Bookshelf speaker (Budget under Rs. 40000)

[DB1989]

Phew....you surely have an amazing collection of gear. Especially speakers, and with that plethora of sound it surely gives you an upper hand at discerning various sound signatures of diff brands. So would like your thoughts on the Mission QX2 ,I use a pair of Diamond 225 mainly for music & recently heard the JBL stage A130 and loved it, so went ahead and bought a pair just for movies and hooked them up to the TV ( I'm thrilled with them and they sound great even with such a tiny enclosure, so i plan on keeping them), however i was planning to dispose the 225 and look at other options when your message got me & it got me hard.
Do you think the QX2 are a worthy upgrade that would stay with me for a long time no matter what latest one comes into the market ?
The reason i liked the 225 was that it's great for EDM and progressive music, would the QX2 do a better job at handling these genres ? ( I am definitely going to audition them in the near future)

The Mission QX2 is an excellent first step into the world of hifi.

However,I believe the QX2 would be more of a side grade in your case.

It has tremendous bass but you're planning to implement a sub - therefore, that can't be the deciding factor. The rest of the frequency spectrum is also very good but will they really get your juices flowing coming from the 225? I can't say that definitively. The QX2 also ties it into a cohesive whole to sound great but will it be a clear cut step up?

While I don't think the QX2 can be convincingly outdone below 1L, the converse isn't necessarily true i.e. it's not the speaker that does everything better than its competition. And quite rightly so - it's a bargain basement priced speaker (it was going for 27K when i was shouting from the rooftops).

But since you already have them and have heard what they can do. It would be great to have your feedback and pov as it would surely motivate me to audition a pair asap.

Having said the above, definitely audition a pair to check if it's particular attributes convince you subjectively.

I listen to plenty EDM myself and another speaker that i believe should be good for the job is the Monitor Audio Bronze 100. I've heard the bronze 50 and it has a sound signature that should play well with the said genre.

The KEF Q350 is another good speaker for EDM.

Whats your feedback about the Mission Sub, i was really interested coz of the pricing around 24k ( would be a hard stretch for me above this price point and hence your suggestion would be invaluable here in my case)

Which mission sub are you contemplating? I have the QX12 and the MS450 and they're both very capable for the price. And at that price, your options are next to none.

 

[aeroash]

however i was planning to dispose the 225 and look at other options when your message got me & it got me hard.

What now?

 

[MasTerasTrix]

The Mission QX2 is an excellent first step into the world of hifi.

However,I believe the QX2 would be more of a side grade in your case.

It has tremendous bass but you're planning to implement a sub - therefore, that can't be the deciding factor. The rest of the frequency spectrum is also very good but will they really get your juices flowing coming from the 225? I can't say that definitively. The QX2 also ties it into a cohesive whole to sound great but will it be a clear cut step up?

While I don't think the QX2 can be convincingly outdone below 1L, the converse isn't necessarily true i.e. it's not the speaker that does everything better than its competition. And quite rightly so - it's a bargain basement priced speaker (it was going for 27K when i was shouting from the rooftops).

Having said the above, definitely audition a pair to check if it's particular attributes convince you subjectively.

I listen to plenty EDM myself and another speaker that i believe should be good for the job is the Monitor Audio Bronze 100. I've heard the bronze 50 and it has a sound signature that should play well with the said genre.

The KEF Q350 is another good speaker for EDM.


Which mission sub are you contemplating? I have the QX12 and the MS450 and they're both very capable for the price. And at that price, your options are next to none.

The Mission-MS200 was what I was looking at.Coz at it's price I've not seen anything close, other than a few Yamaha subs. infact I'm happy with what's being pumped out into my small room from the BS, but it's that fully packed sound bundle that's achieved with a sub (2.1) that's making me itch for a sub. Had heard a cheap Edifier T5 sub along with a set of Polk FS that sounded too good , that got me to imagine how a better sub would sound. Anyway like you suggested I'll first audition the Mission QX2 and then decide if i even want to make a change. The sub can wait. Cheers.

 

[MasTerasTrix]

What now?

Heyya Aeroash, how's ya doing ? Its just another itch to upgrade ,getting the better of me I guess & few FM's here are so descriptive with their words that it's easy to get swept in. An audition is the only way to get an answer here or NONE so that i stick to the gear i already have.Hope your Sabaj is treating you well....keep the faith.

 

[MasTerasTrix]

The Mission QX2 is an excellent first step into the world of hifi.

However,I believe the QX2 would be more of a side grade in your case.

