OT: Bookshelf Speakers

[HuskyHawk]

Cyber Monday is tomorrow so this will be a quick thread. My daughter has requested bookshelf speakers to replace a broken pair. That pair is Paradigm Atoms that used to be in my home theater setup where I have a matching Paradigm center. Now I have a pair of Mirage bookshelves down there, slightly bigger a bit more bass since I still lack a subwoofer.

I have some spectacular B&W bookshelves upstairs that I bought for my father in law, who now has Alzheimer’s. These are seldom used.

Options:
1. Buy new Paradigm Atoms $235 and give the kid the Mirages. May not feel like a real Christmas present, but I’d be matched again in the HT. Selfish or practical?
2. Buy Q Acoustics 3020i for her at $261 on sale. These should last her years and are the best reviewed bookshelves under $300
3. Buy Klipsch RB 51 bookshelves hugely discounted on Best Buy for Cyber Monday, about $175. These are bigger and punchier less balanced
4. Buy some Edifer powered bookshelves that are decent and have lots of connections, including Bluetooth, USB and direct from a turntable. She has a turntable and Yamaha receiver with phono (which I also bought for my father in law). But the variety of connections could be more useful for a modern kid. $150-180.
5. Buy meh Sony bookshelves on sale over 50% off for $80. Probably won’t do this, but I’m not sure she’d know the difference.

Any other ideas? There are always Polks on sale but I’m not a big fan.

 

[Waquoit]

I wanted to KISS so I have the Edifer's in the mancave. Sounds fine to me.

 

[mussels]

I don’t know anything about speakers but advise against option 1.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I don’t know anything about speakers but advise against option 1.

Yes, I already know how my wife would view that choice.

 

[husky429]

There's a very, very high chance your daughter can't tell the difference between expensive speakers and the pair of 80$ Sony speakers you mentioned. Most people can't. Hell, most people that think they can tell the difference can't in blind tests unless you play them right next to each other.

Is she just using Youtube videos or Spotify for her music? The quality coming out of those platforms isn't that great of sound to begin with.

 

[CL82]

I agree with @husky429. How old is she? How much of an audiophile is she? If she’s a freshman in college, a Bluetooth tower speaker probably does everything she wants.

 

[HuskyHawk]

There's a very, very high chance your daughter can't tell the difference between expensive speakers and the pair of 80$ Sony speakers you mentioned. Most people can't. Hell, most people that think they can tell the difference can't in blind tests unless you play them right next to each other.

Is she just using Youtube videos or Spotify for her music? The quality coming out of those platforms isn't that great of sound to begin with.

There's a very, very high chance your daughter can't tell the difference between expensive speakers and the pair of 80$ Sony speakers you mentioned. Most people can't. Hell, most people that think they can tell the difference can't in blind tests unless you play them right next to each other.

Is she just using Youtube videos or Spotify for her music? The quality coming out of those platforms isn't that great of sound to begin with.

She is a freshman in college but she listens to YouTube and Spotify music from her iPhone or iPad on AirPods. These speakers will go with her turntable and Yamaha receiver and will stay at home. She is building a vinyl collection. It’s different than when I went to college and we all brought receivers, CD players and speakers.

Can she tell the difference between the Sony and Q Acoustic. I don’t know. Probably side by side. But they aren’t intended for Spotify. It’s possible if I got her the Edifers she’d use it that way, but probably she’d stick with the AirPods anyway.

 

[jibsey]

Gotta have Bluetooth and wifi for a kid, case closed.

 

[husky429]

She is a freshman in college but she listens to YouTube and Spotify music from her iPhone or iPad on AirPods. These speakers will go with her turntable and Yamaha receiver and will stay at home. She is building a vinyl collection. It’s different than when I went to college and we all brought receivers, CD players and speakers.

Can she tell the difference between the Sony and Q Acoustic. I don’t know. Probably side by side. But they aren’t intended for Spotify. It’s possible if I got her the Edifers she’d use it that way, but probably she’d stick with the AirPods anyway.

Ahh I see. If she's a burgeoning audiophile, it might be worth the investment in something nicer. Good luck!

 

[Husky Alien]

R1700BT Multifunctional Speakers

Quality Sound Versatile speakers will have you wanting to play every device off of them. Plug in your gaming console, computer or TV for exceptional sound quality. The R1700BT has built in Digital Signal Processing (DSP) and Dynamic Range Control (DRC) to prevent distortion.

edifier-online.com

Very good deal on these, can't go wrong for the price.

 

[kobebeanbryant]

i have the edifier R1700BT speakers (that I received as a gift from my father a few years ago). they have been perfect and they look great to boot.

i use them exactly as you describe (hooked up to my turntable, but more often i am playing with my phone via bluetooth). it’s nice to have that flexibility.

i’d recommend those and they should be something she can keep for awhile and use after college.

 

[Fishy]

Don’t give your kid used speakers for Christmas.

Past that, I have no idea what you’re talking about.

 

[auror]

You're a lawyer, right? Option 2.

