Attractive small speaker recommendations?

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I'm in mourning at the moment as I've been forced to sell my B&W DM602 speakers as they've been deemed too big for our new house :( However, it means I can buy some new speakers :)

At the moment I have a stereo setup that I use for films/TV and music. I'm looking to change to a 2.1 setup. The 'satellites' will be wall mounted and must look different/cute/arty etc. The sort of thing I'm after are the Orb Mod 2 (2 speakers each side), but I'd like to be able to hear them first - they're not exactly well known:

150mod2a.jpg


I currently use an Arcam Delta 290, but would be looking to upgarde to at least 5.1 amp later in the year .... I just want a decent 2.1 setup as soon as I sell some bits! :)

I paid about £300 for the 602s and the stands were about £80 so I can justify (to the Wife!) a £400+ budget.

Any ideas?

Cheers,


Mark
 
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The orbs are great! My friend has a 5.1 system of orbs. Was suprised at how good with music they are for such dinky things. Obviously need a sub with them.

You'll have to import them direct from the USA though - So won't be able to try before you buy. Additionally - am not quite sure what the import duty on them would be?
 
I came across he Gallos about an hour after posting! They look good. Stone Audio aren't far away either. Might be worth a visit :D

Thanks for the tip :thumbsup:


Mark
 
Shame about the 602s - good speakers. IMO you'll be disappointed with any satelite/sub combo.
 
Shame about the 602s - good speakers. IMO you'll be disappointed with any satelite/sub combo.

Not necessarily true... a different sound, but something decent setup correctly can sound excellent.

Maxamus - looks very nice! Sounds as though it'll fit the bill very nicely...
 
I have 5 gallo micros too. they are great for the size , bit pricey though.
 
I have 5 gallo micros too. they are great for the size , bit pricey though.

Small things, that look nice and women like tend to be though don't they.... :D
 
Small things, that look nice and women like tend to be though don't they.... :D

:confused: The women in my life have always said bigger is better?? :devil:
 
As the Americans used to say about car engines, "There's no substitute for cubic inches".
 
Shame about the 602s - good speakers. IMO you'll be disappointed with any satelite/sub combo.
That's what I'm afraid of :( We'll see though :)

There was an ad at the bottom of this page earlier for some small speakers - French ... something like Focus Tune pods or something? I emailed the link to myself so that I wouldn't forget, but my email is down :( The sub looked great :)


Mark
 
I'm in mourning at the moment as I've been forced to sell my B&W DM602 speakers as they've been deemed too big for our new house :( However, it means I can buy some new speakers :)

At the moment I have a stereo setup that I use for films/TV and music. I'm looking to change to a 2.1 setup. The 'satellites' will be wall mounted and must look different/cute/arty etc. The sort of thing I'm after are the Orb Mod 2 (2 speakers each side), but I'd like to be able to hear them first - they're not exactly well known:

150mod2a.jpg


I currently use an Arcam Delta 290, but would be looking to upgarde to at least 5.1 amp later in the year .... I just want a decent 2.1 setup as soon as I sell some bits! :)

I paid about £300 for the 602s and the stands were about £80 so I can justify (to the Wife!) a £400+ budget.

Any ideas?

Cheers,


Mark

I DO sympathize with your plight and sorely regret that you didn't solicit OUR Advice here on the Forums before you sold your B and Ws .. I have a mixture of 700 and 600 series B and W plus BK sub .. for I would not have been alone in suggesting that you should take HER to Obedience classes where She could have learned to SIT and FETCH and similar such useful skills.

Ah well, too late now and so you will have to consider something a little more capable than those Ghastly POD life style speaker things.

How about these ? ....

" WHARFEDALE DIAMOND 9.1 ANNIVERSARY SPEAKERS " ...

WHARFEDALE DIAMOND 9.1 ANNIVERSARY SPEAKERS (PAIR) - available from Superfi UK Visit http://www.superfi.co.uk/index.cfm/page/moreinfo.cfm/product_id/3589 for details


Cute, lovable .... and you could buy another pair as rears .. not sure about a complementary center though.

As for a Sub ? .. if a Submissive and obedient wife isn't possible then an obedient Sub Woofer certainly is .. try BK which, for a modest premium, you can get in a veneer that will match that on those Wharfedales ...

Monolith

That page will show the size range and, with those Wharfedales, and I think that you will be beneath your budget for the 2.1 set BUT you will need suitable Stands or wall brackets for the ..

" WHARFEDALE DIAMOND 9.1 ANNIVERSARY SPEAKERS "

for floor stands .. maybe by Atacama ? ....


Superfi Online - UK's best supplier of hifi equipment including separates, systems and accessories. Purchase Home Cinema Equipment, DVD players, minidiscs, amplifiers, cassette decks, CD players, Digital recorders, personal stereos, speakers, turntab

For wall brackets I'm at a bit of a loss but maybe something from ...

http://www.vivomounts.com/products.asp?cat=16

Though if you like those Wharfedales then you'd do well to phone Wharfedale and ask for their advice on suitable brackets ... there's bound to be a custom design that will work far better than any general purpose brackets.


