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Used vs New vs Vintage vs Floorstanding vs Bookshelf vs ..... OMG!

OK. I am new in this (new in HIFI, in Audiogon, in discussion forums). I need to buy a pair of speakers for a newly-to-be-built HIFI system, and I am getting a little overwhelmed about all the options and possibilities (and opinions). By the way, I am NOT rich so that helps me a lot to discard a bunch of options.

I started checking vintage HIFI speakers for around $500, basically old JBLs, Technics, and the like (eBay, Craiglist, Letgo). Of course as soon as I began I started checking newer and pricier loudspeakers... and I am trying not to be a consumerist… Either way first  I decided for a pair of JBLs vintage. Until I watched John Darko's youtube review on the ELAC Navis ARB-51. So I changed my mind, I raised my budget and changed from vintage to new, from big to small.

Then I learned about the huge immense used HIFI market. For the same price of the Navis I could buy speakers from enormous brands like Sonus Faber and Focal and B&W in the used market. There I could find Sonus Faber Veneres for 1500, B&W 802 for 2000, and so on. When I contacted somebody from another webpage (The music room) about which was the best option.... the response was... Vandersteen 2Ce signature, "by far". I looked for opinions about it and all I read about them was "OK but meeh". 

So I was really confused. Until I learnt about the Tekton Double Impact, and now I started to get some dizziness. "The best loudspeakers for that price range", "the best period", etc. I contacted Eric Alexander, who kindly took his time to explain me why paper speakers are still the best, and so on. So they are great, really great, for "just" $3000... and I raised my budget again.

Either way, I have read so much, heard so much, watched so much, and I haven't learned much really. Different experts have different opinions, whether the speakers should be flat or not, colored or true, whether it is a matter of "taste" or "you should listen and like them". Well I am no expert, I am 45 years old and I probably won't listen wavelengths of 50 Htzs or lower.

I just want a pair of good speakers so I can enjoy King Crimson, Ramones or Beethoven.

Can anybody help? PLEASE???....

tykozen

Showing 2 responses by soix

soix
8,789 posts
 
+1 @belvedere2 -- by far the best investment you can make right now is taking the time to go out and listen to as many speakers as you can.  You'll eventually start to identify which speaker characteristics (and speakers) sound best to you.  Only then will you be in a good position to make the right choice, and none of us can tell you what that is because we all hear differently and value different things.  Speakers are funny that way -- once you hear the right ones it tends to hit you pretty hard and you just know.  And by all means bring a good selection of your favorite music to each demo.  Best of luck. 
soix
8,789 posts
 
First I would like some input from experts or experienced people to discard, or differentiate the Good from the Bad, or the Better from the Not so good. For instance, do you think it is better to invest on an older used and perhaps outdated pair of big floorstanding with 8" woofers, or would you rather go with a new pair of technologically advanced 15 in small speakers with 5" drivers? When I asked between the Vandersteen and a good pair of B&W 802 S3, I was responded that the later were outdated, whatever that means.
I understand what you're trying to do, but you're overthinking it.  First, there are really no "bad" speakers out there that you should avoid.  Each speaker has its own characteristics, strengths, and weaknesses, so now it's really up to you to just go out there and start listening so you can figure out what sounds best to you.  That's  the most productive thing you can do right now rather than spending time here reading other people's' opinions.  In the end, your opinion is the only one that matters, so just go out there and start forming your own opinions rather than wasting your time here.  That said, once you've heard some things and want to verify or get some other perspectives on what you thought you heard, that's cool and can be helpful to you going forward, but at least you've taken a step forward in identifying what you may like or not.  Just get out there!  That's the best education there is, by far. 


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