Floorstanders on a budget....pls help

xsnv

xsnv

xsnv

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hey guys, my jamo E800's recently went pop so i'm looking to get a new set of speakers. I've got a rotel RA-931 Mk II. I would like to go the floorstanders route and have about £100 - £170 to spend.

After shopping around i've narrowed it down to the mission m73i or the kef cresta 30. Can anyone recomend either of the two (or any other good set of floorstanders)? They are both on richer sounds (would prefer to buy from them as i've heard their customer service is first class) The kef's are £100 and the missions are £150.

Any words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for looking.
 
xsnv said:
hey guys, my jamo E800's recently went pop so i'm looking to get a new set of speakers. I've got a rotel RA-931 Mk II. I would like to go the floorstanders route and have about £100 - £170 to spend.

After shopping around i've narrowed it down to the mission m73i or the kef cresta 30. Can anyone recomend either of the two (or any other good set of floorstanders)? They are both on richer sounds (would prefer to buy from them as i've heard their customer service is first class) The kef's are £100 and the missions are £150.

Any words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for looking.
Click to expand...

DO NOT buy KEFs if your not getting Qs, there are loads of Qs on Ebay there were even some Q70s the other week and they went under you budget, replacement drivers are cheap and KEFs aftermarket service is excellent. ;)

MB
 
Why not go into RS and LISTEN to them and then decide?

I'd personally go used, but if you want new that is your best route.
 
Listen to New.
Buy used.
Don't rule out stand mounts at your price point. (less box coloration, and probably will sound better for the money).
 
9designs2 said:
Listen to New.
Buy used.
Don't rule out stand mounts at your price point. (less box coloration, and probably will sound better for the money).
Click to expand...

I agree with this, however if you go with KEFs the older Qs had a much more pleasing sound than the new ones :)

MB
 
Thanks a lot guys. The only reason i'm thinking of going new is i had a friend who bought a pair or mordaunt shorts of the bay. 2 weeks later one of the cones went pop and the seller wouldn't refund he's money so i'm a bit weary of the bay. Where can I buy decent speakers second hand (apart from the bay)?

The reason i'm not really after standmounts is when you factor in the price of quality stands, they end up as much as floorstanders anyway (which i've been told sound significantly better than standmounts - unless i've been misinformed).

Anyone know where to get decent 2nd hand speakers?
 
xsnv said:
Thanks a lot guys. The only reason i'm thinking of going new is i had a friend who bought a pair or mordaunt shorts of the bay. 2 weeks later one of the cones went pop and the seller wouldn't refund he's money so i'm a bit weary of the bay. Where can I buy decent speakers second hand (apart from the bay)?

The reason i'm not really after standmounts is when you factor in the price of quality stands, they end up as much as floorstanders anyway (which i've been told sound significantly better than standmounts - unless i've been misinformed).

Anyone know where to get decent 2nd hand speakers?
Click to expand...

Hmmmmmmm, floorstanders aren't the be all and end all and they will only give their best in a large'ish room, they will probably overpower a small room. Standmounts exist for a reason and they can give stunning results, don't dismiss them

If you bought KEFs off ebay, as I said you can always get new drivers and fit them yourself (they are quite cheap). If your room is medium I would go for Q30s or Q35s, if its larger than the Q50s would be more suitable.

As for other places to try have a look at hififorsale.com freeads for some nice stuff but nowhere is going to give you 100% piece of mind if you buy privately, there aren't many stores which deal in secondhand mid range hifi as there isn't much profit in it. You could try Audio T and other dealers with secondhand stuff http://www.audiot.co.uk/html/listings/index.php?srch_cat=g_7

MB
 
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Thanks a lot man .... ight then....will go bargain hunting. Let you know if i find anything....

P.S. I'm guessing you're the "badass" of the av forums....:)

thanks again
 
xsnv said:
Thanks a lot man .... ight then....will go bargain hunting. Let you know if i find anything....

P.S. I'm guessing ** the "badass" of the av forums....:)

thanks again
Click to expand...

In presence alone :D There are people here that know a lot more than me here Mr_Sukebe, Commited and 9designs2 bit know more then me but I do have some experience of doing stuff on a budget :)

MB
 
MattB's advice of going to Audio-T or similar is excellent. These stores often let you home demo stuff too - needs a largeish deposit - but it's a great idea.

Try lots of different brands and find what you like. If you're room is less than 10sqm then standmounts are your only choice, if it is between 10 and 25sqm then you're into the small-medium sized floorstanders or bookshelves, over 25sqm - floorstanders are the way to go. That's all imho, but I feel that it's a reasonable guide - obviously every room & pair of speakers is different.

EDIT:
I dont know what your local store is, but:
B&W DM602.5 Black S/hand £400.00 £175.00 BREN
Mission 771 S/hand £69.00 BREN
Ruark Epilogue 2 Black S/hand £175.00 SO
KEF Q35 Cherry S/hand £350.00 £175.00 SW
are all worth a sniff :D
 
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commited said:
MattB's advice of going to Audio-T or similar is excellent. These stores often let you home demo stuff too - needs a largeish deposit - but it's a great idea.

Try lots of different brands and find what you like. If you're room is less than 10sqm then standmounts are your only choice, if it is between 10 and 25sqm then you're into the small-medium sized floorstanders or bookshelves, over 25sqm - floorstanders are the way to go. That's all imho, but I feel that it's a reasonable guide - obviously every room & pair of speakers is different.

EDIT:
I dont know what your local store is, but:
B&W DM602.5 Black S/hand £400.00 £175.00 BREN
Mission 771 S/hand £69.00 BREN
Ruark Epilogue 2 Black S/hand £175.00 SO
KEF Q35 Cherry S/hand £350.00 £175.00 SW
are all worth a sniff :D
Click to expand...

Thanks man....where did you get those from?

What do you think about a pair of kef Q3's for £145?

P.S. are the Q35's better than the Q3's?
 
xsnv said:
Thanks man....where did you get those from?

What do you think about a pair of kef Q3's for £145?

P.S. are the Q35's better than the Q3's?
Click to expand...

I prefer the sound and design of the older KEF Q30 series to the new Q3 types but you might feek differently.

MB
 
lol...tbh I don't really know that much about speakers. I'm really fussy when it comes to my music though.

Ok how about the q55's any good? better than the q3's

sorry if i'm getting annoying
 
I've always liked the sound of Tannoy speakers, but not sure what they offer these days in the line of budget speakers. Should be able to get hold of some decent ones 2nd hand though.
 
YOU need to listen them/some. All speakers have a "voice" and tone or character, doesn't mean they are good or bad, just different. I hate metal doom tweeters for example, they ring like a bell. Others like the "zing" they give to music. I general think ported speakers, and cheap floor stands have terrible loose bass. Am I right ???... no, that's just my taste..... Try some Monitor Audio or Mission, for example. The Ruarks would be one I would try, as they have a good reputation for smooth treble and well controlled sound. BUT probably will need a very good amp to get the best from them.
Visit your local deal and see what they offer, see if anything appeals to you and then report back.
But with your budget I think you will struggle. Plus I'd always get the best CD /front end I could first before spending out to much on speakers.....
 
thanks......advice taken. One more question though; whats the difference between an 8ohm and a 6 ohm speaker? (i know they are resistances ) but what do they transate to in reality?

thanks
 
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