 

[RichCTBB]

The edifier set will be fine and satisfy the Bluetooth need. If you like vinyl too and might be utilizing her system while she’s away, spring for Audioengine A5+. Probably won’t even need the Yamaha receiver anymore unless she’s listening to CDs.

 

[gtcam]

ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2 Bookshelf Speakers

I have the original B6s and they are great - less than $300 a pair and they rate higher than many that cost 3 times as much
I am not a novice in the audio field
Worth your look see

 

[jleves]

Cyber Monday is tomorrow so this will be a quick thread. My daughter has requested bookshelf speakers to replace a broken pair. That pair is Paradigm Atoms that used to be in my home theater setup where I have a matching Paradigm center. Now I have a pair of Mirage bookshelves down there, slightly bigger a bit more bass since I still lack a subwoofer.

I have some spectacular B&W bookshelves upstairs that I bought for my father in law, who now has Alzheimer’s. These are seldom used.

Options:
1. Buy new Paradigm Atoms $235 and give the kid the Mirages. May not feel like a real Christmas present, but I’d be matched again in the HT. Selfish or practical?
2. Buy Q Acoustics 3020i for her at $261 on sale. These should last her years and are the best reviewed bookshelves under $300
3. Buy Klipsch RB 51 bookshelves hugely discounted on Best Buy for Cyber Monday, about $175. These are bigger and punchier less balanced
4. Buy some Edifer powered bookshelves that are decent and have lots of connections, including Bluetooth, USB and direct from a turntable. She has a turntable and Yamaha receiver with phono (which I also bought for my father in law). But the variety of connections could be more useful for a modern kid. $150-180.
5. Buy meh Sony bookshelves on sale over 50% off for $80. Probably won’t do this, but I’m not sure she’d know the difference.

Any other ideas? There are always Polks on sale but I’m not a big fan.

This may be too simple, but did you present the options to her and ask what would work best for her?

 

[CL82]

This may be too simple, but did you present the options to her and ask what would work best for her?

Crazy talk.

 

[CL82]

Why not both? Polk Audio T15 $69/pr.

Then but her a BT tower for school.

 

[District-Husky]

Klipsch

 

[brihman]

Could go the Sonos route but maybe better for the dorm room…

 

[Fishy]

Does she need a new bookshelf?

 

[Duncan Idaho]

Klipsch

Still have and use the Heresys from 40 years ago.

 

[HuskyHawk]

This may be too simple, but did you present the options to her and ask what would work best for her?

Considering that in a vague way. Basically Bluetooth vs non.

 

[HuskyHawk]

ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2 Bookshelf Speakers

I have the original B6s and they are great - less than $300 a pair and they rate higher than many that cost 3 times as much
I am not a novice in the audio field
Worth your look see

Yes those are often rated with the Q Acoustics, but are much bigger so for her space, smaller works better.

 

[Improviser]

Could go the Sonos route but maybe better for the dorm room…

I have 2 Sonos Play 5 speakers in my house, one in my basement Rec area, and the other in the living room. Before, when paired 8 feet apart in my living room, it gave a great stereo sound. I put the second one downstairs next to my gym equipment to hear music. Even as standalones, they are great.

For a small area, you can get her the Play 3, which should be superior to my current 2 Bose computer speakers I have in my office/computer room about 150 square feet.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Well I ended up buying Kanto YU 5.25 passive speakers. On sale at Crutchfield for $150. Better than the Sonys and should be all she needs. Got a bluetooth adapter for her receiver for $20.

 

[RedStickHusky]

ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2 Bookshelf Speakers

I have the original B6s and they are great - less than $300 a pair and they rate higher than many that cost 3 times as much
I am not a novice in the audio field
Worth your look see

I've been happy with my elac ub5s in a small listening room.

 

[AreBee1969]

Well I ended up buying Kanto YU 5.25 passive speakers. On sale at Crutchfield for $150. Better than the Sonys and should be all she needs. Got a bluetooth adapter for her receiver for $20.

Hmmm. Never heard of that brand. I picked up a pair of Edifier R1280DB Bluetooth speakers for my teenage daughter and an Audio Technica Turntable for Christmas last year and was blown away by how good the little system sounded. She can hook her phone into the speakers too which was a bonus. I know you already bought, but maybe this helps the next buyer. Hope the Kantos work out well!

 

[HuskyHawk]

Hmmm. Never heard of that brand. I picked up a pair of Edifier R1280DB Bluetooth speakers for my teenage daughter and an Audio Technica Turntable for Christmas last year and was blown away by how good the little system sounded. She can hook her phone into the speakers too which was a bonus. I know you already bought, but maybe this helps the next buyer. Hope the Kantos work out well!

I got her the Audio Technica turntable two years ago. Glad to see kids listening to vInyl. After I looked into Edifer I decided not to buy speakers from a Chinese company. Kanto is Canadian and I have had good luck with Canadian speakers (Mirage and Paradigm). They are actually known for their powered speakers like the Edifer with lots of connections. More expensive though.

YU4 Powered Speakers | Kanto Audio

Featuring carefully designed 4" Kevlar drivers and 1" silk dome tweeters, YU4 powered speakers effortlessly fill your room with rich, spacious sound.

www.kantoaudio.com