Budget tower speakers that rock!

The $800 Klipsch speakers will fill up the space and sound balanced and may please your ears. I found them dull, compared to smaller, more musical speakers

Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-280F

 

Klipsch Premiere Reference. When you get a little more money and have light DIY skills, get an upgrade kit from GR Research. Now you will have a world class, budget rock speaker.

My older son is a pro EDM artist (talking about loud with lots of low, synthesized bass) and loves his modified RP-8000F speakers driven to thunderous levels with another bargain, the Rega IO. So do the other producers, promoters, musicians, etc. that hang at his place. I bring hearing protection when I visit...

Here is a sample of my 2 ch setup with the Fluance Signature Towers
https://youtu.be/mgO3HwiKbdQ

I cannot dispute the aforementioned Fluance speakers perform well, they certainly may, just not Canadian made mate.  Designed and Engineered in Canada on the cabinets is code.

l like the PA suggestion.  Ear bleed, nose bleed and gastric distress.  But they will get you there.

The best bang for the buck I've seen in fifty years of speaker fanaticism are the Boston Acoustics T-1030.  They have a very balanced and transparent presentation, they can go deep and loud, and they are dirt cheap on the used market.  They are pretty rare - people who own them don't tend to let them go, but if you're patient, you can pick up a pair for under $500.   I recently picked up a nice cherry veneer pair for $200.  

And I'm not a cheapskate with no experience in nice speakers.  I currently have 10 pairs of speakers set up at my ranch house, including JBL L-300, JBL Project Array 1400, Revel Ultima Salon 2, and JBL Everest DD67000.

Big, used PA speakers would be great.
Or....2 sets of used 901's (with EQ's).  

/runs and hides....
:D

Someone mentioned Polk...

Unless you like it VERY bright AVOID Polk’s Rt/RTI/RTi A* towers. They are good for HT and they will pump and thump but...*I used modded RTi A7s for my LR in my HT

Definitive Technology and Polk are under the same parent company. For that reason you should avoid Def Tech HT speakers, too

a good used cheap RnR speaker is the Kef 304 - my first speakers from 40 years ago - still have them😊 Today if you can find them $300?

Won’t have quite the extension of some w/12” or bigger woofers. You will find it’s equally at home w/Boston or the the Boston Pops. One day I will rebuild mine. 
Tony

Happy New Year! I thought I would come back in and perhaps put a cap on this thread...at least from my perspective. The Zu Audio Dirty Weekend pair was delivered to my door yesterday. I've got them hooked up and I think the simplest compliment I can make is that my music collection has never sounded so good. I'm enjoying everything I play right now--it all sounds involving, energetic and strong from these speakers. I've turned the volume knob to about 40% and found myself grinning ear to ear. Rush-Moving Pictures (recent vinyl reissue) made me feel 16 again. Lou Reed-Transformer (also a recent vinyl reissue) felt real in my room. The vocals seemed to image right over my shoulders. And now The National-Sleep Well Beast is pulsing in the room. Again, the vocals seem to be a strength here. I will say I think there is room to dial these in some more w/ positioning etc. Anyway, I'll stop now. I'm feeling very good about my purchase. Admittedly, the bar was low. Thank you for your input. I hope we all find some hi-fi nirvana this year. For me, 2021 is off to a great start! 

I'm giving another nod for you to look at Fluance speakers made in Canada.  Well built and good sounding at very wallet-friendly prices.  Last year I set up a fourth listening room in my house that was a very simple analog setup -- Integrated Tube Amp, Phono Stage, Turntable, and Speakers. 

I'd read several excellent reviews on Fluance components, so I took advantage of their Trial At Home offer and bought their top level turntable, the RT85 which came with an Ortofon 2M Blue Stylus (a steal at $499.99) and their Signature Model Three-Way Floorstanding Speakers (again, an incredible bargain at $799.99).  Fluance offers Free Shipping and a 30 Day Free Return Policy.

That listening room has gotten a ton of use by myself and friends, and it performs ridiculously above its total investment price point of components.  I use that room to prove to my vinyl-loving music friends that you don't have to spend thousands upon thousands of dollars on expensive high-end gear to enjoy great sound.