It has tremendous bass but you're planning to implement a sub - therefore, that can't be the deciding factor. The rest of the frequency spectrum is also very good but will they really get your juices flowing coming from the 225? I can't say that definitively. The QX2 also ties it into a cohesive whole to sound great but will it be a clear cut step up?

While I don't think the QX2 can be convincingly outdone below 1L, the converse isn't necessarily true i.e. it's not the speaker that does everything better than its competition. And quite rightly so - it's a bargain basement priced speaker (it was going for 27K when i was shouting from the rooftops).

Having said the above, definitely audition a pair to check if it's particular attributes convince you subjectively.

I listen to plenty EDM myself and another speaker that i believe should be good for the job is the Monitor Audio Bronze 100. I've heard the bronze 50 and it has a sound signature that should play well with the said genre.

The KEF Q350 is another good speaker for EDM.


Which mission sub are you contemplating? I have the QX12 and the MS450 and they're both very capable for the price. And at that price, your options are next to none.

Adding to the dilemma HiFiMart just brought down the price of QX by another 5k .

 

[DB1989]

The Mission-MS200 was what I was looking at.Coz at it's price I've not seen anything close, other than a few Yamaha subs. infact I'm happy with what's being pumped out into my small room from the BS, but it's that fully packed sound bundle that's achieved with a sub (2.1) that's making me itch for a sub. Had heard a cheap Edifier T5 sub along with a set of Polk FS that sounded too good , that got me to imagine how a better sub would sound. Anyway like you suggested I'll first audition the Mission QX2 and then decide if i even want to make a change. The sub can wait. Cheers.

The Yamaha subs are exactly what I'm referring to.

I had the NS-SW300 (the largest variant) and while it was a decent sub in isolation, it cannot hold a candle to the QX12 for output. The Yamahas are a complete no-no for movies as they distort very easily.

If you have to opt for a sub, go for the MS400 instead of the MS200. There's a unit available for a stellar price (at least 10k lesser than other sites) if you know where to look.

Me thinks, if you're an EDM head, to get the MS400 instead of upgrading your speakers. My Subs are my mainstay for all situations and music and it's only the Bookshelfs that i switch. A well integrated sub can elevate the experience from even ordinary speakers. And the Wharfie 225 is anything but ordinary.

Adding to the dilemma HiFiMart just brought down the price of QX by another 5k .

It's a no brainer then for people making their first plunge and with a budget of less than 35K

haven't heard the QX mkii but i imagine it sounds more or less the same as the Mk-i.

However, avoid the LX mk-ii series like the plague. They're not great.

 

[DB1989]

Deleted.

 

[MasTerasTrix]

The Yamaha subs are exactly what I'm referring to.

I had the NS-SW300 (the largest variant) and while it was a decent sub in isolation, it cannot hold a candle to the QX12 for output. The Yamahas are a complete no-no for movies as they distort very easily.

If you have to opt for a sub, go for the MS400 instead of the MS200. There's a unit available for a stellar price (at least 10k lesser than other sites) if you know where to look.

Me thinks, if you're an EDM head, to get the MS400 instead of upgrading your speakers. My Subs are my mainstay for all situations and music and it's only the Bookshelfs that i switch. A well integrated sub can elevate the experience from even ordinary speakers. And the Wharfie 225 is anything but ordinary.


It's a no brainer then for people making their first plunge and with a budget of less than 35K

haven't heard the QX mkii but i imagine it sounds more or less the same as the Mk-i.

However, avoid the LX mk-ii series like the plague. They're not great.

Not sure how I missed your reply. Spoke to a few dealers and finally got a quote that's 4k lesser than the price on HFM for the QX2 MK|| , makes the deal extra sweet. I guess the sub stays for now due to its bigger pinch on the pocket. However i just had this question, you have sold your Qx2 right ? Any particular reason ( apart from having a truck load of speaks at home)
I never liked the Yamaha subs tbh, ive heard a cheap sub from edifier that sounded way better and clear than the yam.
Can't thank you enough for your valuable inputs & for patiently speaking your mind ,it got me interested enough to look around and not miss out on this gear from Mission that's total VFM ( especially the build quality in this price range - totally smashing competition & built like a tank)

 

[DB1989]

Not sure how I missed your reply. Spoke to a few dealers and finally got a quote that's 4k lesser than the price on HFM for the QX2 MK|| , makes the deal extra sweet.

Holy mother of God. Now THAT'S a deal if i ever saw one. Btw, i got a pair QX2 Mk-iis as well, thanks to your heads up.

