Speaker recommendation

August 9, 2006

Please advise on best value-for-money (but with no compromise on range and clarity) speakers to go with a 40-50Wpc Cambridge a340 amp.

Vivek

You don’t give me a lot to go on, but here goes: Axiom M60 v2s. Here’s why: They have little or no compromise when it comes to range, either dynamic range or frequency-response range. They will play loud and they will play low. They also have excellent clarity at most any volume. They’re fairly large floorstanders, but not so large that most rooms can’t accommodate them. They are a safe choice for most any system, be it home theater or audio, and they come from a good company that stands behind their products. All things considered, a very good choice.

Subwoofer brand same as speaker brand?

August 4, 2006

Does the subwoofer I buy need to be the same brand as the speakers I use in the other five positions? The company that makes the speakers I’m using makes expensive subwoofers, and I don’t think that is their strong point anyway. Is it advisable to buy from a different maker?

Michael Strong

Over the last five years or so dedicated subwoofer makers have come into their own. There are a number of companies that specialize in subwoofers and they make some amazingly good products. Companies such as SVS have redefined the bang-for-the-buck subwoofer market. On the upper end of the scale, there are outfits like JL Audio that are attempting to push the state of the art. Conversely, companies like Paradigm are more than competitive with their subwoofer offerings even though they make a complete line of products. Their Servo-15 v.2 has been a benchmark product, for example. So the answer to your question is that you can get a great subwoofer from companies that make just subs or full lines of products. As long as you buy a good subwoofer, the kind of company that makes it is less relevant than perhaps it would have been in years past. Today’s subwoofers have an amazing amount of setup flexibility that allow the user to get a good blend with their system. If I were you I would buy the best subwoofer your budget allows from a company known to make good subwoofers.

Speaker choices

August 2, 2006

Editor,

I recently upgraded my amp to an NAD C352, and I am now considering upgrading my speakers as well (I currently have the Tannoy MX2s). I short-listed a few speakers, mostly all under $1000. The problem is that I can only hear the B&Ws in person. For most other speakers, I will have to travel quite some distance. However, there are quite a few deals online, which I am considering. Hence, your opinion and help will be greatly appreciated.

Here are the speakers:

PSB Image T55 (dealer demo) - $600
PSB Image T65 (dealer demo) - $730
Monitor Audio RS6 (dealer demo) - $670
Tannoy Saturn S8 (dealer demo) - $800
B&W 603 S3 (used) - $600
B&W 704 (used) - $1200

Because none of these speakers are new, I understand that it will be difficult to judge them, but what would your choice(s) be if they were new? Also, any other speakers that you would recommend? I listen mostly to classical/jazz/soft rock, but I enjoy watching movies as well.

Sri