loudspeakers - Gizmodo

posts about #loudspeakers more →
We Surely Hope the $4000 Raal Speakers Don't Sound Like Tin Cans
Giz Explains: The Difference Between $100 and $100,000 Speakers
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Gradient Helsinki 1.5 Loudspeakers Could Sound Great, Come With Lots of Buzzwords
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Bsendorfer VC7 and AC7 Loudspeakers

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Ryanraven
10/05/09

In reply to We Surely Hope the $4000 Raal Speakers Don't Sound Like Tin Cans
Sound cannons!
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Curves
10/05/09

In reply to We Surely Hope the $4000 Raal Speakers Don't Sound Like Tin Cans
For once, something that looks easy to clean. (For that kinda $, they should clean themselves.)
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anexanhume
10/05/09

@Curves: They do. Vibe clean every time you use them.
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Lite: hates Illinois Nazis
10/05/09

In reply to We Surely Hope the $4000 Raal Speakers Don't Sound Like Tin Cans
Wait, these are mounted on a tramp stamp? So, trashy women everywhere can take their music with them and share it with us?
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Xeno
10/05/09

In reply to We Surely Hope the $4000 Raal Speakers Don't Sound Like Tin Cans
Are they also full of delicious chili? God I hope so.
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Ubik2501
10/05/09

@Xeno: Yes, but the chili was made in New York City.

"NEW YORK CITY?!"
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ripfire
10/05/09

@Ubik2501: Git a rope..
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GitEmSteveDave_DefinesTurgid
10/05/09

In reply to We Surely Hope the $4000 Raal Speakers Don't Sound Like Tin Cans
I would think they might sound tinny.
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Colin Elliott
04/16/09

In reply to Giz Explains: The Difference Between $100 and $100,000 Speakers
When I first set up my home theater system I bought a set of Logitech Z-5500 speakers on sale for about $250.

I know it sounds weird having 'gaming' speakers in your living room but they really sound good. (if you replace the wires with some decent gauge wire)

Since I've initially set up my living room I've replaced almost every component since then but I still haven't found a set of speakers I like without going over the $1000 mark, which honestly I'm not ready to do yet.
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ZLevee
04/16/09

@Colin Elliott: Back when Klipsch used to make this 5.1 setup for PCs: [reviews.cnet.com]
It wasn't uncommon for people to use them for home theaters.
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badhatharry
04/16/09

In reply to Giz Explains: The Difference Between $100 and $100,000 Speakers
When an enclosure starts creating sounds of its own, that's not distortion, that's resonance. Distortion is when the waveform is clipped, thus turning a sine wave (something that looks like ocean waves) into a square wave (something that looks like a square), or a sawtooth wave (take a guess). Resonance can be a factor of the materials used to construct the enclosure, the volume of the enclosure (the higher the volume, the lower the resonant frequency), or simply just a loose screw.
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Shikestarr
04/16/09

@badhatharry:

Distortion is any deviation of output signal from input signal, whether good or bad. So if the speaker box is vibrating and making noise because of it, that's distortion. Bad distortion. If a vacuum tube starts rounding off peaks of audio signals, also distortion, but possibly good distortion, depending on application and intention.

Clipping is a form of distortion, but not all distortion is clipping.
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badhatharry
04/16/09

@Shikestarr: The enclosure vibrating is not distortion. The original audio signal is intact.
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mrburglar
04/16/09

In reply to Giz Explains: The Difference Between $100 and $100,000 Speakers
Good article. But a couple comments:

(1) "Build quality is the other thing. A "dead box," or an enclosure that doesn't create any sounds of its own-since that's distortion-is key and something that costs a lot of money.". Not true. The standard acoustically-dead material is MDF (you'll find it used as the cabinet for all speakers under around $10K, and most above that price), and it's cheap stuff. Open up a speaker, even a really high-end one, and you'll find an MDF box filled with fiberglas insulation.

(2) The super-exotic speakers are only suitable for large, really large, listening areas. There are a couple of dozen speaker makers which make lovely-sounding speakers that are suitable for average living spaces, well under $900/pair.