Needed to hear it in my room before shipping them off to a friend as a wedding gift

I guess the sub stays for now due to its bigger pinch on the pocket. However i just had this question, you have sold your Qx2 right ? Any particular reason ( apart from having a truck load of speaks at home)

Not sold. They were a gift (along with a Marantz NR1509) to my BIL and very much around

I never liked the Yamaha subs tbh, ive heard a cheap sub from edifier that sounded way better and clear than the yam.

Now that's a hot take.

 

[MasTerasTrix]

Holy mother of God. Now THAT'S a deal if i ever saw one. Btw, i got a pair QX2 Mk-iis as well, thanks to your heads up.

Needed to hear it in my room before shipping them off to a friend as a wedding gift

Not sold. They were a gift (along with a Marantz NR1509) to my BIL and very much around



Now that's a hot take.

One Helluva lucky BIL and buddy who's getting married ....for sure. That's really such a sweet gesture - one that reminds them of you every other day . Now that's surely a novel way to make sure you're remembered by people...lol..., N yes i really meant what I said about that sub from Edifier (T5) it's really tiny n decent sounding at 70w. Cheers.

 

[dnshrajn]

Not sure how I missed your reply. Spoke to a few dealers and finally got a quote that's 4k lesser than the price on HFM for the QX2 MK|| , makes the deal extra sweet. I guess the sub stays for now due to its bigger pinch on the pocket. However i just had this question, you have sold your Qx2 right ? Any particular reason ( apart from having a truck load of speaks at home)
I never liked the Yamaha subs tbh, ive heard a cheap sub from edifier that sounded way better and clear than the yam.
Can't thank you enough for your valuable inputs & for patiently speaking your mind ,it got me interested enough to look around and not miss out on this gear from Mission that's total VFM ( especially the build quality in this price range - totally smashing competition & built like a tank)

Hi, if you don’t mind, can you please DM me your dealer contact. I’m also looking to by QX2 Mkii. Thank you

 

[MasTerasTrix]

Hi, if you don’t mind, can you please DM me your dealer contact. I’m also looking to by QX2 Mkii. Thank you

The deal is yet to go through, should be done in a couple o days.Will share his contact details accordingly if that's ok with you ? Just send me a PM so that i remember to get back to you with the info.

 

[DilipPune]

Wharfedales 12.1 bookshelf. Should be better than all the 3 choices.

 

[Prodigy]

the front ported vs the rear is VERY traditional indeed

my personal advice
todays bookshelfes are tuned for this all

pick the speaker by tone
forget all this
otheriswe you will just be making a compromised decesion

get the speaker you like tonally and one that will work best with your amp
that is more important


and the theory that front ported speakers only can be placed close to the back wall is not compleely accurate

the rear port isint exactly farting from the rear and having a back draft fromthe wall

This is very true.
No way we can say it the front porter is better than the rear porter or vice versa.
The room where it’s going to be placed decides how the speaker needs to sound .
I have experimented with many speakers till date and learnt this the hard way.

@chiraagm .. just like Ali mentioned here, go audition and pick the speaker that fits to your liking and budget and then play around with the placements to get the best sound from it in your room.
Alternatively, you can connect with FM’s in your location and go hear their setup with your amp or see if you can loan a speaker from anyone to see if a rear or a front port works best in your room.

From my experience, I have tried all the speakers that you have mentioned in your 1st post and if I have pick any from the list I’d go with the Elac B6.2 anyday. They are one of the best in that list and you can’t go wrong with it.
If you really want your money to buy you something very nice and above all those from the list go with the one that FM @rwnano suggested. The SB Acoustics Bromo with ADC Tweeters sound way way ahead of all and can outperform speakers 2 to 3X its cost.

All the best with your hunt if you haven’t finalised one something already.

Regards,
Som

 

[rwnano]

This is very true.
No way we can say it the front porter is better than the rear porter or vice versa.
The room where it’s going to be placed decides how the speaker needs to sound .
I have experimented with many speakers till date and learnt this the hard way.

@chiraagm .. just like Ali mentioned here, go audition and pick the speaker that fits to your liking and budget and then play around with the placements to get the best sound from it in your room.
Alternatively, you can connect with FM’s in your location and go hear their setup with your amp or see if you can loan a speaker from anyone to see if a rear or a front port works best in your room.

