Request Advice - Speakers below Rs 1 lakh

[argho]

Dear All,

Looking for some advice.

The upgrade bug has hit me. Looking to upgrade my speakers in my living room stereo setup.

Amp : Denon DRA800h
Current Speakers : Wharfedale Daimond 230 FS , no sub
Music taste : 60's - 70's Rock, Blues, Indian Classical Music (vocal)
Room : large living room, but speakers will be positioned close to the wall

What am I looking for :
- Clear mid range for vocals
- Bass - sufficient , not boomy (I dont listen to EDM or Techno)
- Overall clarity, sound stage, and seperation

Open to either FS or BS, but should be a clear step up in SQ from what I have.

Currently considering :
- Q Acoustics 3050i (currently top of my list)
- Q Acoustics Concept 40
- Fyne Audio F303
- Wharfedale EVO 4.2 with stands
- Polk Audio RTi A7 ???

Unfortunately not able to audition, hence asking for advice.

Welcome views from forum members.


Thanks.....Argho

 

[Miany]

I am currently using Q Acoustics concept 40s and they are awesome. But i struggled a lot to get their placement right in my relatively smaller room. The speakers being rear ported also did not help. You might want to consider this aspect since you are planning to place them close to the wall.

The Fyne audio F303 are also rear ported, right? I think from a placement perspective EVO 4.2s are good to go. They have got some rave reviews as well. I dont have much experience with Polk Audio Speakers. Whatever limited experience i have, i have found them to be too aggressive and forward (may be due to partnering equipment).

As for Concept 40s, they tick all the other boxes.. clear vocals, beautiful bass (once u get the placement right of course) and great sound-stage. Again, this is entirely my experience in my room with my equipment. YMMV. All the best!

 

[dranishbanerjee]

Dear All,

Looking for some advice.

The upgrade bug has hit me. Looking to upgrade my speakers in my living room stereo setup.

Amp : Denon DRA800h
Current Speakers : Wharfedale Daimond 230 FS , no sub
Music taste : 60's - 70's Rock, Blues, Indian Classical Music (vocal)
Room : large living room, but speakers will be positioned close to the wall

What am I looking for :
- Clear mid range for vocals
- Bass - sufficient , not boomy (I dont listen to EDM or Techno)
- Overall clarity, sound stage, and seperation

Open to either FS or BS, but should be a clear step up in SQ from what I have.

Currently considering :
- Q Acoustics 3050i (currently top of my list)
- Q Acoustics Concept 40
- Fyne Audio F303
- Wharfedale EVO 4.2 with stands
- Polk Audio RTi A7 ???

Unfortunately not able to audition, hence asking for advice.

Welcome views from forum members.


Thanks.....Argho

Do please listen to Totem rainmaker, Focal Aria and B&W 685s2 in the used segment as well.

 

[prateekatasniya]

Revel m16
Total no brainer.

 

[rpmahale]

You must include Dali Obrian 7 , Monitor Audio Bronze 6 and KEF Q750 in your list. All are great speakers under 100k mark. I have auditioned MA Bronze 5/6, KEF Q500/900, QA 3050i, Polk RTiA3/5. It is said that Dali obrian is better than Zenser series and have great low end extension. Polk RTiA5 little bright to me where as KEF were little polite on low end. MA are very good speakers with incredible clearity and details but improper matching may make them bright .QA 3050i is fantastic speaker to own with very good sound quality but limited low end extension. Auditioned and decide which speaker like you the most. All are good it's a very difficult call to take....

 

[DB1989]

Dear All,

Looking for some advice.

The upgrade bug has hit me. Looking to upgrade my speakers in my living room stereo setup.

Amp : Denon DRA800h
Current Speakers : Wharfedale Daimond 230 FS , no sub
Music taste : 60's - 70's Rock, Blues, Indian Classical Music (vocal)
Room : large living room, but speakers will be positioned close to the wall

What am I looking for :
- Clear mid range for vocals
- Bass - sufficient , not boomy (I dont listen to EDM or Techno)
- Overall clarity, sound stage, and seperation

Open to either FS or BS, but should be a clear step up in SQ from what I have.

Currently considering :
- Q Acoustics 3050i (currently top of my list)
- Q Acoustics Concept 40
- Fyne Audio F303
- Wharfedale EVO 4.2 with stands
- Polk Audio RTi A7 ???

Unfortunately not able to audition, hence asking for advice.

Welcome views from forum members.


