First speaker purchase- Advice please.

[jaesung]

Greetings, members of HardForum,

I have no speakers atm and 3 days ago didn't know the first thing about audio equipment.
After a lot of reading the past couple days I learned a bit and want to make my first speaker purchase.
I would like your input please.

I was looking at.....
-Used* M-Audio AV40 for $70 (apparently used only twice)

-Used* Klipsch Promedia 2.1 for $130 (Mint)

-AudioEngine A2 for $220

-Swan M10 for $117 & $27.69 S&H

-Swan 1080MKII08 for $178 + $40.43 S&H [2]

I didn't realize till later that these were all active/powered speakers and so I am strongly considering the Audioengine P4s. I would prefer passive speakers so that I can use them in any future upgrading set-ups.

As for the preamp/amp/receiver (i really am not familiar with these terms i just know they are needed for passive set ups) I will worry about that later.

EDIT: I will mainly use them with my computer and I care about music more than anything. I prefer sound quality over volume and for anyone suggesting to buy headphones instead, I have ATHM50 already.

 

[Procyon12]

i would suggest going with passive speakers as well, but alot of that depends on your budget
out of everything in your list, i would go with the swan 1080MKII08 however...

 

[jaesung]

i would suggest going with passive speakers as well, but alot of that depends on your budget
out of everything in your list, i would go with the swan 1080MKII08 however...

Thanks for the response. I was kind of thinking the same, but it isn't a passive..

What do you think of the Audio Engine P4? I'm really starting to fall for them..

 

[Procyon12]

they are good, there might be some other options in the price range, but you need to save budget space for an amp.

 

[jaesung]

they are good, there might be some other options in the price range, but you need to save budget space for an amp.

I would have a separate budget for the amp. In fact I would start with a used amp off craigslist or something until i can work up the money to buy something better later in the future

Although there may be other options in the price rage, after a bit of superficial searching, the P4s seem to be the most compact. I do intend to put these on my desk Is there any other passive around the same price that you can recommend?

Thanks again for the responses thus far.

 

[Procyon12]

as far as great compact speakers, in that price range, i would look at the aperion intimus 4b. really great speakers. or if you could find them, paradigm atoms.

those are smaller than the P4s but youll need a sub with either of those....

polk or psb might have some in the cabinet size your looking for...

 

[Impulse]

How are you gonna worry about the amp later if you need one in order to drive/use passive speakers at all?, They're useless without it... That's a pretty good price on barely used AV40s btw.

 

[BoredSysAdm]

Out of speaker your listed probably the most expensive Swan are decent, thought I never heard them myself.
What's your budget? What's your end goal - Full 5.1 HT system connected to TV ?? How big is your current room or room your intend to use it later ?
Computer speakers mostly designed to be best similar to studio monitors - to be used in short range - aka near-field. You can't just take most of these and try to feel big room.

However, my favorite budget speaker is Infinity Primus P163 - it's currently on heavy sale - $85 / each on amazon and other places.
I'd be looking to pick one of refub avrs from AC4L.com ($299 or higher) to power it if you are looking to upgrade the system later to full 5.1

 

[jaesung]

as far as great compact speakers, in that price range, i would look at the aperion intimus 4b. really great speakers. or if you could find them, paradigm atoms.

those are smaller than the P4s but youll need a sub with either of those....

polk or psb might have some in the cabinet size your looking for...

I couldn't find the Aperion or Atoms on CraigList or Kijiji, nor Amazon.ca (I'm from Canada)
I did however find these http://www.amazon.ca/Polk-Audio-TSi100-Bookshelf-Speakers/dp/B00192KF12/ref=pd_sim_sbs_ce1 after some suggestions to look into Polk; thoughts?