From my experience, I have tried all the speakers that you have mentioned in your 1st post and if I have pick any from the list I’d go with the Elac B6.2 anyday. They are one of the best in that list and you can’t go wrong with it.
If you really want your money to buy you something very nice and above all those from the list go with the one that FM @rwnano suggested. The SB Acoustics Bromo with ADC Tweeters sound way way ahead of all and can outperform speakers 2 to 3X its cost.

All the best with your hunt if you haven’t finalised one something already.

Regards,
Som

Thanks Som. SB Acoustics was introduced to me by their dealer in Singapore, who was going Ga-ga over it on Reddit.com I asked him why and then he gave a long explanation. I checked their other reviews and what is said about the brand, by the kind of people that say it, leads me to believe, without EVER HAVING heard them, that there is merit in what they are saying.
SB Acoustics was a OEM for Scanspeak, which goes into the Revels! Then SB Acoustics broke away and started selling kits! Absolutely I can understand what happens when you build world class electronics and drivers -- you get the technology!

And then you and Sachin have qualified what I sensed from afar.

Needless to say, when I upgrade, it will be to the SB Acoustics brand.

Currently I have a cheap and happy system which is doing good for me. Loud, proud and happy. Jamo S 602 speakers with Harman Kardon AVR 240, and Harman Kardon 10 inch, 200 Watt Subwoofer. 2.1 stereo configuration.

 

[DilipPune]

If you decide on Elac Debut 2.0 B6.2, Would recommend Elac Debut 2.0 B 5.2. Using them for over 3 years. Availeble for 27K on Hi-Fi Mart at the moment. Note: Requires 100 hours of burn in period.

 

[rwnano]

This is very true.
No way we can say it the front porter is better than the rear porter or vice versa.
The room where it’s going to be placed decides how the speaker needs to sound .
I have experimented with many speakers till date and learnt this the hard way.

@chiraagm .. just like Ali mentioned here, go audition and pick the speaker that fits to your liking and budget and then play around with the placements to get the best sound from it in your room.
Alternatively, you can connect with FM’s in your location and go hear their setup with your amp or see if you can loan a speaker from anyone to see if a rear or a front port works best in your room.

From my experience, I have tried all the speakers that you have mentioned in your 1st post and if I have pick any from the list I’d go with the Elac B6.2 anyday. They are one of the best in that list and you can’t go wrong with it.
If you really want your money to buy you something very nice and above all those from the list go with the one that FM @rwnano suggested. The SB Acoustics Bromo with ADC Tweeters sound way way ahead of all and can outperform speakers 2 to 3X its cost.

All the best with your hunt if you haven’t finalised one something already.

Regards,
Som

https://www.reddit.com/r/audiophile/comments/10a2r5d

read the above!!!

"Current setup - Audiobyte Hydra Z -> PS Audio Directstream MK2 -> Benchmark LA4 -> AVA DVA M225 -> SB Acoustic ARA BE w/ Textreme woofers/KEF KC62
The journey has been long but fun. I've gone through a good number of DACs and amps and finally found something that really falls in line with what I look for - Clear vocals, good imaging and separation, good bass, and engaging.
The last piece that really bought the system together was the DAC. I've moved from Ares II to Yggdrasil to Wavedream to Abbas while trying out a few others from friends. I'm curious if I can really elevate my system by getting new speakers but everything is clicking so far and there's very little information out there of people actually using higher end speakers on a desk.

They actually compare to more expensive speakers very well. I've compared them to the Buchardt A500, BMR Philharmonitors and also listened to some Proac D2Rs at a store with a treated room hoping to get those as an upgrade.
When comparing with the A500, the A500 reached deeper but the rest of the freq wasn't as refined and detailed. The treble was grainy and mids weren't as clean in comparison. Ara won that easily for me.
BMRs were very good but also a very different presentation. The Aras were a bit cleaner while having really pinpoint imaging. The BMRs were good all around but had a "holographic" presentation which wasn't really what I was looking for when it comes to music. I really liked BMRs for videos though and they could definitely be a great speaker to have if I didn't already have the Ara. More of a sidegrade cause presentation was just very different.
I had hoped to upgrade to the Proac D2Rs and my local audio store finally had it for demo. While they sounded decent in the room, overall the Aras were cleaner and more resolving. It could've been their room or my system had better synergy, who knows. What I do know is I much preferred the Aras after coming home so D2R's are definitely off my list now.
One thing to note is I first bought the ARA BE (with BE tweeters) and then later upgraded the woofers with the latest textreme woofers. Mids and bass are cleaner after swapping with a bit more definition. I believe it's the same woofers that Perlisten uses.
I had upgraded to the Ara after using Dynaudio focus 110s for about 8 years. Great little speakers but Ara is just a better speaker overall. I'm looking at possibly going to some of the best bookshelves available in order to beat these (Dyn Confidence 20, Focal Utopia diablo, etc). However since there isn't a ton of info on higher end bookshelves for desks, I'm still researching and on the fence with where I want to go speaker-wise.
One thing that I would agree with below is that DIY is tough to resell but IMO, Ara is easily a $5k brand name speaker so just depends on what you want. If you want to keep selling and moving up, then DIY might not be the route for you. If you want amazing value for the money, I'd recommend Ara in a heartbeat."

