Best USED bookshelves under $500 (pair)

NeilGabriel
NeilGabriel Posts: 1,487
edited May 2007 in Speakers
I always hate these, what do you like best posts. Unless, I need to try one. Now that I have sent my CRS+ packing to Tampa, I would like to pick up something used in a bookshelf that has the detail of the CRS+. I've probably got enough Polk Monitors and am now using a PSB 300 which I like a lot...but it does not offer the detail for a lot of music I now listen to...as compared, say, to my Black Sabbath days. So, what would you be on the lookout for in a used under $500 PAIR? A lot of speakers sound to me like someone has thrown a blanket over them and muffled the high mids and tweets.
Post edited by NeilGabriel on
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  • Meeks32
    Meeks32 Posts: 330
    edited May 2007
    After taking a quick look at audiogon the only thing I could think of is maybe some used JM lab cobalts or chorus line. What about trying to find a great deal on some lsi9's when they come along?
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  • Bill Ayotte
    Bill Ayotte Posts: 1,860
    edited May 2007
    How about B&W's? The 601S3's and maybe you could find a deal on a set of 602S3's....I have never heard the CRS+, but I do like the B&W bookshelves...
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  • DollarDave
    DollarDave Posts: 2,575
    edited May 2007
    Park some LS-90's on those shelves and tell the wife the seller under-estimated the size...
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  • reeltrouble1
    reeltrouble1 Posts: 9,312
    edited May 2007
    Polk CRS+ SDA
    Polk CRS
    Polk LSI-7
    Polk LSi 9

    You already sold the best ones.

    Buy some Polk Speakers.

    RT1
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  • reeltrouble1
    reeltrouble1 Posts: 9,312
    edited May 2007
    Did you ever consider it might not be the speaks????

    RT1
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  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 33,015
    edited May 2007
    reeltrouble1 wrote: »
    Did you ever consider it might not be the speaks????

    RT1

    +1 on that....everyone is so quick to blame the speakers for the lack
    of good sound.Source componants are just as important.You know the saying around here........crap in=crap out.
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
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  • NeilGabriel
    NeilGabriel Posts: 1,487
    edited May 2007
    I am only because the sound was excellent with some better speakers (CRS+ and Monitor 5s) and not so good with the little psb 300's I am using now. There are decent for entry level bookshelf and I was looking for alternatives. This is a Tertiary system and so the system is what it is.....just looking for options. It will probably be just another pair of 5s.
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  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 33,015
    edited May 2007
    http://kansascity.craigslist.org/ele/332989020.html


    Here ya go pal
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
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  • NeilGabriel
    NeilGabriel Posts: 1,487
    edited May 2007
    Thanks...will check them out. I got a guy to relist a pair of 5s on ebay and just bought those. I don't know anything about the RTi series..never heard them and need to do that. Where do the fit in with the LSi series? I rarely find anything Polk on the local craigslist except car speakers. Thanks for the lead.
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  • lanion
    lanion Posts: 843
    edited May 2007
    Totem Mites is my pick.
    My Iron Man training/charity blog.

    HT:
    32" Sharp LCD. H/K dpr 1001 to Outlaw Audio 7900 to Polk LSi + Paradigm Studio center. Hsu DualDrive ULS-15. PS3/Wii. Outlaw 7900.
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  • Refefer
    Refefer Posts: 1,280
    edited May 2007
    NeilGabriel wrote: »
    Thanks...will check them out. I got a guy to relist a pair of 5s on ebay and just bought those. I don't know anything about the RTi series..never heard them and need to do that. Where do the fit in with the LSi series? I rarely find anything Polk on the local craigslist except car speakers. Thanks for the lead.

    Hmm, out of curiosity, did you do the tweeter upgrades for the CRS+ when you had them? It could very well be that your just used to the frequency spike found with the sl2000's at the range and your ears now need a brighter sound. I remember listening to some lsi9's after listening to my 5b's for a while and their treble sounded a lot less present initially due to their flatter response.
    Lovin that music year after year.

    Main 2 Channel System

    Polk SDA-1B,
    Promitheus Audio TVC SE,
    Rotel RB-980BX,
    OPPO DV-970HD,
    Lite Audio DAC AH,
    IXOS XHA305 Interconnects

    Computer Rig

    Polk SDA CRS+,
    Creek Audio 5350 SE,
    Morrow Audio MA1 Interconnect,
    HRT Music Streamer II
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  • jakelm
    jakelm Posts: 4,081
    edited May 2007
    Check out Mirage.
    Monitor 7b's front
    Monitor 4's surround
    Frankinpolk Center (2 mw6503's with peerless tweeter)
    M10's back surround
    Hafler-200 driving patio Daytons
    Tempest-X 15" DIY sub w/ Rythmik 350A plate amp
    Dayton 12" DVC w/ Rythmik 350a plate amp
    Harman/Kardon AVR-635
    Oppo 981hd
    Denon upconvert DVD player
    Jennings Research (vintage and rare)
    Mit RPTV WS-55513
    Tosh HD-XA1
    B&K AV5000


    Dont BAN me Bro!!!!:eek:
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  • MSALLA
    MSALLA Posts: 1,602
    edited May 2007
    Why did you sell the CRS+'s? It sounds like you liked them.
    Michael


    Samsung 50" HD DLP
    Yamaha RX-V2500
    (2) Outlaw 200
    Adcom GFA 555
    Sony BDP300
    Denon 2900 DVD
    Lsi9's mains
    Lsi7's rear
    Lsic center
    12.1 SVS driver in 4.53 cuft. tube
    Harmony 880
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  • skipf
    skipf Posts: 694
    edited May 2007
    LSi9's if you can find someone that will part with theirs.
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  • engtaz
    engtaz Posts: 7,664
    edited May 2007
    Because he felt sorry for me.
    engtaz

    I love how music can brighten up a bad day.
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  • MSALLA
    MSALLA Posts: 1,602
    edited May 2007
    engtaz wrote: »
    Because he felt sorry for me.


