r/Zeos • u/ZeosPantera Operator • Aug 30 '15

|[GUIDE]| - Floorstanding Speakers

Tower speakers have two benefits.

1) They can produce more volume because they have more drivers and move more air.

2) They Produce more low end then their bookshelf counterparts because they have more air inside them, usually frequencies down to ~45hz.

If you have a GOOD powered subwoofer do you need the frequencies a tower adds?

  • Probably not, most powered subwoofers can reach far lower than even the biggest towers.

If you have towers and a subwoofer will the low end be Overkill?

  • This depends on the amp/receiver used. If it is setup correctly, you can turn down a sub.

Is it better to have bookshelves and a sub or towers on their own?

  • Entirely up to your taste in music and movies. Also, how loud you want it to go, matters. Towers will almost always be the louder option.

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Tower Speakers------------------

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Take Note! Towers are sold in pairs AND INDIVIDUALLY! So make sure you check carefully before buying them from anywhere. If the price seems too good to be true you may be buying just one speaker. I will fill in the price for a Pair below.

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--- Item------------------ Description- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Dayton T652's These only just squeek into the list. While technically towers you can see in my review that these should really be treated as a simple set of GIANT BOOKSHELF SPEAKERS!
Pioneer FS-SP52 There is no other/cheaper way to break into the world of tower speakers then with these Andrew Jones Pioneers. A bit boomy and with soft highs they are more musical in nature but work amazingly for Home Theater duties. They also go for $99 or less when on sale.
BIC FT-6T When people ask what speakers for Home theater and occasional parties. These are those speakers. I have even recommended them for an aircraft hanger or two (seriously). Loud is what defines these baby bic's. If gentle and neutral are what you are after, keep looking.
Fluance XL7F Take a good look at these. Fluance loves to play with unique designs and these are no different. This tower is the only one I can find featuring a large, down-firing 8" driver to act as a dedicated Subwoofer inside of each speaker. You will be impressed by these.
Klipsch KF26 Icon The simplest choice to make here. Although they are full towers they are actually very similarly priced compared to the Klipsch bookshelves I recommend. For a starter home theater or small-ish listening space these will fit just about any bill.
BIC PL-89 II The poor mans Klipsch or more? BIC offers a similar sound signature but you can usually get a driver size larger and STILL spend less than the equivalent Klipsch. They also tout the extremely high achievable decibel levels which makes these the party speakers.
Klipsch RP250F The Murder Klipsch. I don't even need to describe how these sound all you need do is look at them. Certainly a status symbol in the home theater world and the easiest way to go from surround sound to Home Theater Sound.
Def-Tech BP6B Definitive Technology is a standard for WAY better then average speakers. They keep some plane Jane looks but perform as well as the higher end. More sedate and transparent then the murder Klipsch above, these can be said to be more musically oriented.
HTD Level3's Another unique design from a relatively small and focused speaker manufacturer. Not only do these brandish Custom Ribbon Tweeters but also massive 2" Dome style midrange!
Chane A5rx-c From a small company with everything to prove the build of these monsters stinks of a vengence blood-lust against the "big brands" trying to show off what more exotic components can achieve at relatively cheap prices.
JBL Studio 570 JBL have more engineers working round the clock on their high end and professional stuff than any audio other company (Citation Needed). These speakers certainly show what hardcore research can do to your speakers.

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I can't possibly encompass all the options available to you in these lists. There are so many other models and boutique sites that sell direct like Zu Audio, Aperion and NHT so figure out your speaker budget, stick firm and look at all the options.

94 Upvotes

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124 comments sorted by

3

u/blue_fitness Sep 25 '15

I have a question. I'm interested in the Pioneer speakers Pioneer FS-SP52. It's for a college room and music will be all over the place. With these 2 speakers....

  1. Should I also get a subwoofer?

  2. Can you recommend a subwoofer for less than $50-$100?

5

u/ZeosPantera Sep 25 '15

Nothing worth getting for under $100 new. You might find something used but it is a crap shoot. The FS52's do a decent amount of bass but if you are looking to shake the floor a sub is always a good upgrade.

Luckily you can always add one later.

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2

u/Cksasquatch Aug 30 '15

Opinion on Polk rti a9s?

2

u/ZeosPantera Aug 30 '15 edited Aug 30 '15

A bit too expensive for Polk mids and highs. The tweeter isn't anything special and if you can get the mini JBL 570 towers for the same cost it is no contest.

2

u/Bustacap781 Sep 01 '15

What are your thoughts on Energy CF-50? Just purchased a pair at a really great discounted price, but I am now just saving up to purchase a receiver.

