My brother want to buy pair of floorstanding stereo speakers for max budget around 500€. Price can go a little higher if something is stand out of competition around that price range. Price can go lower also, no problem I know i can get most for money if i buy some used stuff, but some of them is very hard to get or is needet restoration. For example JBL L7(despite the some others form this brand is rather bad as is fact with almost every other brand to) is very hard to get at least in my country. Is not the most precise and probably not the best in soundstage and stereo imaging. But its sound is so vintage sounding(with more acuracy), probably a little colored but in good way. They probably beat almost every other new product(of course when they paired with reasonably good amp) in that price range. The sound just flowing from them, not like in most nowadays speakers when you have a feeling the sound is pushed and squized from them. Some of them are so analytical, "bit perfect" in acuracy, imaging and other stuff but they are at the same time so "cold" and "lifeless" because of that. Not comming music from them but information if you know what i mean

So what he like is more warm(but not too much) sound than cold, analytical. But if may i add(because he know pretty nothing about speakers), that doesn't mean the sound should be muffled(i think this is the right word). Sound should be well controled and balanced with a little more kick at the bottom and good resolution. I think somethink like that he like when we talk. He also has room around 5x6m, and he also preffered floorstanding speakers because of his girlfriend So he is not looking for big boxes. He listen all kind of music so speakers should bee reasonable good with rock, pop, classic, instrumental, electro, dance and so on. I know some speakers are excellent for some genres(mainly instrumental), but are so so bad with some others because are so analytical and revealing. So looking also for reasonably well balanced speakers between genres.

So i want to know(specialy from people that had try many floorstanding speakers and had real life experience) which is best possible speakers(can be vintage also, but the ones that is not so hard to get) that someone can get around that price range this days.

I am grateful for every answer, thanks.

 

It's an interesting post. I have just realised that I don't know shit about hi-fi speakers!

But I can surely recommend great monitor speakers as I've heard a bunch of them throughout years. I'm also one of those guys who would rather buy new speakers than food or especially clothing. Speakers are like complete pornography for me.

Having sad that, have you checked out Dynaudio hi-fi speakers? I'm a bit of a fanboy of Dynaudio and their hi-fi range of speakers is also very well regarded. To me, JBL speakers, at least older ones that I heard sound rather terrible. Too much highs, too much everything. Not good at all. Seems like they've changed the company philosophy lately and I've heard some good things about these new JBL speakers, but I haven't been able to test them anywhere as they're not very popular in these parts. We like Dynaudio, Focal, Genelec, Tannoy, Quested and PMC here. Out of these, PMC, Focals, Quested and Dynaudios [in that order] sound the "warmest" to my ears. Some other brands to check out: Wharfdale and Mission. Wharfdales sound more like Tannoys or Genelecs and Mission sound [ed, I heard them years ago] more on the "warm" side. Yes, my possible second recommendation would be Mission speakers.

Cheers!

 

Yeah Dynaaudio is also one of my favored, i checking for them already but is a little more expensive and hard to get in our Country, but shure if model and price is right i can ride and get it in neighbour country in City which is around 100km away. Agre on JBL. Most of them(specially te couple of last generations, excluding the latest wich people say is rather good) is just boomy and bright sounding, but here and there they make speakers that stands out of competition if they paired with good and matched amplification. Like vintage 4000 series and above or already mentioned L5 and L7 or L100 and probably i forget some other one. I have pair of Wharfedales 9.1 Bookshelfs in my bedroom and my brother don't like them They have dark "English" sound, but quite a kick for so small box. I heard Focal, is probably one of the best in controlling the sound(of course in price range), but i get feeling the sound is so "nerved" and i assume they will sound thin with some genres. Tannoy..they have some vintage models which are fabulous, but latest, they are not better than from competition, probably worse. Genelecs will be probably best suited his girlfriend , but he(my brother) want a more botton end kick. For Mission i already checked something, but will more for shure.


Thank you for all suggestions

 

Nubert is the best bang for the buck hifi speaker maker out there.
500 a pair is a really tight budget for floorstanging speakers. sure it´s the right category if he`s on a budget?

 

Agree completely. 500 is not tight is amost unreasonable for today prices But once in a while there are availible some good used stuff around that price range. I'm waiting on those mostly And i am again try to convince my brother to raise budget, i was fail twice already But i need also respect his wish as he is not in position to spend to much money right now. I know i can't expect good Hi-Fi let alone Hi-end in that price range, i am just looking for speakers that was prooven for sound quality and to be worthville its price. Thanks for sugestion, will check them out.