    But now you've left him unsatisfied and lonely. Walking throught life looking for good sound.
    Michael


    Samsung 50" HD DLP
    Yamaha RX-V2500
    (2) Outlaw 200
    Adcom GFA 555
    Sony BDP300
    Denon 2900 DVD
    Lsi9's mains
    Lsi7's rear
    Lsic center
    12.1 SVS driver in 4.53 cuft. tube
    Harmony 880
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  • NeilGabriel
    NeilGabriel Posts: 1,487
    edited May 2007
    MSALLA wrote: »
    But now you've left him unsatisfied and lonely. Walking throught life looking for good sound.

    Like any man (or woman) with a thirst that can't be quenched, since selling the CRS+, I have bought two pairs of 5s and a Denon 3802. I have told myself this is enough. I loved the detail of the CRS+, but they are for serious listening, and I have other speakers for that. Someone posted a thread about being able to hear the bow across the strings, and I could hear that with them--even when there were no strings.....and, well....ok...I'm rescinding the sale. They had original tweeter, not sure about mids. Engtaz will let us know.
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  • MSALLA
    MSALLA Posts: 1,602
    edited May 2007
    All jokes aside, are the CRS+'s that good? Better then say the Lsi9's?

    There is a pair of Lsi9's in the flea market for $680.00. I know it's over your budjet but not a bad deal.
    Michael


    Samsung 50" HD DLP
    Yamaha RX-V2500
    (2) Outlaw 200
    Adcom GFA 555
    Sony BDP300
    Denon 2900 DVD
    Lsi9's mains
    Lsi7's rear
    Lsic center
    12.1 SVS driver in 4.53 cuft. tube
    Harmony 880
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  • engtaz
    engtaz Posts: 7,664
    edited May 2007
    MSALLA wrote: »
    But now you've left him unsatisfied and lonely. Walking throught life looking for good sound.

    too funny LOL
    engtaz

    I love how music can brighten up a bad day.
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  • engtaz
    engtaz Posts: 7,664
    edited May 2007
    The tweeters have RDO's i believe but I have not gotten them yet. But the person he got them from said they replaced the tweets if I remember correctly with RDO's.
    engtaz

    I love how music can brighten up a bad day.
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  • NeilGabriel
    NeilGabriel Posts: 1,487
    edited May 2007
    MSALLA wrote: »
    All jokes aside, are the CRS+'s that good? Better then say the Lsi9's?

    There is a pair of Lsi9's in the flea market for $680.00. I know it's over your budjet but not a bad deal.

    I gotta quick leaving work early. So many speakers have passed through the house in the last month. I think the CRS+ had the SL2000 tweets. I think Stubby told me the mids might have been modded...but he could have been wrong. I had the CRS+ right beside my 10Bs and did some blind A-B comparisons with my wife (about the speakers not her). For non-rock music, I liked them better than the 10Bs. The detail is great and the SDA creates great separation. For rock music and for movies, the 10Bs were much better--more punch in mids and low range. Wife and I agreed...and that happens, oh, never. I thought the two speakers in combination sounded pretty good. Honestly, and don't shoot me, but I don't really like the 3 dimensional "effect" the SDA creates. I don't want the sound to sit on the speaker grills, but I also don't want it to be 8 feet away on a 45 degree angle from the speaker. I would really like to hear some bigger SDA speakers for the HT since that is where I sit in a sweet spot in front of the system. I have not heard the Lsi series. The foregoing is all in my ever so humble opinion.
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,769
    edited May 2007
    but I don't really like the 3 dimensional "effect" the SDA creates.

    When is the last time you attended a live performance?
    I don't want the sound to sit on the speaker grills, but I also don't want it to be 8 feet away on a 45 degree angle from the speaker.

    Seems like you had set up/room issues.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

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  • Yashu
    Yashu Posts: 772
    edited May 2007
    I think we are so used to the "standard" stereo presentation that SDAs just take a bit to get used to.
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  • NeilGabriel
    NeilGabriel Posts: 1,487
    edited May 2007
    F1nut wrote: »
    When is the last time you attended a live performance?



    Seems like you had set up/room issues.

    I am an old man, but still I attend live concerts (and NOT Barry Manilow). I mean to be very clear that it is a personal opinion and preference. When the speakers were in the basement/rec room, the setting was not good. When I moved them into my office and sat in front of them, they were great. I love 5.1 sound on my music concerts...although I even listen to some of them in stereo. When I listen to CDs, I want the music to be flatter (looks at wife).
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