(3) Speakers are the one component in a listening systems that matters the most. Amps/receivers, CD players, and other electronics are basically all the same sounding.

But as with almost everything, the price-performance curve with speakers is logarithmic, so you can have 90% of the best experience for 5% the cost.
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matt buchanan
04/16/09

@mrburglar: It might be cheap, but you're paying a lot of money to get it.
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mnerd
04/16/09

In reply to Giz Explains: The Difference Between $100 and $100,000 Speakers
What about those of us with tiny apartments, and tiny bank accounts...what's our best bet?
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ZLevee
04/16/09

@mnerd: The article kinda said it. A 5.1 speaker system and a quality receiver. You will get the susrround effect even in a small space.
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Zach Prichard
04/16/09

In reply to Giz Explains: The Difference Between $100 and $100,000 Speakers
I can't believe Giz is actually giving any sort of credibility to this nonsense. There's something to be saide for a few thousand dollar setup, but this is over the top snake oil stuff.
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ZLevee
04/16/09

@Zach Prichard: I think it's pretty clear the point of the post isn't to encourage people to lust for $350,000 systems.

You have to explain all the way to the top if you want people to understand why a $1,500 setup is worthwhile compared to a $400 HTIB.
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Mike Daly
04/16/09

In reply to Giz Explains: The Difference Between $100 and $100,000 Speakers
$30 Phillips speakers from wal-mart are the best I've ever used.
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bosskev
04/16/09

@Mike Daly: Well, that's not necessarily saying much if your previous speakers were $10 speakers from Radio Shack.
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ACoBildo
04/16/09

In reply to Giz Explains: The Difference Between $100 and $100,000 Speakers
Easy, $99,900...
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Wilson Rothman
04/16/09

@ACoBildo: Math!
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ospreyguy
04/16/09

In reply to Giz Explains: The Difference Between $100 and $100,000 Speakers
Does it matter if I have a crappy 3.5 mm jack to my ipod connected to the $300K speakers? I think source output should be a considerable part of you audi purchase.
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bosskev
04/16/09

@ospreyguy: Well, of course it should. In designing your sound system configuration and choosing components, always consider your overall budget and then divvy up the total available dollars proportionally. But designing an entire system was not the point of this article, was it?
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Novenus
04/16/09

In reply to Giz Explains: The Difference Between $100 and $100,000 Speakers
Is the Giz going to do a headphone comparison as part of this series? I would like to know the average/tech joe's opinions on the Grados, at least. Also, good article. Thanks!
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jps1369
04/16/09

@Novenus: I second that. I personally like Grado Labs stuff. I've got a pair of SR80's and they are great for the price. I also have a few pairs of the iGrado for portability, they're better than those damned earbuds.
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Wilson Rothman
04/16/09

@jps1369: Yeah, we did that earbud battlemodo, which is still valid if you replace SE110 with the new SE115. But buds are really for being on the go, not for music appreciation.

We haven't plotted out a review of larger cans, so the initial answer is "no." I am not convinced there's mass appeal, but it's true that it would be nice to know what the best ones were. We'll mull it over.
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iceicemaybe
04/16/09

In reply to Giz Explains: The Difference Between $100 and $100,000 Speakers
So where do Bose speakers fit into all of this?

In danger of offending all audiophiles everywhere, in my experience, they can sound pretty good, despite smallness.

Anyone?
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ZLevee
04/16/09

@iceicemaybe: We set up a Bose 6.1 system in my Dad's house prety much because my stepmother was opposed to a surround system altogether because of what she imagined speakers would do to the decor. I personally have an Onkyo 7.1 setup.

I agree with what Geckodelimon and jonaswan2 have said. They sound alright but my Onkyo setup blows them away. You're paying an "Apple-like" tax for the look. If that's what's most important, as it was for my stepmother, it's worth it to you. The sound won't be bad for the average person, just not as good as your money elsewhere. My dad and I knew this but he was willing to compromise for the W.A.F.
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