other two-way bookshelfs. This gives an improved image stablitiy. This imaging was enhanced by overlapping the tweeter horn into the woofer with minimizes interference between the drivers (closer to a point source).
The isolation baffle removes the coloration from the cabinet. You will be shocked by the bass performance for a 5 1/4" woofer (as was noted by Consumer Reports)
It has a built in wall mount and gold 5-way binding posts.
I promise you can’t find a better speaker for $100 pr because these are discontinued and are now 1/2 price.
(I have a pair at home
)
10-16-03, 10:54 AM
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Pioneer's been completely revamping its speaker line, bringing in ex-KEF engineers and encouraging them to pursue bold new design ideas. Now that the company's finished its "statement" system, the $3500/pair list Elite TZ-F700, it has turned its attention to affordable, real-world speakers, most notably the $199/pair list S-DF1-K bookshelf speaker.
The S-DF1-K's designers mounted its drivers in a contoured baffle made from dense, stiff plastic. The baffle's attached to the cabinet with a thick rubber gasket, so the baffle never touches the wood (or even the screws that hold it in place). Pioneer calls this arrangement ISO-Drive; the idea is that it helps prevent vibrations from the drivers from being transmitted to the cabinet.
I'm happy to say that Pioneer joins the ranks of PSB and Paradigm as one of the few companies to offer a really good speaker at less than $200/pair list.
Features:
two-way bookshelf speaker
5-1/4-inch polypropylene cone woofer
1-inch fabric dome tweeter
ISO-Drive baffle
recommended power 15-100 watts
sensitivity 88 dB
frequency response 55 Hz-20 kHz
keyhole mount for wall-hanging
12-1/4 x 7 x 9-3/4 inches (HWD)
Not only does the ISO-Drive baffle serve as a solid mount for the drivers, it also functions as a waveguide, directing the sound of the tweeter and, to a lesser extent, the woofer. There's a second-order (12 dB/octave) crossover, with an extra network on the woofer; I don't know if that extra network's there to flatten the impedance curve, as EQ to fix a woofer anomaly, or to compensate for colorations introduced by the waveguide.
The keyhole mounting bracket is an integral part of the molded plate that holds the binding posts. It's designed to hold the speaker out about half an inch from the wall, so the rear-firing port doesn't get plugged up.
There's not much else to talk about here, but you can't expect to find a lot of snazzy features in a $199/pair list speaker.
Features Rating: 75
Connectivity: The gold-plated, five-way binding-post speaker terminals are solidly mounted and easy to reach.
Connectivity Rating: 70
Look & Feel: Here's where the S-DF1-K walks all over the competition. Most good $200/pair mini-speakers look rather unappealing; the manufacturer usually puts all the money into better drivers, better crossover components and thicker cabinet walls, and wraps the exterior in drab faux black-ash vinyl. Pretty depressing. But while the S-DF1-K is also straightjacketed in black vinyl, the contours of the ISO-Drive baffle and the matching rear jack plate/mount set this speaker apart aesthetically. Plus, the grille fits snugly and looks very cool.
Look & Feel Rating: 86
Performance: I compared a pair of S-DF1-Ks mostly against a mini-speaker I know quite well, Klipsch's crummy-looking but great-sounding $220/pair list KSB 1.1. For electronics, I used a Pioneer DV-09 DVD player, a Krell Home Theater Standard preamp/processor, and a B&K AV5000 Series II amp, all connected through Synergy speaker cables. I placed the S-DF1-Ks on 28-inch stands.
The first difference I noticed between the two mini-speakers was in the bass; the S-DF1-K's was clearly tighter and more compressed-sounding than the KSB 1.1's. Although I actually enjoyed the KSB 1.1's rather underdamped, dynamic sound, the S-DF1-K's bass tuning is probably more practical. The Klipsch's woofer distorted considerably more at high levels (which won't be a concern if you set your receiver for "small" main speakers and use a subwoofer), while the Pioneer's woofer took all the punishment the B&K amp could deliver.
Surprisingly, though, the KSB 1.1's midrange sounded cleaner. I noticed a mild coloration in the S-DF1-K's upper midrange, a sound something like that of a vocalists hands being cupped slightly around his/her mouth. (Is this caused by that waveguide up front?) I don't want to make a big deal about it -- I found the speaker very enjoyable to listen to overall -- but it's important to mention because this is the place where I feel the S-DF1-K falls short of the performance achieved by the KSB 1.1 and Paradigm's $179/pair list Atom.