Other speaker options I have used and enjoyed are Monitor Audio Silver and Bronze model floorstanding speakers and Klipsch Forte II speakers.  I have seen all of these for sale in the Pre-Owned marketplace that fits in your budget.  Happy hunting!

Crown amp and Cerwin Vega and it the early 80s all over again buddy !

Plus one for anything from PSB, select Klipsch and Polk, or anything used from Monitor Audio or B&W. 

Hello,
With the ribbon tweeter and drivers that really punch I would say Martin Login tower 40s. Used under $1000. No sub needed hear and highs that will have your neighbors complaining. If you are near Chicagoland area check out https://holmaudio.com/used-demo-new/
if you are not try to find them. I was amazed by how much these speakers handled everything. Tube and SS sounded incredible. 

Polk LSi 15 or LSiM 705.

I hope you're ready for some blasphemy.   For under $1000, the very best value for playing rock 'n roll at level are a good set of PA loudspeakers.  I like Bag End best.

Go find a pair of RBH SV-6500 towers. Beautifully balanced and so well made. For a brief time, I built them. The cabinets are incredibly well made, heavy bracing. The crossovers are very high quality materials, using very heavy gage internal wiring. 

Cerwin Vega Baby!  Not my speaker, but with the right amplification they will make your ears bleed and give you left ventricular blockage.  

While the Outlaw is respectable, it is in no way capable of transporting you to that aural Nirvana.  The aforementioned Ampzilla would arrive you bruised, in need of IV administered fluids and a B12 shot.

You might update important legal documents before firing up that combo.

I recommend a pair of vintage Infinity RS II’s. They are around used for under a $1000. You might have to have the woofs re-foamed. They are very large.

If you really want to rock out, find a pair of JBL 4698B Cabaret's. They are a PA speaker from the 1980-90’s designed by Mark Gander of JBL. Best kept secret in home audio. 18" woofer, 10" mid and a 2404H tweeter. A friend has a pair and he swears they keep up with his 4343, 4345’s and blow his L-300’s out of the water. They handle all types of music but will mix concrete if you want to rock out. Very efficient too at 103 dB/1 Watt/1 Meter. About as efficient as a Klipsch Corner Horn. They will handle ampzilla solid state amps (400 Watts RMS continuous, 800 Watts peak) or low-power tube amps. They do it all. Not wife-friendly with those pro-cabs but, you could build nice cabs for them. I see them occasionally on Cragslist for around $800-1200/ pair. They are large.

For crazy loud and sheer fun, the Sansui SP-X11000. The absolute King of the Kabuki’s. I’ve never seen a speaker move so much air. They are a twin cabinet design for each channel and though certainly not hi-fi, they are the only speaker I’ll never get rid of. Your neighborhood villagers will be at your front door with pitchforks in hand.

Tekton Pendragons can sometimes be found on the used market for close to $1K. In my experience they're worth every penny and pretty much trounce the competition at anywhere near the price in terms of pure emotional engagement and 'you are there'-type realism. JBL Studio 590s are put on sale about 4x per year for $499 each with a 30 day trial period and free shipping both ways...very difficult to beat at that price for sheer, visceral impact but not quite as easy to drive as the Tektons and perhaps a bit more clinical...they're superb budget speakers, though.

I have a pair of Source Technology 7211’s with 2 of their subs. If you buy direct from John the prices are very reasonable and you get a great American made speaker.

Check with Underwood HiFi. He buys top brand close outs and sells at very reasonable prices

Klipsch Reference Premiere series. Down the line you can improve them further with modifications recommended by GR Research.

You might be able to find some Klipsch KLF-20 or KLF-30 around your budget.  You might need to reglue the back plate, there were issues with them coming loose and you'll get a little cabinet coloration at high volumes as they aren't the most solid cabinets, even if the back is solid.  They can rock though and hold together at higher volumes.  The RF-7 used would also be in your budget.  Many people like them, I prefer the older three way Legend designs.  