As for the atoms, those seem to be hard to find, and apparently they are discontinued?
I did however find this on Craigslist http://toronto.en.craigslist.ca/tor/ele/2612499143.html
it seems very recent but I know nothing of these speakers and they seem too big for my desk top but I will consider them if they are fantastic speakers (I also know nothing about how used they are)

How are you gonna worry about the amp later if you need one in order to drive/use passive speakers at all?, They're useless without it... That's a pretty good price on barely used AV40s btw.

I understand that I will require an amp but I want to begin with the speakers (if that is even a good approach) and then build around it. I thought the price on the AV40s were nice too, I've read that they are comparable to audioengine a2 but I am not as interested in active speakers considering I am looking for more future flexibility in sound system set ups.



It appears that I am comparing everything to the audioengine P4 Speakers..

 

[Zenshi]

I think Aperion is actually a Canadian company. In any case, you do not need to go through Amazon since Aperion is Internet Direct and they ship to Canada.

http://www.aperionaudio.com/Help/shipping_faq.aspx

I am not sure if they still have this service (you should check by contacting them) but they used to have two way free shipping with 30 day trial. If you bought it and did not like their product within 30 days, you can send it back and they will pay for return shipping. At least that is how it was in the past.

Edit: Hmmm after checking it seems the 30 day two way free shipping is only available in the US. This seems to imply that Aperion is a US company and not Canada.

 

[Procyon12]

theres a photo posted by one of our [H] members who has the aperion 4B wall mounted on either side of the monitor,
they are pretty small, but they are intentionally not full range speakers and will require a sub.

i believe its in the show your desktop thread, but maybe the owner can pipe in and repost it.

those polk are nice, as are the P4. i think youd be happy with either one.
whats your budget for an amp, right now, today.

check these used speakers:
http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/648959350-psb_alpha_b1_bookshelf_speakers/
found an amp too
http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/648960772-carver_cm1090_integrated_amp/

 

[BoredSysAdm]

Carver unit is nice, but maybe to much amp for these speaker.
This will do nicely
http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/648941195-technics_sug50_new_class_a_integrated_amplifier/

+1 for PSB speakers

 

[jaesung]

theres a photo posted by one of our [H] members who has the aperion 4B wall mounted on either side of the monitor,
they are pretty small, but they are intentionally not full range speakers and will require a sub.

i believe its in the show your desktop thread, but maybe the owner can pipe in and repost it.

those polk are nice, as are the P4. i think youd be happy with either one.
whats your budget for an amp, right now, today.

check these used speakers:
http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/648959350-psb_alpha_b1_bookshelf_speakers/
found an amp too
http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/648960772-carver_cm1090_integrated_amp/

I actually just stumbled upon that website shortly before reading your post. I registered and messaged the owner of the speakers. He's actually somebody I know! Are the polks better than the PSB Alpha B1s? (I really do not know how to tell which speaker is better by reading the specifications).
Thanks for the links, I'm currently waiting a response from the speaker owner. As for the amp, I would really like to spend under $100. Just a real budget amp that will power the speakers, I will invest in a nicer amp/receiver later on in the future when I have the money for it.

Carver unit is nice, but maybe to much amp for these speaker.
This will do nicely
http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/648941195-technics_sug50_new_class_a_integrated_amplifier/

+1 for PSB speakers

thanks for the link. I see that you also support the PSB speaker decision. How does it fare against the P4s and the Polk Audio TSi100s?

 

[BoredSysAdm]

PSB would comparable to P4's but both miles better than any Polk TSi. Before Polk LSi series - everything is crud

 

[jaesung]

PSB would comparable to P4's but both miles better than any Polk TSi. Before Polk LSi series - everything is crud

Ok, I am seriously considering purchasing the USED PSB Alpha B1s. I found out that they are 4months old with under 30hours of use for $180 CAD

Is this a good deal? And is there any last minute considerations I should make?

PS. Thank you all for your responses, input, and suggestions. You have helped me greatly in my pursuit for speakers to which I have little knowledge in.