The S-DF1-K's tweeter sounds completely different from the KSB 1.1's. Where the KSB 1.1 always sounds bright and forward, adding sizzle to every recording, the S-DF1-K always sounds polite and restrained. The sound's never abrasive or fatiguing. On certain recordings, like Holly Cole's Temptation CD, the Klipsch's bright, exciting sound seduced me, and the Pioneer sounded too dull. But overall, I preferred the Pioneer's tweeter, especially on any recording with brass instruments or saxophones. I also greatly preferred the Pioneer's sound on edgy pop recordings -- yes, that midrange coloration is there, and the bass won't blow you away, but there's an overall pleasing quality to the sound that kept me coming back. It also created a deeper, more realistic soundstage than the KSB 1.1.
I don't recommend you wall-mount the S-DF1-K. I tried placing one against the wall, and the bass got very boomy, shifting the tonal balance even further into the soft side.
One more plus to the S-DF1-K is that it mates well with one of today's best inexpensive center speakers: Pioneer's $189/each list S-DC1-K.
Performance Rating: 78
Value: The S-DF1-K is competitive with the best speakers in its price range, although I'd prefer the Paradigm Atom's performance overall, and I know some people would prefer the KSB 1.1's super-lively sound. But the Atom's a cheap-looking little thing with a permanently attached grille, and even the Atom looks good next to the KSB 1.1. The Pioneer, on the other hand, looks and feels like something I'd be proud to put on display in my apartment.
Value Rating: 90
Pioneer's definitely achieved its goal here, creating a speaker that can stand up against any other $200/pair minimonitor. You may prefer other comparably priced speakers, depending on your taste, your system, etc. However, the build quality and look & feel of the S-DF1-K are so much better than what I've seen before in this price range that you may find yourself swayed by the Pioneer's pretty face.
Overall Rating: 80
http://legacy.pioneerelectronics.com...29,399,00.html
(Brent now writes for Robb report and NY Times)
The S-DF1-K's designers mounted its drivers in a contoured baffle made from dense, stiff plastic. The baffle's attached to the cabinet with a thick rubber gasket, so the baffle never touches the wood (or even the screws that hold it in place). Pioneer calls this arrangement ISO-Drive; the idea is that it helps prevent vibrations from the drivers from being transmitted to the cabinet.
I'm happy to say that Pioneer joins the ranks of PSB and Paradigm as one of the few companies to offer a really good speaker at less than $200/pair list.
Features:
two-way bookshelf speaker
5-1/4-inch polypropylene cone woofer
1-inch fabric dome tweeter
ISO-Drive baffle
recommended power 15-100 watts
sensitivity 88 dB
frequency response 55 Hz-20 kHz
keyhole mount for wall-hanging
12-1/4 x 7 x 9-3/4 inches (HWD)
Not only does the ISO-Drive baffle serve as a solid mount for the drivers, it also functions as a waveguide, directing the sound of the tweeter and, to a lesser extent, the woofer. There's a second-order (12 dB/octave) crossover, with an extra network on the woofer; I don't know if that extra network's there to flatten the impedance curve, as EQ to fix a woofer anomaly, or to compensate for colorations introduced by the waveguide.
The keyhole mounting bracket is an integral part of the molded plate that holds the binding posts. It's designed to hold the speaker out about half an inch from the wall, so the rear-firing port doesn't get plugged up.
There's not much else to talk about here, but you can't expect to find a lot of snazzy features in a $199/pair list speaker.
Features Rating: 75
Connectivity: The gold-plated, five-way binding-post speaker terminals are solidly mounted and easy to reach.
Connectivity Rating: 70
Look & Feel: Here's where the S-DF1-K walks all over the competition. Most good $200/pair mini-speakers look rather unappealing; the manufacturer usually puts all the money into better drivers, better crossover components and thicker cabinet walls, and wraps the exterior in drab faux black-ash vinyl. Pretty depressing. But while the S-DF1-K is also straightjacketed in black vinyl, the contours of the ISO-Drive baffle and the matching rear jack plate/mount set this speaker apart aesthetically. Plus, the grille fits snugly and looks very cool.
Look & Feel Rating: 86
Performance: I compared a pair of S-DF1-Ks mostly against a mini-speaker I know quite well, Klipsch's crummy-looking but great-sounding $220/pair list KSB 1.1. For electronics, I used a Pioneer DV-09 DVD player, a Krell Home Theater Standard preamp/processor, and a B&K AV5000 Series II amp, all connected through Synergy speaker cables. I placed the S-DF1-Ks on 28-inch stands.
The first difference I noticed between the two mini-speakers was in the bass; the S-DF1-K's was clearly tighter and more compressed-sounding than the KSB 1.1's. Although I actually enjoyed the KSB 1.1's rather underdamped, dynamic sound, the S-DF1-K's bass tuning is probably more practical. The Klipsch's woofer distorted considerably more at high levels (which won't be a concern if you set your receiver for "small" main speakers and use a subwoofer), while the Pioneer's woofer took all the punishment the B&K amp could deliver.
