Best USED bookshelves under $500 (pair)

[NeilGabriel]

I always hate these, what do you like best posts. Unless, I need to try one. Now that I have sent my CRS+ packing to Tampa, I would like to pick up something used in a bookshelf that has the detail of the CRS+. I've probably got enough Polk Monitors and am now using a PSB 300 which I like a lot...but it does not offer the detail for a lot of music I now listen to...as compared, say, to my Black Sabbath days. So, what would you be on the lookout for in a used under $500 PAIR? A lot of speakers sound to me like someone has thrown a blanket over them and muffled the high mids and tweets.

[Meeks32]

After taking a quick look at audiogon the only thing I could think of is maybe some used JM lab cobalts or chorus line. What about trying to find a great deal on some lsi9's when they come along?

[Bill Ayotte]

How about B&W's? The 601S3's and maybe you could find a deal on a set of 602S3's....I have never heard the CRS+, but I do like the B&W bookshelves...

[DaveMuell]

Park some LS-90's on those shelves and tell the wife the seller under-estimated the size...

[reeltrouble1]

Polk CRS+ SDA
Polk CRS
Polk LSI-7
Polk LSi 9

You already sold the best ones.

Buy some Polk Speakers.

RT1

[reeltrouble1]

Did you ever consider it might not be the speaks????

RT1

[tonyb]

Did you ever consider it might not be the speaks????

RT1

+1 on that....everyone is so quick to blame the speakers for the lack
of good sound.Source componants are just as important.You know the saying around here........crap in=crap out.

[NeilGabriel]

I am only because the sound was excellent with some better speakers (CRS+ and Monitor 5s) and not so good with the little psb 300's I am using now. There are decent for entry level bookshelf and I was looking for alternatives. This is a Tertiary system and so the system is what it is.....just looking for options. It will probably be just another pair of 5s.

[tonyb]

http://kansascity.craigslist.org/ele/332989020.html


Here ya go pal

[NeilGabriel]

Thanks...will check them out. I got a guy to relist a pair of 5s on ebay and just bought those. I don't know anything about the RTi series..never heard them and need to do that. Where do the fit in with the LSi series? I rarely find anything Polk on the local craigslist except car speakers. Thanks for the lead.

[lanion]

Totem Mites is my pick.

[Refefer]

Thanks...will check them out. I got a guy to relist a pair of 5s on ebay and just bought those. I don't know anything about the RTi series..never heard them and need to do that. Where do the fit in with the LSi series? I rarely find anything Polk on the local craigslist except car speakers. Thanks for the lead.

Hmm, out of curiosity, did you do the tweeter upgrades for the CRS+ when you had them? It could very well be that your just used to the frequency spike found with the sl2000's at the range and your ears now need a brighter sound. I remember listening to some lsi9's after listening to my 5b's for a while and their treble sounded a lot less present initially due to their flatter response.

[jakelm]

Check out Mirage.

[MSALLA]

Why did you sell the CRS+'s? It sounds like you liked them.

[skipf]

LSi9's if you can find someone that will part with theirs.

[engtaz]

Because he felt sorry for me.

[MSALLA]

Because he felt sorry for me.

But now you've left him unsatisfied and lonely. Walking throught life looking for good sound.

[NeilGabriel]

But now you've left him unsatisfied and lonely. Walking throught life looking for good sound.

Like any man (or woman) with a thirst that can't be quenched, since selling the CRS+, I have bought two pairs of 5s and a Denon 3802. I have told myself this is enough. I loved the detail of the CRS+, but they are for serious listening, and I have other speakers for that. Someone posted a thread about being able to hear the bow across the strings, and I could hear that with them--even when there were no strings.....and, well....ok...I'm rescinding the sale. They had original tweeter, not sure about mids. Engtaz will let us know.

[MSALLA]

All jokes aside, are the CRS+'s that good? Better then say the Lsi9's?

There is a pair of Lsi9's in the flea market for $680.00. I know it's over your budjet but not a bad deal.

[engtaz]

But now you've left him unsatisfied and lonely. Walking throught life looking for good sound.

too funny LOL

[engtaz]

The tweeters have RDO's i believe but I have not gotten them yet. But the person he got them from said they replaced the tweets if I remember correctly with RDO's.

[NeilGabriel]

All jokes aside, are the CRS+'s that good? Better then say the Lsi9's?

There is a pair of Lsi9's in the flea market for $680.00. I know it's over your budjet but not a bad deal.

I gotta quick leaving work early. So many speakers have passed through the house in the last month. I think the CRS+ had the SL2000 tweets. I think Stubby told me the mids might have been modded...but he could have been wrong. I had the CRS+ right beside my 10Bs and did some blind A-B comparisons with my wife (about the speakers not her). For non-rock music, I liked them better than the 10Bs. The detail is great and the SDA creates great separation. For rock music and for movies, the 10Bs were much better--more punch in mids and low range. Wife and I agreed...and that happens, oh, never. I thought the two speakers in combination sounded pretty good. Honestly, and don't shoot me, but I don't really like the 3 dimensional "effect" the SDA creates. I don't want the sound to sit on the speaker grills, but I also don't want it to be 8 feet away on a 45 degree angle from the speaker. I would really like to hear some bigger SDA speakers for the HT since that is where I sit in a sweet spot in front of the system. I have not heard the Lsi series. The foregoing is all in my ever so humble opinion.

[F1nut]

but I don't really like the 3 dimensional "effect" the SDA creates.

When is the last time you attended a live performance?

I don't want the sound to sit on the speaker grills, but I also don't want it to be 8 feet away on a 45 degree angle from the speaker.

Seems like you had set up/room issues.

[Yashu]

I think we are so used to the "standard" stereo presentation that SDAs just take a bit to get used to.

[NeilGabriel]

When is the last time you attended a live performance?



Seems like you had set up/room issues.

I am an old man, but still I attend live concerts (and NOT Barry Manilow). I mean to be very clear that it is a personal opinion and preference. When the speakers were in the basement/rec room, the setting was not good. When I moved them into my office and sat in front of them, they were great. I love 5.1 sound on my music concerts...although I even listen to some of them in stereo. When I listen to CDs, I want the music to be flatter (looks at wife).