Thanks.....Argho

I have the Evos and the Concept Centre and have also heard the Q Acoustics 3050i at length so i have a pretty good idea about their individual characteristics, strengths and weaknesses. First of all, they are all fantastic speakers. However, for your criteria i.e.
- Clear mid range for vocals
- Bass - sufficient , not boomy (I dont listen to EDM or Techno)
- Overall clarity, sound stage, and seperation

There is no better speaker that comes to mind than the Quad S2s. The vocals are silky and sound convincingly better to my ears than the Evos and the Concept Centres, the mid range is extremely smooth and melodious and also better than the concept and the Evo but their piece de resistance is their stereo imaging and seperation which is unlike anything i've heard at the same price point. I don't think any other speaker at this price point does stereo imaging anywhere close to the Quads. And the Quads do this while requiring next to no toe in. Add incredible detail retrieval to the mix and the only possible reason one wouild be disappointed with these speakers is if they were a bass head. Then again, i believe in ideally pairing speakers with a good sub (I have my speakers paired with a REL T9i and the integration is seamless) so that becomes a non-issue. Listening to classical is a treat on these. I have the FS version, i.e. the S5s and I'm pretty familiar with them. You can also ask FMs SSF and Chander about their experience with the BS versions i.e. the S1s and the S2s.

The Q acoustics 3050i is a great all rounder, fantastic speakers to begin with and probably all the speaker a person would ever need. However, to my ears, they don't stand out in any particular area and are bested by all the speakers mentioned above.

Have heard the Polks also and they are fine speakers, good for music and even better for HT use but the current crop of newer generation speakers are more refined.

the Quad S2 goes for roughly 60K. If you want the FS version, Hifimart is selling the S5 at a hefty discount also.

The Revel Concerta M16s also look promising but haven't heard them.

 

[argho]

Many thanks for the responses guys.

Am checking out some of these options.

Does anyone know where I could audition Dali speakers in Chennai ?

 

[argho]

I have the Evos and the Concept Centre and have also heard the Q Acoustics 3050i at length so i have a pretty good idea about their individual characteristics, strengths and weaknesses. First of all, they are all fantastic speakers. However, for your criteria i.e.
- Clear mid range for vocals
- Bass - sufficient , not boomy (I dont listen to EDM or Techno)
- Overall clarity, sound stage, and seperation

There is no better speaker that comes to mind than the Quad S2s. The vocals are silky and sound convincingly better to my ears than the Evos and the Concept Centres, the mid range is extremely smooth and melodious and also better than the concept and the Evo but their piece de resistance is their stereo imaging and seperation which is unlike anything i've heard at the same price point. I don't think any other speaker at this price point does stereo imaging anywhere close to the Quads. And the Quads do this while requiring next to no toe in. Add incredible detail retrieval to the mix and the only possible reason one wouild be disappointed with these speakers is if they were a bass head. Then again, i believe in ideally pairing speakers with a good sub (I have my speakers paired with a REL T9i and the integration is seamless) so that becomes a non-issue. Listening to classical is a treat on these. I have the FS version, i.e. the S5s and I'm pretty familiar with them. You can also ask FMs SSF and Chander about their experience with the BS versions i.e. the S1s and the S2s.

The Q acoustics 3050i is a great all rounder, fantastic speakers to begin with and probably all the speaker a person would ever need. However, to my ears, they don't stand out in any particular area and are bested by all the speakers mentioned above.

Have heard the Polks also and they are fine speakers, good for music and even better for HT use but the current crop of newer generation speakers are more refined.

the Quad S2 goes for roughly 60K. If you want the FS version, Hifimart is selling the S5 at a hefty discount also.

The Revel Concerta M16s also look promising but haven't heard them.

Many thanks for the detailed response.

Had a look at the Quad S5 reviews.
Many of them mention that they need to be placed well away from the back wall.

Is that also your experience ?

 

[dannyarcher]

Dear All,

Looking for some advice.

The upgrade bug has hit me. Looking to upgrade my speakers in my living room stereo setup.

Amp : Denon DRA800h
Current Speakers : Wharfedale Daimond 230 FS , no sub
Music taste : 60's - 70's Rock, Blues, Indian Classical Music (vocal)
Room : large living room, but speakers will be positioned close to the wall

What am I looking for :
- Clear mid range for vocals
- Bass - sufficient , not boomy (I dont listen to EDM or Techno)
- Overall clarity, sound stage, and seperation

Open to either FS or BS, but should be a clear step up in SQ from what I have.

Currently considering :
- Q Acoustics 3050i (currently top of my list)
- Q Acoustics Concept 40
- Fyne Audio F303
- Wharfedale EVO 4.2 with stands
- Polk Audio RTi A7 ???

