SIX Budget Audio Deals, including Mordaunt-Short MS-300 Premiere Home Theater Speakers- $199.99 + shipping

[PJABBER]

Deal #1

Accessories4less.com is deeply discounting the well rated, British designed, Mordaunt-Short MS-300 Premiere - $199.99 + shipping.

Use coupon code MS300SP at checkout.

2 Pairs of Premiere 302's and one Center Premiere 304. New, with 5 year warranty.

Mordaunt-Short MS-300 Premiere Home Theater Speaker Package

Mordaunt-Short WWW site:

Mordaunt-Short Avant Premiere

Here is an Audioholics.com review of these speakers:

Audioholics review of Mordaunt-Short Avant Premiere

Cross them at 100Hz with a subwoofer (and you do need one with this setup!) and you're good to go.

Deal #2

Accessoriesforless.com also offers a Mordaunt-Short full 5.1 speaker setup for $399.99 + shipping, which includes 2 Pairs of Avant 302, one Center Avant 304 and does include the MS308W 8" subwoofer. Also included are some Monster Speaker Wire and a Sub Cable.

MORDAUNT SHORT MS300 & MS308W SILVER (Free Monster Spk Wire & Sub Cable) $399.99 + shipping

Deal #3

As you do need a sub to complement the speakers, if you opt for the first deal's MS five speaker setup and don't want to pay the $200 for the MS subwoofer in deal #2, here are a couple of fine alternative 8" subwoofers, on the cheap at around $100. If your budget permits, however, do consider 10" or even 12" subwoofers from the same sources -

BIC America V80

BIC America V80 @ Buy.com for $94.99 w/ free shipping

The Speaker Company V-8

TSC ASW-8 for $99.97 shipped free

Deal #4

The Speaker Company also offers a very good complete home theater speaker package, the PLCR161-HT8, for $269.90. I would definitely not put it in the same class as the Mordaunt-Short, but it is quite a deal. Also check out their Clearance listing as they do put some complete systems there once in a while.

HTC PLCR161-HT8 for $269.90 shipped

Deal #5

If you don't have a good receiver to power the speakers and you are on a strict budget, here is a very good deal on a refurbished Onkyo TX-SR304 receiver @ $109.99 + shipping

AccessoriesForLess Refurb Onkyo TX-SR304

Deal #6

For anyone with a bit more money, Outlaw Audio is liquidating new Atlantic Technology System 1200 Home Theater Speaker Systems including 10" 212SB subwoofer for $599 + shipping. This is likely the best speaker configuration you can get anywhere for $600, the subwoofer alone still sells for close to $500 .

This is a password protected page -

http://www.outlawaudio.com/out...ckdraw/atlanticHT.html

The username is: quickdraw
The password is: exclusive

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Sounds like a great deal - thanks!

 

[richardycc]

budget audiophile?? that's so oxymoron..and believe me, these brands ain't no where near audiophile quality...

 

[PJABBER]

It is an oxymoron! I'll change the title to "Audio" instead of "Audiophile."

The emphasis for these definitely has to be on the word "budget," or maybe a better word is "value," as opposed to quality at any price.

Thought I would offer these as I just did a survey of good quality yet inexpensive audio products to help out a starving musician friend with champagne tastes. Can you recommend a better 5 speaker home theater setup for $199.99? Or better subwoofers for under $100? Total budget cannot exceed $300... or $400 if it includes a quality receiver.

I just added Outlaw Audio's clearance of Atlantic Technology System 1200, including 212SB subwoofer, for $599 + shipping. Getting hotter?

Myself, I would love to find some deals on Dynaudio!

 

[edplayer]

Thanks for making this thread. I'm not in the market for speakers at the moment but it is good to see audio deals on Anandtech HD.

Originally posted by: richardycc
budget audiophile?? that's so oxymoron..and believe me, these brands ain't no where near audiophile quality...

You can use the savings to buy a dictionary.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Originally posted by: richardycc
budget audiophile?? that's so oxymoron..and believe me, these brands ain't no where near audiophile quality...

No need to be such an ass about it. I have a much higher-end home theater system than this one, but this is still a good deal and doesn't warrant your thread crapping.

 

[richardycc]

Originally posted by: PJABBER
It is an oxymoron! I'll change the title to "Audio" instead of "Audiophile."

The emphasis for these definitely has to be on the word "budget," or maybe a better word is "value," as opposed to quality at any price.

Thought I would offer these as I just did a survey of good quality yet inexpensive audio products to help out a starving musician friend with champagne tastes. Can you recommend a better 5 speaker home theater setup for $199.99? Or better subwoofers for under $100? Total budget cannot exceed $300... or $400 if it includes a quality receiver.

I just added Outlaw Audio's clearance of Atlantic Technology System 1200, including 212SB subwoofer, for $599 + shipping. Getting hotter?

Myself, I would love to find some deals on Dynaudio!

you can get the Energy take 5 for $199. I'd take that over any of these speakers.

