WARM bookshelf speakers?

[slackerinabox]

Budget: $100 max, refurb ok, Amazon preferred (prime!)
The Speaker Company Speakers = boo. Yes, I own their stuff (based on forum gushing). It's a preference thing, I don't find their speakers as warm as say the Missions rocking on my denon stereo system.


Making a little 2.1 for my office and have a receiver on the way, plus I'm re-using a polk subwoofer I have lying around.

I need some bookshelves. I planned on getting the acclaimed Insignias based on reviews emphasizing it's warm, full bodied sound. Are their any other options you guys recommend?

 

[slackerinabox]

These seem nice:
BIC:
http://www.amazon.com/BIC-America-DV...0986505&sr=1-1

 

[vshah]

personally I found the insignias to be a little bright. i always had the treble turned down a couple dB. i used them for 2 years with an old yamaha receiver.

 

[slackerinabox]

personally I found the insignias to be a little bright. i always had the treble turned down a couple dB. i used them for 2 years with an old yamaha receiver.

Interesting! Thanks for the feedback, crossing them off of my short list

 

[thomsbrain]

av123.com has their x-cs model marked down to $99 right now. I've heard another speaker from that model line (a floorstanding version) and I'd call them warm (I like warm). I plan to buy 3 of them in a month or so (got some expenses this month slowing me down) to be a new front stage and let me move my current fronts/center to rear duty.

 

[slackerinabox]

av123.com has their x-cs model marked down to $99 right now. I've heard another speaker from that model line (a floorstanding version) and I'd call them warm (I like warm). I plan to buy 3 of them in a month or so (got some expenses this month slowing me down) to be a new front stage and let me move my current fronts/center to rear duty.

Those are really purdy, but isn't that a center channel speaker?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

You could use it vertically too. Note that they are going to be pretty large (and deep). Not ported though, which might be good in your case?

I have the older X-LS classics for my music listening at work and this version is probably warmer than the newer X-LS encore or X-CS encore that's on sale for $99 each.

There is at least one pair of used X-LS classics in the FS/FT forum for $100 shipped that would fit the bill. I don't know what kind of shape they're in though.

 

[slackerinabox]

You could use it vertically too. Note that they are going to be pretty large (and deep). Not ported though, which might be good in your case?

I have the older X-LS classics for my music listening at work and this version is probably warmer than the newer X-LS encore or X-CS encore that's on sale for $99 each.

There is at least one pair of used X-LS classics in the FS/FT forum for $100 shipped that would fit the bill. I don't know what kind of shape they're in though.

Forum deals aside, these would be twice my budget.. Which I suppose is fine, but if they're sized anything like my current center channel HT speaker, they're going to be way too big for office use (I'd like to put them on top of my desk).

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Forum deals aside, these would be twice my budget.. Which I suppose is fine, but if they're sized anything like my current center channel HT speaker, they're going to be way too big for office use (I'd like to put them on top of my desk).

They are 30 pounds each
in the vertical orientation, they are

20" high
8.5" side
15.5" deep

The smaller X-LS speakers compared to 19" LCDs

 

[slackerinabox]

The X-LS could definately work. Do you have any other recommendations? Let's up my budget a bit.... $200, but I'll have to save that extra $100 so clearance deals don't really work.

Thanks so much for the recommendations!

 

[vi edit]

I own 3 x XC-Encore and wouldn't call them "warm". They were actually brighter than I had expected. It's actually better for HT purposes, but I wouldn't want them for music.

 

[vi edit]

And this could be speaking from a non-audiophile n00b but I feel like a lot of "warmth" to speakers comes from a nice mellow midbass. That's just not something that many bookshelves can reproduce well.

Just something I've noticed messing around with bookshelves, floor standers, and subwoofers.

 

[slackerinabox]

And this could be speaking from a non-audiophile n00b but I feel like a lot of "warmth" to speakers comes from a nice mellow midbass. That's just not something that many bookshelves can reproduce well.

Just something I've noticed messing around with bookshelves, floor standers, and subwoofers.

You know, audiophiles tend to like sound signatures that I don't get. I'd call myself an "ethusiast" then I easily get headaches from oddles of highs, so I really want lush, rich mids, smooth bass, and highs that sparkle but don't overwhelm.

My favorite speakers are my infinity 3-ways floor standing speakers... Maybe I should just get really slim floor speakers? Or something larger that can be wall mounted?

The mission speakers that came with my stereo system are absurdly lush/warm for their size - I wonder how they pulled that off!

 

[vi edit]

Honestly, look at wharfedale speakers. I've got a pair of mid-towers from almost 10 years ago that still sound better to me than dozens of other speakers I've demo'd. And I like them because they fit the sound profile you are describing.

I've got the Sapphire 89's. Maybe dig around ebay or craigslist for them.