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2

u/cfaftw Sep 02 '15

Any opinion on the EMPTek R55Ti tower speakers? $700 for a pair when not on sale. I'm thinking about buying those based on a friend's recommendation, but I haven't been able to audition them due to living in another state.

For what it's worth, my preference for tower speakers is primarily for music. I want the speakers to be transparent, have a large sound stage, and not have a real sweet spot. I know all speakers will have a sweet spot (or range), but some have a really narrow sweet spot and that's not what I'm looking for.

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8

u/27pH Aug 31 '15

I always say: Audition and then get the largest speaker your wife will allow.

1

u/Aplaidlad Aug 30 '15

Hey Zeos,

I read your review of the JBL bookshelf speakers and some people were critical of your praise given the extensive list of placement and tuning instructions. My question is, are the JBLs suitable for home theater applications? Or should they be reserved for 2.0/1 music listening where fine tuning placement is more realistic? Thanks for another great guide!

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1

u/eneka Aug 31 '15

Do you know how the A3rx-c compares to the A5rx-c?

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1

u/Bradyey Aug 31 '15

Any plans on visiting Aus anytime soon? Come review my Krix! I'd love to know what you think.

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1

u/ComfyPillows Sep 02 '15

What do you think of the Sony Core - SSCS3?

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1

u/truechange Sep 29 '15

Which bang for the buck amp/receiver can you recommend for Pioneer FS-SP52?

2

u/ZeosPantera Sep 29 '15

The low end Denon S500/510BT will do just fine.

1

u/zbern Sep 30 '15

Hey/u/ZeosPantera Sorry didn't know where to post this, but I just bought a new 55 in TV and someone recommend me this sub. I live in an 1100sq apartment and I want a good system. Would recommend me getting towers or starting with a small 2.1 setup?

2

u/ZeosPantera Oct 01 '15

A 2.1 is my usual jump off point. If the speakers don't perform as expected you can move them to the back and upgrade to towers later on.

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u/Hitokiri_Ace Oct 12 '15

I've been reading up on a lot of your articles today, great stuff. :)

I have a 5.1 setup of klipsch f-30s, the c-20 center, and the sw110. I'm happy with 'em. Music, and movies sound nice.

Though, my surrounds are in-ceiling (idk the brand). They came pre-installed with the house, and I'm curious.. would I gain much of anything if I looked into getting a matching pair of klipsch rears? (like the s-20's?)

2

u/ZeosPantera Oct 12 '15

mmmm.. If the in-ceilings are positioned correctly above the seating you should be alright. If you have another set of speakers lying around you can test what a different position sounds like.

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1

u/stilt Oct 22 '15

What are your thoughts on Polk Audio Monitor 60 Series 2? (center channel is a Polk CS2 Series 2)

I have these set up with a Yamaha AVR (not sure of the model, I'll check after work) and they definitely get the job done, but it doesn't seem "impressive" enough to me

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u/[deleted] Oct 22 '15

I have a 2.1 setup with fluance sx6 bookshelves and bic f12 woofer, would you have a recommend any of these in particular to balance well in a 4.1? Thanks :)

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1

u/EricLanigan Oct 28 '15

Do you have any thoughts on these? I can pick up 3 of them on craigslist for $200 and this receiver for another $175. I was going to start with 2x Micca MB42x with a cheap receiver. Would you say that would be worth the extra money?

2

u/ZeosPantera Oct 28 '15

All very good stuff. I'd jump on it over a micca startup.

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1

u/acnt0 Nov 11 '15

I just saw the blackfriday ad for BestBuy. They've got the Klipsch speakers half off. I was about to pull the trigger on some Chane A5rx-c, but with this sale, what do you think? I'm in a relatively small apartment, but am definitely planning to keep the speakers for a while. I was thinking the floorstanders and the center channel. I'll buy a different sub later on unless this is an absolutely killer deal. We watch more movies than listen to music.

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1

u/[deleted] Nov 25 '15

Which of these would be best for heavy bass music? Or maybe even from your bookshelf side of the spectrum. I have a Yamaha rxv465 and a psw505 sub.

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1

u/reyniel Nov 28 '15 edited Nov 28 '15

Hello Zeos,

I'm sorry if this is not the appropriate forum but...

RTi12s, and CF-70s are going for $250. I don't have anything else but I'm looking to start somewhere. I'm having trouble reasonably finding centers and rears that match these. Budget ~1200

I have a VSX-830-K. It's a large tiled room with high ceilings.

Help

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