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|   Inexpensive, good bedroom speaker system available finally | Brad-
Jul 6, 2001 12:30 AM | | If anyone is wanting very inexpensive, but decent sounding speakers, I finally found some available. Now as I said, VERY inexpensive. It's the Sony SS-MB100H book shelf speakers. They have 5" woofer and 3/4" dome tweeter.
After looking for months for something that sounded decent enough to be used as surround speakers with my 7 year only Sterling Series bookshelf speakers, I finally found them.
These speakers are on sale at BB for $50 a pair. My Infinities at the time costed $180/pair. No doubt, technology improves over the years, but this is a bargain. I originally just wanted a pair for the rear surrounds but these sounded so good, they are replacing the Infinity SS 2001 speakers as the mains. Now, I'm not saying they beat the old Infinities all around, but do offer a more defined midrange where my Infinities were dull, unlike the Infinity RS series which sound excellent. Soundstaging and Imaging weren't a consideration on my bedroom system since I'm using a Pioneer receiver older than the Infinities. These Sonys sound no worse on soundstaging and imaging with that poorer performing receiver.
Obviously, todays premium brand bookshelf speakers along with the older Infinity RS series bookshelf speakers are better than these Sonys. Those others, by no means, make these speakers sound bad. When those others are starting at $200 a pair, they make these $50/pair speakers look very good.
I combined these SS-MB100H with a Sony 8" active subwoofer SA-WM20, which was also on sale at BB for $90. The speakers and subwoofer came to a total of only $140. To me, that just can't be beat. Granted, the subwoofer isn't great, but it sounds better than some Aiwa and Yamaha subs costing twice the price.
The reason I've bought this up is because of others who may be wanting a very cheap bedroom system like me.
Why I'm so surprised is because I've listened to cheap(meaning costing between $80-$100)speakers that came no where close to the performance of these speakers. Polk, Bose, JBL, Cerwin Vega, Yamaha, Jensen, and Pioneer. Of course the Bose, Polks, JBLs and CVs were the cheapest their brands offered, but that doesn't excuse them from performing worse than a $50 pair of speakers.
BTW, the Sonys have a bit of weight to them. These small speakers were heavier than Yamaha's 3-way bookshelf speaker with an 8" woofer. Definitely built to the standards of premium brands.
Here's my suggestion for a very cheap but decent performing bedroom HT system:
1) 2 pairs of Sony SS-MB100H bookshelf speakers
2) Sony SS-CN495H center channel speaker($99)
3) Sony SA-WM20 8" powered subwoofer(50 watts)
4) cheap prologic receiver
5) Terk Leapfrog WaveMaster 20 2.4Ghz wireless A/V distrubition transmitter and receiver system(you need a main HT receiver offering multiroom A/V outputs).
Finding an affordable second room system is very difficult, so this may help if your looking. |
| IMO, if you are going to be spending this little $$.... | PJ
Jul 6, 2001 1:40 AM | | You may as well buy a second hand integrated amp, and a pair of bookshelf speakers. It going to sound 500% better, and IMO will be FAR more satisfying than 5 (lets face it) shithouse speakers, a crap sub and a crap amp. Yeah, all are probably the best speakers for the $$, but they are still not going to sound any good...
BTW, if you are going to spend this little on speakers, you are better to get nOrh 3.0's...ignore a sub at this price point, unless you are willing to DIY.
I am guessing the price of this system will be around $500. For that I would be after a second hand integrated off ebay or something for about $100. Spend $400 on speakers. nOrh ceramic 4.0 get my vote.
Yes it only two channel, but it gives you an upgrade path....and will sound very decent.
Just offering my opinion, and I am sure many wont agree with it :) |
| IMO, if you are going to be spending this little $$.... | Brad-
Jul 6, 2001 2:41 AM | | Well, I can't say the setup is 5 (lets face it) shithouse speakers, a crap sub and a crap amp. It's just not expensive. In fact the system sounds very good, out performing every HT in a box I've heard regardless of brand. Of course it can't hold a candle to my multithousand dollar living room system, but for about $600, I would never expect it to. It does sound like some $1500 systems I've heard, even bettering some.
Since I know of no dealer who even carries those Norh speakers, I can't comment, but $400 is about what the whole system costs. $400 for speakers is just not feasible for a cheap system unless your value of money is distorted.