Others that would fit your description would the ELT's from av123. They are more laid back than the X series by most peoples descriptions.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

I own 3 x XC-Encore and wouldn't call them "warm". They were actually brighter than I had expected. It's actually better for HT purposes, but I wouldn't want them for music.

One of the things (probably the major thing) that was changed from the classics that I have to the encore version was to make them brighter (with a new tweeter and redesigned crossover). My experience with warmth is from the classic version, so vi edit's assessment of being bright would apply to the new ones you'd get from AV123.

If you find a used version (or b-stock version) of the classic version, that's probably more what you're looking for.

 

[ivan2]

They are 30 pounds each

The smaller X-LS speakers compared to 19" LCDs

lol are those the bags that comes with the speakers? i always thought they are tube tshirts without sleeves.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

lol are those the bags that comes with the speakers? i always thought they are tube tshirts without sleeves.

Bags that came with the speakers surrounding 2 phone books per speaker

 

[Tiamat]

Have you listened to Vienna Acoustics? They are usually demo'd at the Magnolia section of Bestbuy. Those are known to be warm speakers.

Generally, any speaker that you want a "warm sound" to, if you look at the Anechoic FR measurements, they will have a broad 3-6dB dip from 1khz-6khz, and come back up for 10khz for "air and sparkle". Since the human ears are most sensitive to 2-4khz, psychoacoustically, when this portion of the spectrum is subdued compared to the rest of the spectrum, the sound will have a more laid back sound. Additionally, there will be a broad low-level peak from 800hz down to about 80hz. This gives way to a more fatter sound. Acoustic guitars seem to have a bigger guitar body than they normally do, kick drum seems to hit more solid than usual.

"Forward" speakers typically have a broad low-level peak around the "presence region" which I believe is 4-9khz.

At least that is what I have found for my ears during my auditioning days.
I found that i did not like speakers that were "warm" as per my description above. At first they sounded nice, but after 20 minutes, they started getting "soupy" and ho-hum.

Speakers that were slightly "forward", I was ok with, although after 60 minutes of listening, kinda started getting my ears tired.

Bright speakers (tended to have peaks or emphasis in 10khz-16khz) killed my ears within 10 minutes. At very first, they are like "wow, never heard so much detail in the cymbals and strumming/picking before", but after a few minutes, its like "MY EARS BLEED".


What does this mumbo jumbo mean? I think you should go to Magnolia at Bestbuy (lacking any real speaker dealers in this terrible economy, for example), and test out the Vienna acoustics next to their polk, Def. Tech., and other offerings just to "make sure" you really want "warm" speakers. Or maybe, perhaps, you just want a not-bright speaker. Or maybe you want a not-forward speaker. These are important distinctions that you need to know, and this can only be had by listening and comparing specs from stereophile or other publications like that, to draw your own basic ideas on what you like to hear. Of course, when you are confused as to a possible contradiction in your listening to speakers and notes you take down and how they measure on FR, then you will start to look towards things like how disperse the speakers output their sound, toe-in angle, height of tweeters, etc.

....

This hobby keeps going and going...

 

[thomsbrain]

Sorry, for some reason I thought $100 per speaker instead of for the pair. My bad!

 

[mshan]

Have you thought about a tube buffer?

If you want to add warmth, I think tube pre-amp, amp, or integrated.

There is a Chinese tube buffer on eBay (just google for tube buffer)

 

[NutBucket]

I was going to ask what type of amplifier you're using. Going tube is probably out of the question given a $100 speaker budget but something vintage & solid state may be just the ticket.

Hell, a vintage receiver made even a pair of crappy Bose bookshelves sound much better.

 

[Tiamat]

Tube does not necessarily make the overall sound warm. Tubes, due to their output impedance, compared to solid state amplifiers, are more sensitive to the impedance curve of the speakers. If the speakers have very high impedance in the treble as compared to the rest of the band, the end result will be a very bright presentation.

 

[slackerinabox]

Thanks so much for all the really thoughtful replies!

I really think I need to up my budget, but picked up the below sony's to buy some time (if they totally blow I'll make them rear channels for one of my 5.1 set ups- extra speakers never hurt!).

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-SS-B3000-...1&sr=8-2-spell

As far what amp, receiver I'm using - I have a few, from a Dayton stereo amp, a sherwood, and a yamaha. Tube might just be something worth investing in

 

[ericlp]

yeah... I agree, up your budget and get a pair of ACI sapphires / maybe the best speaker on the planet? Maybe not but the best for my ears. It's not just the speakers but the amp too that can cause that warm sound.

 

[ericlp]

They are 30 pounds each
in the vertical orientation, they are

20" high
8.5" side
15.5" deep

The smaller X-LS speakers compared to 19" LCDs

Noticed the T-amp in the pic. How ya liking it? I just lit mine dangle around in the back of the computer (out of sight). I don't even turn it off. It's on 24/7 at about 85% cranked up.