Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Stereo Talk
- Thread starter Michael Jewels
- Start date
Watch this and weep, laugh, cry, agree, whatever. This is a hoot. And, even very educational, and drool worthy (particularly the LPs he shows and discusses in his collection).
Wow!
Just wow!
No, I didn't watch your video yet, Jeff, but I will.
I'm saying wow, because you beat me by a few hours at a new post in this thread.
What was I going to post about?
I bought another pair of speakers, yes, another pair of Klipsch, and they are extremely nice.
I was unboxing and setting up the new speakers as this post was being posted.
I really think there's ESP going on here.
I'll post my first impressions a little later.
I'll see if I can get a photo too.
This is weird.
Mike
Just wow!
No, I didn't watch your video yet, Jeff, but I will.
I'm saying wow, because you beat me by a few hours at a new post in this thread.
What was I going to post about?
I bought another pair of speakers, yes, another pair of Klipsch, and they are extremely nice.
I was unboxing and setting up the new speakers as this post was being posted.
I really think there's ESP going on here.
I'll post my first impressions a little later.
I'll see if I can get a photo too.
This is weird.
Mike
Is it a trend or are the bookshelf speakers here to stay? I for one, do not care for the bookshelf dealio..nobody will ever convince me that they sound better than full size floor standing speakers of the 70s up to like mid 80s. I have listened to them, I have owned them and I am always disappointed. The one exception I can say that smaller speakers are very good is or was the old bose 901s..they were amazing no doubt. If bookshelf speaker technology was so great and better than the old school floor standing models tell me this...Why are bass rigs made with big cabs..Its because small speakers are not capable of delivering that floor rumbling bass that a 12-15 inch driver can..Yes you can get the sub and stick it in the corner and get the bass from that and it does a great job but it's NOT stereo and often it is not clear as nice 12 inch or 15 inch drivers that come in the floor standing models...Now before the pitchfork and torch crowd comes after me, I understand that bookshelf speaks are great for apartments or city living where you can't play music at a certain level without upsetting the neighbors..and you can hang them on the wall etc...but to me...no bueno..
as always YMMV..
as always YMMV..
Murph7489, you are correct in just about all your statements about bookshelf speakers.
I feel very qualified in responding to this topic, mainly because within the past three weeks I've bought a set of very nice-sounding bookshelf speakers, and a set of equally nice tower speakers.
In short, bookshelf speakers, and I believe all speakers have advanced very far due to technology.
The small speakers of today sound much better/fuller than the small speakers of 20 years ago. The same goes for tower speakers.
I've given a few opinions on the small Klipsch speakers I bought earlier in this thread, but don't want to compare them to the new tower speakers until I've listened to them more.
Maybe I'll have a comparison later, maybe tomorrow. Will try to get a photo later.
Essentially: bigger is better.
Mike
I feel very qualified in responding to this topic, mainly because within the past three weeks I've bought a set of very nice-sounding bookshelf speakers, and a set of equally nice tower speakers.
In short, bookshelf speakers, and I believe all speakers have advanced very far due to technology.
The small speakers of today sound much better/fuller than the small speakers of 20 years ago. The same goes for tower speakers.
I've given a few opinions on the small Klipsch speakers I bought earlier in this thread, but don't want to compare them to the new tower speakers until I've listened to them more.
Maybe I'll have a comparison later, maybe tomorrow. Will try to get a photo later.
Essentially: bigger is better.
Mike
Hello again, every one.
I'll give a brief review of the new Klipsch towers, as I've only had about 3 hours listening time with them.
Overall, they are very smooth and realistic-sounding. Much smoother than their little brothers that sit upon them.
The small bookshelf speakers, the Klipsch R51Ms are very good-sounding speakers.
I would say the best I have heard for their size.
Very good, clean mids and highs and sufficient bass.
Their big brothers, the Klipsch R820F have a much bigger woofer area for bass, and bigger tweeter horns, which I would describe as much smoother. Horns, vocals and vibes, which sound very good on the bookshelfs, sound much, much smoother on the towers.
We'll discuss volume and tone settings in the next installment.
Picture below.
I'll give a brief review of the new Klipsch towers, as I've only had about 3 hours listening time with them.
Overall, they are very smooth and realistic-sounding. Much smoother than their little brothers that sit upon them.