 

[HammerSandwich]

...USED PSB Alpha B1s. I found out that they are 4months old with under 30hours of use for $180 CAD

Buy them!

 

[jaesung]

I am going to purchase the PSB Alpha B1s for $170

What amp do I get? I just want a cheap one under $100

How is the...
1) Dayton Audio DTA-1 Class T Digital AC/DC Amplifier 15 WPC
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=300-380

2) Lepai TRIPATH TA2020+ Amp Mini Hi-Fi Audio Amplifier
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Lepai-TRIPAT...952?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item53e6bccec8


for used options i found on kjiji and craigs list i saw

a) USED NAD 3020a Intergrated Amplifier for $130
b) USED NAD CD PLAYER 5240 - $9 (display broken and remote doesn't work)
c) USED NAD stereo receiver 710 - $50
d) USED NAD surround sound receiver T747(2 years old) price to be negotiated

 

[Procyon12]

the nad 710. but listen to it. make sure it sound good still, crackling, hissing, volume pot is good and even.

if the 3020a has been recapped and had its relays replaced that would be a good option as well.

teh T747...heh, that depends on how much. thats a $1000 piece of kit right there, so how much he wants after 2 years?

 

[jaesung]

I have done a lot of searching on kijiji, CL, and canuck audiomart. Most of these amps/receivers I see are huge! I recently stumbled upon Nuforce and Fiio!

Anybody know anything about the Nuforce Icon Amp, Fiio A1 Amp, and the Audioengine N22?
Or can you recommend anything about the same size as these.

 

[Procyon12]

Maverick A1 over the AudioEngine N22 for the same price.
its a true AB amp over a tripath, linear power supply. the early stages are tube as well which (IMO) is nice, and a tube headphone amp, plus pre outs you could attatch a sub too.
but its out of your budget isnt it?


other options:
http://www.amazon.ca/AudioSource-AM...9IGG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1318187794&sr=8-1

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/TOPPING-TP20...235?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4aaea02703

this topping has a USB sound card built in so you can skip your onboard which likely has a nasty output stage.
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Topping-TP30...ctronics_Audio_Amplifiers&hash=item415b350b2a

 

[jaesung]

Wow! The Maverick A1 looks really nice!
Despite not being as compact as the N22, the A1 looks quite short so if I were to stack my monitor on top of that It would still be at eye level

I have changed my budget to $200 because anything under $100 looks like a very short-term fix from all the searching I have done. The products I see with a $200 budget looks like something Long-term rather than temporary. Thank you so much for the suggestion. These are now on the of my list!

Lastly, is it safe to say that the Mav A1 is much better than both the Fiio A1 and the Nuforce Icon Amp?

EDIT: Not considering the FiiO A1 anymore- not enough juice.
Mainly deciding between the Mav A1 you suggested and the Dayton Audio DTA-100a Class-T Digital Amplifier 50 WPC: http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=300-383

 

[SithSolo1]

I would go with the A1 personally if its in the budget. You can always tube roll(change the tubes) down the line and customize the sound.

I don't know if I would stack the monitor on top of it though, being a tube amp it probably gets rather warm by design.

 

[ThinJ]

I'm actually planning to get the Maverick DAC at some point to streamline my PC setup. Right now I have my Little Dot MKIII which is great, but it doesn't have the connection options so I have a lot of cable spaghetti weirdness going on and I'm doing things like unplugging RCA cables when I want to use headphones but not my speakers.

 

[jaesung]

I would go with the A1 personally if its in the budget. You can always tube roll(change the tubes) down the line and customize the sound.

I don't know if I would stack the monitor on top of it though, being a tube amp it probably gets rather warm by design.

Tube rolling? I'll learn about that later lol. I hope new ones aren't too pricey and that tubes in general last a looooong time.
I shall heed your warning and refrain from stacking my monitor above it. I shall look for a little stand to put my monitor on and the A1 under should I make such a purchase.