For loud rock, I prefer a speaker with a dedicated woofer. Better slam, and mid/highs don't have to share a driver with the bass. I had Zu Soul Supremes and didn't love them with loud rock. They broke up and sounded congested when pushed with loud rock.

I would suggest saving up and not wasting your money.  Sometimes you have to be patient or take on a second job.  Perhaps call RENT A SPEAKER.

Another vote for the JBL Studio 590, but not at $700 each.  JBL puts them on sale frequently for $1k a pair, free shipping.  Check them out.

Music Direct has sale price on Klipsch RP-8000F.  Right at $1000, they’re efficient (i.e., will play loud), and go down to about 30hz.

May as well get those Zu's coming

So many great ideas here. I appreciate all of the responses. Good people, you hi-fi folks! Time for the full story... I've had Zu Dirty Weekends on order since October. Finally, I have the invoice. I can pay the balance owed and they will be sent to me on Monday. Thing is during this long wait I've had second thoughts and wondered about some other options. (That's what some of us do, I guess. Never really satisfied! And I don't even have the speakers yet!) I also have an amp w/ A/B speaker capability and have enjoyed flipping between two pairs for a slightly different experience. I had a pair of the Pioneer Andrew Jones towers and sold them. I had an old pair of Klipsch KG2s and sold those as well. If I spend the full boat on the Zu speakers it'll be awhile before I add a second pair again. As a result, I'm laboring over this decision. I'm going to make the decision today and move forward. Thank you all again for the excellent input. Given my affliction, I'm sure I'll get around to some of these ideas one way or another. Cheers.

Tekton Double Impacts if you want to hear what drums are supposed to sound like

Salon1 Audio had a pair of Mirage OM10 speakers for sale for around $700. 
I still listen to the ones I own in a secondary system.  Great speaker IMHO.

I have a pair of near mint condition PSB Gold in black ash. I am in Los Angeles if the OP is close and wishes to hear them. I am the original owner...they never been out of my home. 

Used   Cewin Vega...would me my guess for you

Chane Audio A5.5 towers, under $1000 shipped NIB (not always in stock though). HTD level 3 tower speakers, also under $1000 shipped NIB. Both great internet direct companies without as much appreciation as they should have. 

Another vote for Zu Dirty weekend.
The capacitors can be upgraded in the event your tastes change and you end up seeking a little more refinement or accuracy.
They're super efficient... 97db..so yes, they'll give you LOUD.
60 day satisfaction guarantee.

PSB Gold are very old , very heavy and hard to find .
Their new Alpha T20 is on Amazon with14 reviews at 4.5 out of 5 .649 dollars on Amazon . Very nice looking and they never made a bad speaker. Plus a warranty .

Why are you guys posting speakers over a grand when the man said that was his Max ?

Another vote for Zu and JBL loudspeakers.

JBL Studio 590 still available and on sale for 700.00 a piece.  Fantastic 

Older Cerwin Vega. D series, DX Series. Not as piercing as Klipsch for loud rock. 

Wharfedale diamond 230’s rocked...discontinued...too bad.
Tannoy eclipse 3 were also awesome..also discontinued 😪

Audio Classics has a pair of JBL L100 speakers listed for 1K.  These are the original vintage speakers and are one of the best speakers for Rock. I owned a pair in the 70’s.  The Who sounded unbelievable on them as well as all the top groups.  

ZU dirty weekend.

jbl,klipsch Cerwin Vega ,psb and who remember those Altec Lansings from the 70s 

The amp is almost as important for hot sounds.

Klipsch RP-800F or the JBL that yogiboy linked.  (If you want to go new)

https://www.crutchfield.com/S-wO3H0F4lm1I/p_714RP8000E/Klipsch-Reference-Premiere-RP-8000F-Ebony.htm...

Check out the JBL Stage!
 https://www.stereophile.com/content/jbl-stage-a170-loudspeaker

https://www.crutchfield.com/shopsearch/jbl_speakers.html#&nvpair=FFCategory|[rank11999]Home%20Sp...

Thank you all. I will be looking into all of these ideas.

Third vote for PSB Stratus Gold(not the i model). Excellent sonics top to bottom end, and your amp will overheat before these give out. 

How loud ?