Your Favorite Budget Speaker?

jerrymb
jerrymb Posts: 278
edited November 2008 in Speakers
I like the Cambridge Soundworks Model Six or Infinity Primus 150's.
Jerry
Post edited by jerrymb on
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited November 2008
    Budget can mean $50 or $500.

    For used, it's hard to go wrong with a pair of Monitor 7's. New, Cambridge Audio S30's sound very good for their price range.
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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  • jerrymb
    jerrymb Posts: 278
    edited November 2008
    Budget. Under $200.
    Jerry
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  • McLoki
    McLoki Posts: 5,231
    edited November 2008
    polk's classic monitor series is very nice, for newer speakers the rti6's are excellent.
    Mains.............Polk LSi15 (Cherry)
    Center............Polk LSiC (Crossover upgraded)
    Surrounds.......Polk LSi7 (Gloss Black - wood sides removed and crossovers upgraded)
    Subwoofers.....SVS 25-31 CS+ and PC+ (both 20hz tune)
    Pre\Pro...........NAD T163 (Modded with LM4562 opamps)
    Amplifier.........Cinepro 3k6 (6-channel, 500wpc@4ohms)
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  • jerrymb
    jerrymb Posts: 278
    edited November 2008
    I just sold a pair of the RTI6 to another forum member here. Way too bright for my ears.
    Jerry
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  • KrazyMofo24
    KrazyMofo24 Posts: 1,210
    edited November 2008
    Under $200 tough one. I would say Rti8's I think I saw some for $200 in the Flea Market. Also Lsi7's refurbs on ebay go for just a little over $200 that would be my top choice.
    Setup:

    2 Channel: Vienna Acoustics Mozart Grand, T+A P 1230R, Primare SPA21, Oppo BDP-105
    PC: Vienna Acoustics Haydn Grand, Cambridge Azure 650A v2 , Peachtree iDAC, Denon DVD-3800BDCI

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  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,205
    edited November 2008
    I like the Lsi7's
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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  • Ricardo
    Ricardo Posts: 10,636
    edited November 2008
    As Face said, you can't get anything better than a pair of M7's for less than $200, or $500 ;)
    _________________________________________________
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    Thank God for different opinions. Imagine the world if we all wanted the same woman
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  • McLoki
    McLoki Posts: 5,231
    edited November 2008
    mantis wrote: »
    I like the Lsi7's

    Agreed - but I would not put any speakers in the top-line polk series in the budget catagory.

    Especially the LSi's considering the difficut load they could present to budget electronics that would accompany a budget system.
    Mains.............Polk LSi15 (Cherry)
    Center............Polk LSiC (Crossover upgraded)
    Surrounds.......Polk LSi7 (Gloss Black - wood sides removed and crossovers upgraded)
    Subwoofers.....SVS 25-31 CS+ and PC+ (both 20hz tune)
    Pre\Pro...........NAD T163 (Modded with LM4562 opamps)
    Amplifier.........Cinepro 3k6 (6-channel, 500wpc@4ohms)
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  • BigMac
    BigMac Posts: 849
    edited November 2008
    Jamo S606. My friend has a pair and they sound great. Or Vandersteen 1C.
    http://www.home-technology-store.com/Audio-Video/JA-S606BA.aspx

    http://blog.stereophile.com/cedia2007/090807jamo/
    DON'T CLICK THIS!!
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  • Conradicles
    Conradicles Posts: 6,142
    edited November 2008
    1st place = Polk Audio Monitor 10A or 10B
    2nd place = Klipsch KG4 if you can get a set for that price.
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  • shack
    shack Posts: 11,154
    edited November 2008
    Polk RT400. Paid $80 for what were originally a very nice pair...but the **** who sold them to me packed them so bad they were guaranteed to arrive damaged...and of course they did. Fortunately I only needed to replace one tweeter (it was sitting the the bottom of the cabinet). Total outlay was around $150 and I love these speakers. The spend a lot of time in my 2 channel rig.
    "Just because you’re offended doesn’t mean you’re right." - Ricky Gervais

    "For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don't believe, no proof is possible." - Stuart Chase

    "Consistency requires you to be as ignorant today as you were a year ago." - Bernard Berenson
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,217
    edited November 2008
    Polk Monitor 5B's with RD0's and x-over refresh right at $200 maybe a little less

    Epos EL3 Monitor. Might be hard but you can find them for around $200 if you look hard enough.