 

[richardycc]

Originally posted by: Don Vito Corleone

Originally posted by: richardycc
budget audiophile?? that's so oxymoron..and believe me, these brands ain't no where near audiophile quality...

No need to be such an ass about it. I have a much higher-end home theater system than this one, but this is still a good deal and doesn't warrant your thread crapping.

I am not being an ass, OP's orginal title was 'budget audiophile...', and I was expecting too see brands like Krell, Bryston, Classe, B&W, Thiel, etc for cheap...not these internet only brands.

 

[richardycc]

Originally posted by: edplayer
Thanks for making this thread. I'm not in the market for speakers at the moment but it is good to see audio deals on Anandtech HD.

Originally posted by: richardycc
budget audiophile?? that's so oxymoron..and believe me, these brands ain't no where near audiophile quality...

You can use the savings to buy a dictionary.

no I am not buying any of these, so no savings for me. Have fun trying to get rid of these 'budget audio' gears in 2 months, because you bought them without an audition. not to mention people wouldn't buy them even at 1/2 of what you paid because they have never heard of these brands before.

 

[PJABBER]

Originally posted by: richardycc

Originally posted by: Don Vito Corleone

Originally posted by: richardycc
budget audiophile?? that's so oxymoron..and believe me, these brands ain't no where near audiophile quality...

No need to be such an ass about it. I have a much higher-end home theater system than this one, but this is still a good deal and doesn't warrant your thread crapping.

I am not being an ass, OP's orginal title was 'budget audiophile...', and I was expecting too see brands like Krell, Bryston, Classe, B&W, Thiel, etc for cheap...not these internet only brands.

Chill, please.

Krell, B&W, Thiel, Wilson, etc. are truly audiophile brands and make no effort to discount or offer product that is minimally affordable to the general population, most of whom could not appreciate the refinements they represent. I would love to find these at reasonable price levels but they are expensive even in used condition. If you are in the market for this level of audio, your best bet is to check Audiogon, not Anandtech.

My original quest was to find the absolute best deal for a friend that had a very low price point for new, not used, speakers. Max $300 for speakers, $400 with with receiver/amp. Friends don't let friends buy Bose, right?

I was happy to find some bargains outside of the typical Polk and Energy recommendations (and if you are recommending Energy Take 5s over Mordaunt-Short or Atlantic Technology you either haven't auditioned them personally or really don't have the ears to comment as to relative sonic quality.)

The Mordaunt-Short sale caught my eye first because the brand is not available here in the US except in audiophile emporiums and it is generally offered at a price point above $1000 when you can find it. You can get it for much less in the UK, of course. Just pay shipping.

As to resale value... are speakers really annual upgrade items? Most people I know that buy new processors and GPUs every 6 to 12 months still have the speakers they bought in college or got as wedding gifts. Talk about depreciation, you can't get RID of old speakers! So, buy the best you can find/afford and forget about it!

I don't want to spend a lot of time arguing about the value of internet only brands. Companies such as Axiom, AV123, Ascend and Ohm are terrific at offering truly extraordinary value with excellent components at very reasonable prices. Not to thread crap my own post, but if anyone has a bit more money than the limits I had set, do check out these companies' internet offers!

As a cheapskate with excellent taste, if I say so myself, I always recommend that anyone buying anything buy quality over pure price. The cheapest of anything is seldom worth the savings. I always try to buy lightly used/like new at 75%+ off the original price. Except for tech (which speakers are not,) last year's model is almost always as good this year's model and is 50% less. Remanufactured is usually brand new but not selling well enough to clear inventories. Etc. etc.

The PJABBER Philosophy moment: Dress well (you will get lucky more often,) having the "right" car/stereo/TV only impresses the wrong kind of girl for one night, live well (you only have this life until instant karma gets you,) buy at the low of the market, not the high (knowing when distinguishes you from the crowd.) And don't be a snob just because you can afford better, paid less and appreciate the difference between your junk and someone else's worldly goods.

:beer::wine:

 

[trexpesto]

Thanks PJ this is exactly what I needed.

 

[KPACOTKA]

Somebody metioned that those speakers available on Internet only? Is any possibility to check them out in some local store like Best Buy? It is risly to buy speakers without checking how they sound

 

[vi edit]

Originally posted by: KPACOTKA
Somebody metioned that those speakers available on Internet only? Is any possibility to check them out in some local store like Best Buy? It is risly to buy speakers without checking how they sound

There's a huge number of ID (internet direct) speaker companies that you can't demo in store. You can usually hit up AVS forum for owner discussion of most brands. And some of the more pricier versions usually have a home trial period where you can return (at your shipping cost) if you aren't satisfied.

But you can buy full sets of many of these speakers for the price of shipping of many of the ones I just mentioned. The low priced stuff typically won't have that type of program. That's just a risk you take without doing your homework.

 

[magreen]

Thanks for this excellent thread!
I'm checking out the subs as we speak, since I could really use an inexpensive yet musical sub to match to my pair of polk bookshelves and h/k receiver. Thanks!

(Btw, that 2nd $100 sub deal offers a 30-day money-back guarantee w/ free return shipping)