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Budget-ish Floor Standing Speakers


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Hey guys, pretty simple looking for a SMALL pair of floor standing speakers to go with a Cambridge Audio Topaz AM10B amp. I'm pretty set on upgrading to that amp. Now I'm just looking for a good set of speakers to go with it.

 

I would like to stay in the $300-$400 range, and footprint is a big concern for me. I don't have a ton of space but would like to get the full sound of floor stands rather than a set of bookshelf speakers. That being said if someone has a set of bookshelves that will compete please point me in their direction as well.

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Why set on floor standing speakers? The way you're describing the space you should look into a ported bookshelf...

 

I've just had a bunch of people tell me I won't get nearly as full a sound out of bookshelf. Does them being ported help that? 

 

PS you're the guy I was hoping to talk to about this.

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Not being an ass, but if someone told you that, they've never heard a good bookshelf. Ported speakers really help bass control. Since your average bookshelf just had a tweeter and a woofer, a ported speaker really helps with the low frequencies. If I were you, look into the B&W 686. They are $480 new, but used/open box/demoed you can find em under $400. If you have a Best Buy with a Magnolia home theatre in it, they'll carry it, and may have open box. My local one had em for $375 open. Or find a B&W dealer and talk to em. They may work with you.

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Hey guys, pretty simple looking for a SMALL pair of floor standing speakers to go with a Cambridge Audio Topaz AM10B amp. I'm pretty set on upgrading to that amp. Now I'm just looking for a good set of speakers to go with it.

I would like to stay in the $300-$400 range, and footprint is a big concern for me. I don't have a ton of space but would like to get the full sound of floor stands rather than a set of bookshelf speakers. That being said if someone has a set of bookshelves that will compete please point me in their direction as well.

I agree, small space go with bookshelves, unless your planning on increasing youre space in the future. Make sure you perform good isolation techniques from your turntable though if you're going that route (then again speaker isolation should be performed on all types of speakers).

Anyone use foam yoga blocks underneath their speakers as isolation? Figure I might give this a try with my new speakers.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Exactly, so this "upgrade" is sounding like it could be more of a sideways move than anything - especially considering the space.

 

But hey, depends what you want out of them.

 

Oh I definitely won't be changing speakers until I find something better. And if I can't in that price range or size then I won't.

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In that case, just keep your eyes open, wait for some kind of unbelievable bargain and jump on it.

 

Check out the classifieds sections on whatever hifi forums have active folks from your area - in my area, they seem all too willing to knowingly buy a same-level piece of gear just to see how it compares and then sell it off cheaper than they probably should.

 

Hell, I have no idea what they go for (I'm guessing too much) but if floorspace is an issue maybe some electrostatic speakers (I'm joking... unless you want to go down that road).

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Have you listened to both? How were the PSBs better?

 

Yeah, I've heard both. I just think the PSBs are better in pretty much every regard. Better bass extension, stereo imaging, design. It's a more resolute speaker. They also have an Image B6 bookshelf at $550 that takes the B5 and puts it in a bigger enclosure with a bigger driver. If the OP wanted to stretch the budget at all, that's where else to look. I just thought I'd provide an option that was new and (nearly) within the original budget.

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