# Need your opinions



## Jstslamd (Nov 30, 2010)

I'm looking into a good set of bookshelfs to use as my mains. I auditioned a set of b&w 685 bookshelves today at bestbuy. Cam anyone tell me if something like the kef iq30's compare or something that does compare or is a better bang for the buck? Thanks for all of your help


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## Guest (Mar 5, 2011)

I haven't heard either. If you really want high(er) end. Check out madisound.com How close/far are you from Wisconsin? I actually bought a older kit that is NLA and I've never looked back.

While I don't hang out at DIY conventions, or demo the best of the best, my current setup is the best I've personally ever heard. I don't think any commercial stuff can touch it, unless maybe it cost 3x as much.


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## GranteedEV (Aug 8, 2010)

If you loved the B&Ws, then of course it's not my place to tell you to look elsewhere. But if it was just "what was there" and you're not sure it's the right speaker for you, then I would have to say that I think it's not a great speaker. As you open to a leap of faith? Because I recommend some "Internet Direct" speakers that I think are likely better performers:

Aperion Audio Verus Grand Bookshelf
Ascend Acoustics Sierra-1
SVS MBS-02
Emp Tek E41-B

Additionally, I recommend tracking down a pair of these: 

JBL LSR 6325


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## Jstslamd (Nov 30, 2010)

I am some what new to home audio and diy speakers. I have been building high end car audio systems for years though. I am trying to do my best and stretch the old mighty dollar to make the nicest setup I can make for ht and music. I was planning on using energy speakers but had a chance to demo the b&w's next to the energy bookshelves and there was no comparison then did a comparison with a set of energy towers to the b&w bookshelves and once again no comparison. The b&w's were amazing. I am just basically trying to look at all of my options before jumping on something. I will have to look at madisound.


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## Jstslamd (Nov 30, 2010)

Has anyone had the chance to hear the kef iq line of speakers by any chance ?


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## GranteedEV (Aug 8, 2010)

Sorry, I haven't, although I very badly want to hear the KEF Reference 207/2. :gah:


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## Jstslamd (Nov 30, 2010)

I hear about alot of people like just about everything kef has to offer. The biggest draw back for me is that I can't hear them before I buy them. There is no authorized dealer even within 100 mile from me.


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## Jstslamd (Nov 30, 2010)

Generic said:


> I haven't heard either. If you really want high(er) end. Check out madisound.com How close/far are you from Wisconsin? I actually bought a older kit that is NLA and I've never looked back.
> 
> While I don't hang out at DIY conventions, or demo the best of the best, my current setup is the best I've personally ever heard. I don't think any commercial stuff can touch it, unless maybe it cost 3x as much.


Have you ever heard any of parts express mtm kits ?


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## Guest (Mar 5, 2011)

Jstslamd said:


> Have you ever heard any of parts express mtm kits ?


No I haven't, but the dayton rs drivers are known to be very good. I wouldn't be afraid to try this. http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=302-972

I hope I don't open up a huge can for saying this, but I believe once you get to a level of really good, it is just splitting hairs comparing one brand to another. The main thing to watch out for is, some really good sounding speakers lack sensitivity, so its going to take a lot of power to drive them. Once you get low distortion drivers and a good crossover, I personally don't believe spending more is required. Ducks for cover... :gulp:


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## Jstslamd (Nov 30, 2010)

Generic said:


> I hope I don't open up a huge can for saying this, but I believe once you get to a level of really good, it is just splitting hairs comparing one brand to another. The main thing to watch out for is, some really good sounding speakers lack sensitivity, so its going to take a lot of power to drive them. Once you get low distortion drivers and a good crossover, I personally don't believe spending more is required. Ducks for cover... :gulp:


I completely agree. I recently built a set of cheap beastly 3way speakers for my garage and I feel that so far my prior research paid off. I had the itch to see what I could do with simple knowledge and a warehouse full of equipment to choose from. In one sense it was the equivalent of throwing at the wall to see what will stick. I picked drivers that seemed they would blend decently together base upon their thiele parameters. Then picked a prefab xover that looked as if it would work with all three drivers and to be honest for what they are and what I have into the think they sound fantastic. Although it was a humbling experience to respect that I'm not up to par to build a one off design for my ht setup. So now that I'm done rambling here I am trying to figure out which way to go in my journey of shopping. Oh boy what did I just blurt out.... Hope you can all make some sense of it. Haha


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## Jstslamd (Nov 30, 2010)

None the less I think I may go with that kit from PE.


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## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

Hello,
No worries about ducking for cover as all opinions are welcome. I will say with AVR's, BDP's and others things there is truth to that, but Speakers are different. There are so many Speaker Design Technologies be it Planar, Electrostatic, Horn, and conventional Speakers that there are some rather large differences in SQ. Even with conventional Speakers, there is the quality of the Tweeter, Midbass Driver, and Woofer and the quality of the Crossover Network. Saying nothing of the Cabinet Design.

This is of course just my opinion of Speakers and I certainly respect that others might not agree.
Cheers,
JJ


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## GranteedEV (Aug 8, 2010)

Jungle Jack said:


> Hello,
> No worries about ducking for cover as all opinions are welcome. I will say with AVR's, BDP's and others things there is truth to that, but Speakers are different. There are so many Speaker Design Technologies be it Planar, Electrostatic, Horn, and conventional Speakers that there are some rather large differences in SQ. Even with conventional Speakers, there is the quality of the Tweeter, Midbass Driver, and Woofer and the quality of the Crossover Network. Saying nothing of the Cabinet Design.



Another thing to note is that different types of speakers DO interact differently with the last piece of the equation: the room and listening position. So even if one speaker sounds good in two vastly different rooms, another speaker might sound amazing in one room and headache-inducing in another room. 

To further on the crossover network, some 3-way speakers sound coherent at one listening volume but lose that once the volume is changed, and begin to sound like different drivers instead of one speaker. So if I like a speaker I've only heard at one volume, who knows how it may sound when the volume is turned down or up!?


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## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

Hello,
Indeed Room Acoustics are huge, This is something I have stressed on multiple Posts and Threads as it is often overlooked.
Cheers,
JJ


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## Jstslamd (Nov 30, 2010)

I agree with that also


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## mickeyharlow (Feb 26, 2011)

You need to audition the speakers at home, otherwise you may end up paying for something that your not satisfied with.


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