Boston Acoustics CR vs. Polk

VSchneider

Does anyone have experience with the Boston Accoustics CR series bookshelves? What in the Polk range would you compare it to?

I have not seen much information about these before, but I had a chance to audition a pair of Boston CR57 bookshelves at home - the smallest in the CR series.

CR57 has a 4½" woofer and a ¾" Kortec® soft dome tweeter. The speaker looks very handsome and seems to be built well. A very nice touch is the rotating "Boston" logo on the metal grill, which I think means you can safely position these on the side, too. From the back port you can see a massive heatsink attached to the back of the tweeter (I think).

I played with them for about half a day on and off with a coupe of CDs running off of Onkyo receiver and cd changer. They sound is very pleasing – the Kortec tweeter is very much detailed and not fatiguing. Nice midrange and upper bass rolling off very quickly though, probably well within the 80Hz-20kHz (+/- 3dB) specs.

In my mind I positioned them right next to Polk’s new Monitor line. Monitor 30 undoubtfully has deeper bass, than the CR57, but it’s also a smaller speaker than Monitor 30. I cannot imagine how nice these can sound with a good sub – I may try that on the weekend I have time.

Please, anyone that have heard these, share your thoughts.

josh_parsons626

I'm not a very big fan of Boston Acoustics and if you're comparing them to the Monitor 30's and the 30's are better than chances are the Boston Acoustics aren't a very good speaker. I once heard them in a demo room compared to Paradigm Monitor bookshelves and the Boston Acoustics just made me wanna turn them off.

MSALLA

I'm not crazy about the CR line. If you are looking at Boston bookshelves, look at the VRB's. The VR line is a much nicer speaker and the VRB won't break the bank. I have a set of VR 30 towers on my 2-channel rig and I love them.

VSchneider

Mike, Josh, I actually thought these actually sounded decent, just lacking some lows, which is understandable considering their petite size.

Thanks for your input.
Val

MSALLA

Hey, it's all about what you like. If you like them, buy them.

Danny Tse

I have not really listened to the last 2 series of Boston CR speakers, but I used to own the CR8 back in the late 90s. The CR8 had a 1" Kortec soft-dome tweeter (the giant heatsink was visible thru the port in the back) matched with a 7" woofer. The speaker was amazing....the imaging and transparency of the NHT SuperOne, except with well-controlled bass. During those years, I also had the Paradigm Mini-Monitor v.2 (with metal tweeter) and NHT SuperOne, and the Boston was the best speaker amongst the three. Boston has basically stuck to the same formula even since the CR series was introduced about a decade ago.

Here's my review of the Boston Acoustics CR8 at audioreview.com and audioasylum.com.

josh_parsons626

msalla is right. You asked what we thought and we told you. It's still up to you whether you want it and like it.

VSchneider

MSALLA wrote:

I'm not crazy about the CR line. If you are looking at Boston bookshelves, look at the VRB's

I am having trouble finding someone who sells VR series in/around Baltimore, MD.
Anyone?

Monster Jam

I don't like Boston - and there are very few speaker makers out there I don't like.

Sales rep called Boston "Neutral" sounding. I call it bored, heartless and plain.

VSchneider

josh_parsons626 wrote:

msalla is right. You asked what we thought and we told you. It's still up to you whether you want it and like it.

I don't believe the speakers are worth keeping for what I need them for, but for the price they go they are probably not that bad.

Thanks for everyone's opinions!

Tim B.

I used to own some of the Compact Reference series stuff. They I had the CR8s with the CR5 in the rears and a VR center channel. They sounded incredible. I still have the CR5's stored in a cabinet. But my greedy ex-wife broke in my house and stole my fronts and center and my Onkyo 757, CD and DVD player. I was suppose to get them back since I have a court order, but see still would not return them. Plus they would probably be trashed if I had got them back.

So now I have the Bay audio stuff. Man do they sound good. Should listen to a set sometime.

Lukey

I've had a pair of Boston CR8 on steel sand filled stands since I bought them new in 1994. They're a fine speaker -- the best sounding in that stereo store at that time. I just set a pair of Polk S4s on top of them and tried them, but the CR8 is clearly a better speaker, at least as far as my ears are concerned. Perhaps if the S4s had a 7" woofer like the CR8 it would compare better. I'm not going to part with my CR8s anytime soon.

ZLTFUL

And your response is only 6 years past the last post in this thread.

Nothing wrong with trying to contribute but necroposting doesn't do much for anyone unless you are reviving a post that discusses an issue that you too are experiencing and may have found a different fix for.

Lukey

Speak for yourself. I will post what I want to post. I don't have to explain anything to you.

Since good audio gears lasts for decades, I feel that it's appropriate to reply to new as well as old posts -- regardless of how many years a post is..

ken brydson

Lukey wrote: »

Speak for yourself. I will post what I want to post. I don't have to explain anything to you.

Since good audio gears lasts for decades, I feel that it's appropriate to reply to new as well as old posts -- regardless of how many years a post is..

Wow, just wow. Great way to introduce yourself...

ZLTFUL

Obviously you are here to contribute. I withdraw my previous statement. /sarcasm.

cheezy

ken brydson wrote: »

Wow, just wow. Great way to introduce yourself...

Leave the guy alone. he was making contribution. lol

My family owns Boston VR series as HT. They sound okay. Runs solid, haven't had any issue.


cheezie

okiesaki

I had a pair of Boston dsi265 in ceiling speakers and they sound pretty equal to Polk rc60 I replaced them with. Neither were good for music but great for surrounds.