I personally don't buy off auction sites. To many get stung with rebuilt and soon failing equipment. I never buy used, unless I know the seller personally so I can judge what care was given to the product being sold.
Ignoring bass with a HT system wasn't something I'm willing to do. Bass is what adds realism to movies and naturalism to music. The lack of bass was my main reason to better this cheap system.
Everyone has different priorities. Mine was to have a well rounded system at a very minimal expense.
As long as it's your opinion, no one needs to agree. Comments and opinions are what make the world interesting. |
| IMO, if you are going to be spending this little $$.... | PJ
Jul 6, 2001 2:58 AM | | I am not going to disagree with anything you have said, but second hand amplifiers are probably about the safest thing around. They are very durable and the technology hasn't really changed in decades.
nOrh is an online only company. There are many other speakers out there which are as good, but are probably going to cost A LOT more.
I agree, bass is critical in HT. But a decent pair of speakers is likely to have better bass than a cheap sub.
If it was my $600, I would spend $400 of it on the speakers, and $200 on the amp. $200 will get you a nice cheap little integrated with more clean power than most <$500 recievers. Go second hand, and your looking at a very tidy little amplifier. |
| I liked ssmb-115 better | Smokey
Jul 6, 2001 5:25 AM | | I did compare mb-115( 6 1/4" Woofer, 3/4" tweeter) to mb105 which is almost the same design as mb-105( 5" woofer and 3/4 tweeter) and mb115 just blow 105 away. It had much tighter base because of its acoustic suspension design and highs were much more defined.
mb-105 and mb-100 have base reflex design which IMO just drawn out the base with its excessive boominess. last time I saw ssmb-115 was in Sears for $69. If you can catch one on sale for $50-$60, they make great second system speakers. |
| I liked ssmb-115 better | Brad-
Jul 6, 2001 9:32 AM | | Don't remember what their model # was, but I listened to the Sony model that's acoustic suspension with an 8" woofer, 4" midrange, and 3/4" dome tweeter. It sounded like an acoustic suspension speaker which to me has poor low bass output and a strained upper bass.
FYI, Sears in my area has had their demo area: speakers, CD players, receivers, etc., "NOT" working for at least 3 years that I can remember. They just don't care, plus they are always overpriced so I don't consider purchases from them much anymore.
BTW, the newer SS-MB100H speakers now have a different tweeter so I can only think their design is slightly different for the better. Plus the small size of the 100s helps when using in a bedroom.
True, if bass output was a consideration, I would had bought the 8" 3-way version I mentioned(to see if it sounded any better in home). Since that speaker was $40 more, and the sub was only $90, I felt an additional $50 for a power subwoofer was the smart thing to do. I am still impressed with the bang for the buck factor. |
| 8" 3-way speakers were SSM-B300H | Brad-
Jul 6, 2001 10:25 AM | | plus I was wrong on the 100's tweeter size, it's a 1" dome tweeter unlike the older model's 3/4".
The model you talked of, has been replaced by the SSM-B200H. |
| You are right. Both new models have new tweeters. | Smokey
Jul 6, 2001 5:19 PM | | I just checked on it and these both news models, SSM-B100 and SSM-B200, have new 1" tweeter called Nono-Fine tweeter. But basically the woofer and design of the speaker are the same as MB100 being bass reflex( 5" woofer) and MB200( 6 1/4" woofer) being acoustic suspension.
I wonder how these new tweeter sound. I don't know if it is just me or what but the bass reflex speaker design never sounded too good to me. I personally like my music bright and too not base heavy. My liking is more toward higher base frequency 100-200 Hz than lower bass frequency. I guess it is just me.
I guess I have it go down to BB and give these new babys a test run. I still know it will be a biased test because of my liking of acoustic suspension design of MB200. But as always, "always give benefit of a doubt". |
| Here are the musical bedroom babies... | Super Funky Groove Machine
Jul 6, 2001 9:06 AM | | Mission 772. Usually $600, available at www.jandr.com (and elsewhere) for $300. Great sounding and classy looking, musical speakers. They roll off at around 60Hz, but tie them to a semi-decent sub and you'll never notice...
http://www.mission.co.uk/771b.htm#772 |
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