Surprisingly, though, the KSB 1.1's midrange sounded cleaner. I noticed a mild coloration in the S-DF1-K's upper midrange, a sound something like that of a vocalists hands being cupped slightly around his/her mouth. (Is this caused by that waveguide up front?) I don't want to make a big deal about it -- I found the speaker very enjoyable to listen to overall -- but it's important to mention because this is the place where I feel the S-DF1-K falls short of the performance achieved by the KSB 1.1 and Paradigm's $179/pair list Atom.
The S-DF1-K's tweeter sounds completely different from the KSB 1.1's. Where the KSB 1.1 always sounds bright and forward, adding sizzle to every recording, the S-DF1-K always sounds polite and restrained. The sound's never abrasive or fatiguing. On certain recordings, like Holly Cole's Temptation CD, the Klipsch's bright, exciting sound seduced me, and the Pioneer sounded too dull. But overall, I preferred the Pioneer's tweeter, especially on any recording with brass instruments or saxophones. I also greatly preferred the Pioneer's sound on edgy pop recordings -- yes, that midrange coloration is there, and the bass won't blow you away, but there's an overall pleasing quality to the sound that kept me coming back. It also created a deeper, more realistic soundstage than the KSB 1.1.
I don't recommend you wall-mount the S-DF1-K. I tried placing one against the wall, and the bass got very boomy, shifting the tonal balance even further into the soft side.
One more plus to the S-DF1-K is that it mates well with one of today's best inexpensive center speakers: Pioneer's $189/each list S-DC1-K.
Performance Rating: 78
Value: The S-DF1-K is competitive with the best speakers in its price range, although I'd prefer the Paradigm Atom's performance overall, and I know some people would prefer the KSB 1.1's super-lively sound. But the Atom's a cheap-looking little thing with a permanently attached grille, and even the Atom looks good next to the KSB 1.1. The Pioneer, on the other hand, looks and feels like something I'd be proud to put on display in my apartment.
Value Rating: 90
Pioneer's definitely achieved its goal here, creating a speaker that can stand up against any other $200/pair minimonitor. You may prefer other comparably priced speakers, depending on your taste, your system, etc. However, the build quality and look & feel of the S-DF1-K are so much better than what I've seen before in this price range that you may find yourself swayed by the Pioneer's pretty face.
Overall Rating: 80
http://legacy.pioneerelectronics.com...29,399,00.html
(Brent now writes for Robb report and NY Times)
10-16-03, 02:09 PM
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Originally posted by bfrank
Dead- trust me on this one.
They are far better then much of the competition at the $200~$300. They had to be because of the brand. The tweeter is a revised version of the driver used in the Infinity Prelude, Overture, Reference and CC lines of product.
Because the tweeter was very good (98dB efficiency in horn) and the woofer was ~88 the crossover point could be moved way down compared to other two-way bookshelfs. This gives an improved image stablitiy. This imaging was enhanced by overlapping the tweeter horn into the woofer with minimizes interference between the drivers (closer to a point source).
The isolation baffle removes the coloration from the cabinet. You will be shocked by the bass performance for a 5 1/4" woofer (as was noted by Consumer Reports)
It has a built in wall mount and gold 5-way binding posts.
I promise you can’t find a better speaker for $100 pr because these are discontinued and are now 1/2 price.
(I have a pair at home)
Dead- trust me on this one.
They are far better then much of the competition at the $200~$300. They had to be because of the brand. The tweeter is a revised version of the driver used in the Infinity Prelude, Overture, Reference and CC lines of product.
Because the tweeter was very good (98dB efficiency in horn) and the woofer was ~88 the crossover point could be moved way down compared to other two-way bookshelfs. This gives an improved image stablitiy. This imaging was enhanced by overlapping the tweeter horn into the woofer with minimizes interference between the drivers (closer to a point source).
The isolation baffle removes the coloration from the cabinet. You will be shocked by the bass performance for a 5 1/4" woofer (as was noted by Consumer Reports)
It has a built in wall mount and gold 5-way binding posts.
I promise you can’t find a better speaker for $100 pr because these are discontinued and are now 1/2 price.
(I have a pair at home
)
Wow, thanks for all the feed back. I'll pass along all the recommendations.
10-17-03, 10:34 PM
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They are kind of blow outs now (which is why they are such a steal). Circuit gave them a test run but the name held them back.
Many sites are selling them and I think walmart bought up a bunch of them.
(It should be said that I have a bias on this and would only recommend because Dead knows)
Many sites are selling them and I think walmart bought up a bunch of them.
(It should be said that I have a bias on this and would only recommend because Dead knows)
