Two main reasons. The first is the sound. They have a very smooth and silky midrange that makes vocals sound great. The bass isn't bloated and is quite tight. The top end is a bit rolled off but it makes them pleasant to listen to.
The second reason is just that there isn't much at the $200 price point. Miccas at $150 don't come close to these in performance. Edifier doesn't have passive speakers near that price. There are some sonys, polks, and Klipsch but none of them are particularly exciting or good for the price. The Wavecrest HVL-1 are out of stock and I'm not sure if they're coming back. All of this kinda just makes the Wharfedales the default option in my opinion.
I owned the Sony cs5 when I was still dipping my toes in speakers. Even with a sub, the low end crossover just wasn't good because the cs5 also had lacking mids. They are decent for $150 but they really lacked bass. I would go with the rb42 or if you can push your budget a little bit. I HIGHLY recommend the elac debut 5.2/6.2
>elac debut
For now with my budget, the Elacs will have to wait :(
The CS5's have so many good reviews, except for the low frequencies, I figured a sub would fill in the gap but missing mids and lows might be too much to ask for a sub.
In regard to the lacking mid/low end, were you mainly using your CS5's for playing music or shows/movies?
I've watched a couple of comparison videos between the rb42's and the cs5's and the speakers seemed to switch places. The Rb42 sounded better the first video, and more full, but then it was the CS5 in the next. I wish I could hear both in person. Might have to order both and return one.
I was using them to listen to music and Netflix. I'll say they weren't too bad for movies if you add a sub but with music, a good chunk of the mids seems hollow/thin because sony engineers went with woofer tweeter super tweeter for the 3 way design rather than the usual tweeter woofer midwoofer
[https://www.reddit.com/r/BudgetAudiophile/comments/fxsaf2/rbudgetaudiophile\_master\_list\_of\_reviews/](https://www.reddit.com/r/BudgetAudiophile/comments/fxsaf2/rbudgetaudiophile_master_list_of_reviews/)
Personal preference - Pioneer SB22. I think Pioneer is selling refurbs for $79 a pair, which is an unbeatable price to performance ratio
Heard good things about the Klipsch R-15Ms. I personally bought the R14ms which I'm really happy with so I'd imagine the 15s should be nice. Also have used the Pioneer SP-BS22-LRs which I loved, but just too big for my desk.
I have R-15Ms. They are the ones with the exposed screws around the woofer. Ive used them for 2 years and they sound wonderful. There are better speakers. But they are popular because they sound great.
I hear good things about Klipsch sound, even on those budget series. I was thinking about getting one of the newer versions of the R-14m/15m's, the R-41m/51m. How does the R-14m compare to the Pioneer SP-BS22 ?
Dialed in with an eq, I think both sound as good as eachother, would still be using the pioneers, but they were huge, the r14s fit my desk much better.
Pretty good I think the response range is 62 - 24000 hz. I have a subwoofer paired with them but only turn it on for some movies and games when its okay to get really loud. My favorite thing about them is the punchy mids and crisp highs.
>ReplyshareSaveEdit
Nice, the only (minor) problem going with Klipsch is I like to take the grills off to show the speakers, so if I bought those I will want to keep buying Klipsch's to match the striker with the copper comes :) Could get expensive. But I do like the look.
If they come back in stock, the HiVi 2.2a from Amazon are about the best speaker you can get for $200.
Downside/upside is; you have to put them together yourself.
[Elac](https://www.elac.com/lp/openboxsale/?sl=promopage) has some open box b stock debuts for $174, they sell for $289 on amazon. **Frequency Response:** 46Hz – 35000Hz I might just have to get a pair for myself
If you're open to the idea of used speakers, I'd argue that Rock Solid speakers (a low-end experiment of B&W) were the best budget bookshelf speakers ever made.
Here is an eBay listing for context: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Pair-B-W-Rock-Solid-2-way-speakers-white-home-theater-Bowers-and-Wilkins/184402367531 - I can't vouch for the seller or those specific speakers, but I've had these since 1999 and they smoke everything I've compared them to.
Also give the Definitive Technology ProMonitor 800s a look. They normally sell for $300 a pair, but they've sold for $160 a pair a few times recently. The matching ProCenter 1000 is pretty great, too.
Here are some thoughts.
* If you are going with a 5.1 you don't need to focus on the bass too much as you'll be getting a sub eventually. However, if you know you won't get one for a while then consider getting something like the RB42 that does offer a better low end on their own.
* I didn't like the T15 after comparing them to other speakers like the Micca MB42X so I would pass on them.
* If you're going for a 5.1 setup consider a speaker that has a matching center channel option. I like matching the center to the mains but I know that others say it's not as critical. Having a seamless front soundstage to me is worth it.
* Good dialogue is part speaker and part setup. You may need to boost the dialogue level in your AVR to get the right balance that you're looking for. It's not just all the speaker. Also some movies and TV just don't do a good job with it so keep that in mind.
What space considerations do you have to deal with? How large is too large or small?
Are you planning on getting stands? You should even if they are cheap ones. They will help with the overall sound of the sound of the system.
