From: wkb@cbnews.cb.att.com (wm.keith.brummett)
Subject: Re: HELP: what satellite system should I buy?
Organization: AT&T
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 4 Sep 1992 19:19:28 GMT


    In article <1992Sep3.095318.3882@desire.wright.edu>,
    ejones@desire.wright.edu writes:
    > ... [I] want to build a nice system within the next year. So, 
    > I thought I would start with a nice speaker system and work my way
    > up. Since space will be at a premium, I was considering the purchase
    > of one of the many satellite/subwoofer systems. I have only heard one
    > such setup and that was the Bose am5 and am7 systems. Nice, but 
    > pricy. I have seen several people here mention Cambridge Soundworks
    > Ensemble II. ...
    > Are there any other great sounding speakers in this price range?

    Ed,

    Before you purchase a speaker system, you owe it to yourself to audition
    the Celestion model 3, with and without a matching subwoofer.  The 3's
    go for $300/pr, and the sub is another $250.  Stereo Lab in Columbus
    carries them; I don't know if there's another dealer closer to Fairborn.
    (Celestion won't let anyone sell them for much less than full retail,
    so don't bother looking.)

    A buddy and I listened to these speakers a few days ago, along with some
    of the higher-end, multi-kilobuck Celestions.  While there was
    definitely a difference, you'd be surprised how well the 3's stood up.

    The high-end rags love these little giant-killers.  STEREOPHILE lists
    them as class "E", which means, roughly, "excellent entry-level value,
    head and shoulders above everything else in the price range".  THE
    ABSO!UTE SOUND reviewed the model 5 (slightly larger, but otherwise
    almost identical) and positively drooled over it.

    The 3's are small, black, and work well on ear-level shelves, although
    they sound best on good stands (we listened both ways).  We auditioned
    them through a NAD 40-watt receiver and plain Monster Cable wire.  They
    are great by themselves, but even better with the small matching sub.
    I'll be willing to bet you'll prefer these to the Ensembles (forget the
    Bose).

    > ... Where would I start looking for higher end audio equipment?  The
    > only catalog I have at the moment is Crutchfield. ...

    I don't want this to sound snotty, but one does not *look* for high-end,
    one *listens* for it.  The only way to get the best sound in any price
    range is to park your butt in every local stereo store's listening rooms
    and decide what you like.  One paradigm says that you should listen
    extensively to the most expensive, high-end, lunatic-fringe system you
    can find, then search for something in your price range that sounds the
    most like the monster system.  So go to, say, Progressive Audio (again,
    in Columbus) and listen to Wilson Watt/Puppies driven by Krell 'tronics,
    then go find something similar but $40,000 cheaper.  :-)

    Good luck.  -- Keith

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Newsgroups: rec.audio,misc.consumers