The small bookshelf speakers, the Klipsch R51Ms are very good-sounding speakers.
I would say the best I have heard for their size.
Very good, clean mids and highs and sufficient bass.
Their big brothers, the Klipsch R820F have a much bigger woofer area for bass, and bigger tweeter horns, which I would describe as much smoother. Horns, vocals and vibes, which sound very good on the bookshelfs, sound much, much smoother on the towers.
We'll discuss volume and tone settings in the next installment.
Picture below.
Last edited:
Just a note for anyone interested in buying anything Klipsch: Their sale is still going on, and it's pretty good. The R820Fs I bought are now $374 each.
They're normally $499 each.
Www.Klipsch.com
Mike
They're normally $499 each.
Www.Klipsch.com
Mike
Yamaha HS 10's a buddy of mine had sounded pretty darn good for the size , I still use my 2 way Advents I've had for years.
Mr. Fremer has expensive taste, I'd have to hear it in person to be convince it was worth all that coin.
Mr. Fremer has expensive taste, I'd have to hear it in person to be convince it was worth all that coin.
Are you sure you got the audiophile grade styrofoam isolators? Something doesn't look right.
Another update.
Regarding the tone of the tower speakers.
They are much fuller at all volumes, naturally due to having so much more woofer area, and a much bigger cabinet.
For normal listening levels with the bookshelf speakers, setting the amp at +2 for bass gives a decent, non-overpowering bass response.
With the towers, I find I have to roll the bass back to -4 on the bass or they can get a little boomy.
The treble, which I thought might be a little hissy, because of the larger horn is actually smoother. Vocals and horns sound absolutely fantastic; in the room-type realistic.
Also note: these speakers are still not in the spot where they will sound the best, but every day brings new discoveries.
I'll post more, when I discover more, but for right out of the box, these speakers are very good.
Mike
Regarding the tone of the tower speakers.
They are much fuller at all volumes, naturally due to having so much more woofer area, and a much bigger cabinet.
For normal listening levels with the bookshelf speakers, setting the amp at +2 for bass gives a decent, non-overpowering bass response.
With the towers, I find I have to roll the bass back to -4 on the bass or they can get a little boomy.
The treble, which I thought might be a little hissy, because of the larger horn is actually smoother. Vocals and horns sound absolutely fantastic; in the room-type realistic.
Also note: these speakers are still not in the spot where they will sound the best, but every day brings new discoveries.
I'll post more, when I discover more, but for right out of the box, these speakers are very good.
Mike
Where do you have them located in relation to walls, corners, etc.?Another update.
Regarding the tone of the tower speakers.
They are much fuller at all volumes, naturally due to having so much more woofer area, and a much bigger cabinet.
For normal listening levels with the bookshelf speakers, setting the amp at +2 for bass gives a decent, non-overpowering bass response.
With the towers, I find I have to roll the bass back to -4 on the bass or they can get a little boomy.
The treble, which I thought might be a little hissy, because of the larger horn is actually smoother. Vocals and horns sound absolutely fantastic; in the room-type realistic.
Also note: these speakers are still not in the spot where they will sound the best, but every day brings new discoveries.
I'll post more, when I discover more, but for right out of the box, these speakers are very good.
Mike
AHA!
There you are!
Jeff, the speakers are still just sitting in front of my workbench, just the way I took them out of the box about a week ago. Post #86.
I just set them up quickly to make sure they both worked and to hear how they sounded.
They're close together, so they're not really imaging at all.
-4 on the tone control gives a very nice, clean sound, while +4 makes them get a little boomy.
The horn tweeters are much smoother than the smaller ones in the bookshelf speakers, which surprized me. I thought bigger would equal brasher, but it's the other way around.
I'm still cleaning up the room where they're going to go, but the more I clean, the more I find I have to clean.
The sound of these speakers and new amp are so different from my older system, and it's fun and interesting appreciating the difference.
I'll try to set them up properly as soon as I can.
Mike
There you are!
Jeff, the speakers are still just sitting in front of my workbench, just the way I took them out of the box about a week ago. Post #86.
I just set them up quickly to make sure they both worked and to hear how they sounded.
They're close together, so they're not really imaging at all.
-4 on the tone control gives a very nice, clean sound, while +4 makes them get a little boomy.
