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Back to Square One

I'll make a long story short. Thanks to some car repairs since September I've shot my disposable income for the year. Still need a pair of speakers too because when I was just about to buy a pair my car needed a new engine.

Have looked at the DIY concept but have become very discouraged with the attitude of some of the people. Many have an elitist attitude that ANY commercial offering is junk and pales in comparison to any home built speaker or speaker kit. In light of this I don't entirely trust some of the advice I am getting from those people on another forum.

At this point I think I can scrape up around $400 again by May if nothing else happens to cause me to be out 4 grand or $1500 at a shot. I figure I can still get a decent speaker for up to $400 and be content until at some point when I can build a DIY kit or find a better commercial offering.

1) My current Jamo C 601's sound fine but need to be placed 24 inches from the back wall to give the right sound stage. I need something that can be placed right up against the back wall or perhaps a few inches off.

2) Need a speaker with a mellow high end. Nothing bright. Like a nice soundstage and good detail. Bass does not need to be heavy. Just want to hear it.

3) Prefer a bookshelf speaker though may consider a small tower if it is light weight.

4) Will be using a Qinpu A3 integrated amp and also a Dayton DTA 120 solid state integrated amp. 50 wpc into 8 ohms.

5) Room size is 14 by 12 with a 9 foot ceiling. Hardwood floors too. Thus the need for a mellow speaker.

Was thinking the Boston Acoustics A 25 might work. Read a couple of reviews that said it can be placed up against the wall and still sound decent.

Any other ideas. I am open to suggestions.
will62
will62 OP
177 posts
 
Infinity 363 tower is too heavy. I don't want to lug around another 50 lb speaker these days.

Sales Rep with Wharfedale suggested the new 220. What Hi Fi raves about it and says it is the best speaker in its class. No flaws. And with the downward firing port it can be places just a few inches from the rear wall and sound fine.

Aon 2's according to a review said don't play well in larger rooms. Best in very small rooms. I suspect that the size room I have and the high ceiling will not work well for this speaker.

The Pioneer gets very good reviews including a great write up from Stereophile. Comes up a bit short against the Wharfedale's but overall a very good speaker that is dirt cheap. It has a rear port though I and I am wondering about placement. Will have to read more user reviews to see if this can be placed near a rear wall and still project a good image. Wharfedales's will do that.

Design Acoustics is another large speaker from what I see. Finding a complete working model is going to be a challenge. Every one for sale that I could see needed some kind of work. Will research these a bit more though because they do seem to have the right sound for my ears.
johnnyb53
3,510 posts
 
03-19-15: Will62

Aon 2's according to a review said don't play well in larger rooms. Best in very small rooms. I suspect that the size room I have and the high ceiling will not work well for this speaker.
I'm curious to know which review this was. The Aon 2 has a sensitivity somewhere around 86-89 dB and power handling up to 200 watts. Its sidewalls are taken up by two large passive radiators. A 9 x 12 room would be child's play for this speaker. It really behaves more like a 40" tall tower.

I heard the Aon 3s in a much larger room (probably 15x18 or even larger) and if anything, people were looking for the hidden subwoofer. Filling space is one of its strong suits.

There are several reviews out there to balance the information. Here's the one from Stereophile.

One other thing: the Aon 2 should be considered a 4-ohm speaker. With the wrong amp it could sound small and undynamic. With a 4-ohm rated amp it should be fine. I heard it powered by a 100wpc Peachtree.
mesch
3,530 posts
 
I can’t help but think that the Pioneers would work for you even though rear ported. They are rolled off at high and low frequencies which would benefit your lively room regarding the higher frequencies and close to wall placement would augment the bass. I have a pair and will try them out close to wall over the weekend.

That said, if you like the Wharfdales, I don’t believe you can go wrong buying them. Music Direct has the 10.1 on sale and offer in home trial. They are known to be more refined than the Pioneers, at about 2x the cost. I haven’t read up on the 220s, will check them out.

will62 OP
177 posts
 
Johnnyb53. Found the following reviews.

http://www.whathifi.com/goldenear/aon-3/review

http://www.digitalaudioreview.net/2013/12/goldenear-technology-aon-2-standmount-review/ Reference here about how well it does in small rooms. Seems to suggest it is better suited to small rooms.
will62 OP
177 posts
 
Mesch. Sure, let me know how the test goes. I don't really want a bass heavy speaker. Just need to hear it. The Jamo is fine in that respect it just needs too much room off the back wall which is a problem in the new house.

Music Direct has a 60 day return policy. I have read almost no bad reviews of the Diamond 10.1 or the new 220's. And based upon what I have read these are going to sound a lot like the Jamo speakers but likely a little better.
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