Top Ten Budget speakers of all time .

[RodhasGibson]

Acoustic Research AR18s

Videoton Minimax

+1 on the AR18s still got a perfect pair boxed in the in the loft.

No you haven't. I can assure you the rubber surrounds will disintegrate the first time you try to play them :-D

yeah I am not going to get up there to find out yet.Is that what happened to yours then John?

 

[DIB]

Well I had 12 happy years with a pair of Mordaunt Short MS20i pearls, costwise I think they were about £150 new when I bought them back in 1996. Still well worth picking up 2nd hand today I reckon.

.

 

[Sorreltiger]

I am feeling a bit old, as the nominations for the various Mission bookshelf speakers are all a bit recent IMO. Surely the Mission 700, which pioneered the inverted driver arrangement, was the 'true original', which graced any number of new budget hi-fi set-ups in the early 80s! A worthy nomination in my mind.

 

[chebby]

Well I had 12 happy years with a pair of Mordaunt Short MS20i pearls, costwise I think they were about £150 new when I bought them back in 1996. Still well worth picking up 2nd hand today I reckon.

Indeed. I still have a mint, boxed pair under our stairs. Sounded excellent with my old Naim system.

I must sell them one day. (Although I suppose it's always handy to have a good spare set of speakers.)

 

[chebby]

... a pair of Mordaunt Short MS20i pearls, costwise I think they were about £150 new when I bought them back in 1996.

£199.99 at launch in 1997. (Pearl Editions were to celebrate MS being in business since 1967. Designed by Robin Marshall of Epos fame whose company was owned by the TGI group at that time. Made in Hampshire.)

 

[SteveR750]

Acoustic Research AR18s

Videoton Minimax

+1 on the AR18s still got a perfect pair boxed in the in the loft.

No you haven't. I can assure you the rubber surrounds will disintegrate the first time you try to play them :-D

+3; however mine disintegrated this way too, and prompted my 2nd nomination: B&W602 S2 or S3 doesn't really matter both excellent

 

[Anonymous]

Mission 760iSE, £150 new, got a set for stereo, now using as rears. Hooked up to a good amp, amazing frequency response.

+1 for the 760iSE - just need a good amp now!

 

[SteveR750]

Acoustic Research AR18s

Videoton Minimax

+1 on the AR18s still got a perfect pair boxed in the in the loft.

No you haven't. I can assure you the rubber surrounds will disintegrate the first time you try to play them :-D

yeah I am not going to get up there to find out yet.Is that what happened to yours then John?

+3 for the ARs, mine disintegrated in this way, hence the eventaul replacement and my 2nd nomination B&W 602 S2/S3 as not much to chose between them both great speakers and a superb used buy

 

[Anonymous]

Without any doubt the Royd A7 should be on number 1 :cheer:

 

[Anonymous]

Had a pair of these a few years ago, they were really very good.

I rekon they would still stand up well today.

 

[tonky]

The reason i didn't buy the JR149s 33 yrs ago (approx) was because of their inefficency and lack of deep bass.

I bought Monitor audio MA4 mark 2s. Which to be honest were v good and but had a little too much wooly bass.

I did enjoy the great musicality of the system tho. A rega planar 2 and ortofon vms 20 cartridge and ortofon M20 fl cartridge.

And a very very sweet A and R cambridge A30 amp.. The A30 was a little too underpowere for the JR149s.

But it was a lovely sounding system which bought me a great deal of aural pleasure. I eventually upgraded the turntable and amp but it was never quite the same as My first real set up.

But the JRs had a uniquely spacious and involving presentation. Ah well!

tonky

 

[tonky]

The reason i didn't buy the JR149s 33 yrs ago (approx) was because of their inefficency and lack of deep bass.

I bought Monitor audio MA4 mark 2s. Which to be honest were v good and but had a little too much wooly bass.

I did enjoy the great musicality of the system tho. A rega planar 2 and ortofon vms 20 cartridge and ortofon M20 fl cartridge.

And a very very sweet A and R cambridge A30 amp..

The A30 was a little too underpowere for the JR149s which was why i bought the MA4s.

But it was a lovely sounding system which bought me a great deal of aural pleasure.

I eventually upgraded the turntable and amp but it was never quite the same as My first real set up.

But the JRs had a uniquely spacious and involving presentation. Ah well!

tonky

 

[moon]

Currently

B&W 601S2 & Mission/Cyrus 780

Acoustic Research AR18

Jim Rogers JR149

Videoton Minimax

Royd A7

Mission 760 iSE

Mordaunt Short MS20i Pearls.

3 left

 

[Anonymous]

Currently

B&W 601S2 & Mission/Cyrus 780

Acoustic Research AR18

Jim Rogers JR149

Videoton Minimax

Royd A7

Mission 760 iSE

Mordaunt Short MS20i Pearls.

3 left

Wait a minute! On 1 I said!!!!! :bounce:

 

[moon]

list in no specific order.

 

[Al ears]

Having seen what is listed so far I think you would have to add the Heybrook HB1's, brilliant in their day! I owned them for some time and replaced with HB3's ....big mistake!

 

[CnoEvil]

Mr. Ears, stop whinging, at least you're on the list.

 

[Al ears]

Mr. Ears, stop whinging, at least you're on the list.

And very glad to be there too!

 

[CnoEvil]

Mr. Ears, stop whinging, at least you're on the list.

And very glad to be there too!

There are so many Ears on here.....I was trying to reply to Analog, but forgot to press the quote button.

 

[AEJim]

Acoustic Energy AE100

Acoustic Energy Aegis 1

Oh wait, I may have a bias there...

From my early Hi-Fi buying days I'd throw in:

Mission 760i

Kef Coda 7

Tannoy 609 (May be creeping out of budget).

 

[Sizzers]

Mission 780SE.I had an immaculate pair of these a couple of years ago for £35! Original receipt was for £250 in 1995, and with a senseless rush of blood I sold them to a friend. regret it to this day

Mission 780SE.

I bought an immaculate pair of these a couple of years ago for £35! Original receipt was for £250 in 1995, and with a senseless rush of blood I sold them to a friend around 3-months later. Regret it to this day, especially as I believe they would have been so well matched with my current set-up

 

[moon]

Anything more recent stand up to these Behemoths of the past?

 

[drichardb]

Proud owner of B&W DM601S3 for 10yrs

Did a 3 way demo, Wharfdale D8.1 vs Kef Cresta 2 vs Tannoy Mercury M2. All were around the £150 mark but the B&W's at £250 were like the devil on my shoulder whispering "try me, try me". I did and here I am 10yrs later still singing their praises.

If I had bought one of those 3 it would have been the Warfdale's

 

[moon]

how about this form Pioneer SP-BS41

http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Home/Speakers/Home+Theater+Speakers/SP-BS41-LR

never heard them myself so might be all hype an no substance!

 

[CnoEvil]

Acoustic Research AR18s

Videoton Minimax

I'm delighted to see the Videoton Minimax getting a mention. In an era of big standmount speakers from the likes of Wharfedale, these little things were a revelation. They were very small, but very deep, so produced a surprisingly big sound.

I also would add the following:

- Tangent SPL-1. Cost £60 in 1978, had Audax drive units and were one of the very best budget speakers of its day.
- Goodmans Maxim.....owned them and loved them
- Keesonic Kubs....owned them and loved them
- Royd A7 (as mentioned)
- Acoustic Research 8BX
- Monitor Audio R100
- Mission 770 (owned it and liked it)
- Wharfedale Diamonds (take your pick)