Now my Practical Experience may well be said to be limited in as much as I've always avoided Marriage, BUT, in Theory, couldn't you begin your own Wife Training with a Calm and Masterful Voice of COMMAND ? Starting with SIT! and going on to FETCH ( Beer ) ! and then move on to WALKIES ! .. to the Pub and so on ?

Best Wishes,

Arnold.
 
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I was in a similar situation 12 months ago, I had some beautiful castle speakers but space was at a premium.

I seriously considered the gallos and also the kef eggs. In the end and after much pondering I actually went for a set of monitor audio radius, the R270s are fantastic IMO and have a small footprint.

Definately worth a listen, they have just upgraded the range so there might be some bargains to be had
 
Arnold - nice post :D

:( What have I done?! :(

Arse, I'm at a loss. I don't like the look of boxes bolted to the wall (hence the lifestyle type speaker system) and I'd much prefer some floorstanders, but I'm stuck with where I am.

Mark - Focal Domes - well, I was close-ish :smashin: They're not cheap - maybe the cost of compromise?

Cheers all, I do at least have some ideas :thumbsup:


Mark
 
Arnold - nice post :D

:( What have I done?! :(

Arse, I'm at a loss. I don't like the look of boxes bolted to the wall (hence the lifestyle type speaker system) and I'd much prefer some floorstanders, but I'm stuck with where I am.

Mark - Focal Domes - well, I was close-ish :smashin: They're not cheap - maybe the cost of compromise?

Cheers all, I do at least have some ideas :thumbsup:


Mark

Mark,

Well those Wharfedales aren't Boxes as such .. neatly shaped elegent little things with a curvasious rump and an interesting ' Face ' that will distract from the wall brackets ... which brackets are Never Going to be Pretty. :D

In this situation its a matter of what the Speakers will look like when you are sitting down or entering the room .. PoDs Are What they are and if you can live with them then so be it, but you might be able to buy somthing like the Wharfedales mount them on the wall brackets and if they aren't aesthetically pleasing mount PODS instead on the same brackets and use the Wharfedales in the Bedroom with a neat little Denon RCD -M37.

Honestly ... I really do Sympathise . You Can Do IT and Avoid a Life Style System a.k.a. Pods.
There are other posibilities if the Wharfedales don't appeal ....

maybe ....

" Acoustic Energy Aelite OnWall speakers " ...

Acoustic Energy Aelite OnWall speakers 1/2 Price RRP249 on eBay, also, Speakers Hi Fi, Home Audio Hi Fi, Consumer Electronics (end time 12-Feb-09 12:18:38 GMT)


Don't be Invaded by The Pods. :devil:


Arnold.
 
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Arnold,

Nice tip there. These (or something similar) could be an option :thumbsup:

Aelite-On-Wall_large.jpg


Another avenue to explore :thumbsup:

Still tempted with the Focal Domes though, but at ~£1000 for the 2.1 package, I'd have to be sure :rolleyes:

1548.jpg


Thanks,


Mark
 
:devil:
Arnold,

Nice tip there. These (or something similar) could be an option :thumbsup:
Aelite-On-Wall_large.jpg


Another avenue to explore :thumbsup:

Still tempted with the Focal Domes though, but at ~£1000 for the 2.1 package, I'd have to be sure :rolleyes:

1548.jpg


Thanks,


Mark

" Still tempted with the Focal Domes though, but at ~£1000 for the 2.1 package, I'd have to be sure "


Mark, ... You are NEVER going to be SURE

at these sort of prices. :D

Even given a through Audition in a Room not too dissimilar to your own there remains ... Doubt. :devil:

Speakers on Stalks are all very well but whilst they do suit a certain kind of interior decoration ... that is what they are really. There are lots of Decorator Choices of The Month ... Interior decoration with sound taking the support position to Appearance.

The trouble is that once you place Appearances first you will always have to compromise on sound.

Given enough Money and suitable Pro Installers /decorators if it goes Wrong you can always demand a refit for, to YOU, mere Money doesn't matter and the balance of Sound Against Appearance is ALL.


Stepping back from perfection then it becomes a question of Budget ... which you must try to stick to .. against Desire; and we all want something better.

In your situation I'd go for " These (or something similar) could be an option " as THE option with the focals as being ... all right then PROVE IT at this price being the question to the dealers who intend to sell them to you.

The Price Differential between those two systems IS ? And your Budget is ? :devil:

Best Wishes,

Arnold.
 
i reckon the focals subwoofer looks like a trendy dustbin for the kitchen,

what about this set i think look gorgous and very stylish,

B&W_MT30_LRG.jpg


everyone has there own opinions tho :smashin:

or how about a mix and match of these?

speakers.jpg


or these, the genies have style but don`t compromise on sound quality you can even use the sub as a coffee table - not that i would.

MordauntShortGenie.jpg
 
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Small Mirages...Omnisat V2s have a very clean open sound. Also OMD 5s and Nanosats
 

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