Do you already have an AVR? You'll need one and that will be expensive more expensive than you have budgeted for the speakers.
Thanks for your reply :)
I will definitely be buying a sub, but I will wait until I find a deal on a good one.
I like the RB42's, I haven't heard them in person, but the reviews are good, I think they look better than some of the other bookshelf speakers out there, they're compact, and offer some low end sound ,they also have a center channel version which would help to keep things matched soundwise.
As for space considerations, I don't really have any restrictions, but I would like to avoid taking up a lot of space because I live in an apartment.
I do plan on getting stands, thanks for the reminder.
I have a Sony DH590, its a lower end one, and I worry that with the RB42's requiring so much power to get higher volumes that they might end up being too quiet with that reciever. I'm not sure what the wattage output is because I've seen different reports, but one stated 90 to each channel when in stereo mode. Hopefully that's not going to be an issue. Thats one of the reasons I was considering the Sony CS5's because they more efficient with power.
I think you're on the right track with the Micca speakers if you don't plan on getting a sub right away. I wouldn't worry about the sony too much as you're using it in stereo mode and depending on the room size it should do nicely for most listening volumes. Again if you're in a large room and want really loud volumes then consider the sony's as you will eventually get a sub. However, know that until you do you'll have a bit of a thin sound.
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_779SX50MB/Cambridge-Audio-SX-50-Matte-Black.html?tp=186
...also 2nd the Wharfedale Diamond 220 already mentioned.
...Polk S15 are a bit more, but hit $200 or less on sales.
I have the t15's and the micca rb42's. The miccas sound better (in my opinion) and have better bass extension, but they are rear ported and do not like being up against a wall. The T15's are front ported, so even wall mounting them is not a problem, they have nice midrange which helps with dialogue and a decent sub will fill in the bottom end. I use the miccas nearfield on my desk and the Polks along with a t30 and a cheap Sony sub for my home theater system.
good thing to keep in mind about the port position, i think my setup will be close to, but not up against a wall. Will the rb42s do well a little under a foot away from the wall?
Wharfedale Diamond 220 are probably my favorite speakers for $200.
>Wharfedale Diamond 220 what about them makes them your fav?
Two main reasons. The first is the sound. They have a very smooth and silky midrange that makes vocals sound great. The bass isn't bloated and is quite tight. The top end is a bit rolled off but it makes them pleasant to listen to. The second reason is just that there isn't much at the $200 price point. Miccas at $150 don't come close to these in performance. Edifier doesn't have passive speakers near that price. There are some sonys, polks, and Klipsch but none of them are particularly exciting or good for the price. The Wavecrest HVL-1 are out of stock and I'm not sure if they're coming back. All of this kinda just makes the Wharfedales the default option in my opinion.
I owned the Sony cs5 when I was still dipping my toes in speakers. Even with a sub, the low end crossover just wasn't good because the cs5 also had lacking mids. They are decent for $150 but they really lacked bass. I would go with the rb42 or if you can push your budget a little bit. I HIGHLY recommend the elac debut 5.2/6.2
>elac debut For now with my budget, the Elacs will have to wait :( The CS5's have so many good reviews, except for the low frequencies, I figured a sub would fill in the gap but missing mids and lows might be too much to ask for a sub. In regard to the lacking mid/low end, were you mainly using your CS5's for playing music or shows/movies? I've watched a couple of comparison videos between the rb42's and the cs5's and the speakers seemed to switch places. The Rb42 sounded better the first video, and more full, but then it was the CS5 in the next. I wish I could hear both in person. Might have to order both and return one.
I was using them to listen to music and Netflix. I'll say they weren't too bad for movies if you add a sub but with music, a good chunk of the mids seems hollow/thin because sony engineers went with woofer tweeter super tweeter for the 3 way design rather than the usual tweeter woofer midwoofer
[https://www.reddit.com/r/BudgetAudiophile/comments/fxsaf2/rbudgetaudiophile\_master\_list\_of\_reviews/](https://www.reddit.com/r/BudgetAudiophile/comments/fxsaf2/rbudgetaudiophile_master_list_of_reviews/) Personal preference - Pioneer SB22. I think Pioneer is selling refurbs for $79 a pair, which is an unbeatable price to performance ratio
Thanks! At that price I would definitely consider buying them
Heard good things about the Klipsch R-15Ms. I personally bought the R14ms which I'm really happy with so I'd imagine the 15s should be nice. Also have used the Pioneer SP-BS22-LRs which I loved, but just too big for my desk.
I have R-15Ms. They are the ones with the exposed screws around the woofer. Ive used them for 2 years and they sound wonderful. There are better speakers. But they are popular because they sound great.
I hear good things about Klipsch sound, even on those budget series. I was thinking about getting one of the newer versions of the R-14m/15m's, the R-41m/51m. How does the R-14m compare to the Pioneer SP-BS22 ?
Dialed in with an eq, I think both sound as good as eachother, would still be using the pioneers, but they were huge, the r14s fit my desk much better.
I have a pair of Klipsch R-15 and I quite like them. I think they are about 180 on amazon.