Unfortunately not able to audition, hence asking for advice.

Welcome views from forum members.


Thanks.....Argho

Check out Indiq Audio - Platinum Achal

Platinum 3-Way Tower Speakers India | INDIQAUDIO Bangalore

Buy India’s best Platinum Achal 3-Way Tower Speakers. Our 3-Way tower speakers are the natural & fixed preference of music and movie lovers. Free consultation.

www.indiqaudio.com

Mid range is superb Meets your music requirements, perfectly.

 

[DB1989]

Many thanks for the detailed response.

Had a look at the Quad S5 reviews.
Many of them mention that they need to be placed well away from the back wall.

Is that also your experience ?

Not in my experience so far. But then again, rooms can be tricky. The bass response in my room is better with the speakers placed near the backwall, irrespective of speaker type (i have them 12 inches from the backwall). Overpowering bass is not a problem that you’re likely to face with the Quads.

 

[Mayank Shah]

Dynaudio M20 Book shelves ticks all the boxes too.

 

[Gamerps360]

Based on your consideration, I have actually auditioned three out of those. Qacoustics and RTi A7s. Heard Wharfedale is good but have no idea on Fyne Audio.
So based on my experience, Please find the below order and post that the suggestion as well.
1. RTi A7s considering vfm. (They are power hungry and hence need an Ext Power Amp to drive and get the best out of them)
2. Q Acoustics 3050i, Very Good Tower speakers for the mid range you wanted.
3. Concept 40 I felt bit better than 3050i and also are bit expensive.

Suggestion -- Please look into Klipsch Reference series 620f, They are also very good and match the above and i have taken a demo of these as well.

Please note, All demos taken without any active subwoofer.

TBH, You room acoustics play a very major part in the sound, Actually you can get a very good performance from all the above speakers if the room is properly treated.

 

[dextrostar]

I have the Evos and the Concept Centre and have also heard the Q Acoustics 3050i at length so i have a pretty good idea about their individual characteristics, strengths and weaknesses. First of all, they are all fantastic speakers. However, for your criteria i.e.
- Clear mid range for vocals
- Bass - sufficient , not boomy (I dont listen to EDM or Techno)
- Overall clarity, sound stage, and seperation

There is no better speaker that comes to mind than the Quad S2s. The vocals are silky and sound convincingly better to my ears than the Evos and the Concept Centres, the mid range is extremely smooth and melodious and also better than the concept and the Evo but their piece de resistance is their stereo imaging and seperation which is unlike anything i've heard at the same price point. I don't think any other speaker at this price point does stereo imaging anywhere close to the Quads. And the Quads do this while requiring next to no toe in. Add incredible detail retrieval to the mix and the only possible reason one wouild be disappointed with these speakers is if they were a bass head. Then again, i believe in ideally pairing speakers with a good sub (I have my speakers paired with a REL T9i and the integration is seamless) so that becomes a non-issue. Listening to classical is a treat on these. I have the FS version, i.e. the S5s and I'm pretty familiar with them. You can also ask FMs SSF and Chander about their experience with the BS versions i.e. the S1s and the S2s.

The Q acoustics 3050i is a great all rounder, fantastic speakers to begin with and probably all the speaker a person would ever need. However, to my ears, they don't stand out in any particular area and are bested by all the speakers mentioned above.

Have heard the Polks also and they are fine speakers, good for music and even better for HT use but the current crop of newer generation speakers are more refined.

the Quad S2 goes for roughly 60K. If you want the FS version, Hifimart is selling the S5 at a hefty discount also.

The Revel Concerta M16s also look promising but haven't heard them.

Wow that's something. Never knew Quad was that good. My aim was for the Evo 4.4 but was way out of budget so started building on the Wharf 11 series.
Got the center and will soon get the 11.4 FS.
I have the Wharf 225 BS and now after adding the 11 CS I can feel the difference in SQ which proves that investing in the 11 series is definitely an upgrade.
After reading your post about the Quad S5 i am intrigued by the idea of getting them instead of the Wharf 11.4 FS even though it's out of budget.
If the S5s sound even better than Evos then don't you think there will be a vast mismatch in SQ with the Wharfe 11 CS?

Thanks

 

[DB1989]

Wow that's something. Never knew Quad was that good. My aim was for the Evo 4.4 but was way out of budget so started building on the Wharf 11 series.
Got the center and will soon get the 11.4 FS.
I have the Wharf 225 BS and now after adding the 11 CS I can feel the difference in SQ which proves that investing in the 11 series is definitely an upgrade.
After reading your post about the Quad S5 i am intrigued by the idea of getting them instead of the Wharf 11.4 FS even though it's out of budget.
If the S5s sound even better than Evos then don't you think there will be a vast mismatch in SQ with the Wharfe 11 CS?

