New speakers as a new house treat?

[admin_exported]

I've got an old, but still very nice to listen to separates system. I've noticed the rubber in the speakers that hold the actual central bit to the "frame" is beginning to perish and I've been told it can't really be fixed. Is this true? They still sound good - do they indeed need replacing?

I'm going to get a new TV - probably a Sony something (think the new editions are all 3d now?), and I want to run it through my hifi as the folks in the shop say hifi sound is better than tv sound. This should save me buying a digital radio as I can get the channels off the tv and shunt it through the hifi. So I therefore maybe need to get a new set of speakers, and here's the question.

My current speakers are Heybrook HB1, bought in 1986. Mid budget (£150 IIRC), but I've loved them. Good enough for my ears so I don't need the top of the range stuff. What is the modern day equivalent of these guys? Oh, music taste tends to be classical or heavy rock.

I've still got my Cyrus I amp going strong so don't think that needs changing. Guess i just won't benefit from the full sound surround as I've got outputs from the Cyrus for L & R speakers only.

I'm not a techie as you can guess, but do enjoy the tingle I get when I listen to stuff on the hifi. So please cn you help me in non-techie words?

Many thanks

 

[shooter]

If you love the Heybrook's look at the link below they do spares and/or repaires.

http://www.puresound.info/id2.html

If you had to change the speakers and /or amp what budget do you have in mind, have a look at the link though before you answer..

 

[CnoEvil]

Hi Hertsman

I remember the Heybrooks well - good speakers in their day.
I suspect you may have to pay more than you think, if you want to match their performance.

 

[Frank Harvey]

They HB1's were good speakers in their day, but things have moved on quite a lot. The HB1's were a little rough in the treble, and even though they were a sealed cabinet, didn't have a particularly flat frequency response. You'll probably find the Monitor Audio BX2's will rival and surpass them in many ways, and the likes of the KEF Q300's, Monitor Audio RX2's, and Dynaudio's DM2/6's will give you an improvement in every area, and a real worthwhile upgrade. Your Cyrus 1 amplifier will power these quite happily.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks folks.

I'll have a look to see how much it will be to fix up the speakers. But as you say, things have moved on a lot in the last 25 years! But some good advice in there.

 

[Anonymous]

Frank suggests KEF Q300's, Monitor Audio RX2's, but these sound very different to one another, so do have a good listen - ideally find somewhere who will allow a home demo. I found the RX2's a bit "in your face", but compared (directly in the same shop) the Q300's seemed lean, certainly vastly different. It depends what you want, but they are quite different. For pocket money, the "old" (last years but still available) Wharefdale diamond 9.1's are really very good value for money. They have no vices/music preference, unlike many more expensive and highly rated speakers which excel in some areas but not others, which I call a poor compromise. Diamonds need to be run in, and if you have a keen ear and listen to classical guitar or solo piano, you will find their tonal weaknesses, although many would not notice. But vocals are very good and any music with more than just classical guitar or piano is really exceptional for the price. They need a good few hours run in - out of the box they were pretty muddy sounding but after a couple of days they were clear and toe tappingly good. I could not find anything under a grand that made upgrading from the Diamonds worth the extra money. I have now settled on some PMC TB2i Signature, which I would recommend thoroughly, but they are £1375. That was what it took in my view to get a totally even handed speaker which is as happy with Bach as it is with ZZ-Top, but I could have easily lived with the Diamonds for a long time if I had to and in fact nearly did - it was only after running in the PMC's completely and tweaking their position in the room that I found their true ability on an extended home demo. I know some people don't like Diamonds; I am running them with a Quad 909 - maybe that helps; however I expect its snobery in a lot of cases. For £100 they should not sound that good probably sticks in peoples minds and colours the judgement.

 

[Anonymous]

Frank suggests KEF Q300's, Monitor Audio RX2's, but these sound very different to one another, so do have a good listen - ideally find somewhere who will allow a home demo. I found the RX2's a bit "in your face", but compared (directly in the same shop) the Q300's seemed lean, certainly vastly different. It depends what you want, but they are quite different. For pocket money, the "old" (last years but still available) Wharefdale diamond 9.1's are really very good value for money. They have no vices/music preference, unlike many more expensive and highly rated speakers which excel in some areas but not others, which I call a poor compromise. Diamonds need to be run in, and if you have a keen ear and listen to classical guitar or solo piano, you will find their tonal weaknesses, although many would not notice. But vocals are very good and any music with more than just classical guitar or piano is really exceptional for the price. They need a good few hours run in - out of the box they were pretty muddy sounding but after a couple of days they were clear and toe tappingly good. I could not find anything under a grand that made upgrading from the Diamonds worth the extra money. I have now settled on some PMC TB2i Signature, which I would recommend thoroughly, but they are £1375. That was what it took in my view to get a totally even handed speaker which is as happy with Bach as it is with ZZ-Top, but I could have easily lived with the Diamonds for a long time if I had to and in fact nearly did - it was only after running in the PMC's completely and tweaking their position in the room that I found their true ability on an extended home demo. I know some people don't like Diamonds; I am running them with a Quad 909 - maybe that helps; however I expect its snobery in a lot of cases. For £100 they should not sound that good probably sticks in peoples minds and colours the judgement.

I find it odd that you had a £900 amplifier and £100 speakers, which is an odd combination. A £500 set of speakers and amp would sound better surely?

In answer to the question I would reccomend a pair of rx2's or second hand gr/gs 10's

 

[SHAXOS]

From the mid priced stuff ive heard id recommend B&W 685s and Monitor audio Rx1. Ive owned both of these and they are fantastic. The MAs are build better than the bowers but other than that its a toss up as to which i prefer. Never heard the q series so cant comment.