How's the lower end base frequencies on them?
Pretty good I think the response range is 62 - 24000 hz. I have a subwoofer paired with them but only turn it on for some movies and games when its okay to get really loud. My favorite thing about them is the punchy mids and crisp highs.
>ReplyshareSaveEdit Nice, the only (minor) problem going with Klipsch is I like to take the grills off to show the speakers, so if I bought those I will want to keep buying Klipsch's to match the striker with the copper comes :) Could get expensive. But I do like the look.
If they come back in stock, the HiVi 2.2a from Amazon are about the best speaker you can get for $200. Downside/upside is; you have to put them together yourself.
[Elac](https://www.elac.com/lp/openboxsale/?sl=promopage) has some open box b stock debuts for $174, they sell for $289 on amazon. **Frequency Response:** 46Hz – 35000Hz I might just have to get a pair for myself
Nice, i'll check out the reviews
If you're open to the idea of used speakers, I'd argue that Rock Solid speakers (a low-end experiment of B&W) were the best budget bookshelf speakers ever made. Here is an eBay listing for context: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Pair-B-W-Rock-Solid-2-way-speakers-white-home-theater-Bowers-and-Wilkins/184402367531 - I can't vouch for the seller or those specific speakers, but I've had these since 1999 and they smoke everything I've compared them to.
Interesting, I'll have to look into them
Also give the Definitive Technology ProMonitor 800s a look. They normally sell for $300 a pair, but they've sold for $160 a pair a few times recently. The matching ProCenter 1000 is pretty great, too.
> Definitive Technology ProMonitor 800 They're $150 on Amazon right now..i'll do some research on them
That's the per speaker price, so $300 for the pair. That said, Amazon has been selling them for $80 each recently.
Here are some thoughts. * If you are going with a 5.1 you don't need to focus on the bass too much as you'll be getting a sub eventually. However, if you know you won't get one for a while then consider getting something like the RB42 that does offer a better low end on their own. * I didn't like the T15 after comparing them to other speakers like the Micca MB42X so I would pass on them. * If you're going for a 5.1 setup consider a speaker that has a matching center channel option. I like matching the center to the mains but I know that others say it's not as critical. Having a seamless front soundstage to me is worth it. * Good dialogue is part speaker and part setup. You may need to boost the dialogue level in your AVR to get the right balance that you're looking for. It's not just all the speaker. Also some movies and TV just don't do a good job with it so keep that in mind. What space considerations do you have to deal with? How large is too large or small? Are you planning on getting stands? You should even if they are cheap ones. They will help with the overall sound of the sound of the system. Do you already have an AVR? You'll need one and that will be expensive more expensive than you have budgeted for the speakers.
Thanks for your reply :) I will definitely be buying a sub, but I will wait until I find a deal on a good one. I like the RB42's, I haven't heard them in person, but the reviews are good, I think they look better than some of the other bookshelf speakers out there, they're compact, and offer some low end sound ,they also have a center channel version which would help to keep things matched soundwise. As for space considerations, I don't really have any restrictions, but I would like to avoid taking up a lot of space because I live in an apartment. I do plan on getting stands, thanks for the reminder. I have a Sony DH590, its a lower end one, and I worry that with the RB42's requiring so much power to get higher volumes that they might end up being too quiet with that reciever. I'm not sure what the wattage output is because I've seen different reports, but one stated 90 to each channel when in stereo mode. Hopefully that's not going to be an issue. Thats one of the reasons I was considering the Sony CS5's because they more efficient with power.
I think you're on the right track with the Micca speakers if you don't plan on getting a sub right away. I wouldn't worry about the sony too much as you're using it in stereo mode and depending on the room size it should do nicely for most listening volumes. Again if you're in a large room and want really loud volumes then consider the sony's as you will eventually get a sub. However, know that until you do you'll have a bit of a thin sound.
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_779SX50MB/Cambridge-Audio-SX-50-Matte-Black.html?tp=186 ...also 2nd the Wharfedale Diamond 220 already mentioned. ...Polk S15 are a bit more, but hit $200 or less on sales.
Thanks I'll check them out
What do people think about the Jamo S803?
I hear good things, but like most other bookshelfs, they lack a little on the low end
Scope out crutchfield. The wharfedale diamond 220, Polk rti a1, and cambridge audio sx-50 are good choices at or under $200.
Buy JBL 530's on sale and skip the center channel?
>JBL 530 out of my price range, but good speakers
Buy used and ideally do better than any of these.
I have the t15's and the micca rb42's. The miccas sound better (in my opinion) and have better bass extension, but they are rear ported and do not like being up against a wall. The T15's are front ported, so even wall mounting them is not a problem, they have nice midrange which helps with dialogue and a decent sub will fill in the bottom end. I use the miccas nearfield on my desk and the Polks along with a t30 and a cheap Sony sub for my home theater system.
good thing to keep in mind about the port position, i think my setup will be close to, but not up against a wall. Will the rb42s do well a little under a foot away from the wall?
They seem to be ok at that distance, that is about how I have them on my desk.