Ara is a SB Acoustics Bookshelf

 

[MaSh]

https://www.reddit.com/r/audiophile/comments/10a2r5d

read the above!!!

"Current setup - Audiobyte Hydra Z -> PS Audio Directstream MK2 -> Benchmark LA4 -> AVA DVA M225 -> SB Acoustic ARA BE w/ Textreme woofers/KEF KC62
The journey has been long but fun. I've gone through a good number of DACs and amps and finally found something that really falls in line with what I look for - Clear vocals, good imaging and separation, good bass, and engaging.
The last piece that really bought the system together was the DAC. I've moved from Ares II to Yggdrasil to Wavedream to Abbas while trying out a few others from friends. I'm curious if I can really elevate my system by getting new speakers but everything is clicking so far and there's very little information out there of people actually using higher end speakers on a desk.

They actually compare to more expensive speakers very well. I've compared them to the Buchardt A500, BMR Philharmonitors and also listened to some Proac D2Rs at a store with a treated room hoping to get those as an upgrade.
When comparing with the A500, the A500 reached deeper but the rest of the freq wasn't as refined and detailed. The treble was grainy and mids weren't as clean in comparison. Ara won that easily for me.
BMRs were very good but also a very different presentation. The Aras were a bit cleaner while having really pinpoint imaging. The BMRs were good all around but had a "holographic" presentation which wasn't really what I was looking for when it comes to music. I really liked BMRs for videos though and they could definitely be a great speaker to have if I didn't already have the Ara. More of a sidegrade cause presentation was just very different.
I had hoped to upgrade to the Proac D2Rs and my local audio store finally had it for demo. While they sounded decent in the room, overall the Aras were cleaner and more resolving. It could've been their room or my system had better synergy, who knows. What I do know is I much preferred the Aras after coming home so D2R's are definitely off my list now.
One thing to note is I first bought the ARA BE (with BE tweeters) and then later upgraded the woofers with the latest textreme woofers. Mids and bass are cleaner after swapping with a bit more definition. I believe it's the same woofers that Perlisten uses.
I had upgraded to the Ara after using Dynaudio focus 110s for about 8 years. Great little speakers but Ara is just a better speaker overall. I'm looking at possibly going to some of the best bookshelves available in order to beat these (Dyn Confidence 20, Focal Utopia diablo, etc). However since there isn't a ton of info on higher end bookshelves for desks, I'm still researching and on the fence with where I want to go speaker-wise.
One thing that I would agree with below is that DIY is tough to resell but IMO, Ara is easily a $5k brand name speaker so just depends on what you want. If you want to keep selling and moving up, then DIY might not be the route for you. If you want amazing value for the money, I'd recommend Ara in a heartbeat."

Ara is a SB Acoustics Bookshelf

How are Ara as stereo speakers in a living room of 15x12? Or are they best as desk speakers only?

MaSh

 

[Nitin K]

BMRs were very good but also a very different presentation. The Aras were a bit cleaner while having really pinpoint imaging. The BMRs were good all around but had a "holographic" presentation which wasn't really what I was looking for when it comes to music. I really liked BMRs for videos though and they could definitely be a great speaker to have if I didn't already have the Ara. More of a sidegrade cause presentation was just very different.

Where did you get a demo of the Philharmonic BMR's & were they the Mark 2 ones ?

 

[Ajitsank]

the front ported vs the rear is VERY traditional indeed

my personal advice
todays bookshelfes are tuned for this all

pick the speaker by tone
forget all this
otheriswe you will just be making a compromised decesion

get the speaker you like tonally and one that will work best with your amp
that is more important


and the theory that front ported speakers only can be placed close to the back wall is not compleely accurate

the rear port isint exactly farting from the rear and having a back draft fromthe wall

I mean this is hillarious! The farting Part.