When a budget speaker is preferred to a high end one...


How many have experienced a situation when a more budget oriented speaker has a more preferred overall sound over a higher end speaker, something at 3 or more times the price?  What are your thoughts, experiences and how can you explain this?

agwca

Showing 1 response by lanx0003

 

@flyfish77 

+1 NHT bookshelf.  The original SuperOne was my first bookshelf speakers in my audiophile journey 20 years ago.  The bottom end is down to 56 hz so I pair it with a AR subwoofer.  With Harmon Kardon AVR 25ii, the combo gives a "quasi" full-range down to 35 hz range.  The bass notes are weighty but a bit laid back.  Then NHT came up with SB1 to replace your SuperZero and SB2 to replace my SuperOne, with a better bass extension down to 51 hz.  In 2002, NHT released the mighty SB3 with the bass extension down all the way to 39 hz.  With the hype from reviewers around that time including Stereophile, SB3 starts getting my attention but I was not on a quest for it due to the limited availability in the used market.  This year I was finally able to locate one pair from local area and, boy, I fell in love with its intoxicated midrange and mighty bass (for its size) and starts building a second system in my bedroom.  Paired it with Parasound A23, the bass from this close box digs deep, nimble and uncolored as said in Stereophile.  I even retire AR sub.

Sorry for being rambling but the point I try to make is a budget, nearly vintage pair of speakers could perform really well in a cozy or midium sized space.  With carefully matched gears and well thought out positions, they could potentially be on par with modern bookshelf speakers 10 times higher in price.  I did a 10-songs  recording of various genres of music to demonstrate that and hope you enjoy it.  The audio gain level for video recording using iPhone 13 is a bit low in the beginning.  I do apologize for that.  If you know how to adjust the gain level in iphone recording, please let me know.