Thanks

There might be. It's best to stick with the same make and model for an HT setup IMHO. That is the reason why i picked myself up a Quad SC-2 centre cuz my concept centre was sticking out like a sore thumb. However, since you already have an HT setup, you might want to pick yourself up a pair for stereo listening in case you're inclined. Hifimart is having a stock clearance sale (checkout the top banner) where you might be able to pick one up for much lesser. The banner suggests calling up Anil directly for the best price.

 

[dextrostar]

There might be. It's best to stick with the same make and model for an HT setup IMHO. That is the reason why i picked myself up a Quad SC-2 centre cuz my concept centre was sticking out like a sore thumb. However, since you already have an HT setup, you might want to pick yourself up a pair for stereo listening in case you're inclined. Hifimart is having a stock clearance sale (checkout the top banner) where you might be able to pick one up for much lesser. The banner suggests calling up Anil directly for the best price.

Thanks for your input. Yes I will stick to the same model for now. I will build on a stereo listening setup in the future when budget allows.

 

[dextrostar]

There might be. It's best to stick with the same make and model for an HT setup IMHO. That is the reason why i picked myself up a Quad SC-2 centre cuz my concept centre was sticking out like a sore thumb. However, since you already have an HT setup, you might want to pick yourself up a pair for stereo listening in case you're inclined. Hifimart is having a stock clearance sale (checkout the top banner) where you might be able to pick one up for much lesser. The banner suggests calling up Anil directly for the best price.

How is the bass response?
Am thinking in the lines of 2 channel setup so if i were to get the S5 will it satisfy for music listening or a sub would be mandatory.
Am not a bass head but do prefer the punchy sound when the song demands. Huge fan of Dire Straits to give you an idea.

Thanks

 

[DB1989]

How is the bass response?
Am thinking in the lines of 2 channel setup so if i were to get the S5 will it satisfy for music listening or a sub would be mandatory.
Am not a bass head but do prefer the punchy sound when the song demands. Huge fan of Dire Straits to give you an idea.

Thanks

In my system, the bass is not great at all and pairing it with a sub is mandatory. For reference, i have to set the crossover nearly 8 notches above that required for my bookshelves i.e. Evo 4.2 and KEF Q350. I’ve had a word with other owners of the quad s5 and s4 including Anil from hifimart and they swear by its bass response (professional reviews also state that they have copious amounts of bass) and have advised me to change to high current amplifiers. Currently, im driving them using entry level amps’.

 

[raghupb]

In my system, the bass is not great at all and pairing it with a sub is mandatory. For reference, i have to set the crossover nearly 8 notches above that required for my bookshelves i.e. Evo 4.2 and KEF Q350. I’ve had a word with other owners of the quad s5 and s4 including Anil from hifimart and they swear by its bass response (professional reviews also state that they have copious amounts of bass) and have advised me to change to high current amplifiers. Currently, im driving them using entry level amps’.

The Crown should have no issue driving the Quads.
Overall it won't refined, but bass will be tight, punchy and good.
Cheers,
Raghu

 

[dextrostar]

In my system, the bass is not great at all and pairing it with a sub is mandatory. For reference, i have to set the crossover nearly 8 notches above that required for my bookshelves i.e. Evo 4.2 and KEF Q350. I’ve had a word with other owners of the quad s5 and s4 including Anil from hifimart and they swear by its bass response (professional reviews also state that they have copious amounts of bass) and have advised me to change to high current amplifiers. Currently, im driving them using entry level amps’.

Imagine stretching your budget to get S5 instead of 11.4 And then realize the need to change from a 100w Sub to a 400w one and top it up with a high level amp...Fhewww.
I am glad to have got your inputs and will be a good boy and stick to my original plan.

 

[firearm12]

How is the bass response?
Am thinking in the lines of 2 channel setup so if i were to get the S5 will it satisfy for music listening or a sub would be mandatory.
Am not a bass head but do prefer the punchy sound when the song demands. Huge fan of Dire Straits to give you an idea.

Thanks

Quads s and z series are not known for bass. If you look for bass they will be below expectations, but whatever bass is there it will be musical and sweet bulb kind of sound, not thunderous bass. The speaker was never made for bass reproduction. It was made for highs and mids especially high frequency dispersion where its excellent. Speaker is excellent for jazz, vocals especially if someone loves bollywood he will like this speaker, not so much for rock stuff.