Bookshelf Speakers For 350 Or Less?? new & used


Hi,

A female friend asked me to recommend some bookshelf speakers for $350 or less, but I'm not too familiar with many of those models (I've heard the Mission 731i at $200-ish, but not much else). Which used or new (perhaps manufacturer direct?) models would you folks recommend in that price range?

Her receiver / CD combo is Sony / JVC mass market stuff. She listens to a lot of classical and some acoustic-based rock/pop. Most of her listening is probably background while she's cooking or roaming the house, but she is a musician and she does *listen*.

Any info would be appreciated, including recommendations that cost less than $350.

Thanks,

Phil
phild
For $350 get a kit speaker and build the cabinets yourself or hire a carpentar. Even if your contract a carpentar $50 for cabinets and then $300 on drivers and crossovers you'll walk away 10 times better. A pair of NHT Superones have got about $3 worth of crossover parts in each one. And even compared to their competition I've never liked'em (and I've owned the superzeros). The Murphy Blaster MB1 can be had for $170 in parts using the GR research driver and I can't remember which tweet he stuck in. But the Hiquphon OW1 tweeter can be substituted, much nicer, and they run $90 each. So you're still looking at around $350. And you won't get anything for $350 commerically with a tweeter like that. hiquphon.com maybe or its under zalytron.com who has kits too. The also have a Dillon acoustics design using the hiquphon for a little more. The Murphy Blaster website is down but madisound.com chat forums would have the new link buried somewhere if it exists, I know mr. murphy posts on there. The design is just as important as the parts but most of the designs out there are quite good and will smoke anything commmercally by virtue of better components. speakerbuilding.com even had a nice project called the esquire that was only $150 using all vifa drivers in a two way. But I would build something myself/herself for that, get that custom finish too.
Phil

I agree with Sugarbrie

I have a pair of the B&W 302's in my office setup
they are great and have gotten justly rewarded high marks and awards.

I have hooked these up to my high end system for kicks and they really do have alot to offer, only missing the lowest end for obvious reasons, but what's there is surprisingly tight

these will be in my daughter's dorm room setup in 4 years when she heads off to college

Tom
If you just have to slap the plastic and won't do diy, sound and vision did a blindfolded face-off a few issues back of 5 $350 bookshelf designs and gave a Monitor Audio design 1st place. There was the NHT SB1 or something like that and they hated it. There was also an Acoustic Energy AE1 or something that got a close second. But that's all new, if you buy used....? I don't normally read magazines but somehow or another I got a free subscription to the magazine--it just started showing up one day?
If it's for a female ;-), I'd try to keep it around $100/pr.

Wharfedale Diamond Anniversary 7.2
BIC Venturi 6.2
Sound Dynamics RTS-3
Older Polk 5jr or 7 (one here on audiogon)

Try ubid.com for the wharfdales <$100 but watch out for the shipping charges.

Good luck.
Check out the reviews for Ascend Acoustics on audioreview.com: 5/5. They are inexpensive and
have a small footprint.