    Polk RT25i or RT35i. Old school tweeters with the blue woofers are very nice.

    Also don't skimp on cables for your 2nd or budget system. I just swapped some "zip cord" in my office rig for some custom made (by me) shot gun style dual Canare 4S6 star quad cable. Wow what a nice difference they made on my 5B's. Really smoothed out the top end and added some nice solid bass.

    Next up for the office rig are Signal Cable Analog 2 I/C's.

    H9
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
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  • shack
    shack Posts: 11,154
    edited November 2008
    heiney9 wrote:
    Polk RT25i or RT35i. Old school tweeters with the blue woofers are very nice.

    Agreed. The RT25i would be my second favorite "budget" speaker. I have thought about selling mine from time to time...but they are like new and I just can't part with them (or the RT15is). They are in my office rig now.
    "Just because you’re offended doesn’t mean you’re right." - Ricky Gervais

    "For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don't believe, no proof is possible." - Stuart Chase

    "Consistency requires you to be as ignorant today as you were a year ago." - Bernard Berenson
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  • treitz3
    treitz3 Posts: 19,249
    edited November 2008
    SDA 1C's. Shop hard and long enough and you can find a pair for 2 bills. ;)
    ~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~
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  • shack
    shack Posts: 11,154
    edited November 2008
    treitz3 wrote:
    SDA 1C's. Shop hard and long enough and you can find a pair for 2 bills. ;)

    I paid $650 for mine...but they are 9/10 shape and a great example of the speaker.
    "Just because you’re offended doesn’t mean you’re right." - Ricky Gervais

    "For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don't believe, no proof is possible." - Stuart Chase

    "Consistency requires you to be as ignorant today as you were a year ago." - Bernard Berenson
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,217
    edited November 2008
    treitz3 wrote: »
    SDA 1C's. Shop hard and long enough and you can find a pair for 2 bills. ;)

    THAT would be quite a deal. ;)
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
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  • treitz3
    treitz3 Posts: 19,249
    edited November 2008
    Eh, $450 for mine but I have seen them from time to time at around $2-250. Still, one hell of a good deal for a great speaker.
    ~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~
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  • nadams
    nadams Posts: 5,877
    edited November 2008
    I'd go for my SDA2's. Paid $175 for them. Or my monitor 10's, which I paid $150 for.

    New... I'd go with the R15's, or whatever has replaced them. Picked up my pair for $50 from outpost... love 'em for the office.
    Ludicrous gibs!
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  • Kex
    Kex Posts: 5,205
    edited November 2008
    I love my New MiniMonitors (bought brand new)! They are a great little speaker, with surprising abilities for their modest size. I've seen them used on eBay from time to time. I tried them for a while for HT (I have four), with a CS245i center, and they really did a superb job IMO, and surprisingly close in capability to the RT35 (that I also have), despite being half the size. Four like mine, and a good center like the CS245i, would only cost about $250-300 or so used, and they really make a great starter set, I think. It would blow any HTiB into a Galaxy Far Far Away!
    Alea jacta est!
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  • ben62670
    ben62670 Posts: 15,969
    edited November 2008
    SDA2's, Monitor 7's, or 10's. Look long, and hard.
    Please. Please contact me a ben62670 @ yahoo.com. Make sure to include who you are, and you are from Polk so I don't delete your email. Also I am now physically unable to work on any projects. If you need help let these guys know. There are many people who will help if you let them know where you are.
    Thanks
    Ben
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  • TNRabbit
    TNRabbit Posts: 2,168
    edited November 2008
    REALLY budget but hard to beat; Radio Shack Minimus 7 or Minimus 77.
    TNRabbit
    NO Polk Audio Equipment :eek:
    Sunfire TG-IV
    Ashly 1001 Active Crossover
    Rane PEQ-15 Parametric Equalizers x 2
    Sunfire Cinema Grand Signature Seven
    Carver AL-III Speakers
    Klipsch RT-12d Subwoofer
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  • TroyD
    TroyD Posts: 13,093
    edited November 2008
    Boston A40's
    Polk RT7's

    BDT
    I plan for the future. - F1Nut
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  • george daniel
    george daniel Posts: 12,096
    edited November 2008
    Eh,, I'll say monitor series 7's w/peerless--driven by a pair of small tubed mono's,like the little ASL 8's.
    JC approves....he told me so. (F-1 nut)
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