I'm actually planning to get the Maverick DAC at some point to streamline my PC setup. Right now I have my Little Dot MKIII which is great, but it doesn't have the connection options so I have a lot of cable spaghetti weirdness going on and I'm doing things like unplugging RCA cables when I want to use headphones but not my speakers.

RCA? I have next to no idea what you are saying lol, but if you haven't read reviews there are many of them out there on the web for the D1. I did hear however that the A1 I'm looking at doesn't match well with low impedance headphones like my ATH-M50s D:

I sent Mav audio a mssg to see if they would give me a discount lol. As a starving student i thought it's worth a try... if they comply I will most definitely go with the A1s. If they reject me... I might go with the A1s anyways lol. or the Dayton of course...

i really need to find a job

 

[ThinJ]

RCA? I have next to no idea what you are saying lol,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RCA_connector

 

[Kersk]

I have a pair of ATH-M50's at work and ATH-AD900's for home as well, but sometimes you just don't want to wear headphones. I bought some Klipsch Promedia 2.1 speakers tonight at Best Buy for $150. Holy shit they sound good. If you have any reservations -- take it from me, whichever model you go with, a pair of good speakers is totally worth it. As reference, I also have a pretty nice 5.1 setup for my TV, but going that route for the computer just seems like overkill. And there's just something about these Klipsch speakers that I can't put my finger on -- they sound simply amazing at this short distance. Good luck with your search!

 

[jaesung]

Okay it's final decision time for me..

If I went with the Mav A1 I would pay $40 more for the upgraded version. Then $20 UPS shipping brings the total to $260 D: And customs fees on top of that... This is definitely out of my budget but I am willing to take a harder hit to bank if this really is worth it.

Nobody commented on this and I can't find a single review for it: Marantz PM65AV
Marantz PM-65AV Integrated Amplifier - Canuck Audio Mart
It is cheap, definitely enough power and I can pick it up locally which makes this all tempting. But again, the lack of information on this makes me hesitant.

The Dayton would be $133.90 with brokerage fees and S&H included. Which is my best option for the budget minded (Plus it gets GREAT reviews). http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=300-383

I am trying my best not to make a bad decision and would really appreciate last words into this matter. I really like the looks of both the dayton and the maverick. Is it worth paying a lot more for the Mav A1?

(PS. Should I even consider the Nufroce Icon Amp? ($209.29 with S&H) http://estore.nuforce.com/products/N...-Icon-Amp.html)

 

[Procyon12]

im hesitant to suggest amps that run off wall warts....but i dont know i dont have alot of experience with them.

 

[spaceman]

No to the Nuforce. Maverick is superior.

The Marantz should be fine. That will be a good starter stereo for sure.

Dayton is excellent for speakers. The headphone amp is reputed to be noisy.

 

[jaesung]

im hesitant to suggest amps that run off wall warts....but i dont know i dont have alot of experience with them.

What's so bad about wall warts? besides the fact they are ugly and take up to much space on my power bar.

No to the Nuforce. Maverick is superior.

The Marantz should be fine. That will be a good starter stereo for sure.

Dayton is excellent for speakers. The headphone amp is reputed to be noisy.

So I guess the order goes like this? Maverick>Dayton>Marantz>Nuforce
What would you pick if you were on a budget. Stay within budget and get the Dayton.. or buy the Mav on credit because you are unable to afford it.

 

[Procyon12]

i would get this over the nuforce
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/280750082138#ht_3283wt_952

 

[Procyon12]

What's so bad about wall warts? besides the fact they are ugly and take up to much space on my power bar.

audio performance is highly reliant on the quality of the power.

So I guess the order goes like this? Maverick>Dayton>Marantz>Nuforce
What would you pick if you were on a budget. Stay within budget and get the Dayton.. or buy the Mav on credit because you are unable to afford it.

id put the maverick and the marantz in a significantly higher bracket than the dayton and the nuforce.

