The Final Speaker Showdown!

[porcoalado]

Hey audiophiles,
It's decision time! I'm down to the final contenders in my speaker hunt, and I'm looking for your input. Forget room size and other variables for a second – based purely on sound signature and overall quality, which speaker would YOU choose?
Here are the finalists:

• Klipsch RP-500M II
• Q Acoustics 3030i
• Q Acoustics 5020i
• Polk Audio Signature Elite ES20
• Polk Audio Reserve R200
• KEF Q150
• KEF Q350
• Monitor Audio Bronze 100

Thanks for your help, everyone!

 

[Talisman]

PA R200
Kef Q350

 

[Chrispy]

Which ones do you like the best in actual use? None particularly appeal to me....

 

[kemmler3D]

Hard to go wrong with KEF, I'd probably go with the Q350 from this list.

 

[JSmith]

From that list, only 2 have been measured by Amir on the Klippel;

Polk Signature Elite ES20 Review (Bookshelf Speaker)

This is a review and detailed measurements of the Polk Signature Elite ES20 bookshelf speaker. I purchased it from Amazon for US $349 a pair including shipping. I really like the look and finish of this series from Polk. Despite budget pricing, it looks nice and purposeful as you can tell...

www.audiosciencereview.com

KEF Q350 Speaker Review

This is a review and detailed measurements of the KEF Q350 Bookshelf/stand-mount speaker. It was purchased new by a member and kindly drop shipped to me for testing. The Q350 costs US $700 on Amazon including prime shipping. As with other KEF coaxial speakers, the look is unique and quite...

www.audiosciencereview.com

Some others by Erin;

Klipsch RP-500M II Bookshelf Speaker Review

Klipsch RP-500M I Review

www.erinsaudiocorner.com

Polk Reserve R200 Bookshelf Speaker Review

Polk Reserve R200

www.erinsaudiocorner.com

Kef Q150 Bookshelf Speaker Review

Kef Q150 Review

www.erinsaudiocorner.com

More basic measurements of these;

Q Acoustics 3030i Quasi-anechoic Spinorama and other measurements

Hello! I recently published my review of the new Q Acoustics 3030i. You can look that up if you want more text, but I'm here for measurements! The 3030i were recently announced, and retail for $400. So we have the quasi-anechoic spin, with nearfield bass spliced to the listening window at 385...

www.audiosciencereview.com

Monitor Audio Bronze 100 Loudspeaker Lab Report

Lab Report Despite the Bronze 100's compact dimensions the specified 87dB sensitivity is not overly optimistic, the newcomer achieving a mean sensitivity of 87.7dB (500Hz-8kHz) without recourse to an evil impedance trend. MA quotes a minimum of 4.5ohm and this was proved on test with 4.6ohm...

www.hifinews.com

JSmith

 

[Mr. Widget]

Unlike virtually every other piece of equipment in a music playback chain, speakers are use case dependent and and choices are strongly influenced by personal preference. I doubt I'd take the recommendation of anyone I hadn't had many conversations with and understood their taste in speakers.

 

[MarkS]

You need to have an actual showdown, in your room. Pick two, buy both, return the one you like less. Then either stop if the sound is good, or keep going.

 

[Holmz]

From that list, only 2 have been measured by Amir on the Klippel;

Polk Signature Elite ES20 Review (Bookshelf Speaker)

This is a review and detailed measurements of the Polk Signature Elite ES20 bookshelf speaker. I purchased it from Amazon for US $349 a pair including shipping. I really like the look and finish of this series from Polk. Despite budget pricing, it looks nice and purposeful as you can tell...

www.audiosciencereview.com

KEF Q350 Speaker Review

This is a review and detailed measurements of the KEF Q350 Bookshelf/stand-mount speaker. It was purchased new by a member and kindly drop shipped to me for testing. The Q350 costs US $700 on Amazon including prime shipping. As with other KEF coaxial speakers, the look is unique and quite...

www.audiosciencereview.com

Some others by Erin;

Klipsch RP-500M II Bookshelf Speaker Review

Klipsch RP-500M I Review

www.erinsaudiocorner.com

Polk Reserve R200 Bookshelf Speaker Review

Polk Reserve R200

www.erinsaudiocorner.com

Kef Q150 Bookshelf Speaker Review

Kef Q150 Review

www.erinsaudiocorner.com

More basic measurements of these;

Q Acoustics 3030i Quasi-anechoic Spinorama and other measurements

Hello! I recently published my review of the new Q Acoustics 3030i. You can look that up if you want more text, but I'm here for measurements! The 3030i were recently announced, and retail for $400. So we have the quasi-anechoic spin, with nearfield bass spliced to the listening window at 385...

www.audiosciencereview.com

Monitor Audio Bronze 100 Loudspeaker Lab Report

Lab Report Despite the Bronze 100's compact dimensions the specified 87dB sensitivity is not overly optimistic, the newcomer achieving a mean sensitivity of 87.7dB (500Hz-8kHz) without recourse to an evil impedance trend. MA quotes a minimum of 4.5ohm and this was proved on test with 4.6ohm...

www.hifinews.com

JSmith

I am not too confident that one can find something close to optimal given the set of choices.
I would suggest something used might get more speaker for the given budget.

 

[Sokel]

Forget room size and other variables for a second – based purely on sound signature and overall quality, which speaker would YOU choose?

Can't forget about those as it's the most important part,speaker-room interaction makes a whole new speaker.
I would choose different speakers for different rooms of my house for example.

 

[beagleman]

I would "maybe" say the Polk audio Reserve 200, but, there are good used speakers at a good bit lower price, that with EQ, can equal it and so on.

One example I have heard, a used older Polk Rti6, with some minor EQ was quite equal to a pair of Reserve 200's I had on hand for a month or so.

(bought them to turn a profit, in all honesty), They were quite nice, but ONLY at the low price I got them for.....
The Rti6 deep bass wise was better than the R200 easily.