BR5 or not??

Top Dog

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Hi,

The original idea was to have the BR2 and BRLC for the fronts and BR1 rear. Along with BK electronics xls200 sub and a yamaha rxv667 amp.
I have seen the BR5 for £250 and I am very tempted.
Was thinking of getting the BR5 as fronts and putting the BR2 at the rear. Would this work??
Thanks for any advice.
 
Reads like a very nice System.

K.
 
I think the thing you need to ask yourself is what else can you get for similar money?

The answer is - not much.

Also keep in mind that the BX5, which replaces the BR5, is selling for about £450/pr. I think that puts these speakers into perspective.

For as long as supplies last, the BR's all are an exceptional bargain.

Just a thought.

Steve/bluewizard
 
My thoughts exactly Steve and exactly what I wanted to hear so many thanks as I will be purchasing tomorrow hopefully.
Would the BR2 be ok as rear speakers?
H
 
My thoughts exactly Steve and exactly what I wanted to hear so many thanks as I will be purchasing tomorrow hopefully.
Would the BR2 be ok as rear speakers?
H

I hope so as that's what I'm aiming to get ;)

You picked exactly the same system as I am buying

Have a quick look at my old thread: 5.1 Package or D.I.Y
Steve & another member gave some great advice on there & this was by far & away the best option out there :)

Neil
 
Would the BR2 be ok as rear speakers?

They will be great! The other equally valid option is the BRFX, which are dipole speakers and produce a diffused sound, which some people like for surrounds. They are wall mountable, which helps some people re positioning.


Both of these are better choices than the BR1, which is a lower quality speaker than the BR2, but also is rear ported and less flexible for positioning (the BR2 is front ported)
 
As Dicklodge states the BR-FX or BR2 speakers will be an improvement over the BR1's as rears.
 
The BR2 would be very good for the rear/side speakers, but the BR1 would also be very good.

In terms of specs and general size the BR2 is the equivalent of the Wharfedale Diamond 10.2. Both have 6" woofers. The BR1, with a 5" woofer, is the equivalent of the Diamond 10.1, which is a good speaker in and of itself. Most building a 5.1 system from Diamonds would go for the Diamond 10.0 (4" woofer) in the rear.

So, my point is, yes, get the best speaker you can, but at the same time, the BR1 is a pretty good speaker too. It is not lacking in any way.

So, it really gets down to budget, and the BR's are at very favorable prices right now, so if the BR2 fit your budget then go in that direction, but don't be worried about the BR1, they are also above the typical rear/side speaker.

Just a thought.

Steve/bluewizard
 
Most building a 5.1 system from Diamonds would go for the Diamond 10.0 (4" woofer) in the rear.


What evidence do you have for that?

As you don't use a surround system for movies, why do you keep suggesting people get low level speakers for surrounds? (or, at least implying that's all they need when they have the budget for better ones; the diamond 10.0s are the lowest in the diamond bookshelf range).

Of course, budget limits everything, but good surrounds make a difference and worth it if you have the budget. I upgraded from speakers of a similar level to the Wharfdale 10.0s to better speakers and there was a massive difference.

The Monitor audio 5.1 packs use the BRFX as standard, which is equivalent to the BR2 (price wise). MA obviously think good surrounds make a difference or they would put the BR1s in the bundle.
 
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I wouldn't say the BR1's are lower quality than the BR2's or BRFX. The reason they are cheaper is because they are smaller.

I think most would consider BR2's as quite big for surround speakers, not saying that they wouldn't be good but size is an issue. They are front ported which aids putting them near a back wall, but most rear ported speakers have bungs provided which negates most of that problem.

The BRFX are a more traditional diffuse style speaker which is good for movies. I think that is why they bundle it with the 5.1 package not because it is necessarily a higher quality speaker than the BR1's.
 
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I wouldn't say the BR1's are lower quality than the BR2's or BRFX. The reason they are cheaper is because they are smaller.

So, if you can get the same quality speaker, in a smaller box (BR1), why pay more for a bigger box (BR2) that doesn't sound any better?

Your reasoning doesn't make sense. The BR2s sound better, that's why they are more expensive.
 
They use the same tweeter, the sub no doubt will take care of the lower frequencies so I would be very surprised whether you will hear any difference with them being used as rears.

As fronts listening in pure stereo set up of course they will be different and the BR2's would be better.

So by your rationale then as you go up every speaker range the bigger more expensive speakers are always better. Not always the case.
 
"What evidence do you have for that?"

Virtually every pre-package surround sound system made. By your own admission the BR5 AV uses BR-FX in the rear. The BR-FX are not as good as BR5's, or at least not as big.

Next, the other only option in BR, is the BR1 instead of the BR2. The BR1 is very a very close equivalent to the Diamond 10.1. The Diamond 10.1 have good bass response and is perfectly capable of standing on its own as a stereo speaker.

Drawing a parallel, all indications are that the BR1 is also capable of standing on its own as a good stereo speakers.

Also note this quote of myself -

"...get the best speaker you can, but at the same time, the BR1 is a pretty good speaker too."

"...it really gets down to budget, and the BR's are at very favorable prices right now, so if the BR2 fit your budget then go in that direction, but don't be worried about the BR1,... "

It sounds to me like I recommended the BR2.

And the BR/BX-FX uses the 5" bass driver making it much closer to the BR/BX1 than the BR/BX2.

The BR1 specs -

Frequency Response +/- 3dB: 55 Hz - 30 KHz

Likely the -6db frequency response is 50hz or probably a little less. That is about as good a bookshelf speakers get.

Drive Unit Complement:

* 1 x 5.5" MMP® II Bass mid-range
* 1 x 1" (25 mm) gold dome C-CAM® tweeter

The BR2 is better than the BR1, but my point was, that the BR1 is no slouch of a speaker. It is a perfectly capable speaker as a stand alone, and as such, would make a very good surround speaker.

But again, if you can afford it, and if you have the room, then the BR2 is more versatile, and will likely have a longer life. For example, if you upgrade the system in the future, the BR2 could be moved off onto a computer or a stereo in another room and would do a very fine job of it.

I didn't say don't buy the BR2, I simply said the BR1 is a pretty good speaker, and that you shouldn't worry about it not doing the job in the side/rear. It is more than capable.

But, by the same token, if you can afford the BR2, it is certainly going to add to the experience. But then if you put BR5's in the side/rear, they are going to do a fantastic job ... if you can handle the size and the cost.

Just a few thoughts.

Steve/bluewizard
 
They use the same tweeter, the sub no doubt will take care of the lower frequencies .


So, you just ignore the frequencies between the sub and the tweeter? Within the same speaker range, the better speaker will handle midrange better than the cheaper speaker.

Are surround frequencies not worthy of the best possible reproduction quality? Of course they are. That's why good surrounds sound better than basic ones.
 
"What evidence do you have for that?"

Virtually every pre-package surround sound system made. By your own admission the BR5 AV uses BR-FX in the rear. The BR-FX are not as good as BR5's, or at least not as big.

You missed the point of my post, you were saying most 5.1 systems use surrounds of the quality of the Diamond 10.0s. That is a basic speaker. The 10.1s would be the better option as a start.

I pointed out that MA don't use a speaker as low down as the Diamond 10.0; they don't even use the equivalent of the Diamond 10.1; they use the equivalent of the 10.2
 
This is not helping the op.

He asked if the BR2's will work as rears and of course they will.

The points made along the way is that the BR1's will also do a great job. I do have them and at no time have I thought if only I had bought BR2's as rears.

I'll leave it at that.
 
Thanks for the advice and I take everything that everyone has said as great advice.

Thanks peops
 

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