 

[spaceman]

Yeah wall warts can actually cause issues. Think of it in simple terms as having a clogged engine or not enough horsepower. Not always the case but in general they are cheaply made.

 

[SithSolo1]

you don't have to start off with the upgraded tubes, you can probably buy them(or some similar) cheaper else where if you feel you need them later on. As far as I know tubes are plug and play as long as the socket is the same so it shouldn't be hard to swap them out

 

[BoredSysAdm]

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=252-125
or this if this must be small: http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=300-383

 

[ThinJ]

Sometimes I wonder if people ever actually read a thread before they run to the reply box and post in it.

 

[BoredSysAdm]

Sometimes I wonder if people ever actually read a thread before they run to the reply box and post in it.

That's a very good observation... I notice quite a few folks recommend using headphone amps to power bookshelf speakers...

 

[ThinJ]

That's a very good observation... I notice quite a few folks recommend using headphone amps to power bookshelf speakers...

That's actually not even what I was getting at, since so far every single amp posted has also had connections for passive speakers.

I was aiming more at the people who pop in, give no real information, and link things that have already been discussed multiple times.

 

[jaesung]

That's actually not even what I was getting at, since so far every single amp posted has also had connections for passive speakers.

I was aiming more at the people who pop in, give no real information, and link things that have already been discussed multiple times.

LoL, I know exactly what you mean. At this point I am able to distinguish those posts from the more relevant ones
Their help is still an appreciated gesture though

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=252-125
or this if this must be small: http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=300-383

I have already considered the Dayton but have ruled it out due to the wall wart plug.

i would get this over the nuforce
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/280750082138#ht_3283wt_952

haha, since i would go with the dayton over the nuforce or the one you suggested. those are both now ruled out

Yeah wall warts can actually cause issues. Think of it in simple terms as having a clogged engine or not enough horsepower. Not always the case but in general they are cheaply made.

Thanks for the heads up, I have decided to rule out the Daytons.

audio performance is highly reliant on the quality of the power.

id put the maverick and the marantz in a significantly higher bracket than the dayton and the nuforce.

Then it is decided! My since I would choose the Dayton over the Nuforce or Topping and because I have ruled out the Dayton because of the wall wart and it's over inferiority to the Marantz....
The final decision is between the Maverick Audio A1 and the Marantz (from 1989)
I am currently set on going with the Maverick Audio due to its small form factor, modern look, great reviews (couldn't find any on marantz) and good integrated headphone amp. Plus the fact I can change tubes gives me flexibility to fine tuning the sound I want in the future

you don't have to start off with the upgraded tubes, you can probably buy them(or some similar) cheaper else where if you feel you need them later on. As far as I know tubes are plug and play as long as the socket is the same so it shouldn't be hard to swap them out

Thanks for that bit. I did not know. But for 40 dollars I wonder if the upgraded tubes are worth it. The fact that I just bought my first speakers and my first amp will be purchased soon will make me think the sound is amazing regardless But still ... To upgrade... or not to upgrade...










THANK YOU!!! Big thanks to all those who responded, you have not only made great suggestions and sent me in the right direction of me learning what I want personally but you also educated me in the process!

I have decided to go with the Maverick Audio A1.
http://www.mav-audio.com/base/product/tube_magic_a1

If you think I really should reconsider please let it be known. Otherwise, put in your two cents on whether I should go with the model with the NOS 6J1 tubes or the upgraded ($40 more) factory matched NOS Raytheon 6AK5 tubes.

 

[BoredSysAdm]

I have decided to go with the Maverick Audio A1.
http://www.mav-audio.com/base/product/tube_magic_a1

I'd suggest you think again on getting tubes in your amp since tubes known to distort the sound - make it sound "Warm" - a lot of people do like this specific distortion.
20wpc is not bad and should be enough in small to medium size rooms.

Please not that I also linked to sherwood stereo receiver for $99