The horn tweeters are much smoother than the smaller ones in the bookshelf speakers, which surprized me. I thought bigger would equal brasher, but it's the other way around.
I'm still cleaning up the room where they're going to go, but the more I clean, the more I find I have to clean.
The sound of these speakers and new amp are so different from my older system, and it's fun and interesting appreciating the difference.
I'll try to set them up properly as soon as I can.
Mike
If you didn't live so far away I would love to come over and have fun with helping you set your new system up and putting it through its paces! I'd even bring my Super Cube II subwoofer along.
Time for another stereo update.
As for the Cambridge amp, it still sounds very good, but there's one thing I didn't notice until recently.
It doesn't have a loudness button.
This explains why you have to change the tone when you go from low volume to high volume. Take the tower speakers for example.
When listening to them at low/background volume, if the bass is set flat, it's perfect; not boomy at all.
But raise the volume to what would be considered loud, and you have to roll the bass back to -4 or even -6, otherwise it's boom city.
I guess this is what you have to do instead of engageing/disengaging a loudness button.
Not a big deal.
I'm getting used to the sound of the system, and it really sounds very good. And remember, the speakers are still not set in their proper place. I have to finish cleaning up the room, and set them up.
The tower speakers come with feet, which are actually 2 hard, plastic rails per speaker, which I decided not to install. I think I'm going to go to home depot, and buy a couple of rubber mats for the speakers to sit on. I'll see what else they have that I can use.
And, Jack: maybe when this virus thing settles down we can meet up for a beer someplace.
Everyone: the sale is still on at Klipsch.
Www.klipsch.com
The iron is hot!
Mike
As for the Cambridge amp, it still sounds very good, but there's one thing I didn't notice until recently.
It doesn't have a loudness button.
This explains why you have to change the tone when you go from low volume to high volume. Take the tower speakers for example.
When listening to them at low/background volume, if the bass is set flat, it's perfect; not boomy at all.
But raise the volume to what would be considered loud, and you have to roll the bass back to -4 or even -6, otherwise it's boom city.
I guess this is what you have to do instead of engageing/disengaging a loudness button.
Not a big deal.
I'm getting used to the sound of the system, and it really sounds very good. And remember, the speakers are still not set in their proper place. I have to finish cleaning up the room, and set them up.
The tower speakers come with feet, which are actually 2 hard, plastic rails per speaker, which I decided not to install. I think I'm going to go to home depot, and buy a couple of rubber mats for the speakers to sit on. I'll see what else they have that I can use.
And, Jack: maybe when this virus thing settles down we can meet up for a beer someplace.
Everyone: the sale is still on at Klipsch.
Www.klipsch.com
The iron is hot!
Mike
What’s out there for decent home audio stuff? The tv speakers just don’t cut it for good music...
Look around for a used hi-fi store in your area and get something pre-circuitboards. That stuff is built like a tank.
Hifi gear went the same way as PA, smaller and better.
I own a Yamaha MusicCast mini system that sounds better than most separate rack systems I had in the past.
It looks the same as my monitors too, just smaller.
I own a Yamaha MusicCast mini system that sounds better than most separate rack systems I had in the past.
It looks the same as my monitors too, just smaller.
@Brad Johnson right in your wheelhouse buddy.
You could also do a search of this forum and you'll find a handful of threads like yours with some solid advice.
-Mike
You could also do a search of this forum and you'll find a handful of threads like yours with some solid advice.
-Mike
People are almost giving home audio away. I really like Harman Kardon. You can get a really good system for a couple hundred dollars.
If you don't want a bunch of speakers and wires, you could get a soundbar and subwoofer. they sound amazing.
I just sold my home theater stuff and got a Harman Kardon stereo receiver. I still use it for TV with the 2 stereo speakers and it sounds great. Plus, way better for music than AV stuff.
Its a 2000 model, and it even has a phono input.
I paid 140$ for it. HK3390.
If you don't want a bunch of speakers and wires, you could get a soundbar and subwoofer. they sound amazing.
I just sold my home theater stuff and got a Harman Kardon stereo receiver. I still use it for TV with the 2 stereo speakers and it sounds great. Plus, way better for music than AV stuff.
Its a 2000 model, and it even has a phono input.
I paid 140$ for it. HK3390.
