Help For The Ignorant Needed With Speaker Selection!

Hi Everyone,

Since I reclaimed my Sharp GF-9000 (thread HERE) and subsequently joined this forum I have found that my interest (not expertise!) in all things Audio has been rekindled. So............

I recently acquired a Pioneer SX-450 Receiver/Amp, Pioneer CT-F700 Cassette Deck and a Pioneer PL-117D Turntable, the turntable being my primary motivation for buying this stack so I would have a turntable for my BB's.

You guys on this forum gave me the confidence to open up the tuner/amp and the tape deck to service & clean everything and carry out a couple of successful repairs to the malfunctioning/broken deck door, change belts etc., etc. Since this system is now all but looking & functioning as minty as it possibly could, I need to invest in some decent quality speakers - and this is where I need help due to my ignorance of such matters.

I've looked for info online and, for the most part, I'm confronted by techno-freaks trying to out-do each other in the Best Nerd Contest. most of the other info I find fills me to point of technical information overflow. I'd appreciate any help you guys can impart and, to help, I'll provide this information to you:

Speaker environment
Speaker to be located in my rather modest sized living room, well spaced apart and away from the Hi-Fi.
I live in a semi-detached bungalow with the neighbour's (partially deaf ) living room adjacent to mine although I do have the opportunity for blasting out on occasion if I need. Most of the time low volumes will be used for soft background music during the evenings.

Music types played
A good mixed bunch from Hendrix to Vivaldi, easy listening to the wonderful sounds of Mantovani, country, rock, reggae, pop, club, blues etc., etc. so a real mix of all sorts.

Physical Size/Type
No floor standing, just 'regular shape' will do nicely. I can site them off the floor or on large shelves, I can have the whole speaker space/shelf cavity covered with cloth/metal/whatever grill material so appearance isn't an issue. If the need arises to acoustically pad out the shelves I can take care of this as any padding would be hidden behind the 'grill cover façade' on the shelving'.

Maximum sizes (ish) are width: 14"(360mm), maximum height: 24"(600mm), maximum depth: 14"(360mm).

Amplifier Technical Details
The User Manual has the following information, I'm not sure if this what you need to read or not but here goes:
"Continuous output of 15 watts per channel, min RMS, at 8 or 4 ohms from 20 Hertz with no more than 0.5% total harmonic distortion".
There's a whole lot of other system spec stuff that means nothing to me but may be important, I can't decide as I'm far too technically challenged but I'm sure you'll let me know if you need more.

This is an image from the rear of the Amp:


Let me know if I can provide any more info with the spec, please.

Other Points
I don't want too small or anything the size of a bard door!
The (alcove) shelving will be made to suit the speakers so no issues there.
I can't say "money isn't an issue" because it is so freebies would be nice but, other than that, I'll budget up to about £300.
I feel that one pair of speakers would suffice due to the size of the room.

Most of what I have seen advertised on various sites (2nd hand) has scant details such as "6 ohms" or "20 watts" so I don't really know if I'd be making a good choice or not or even if there is more to consider than this basic info. 2-Way/3-way? I've no idea! I just want to enjoy a decent quality output from the Pioneer Hi-Fi when playing tapes and vinyl.

Thanks guys, please form an orderly queue..............................................

Anyone?

Just thought I'd clarify that I'm not asking for a specific speaker type/brand/spec or expecting anyone to take on a search on my brhalf but rather an indication such as:

Go for three-way.

Avoid anything over 10 years old,

Don't buy brand 'X'

Get speaker between 'X' & 'Y' watts.

That's it.

Thanks, guys.

I wouldn't bother with used speakers, as the surrounds might be torn, the voice coils might be damaged, and the seller probably wouldn't tell you. There are plenty of new bookshelf speakers you can get for $200 or less. At only 15 watts per channel there isn't any need for giant ones. I would look for bookshelf speakers from Polk, Klipsch, Sony, Boston Acoustics, etc. with a 5" woofer, and about 11-12" tall.

2-way speakers are fine, as there really is no need for 3-way / 4-way / 5-way etc. unless it's a big floor-standing speaker.

Try to find the "sensitivity" specs. The higher the sensitivity, the more volume it can put out per watt of input power. Which is helpful for modest-powered receivers like yours. Look for a sensitivity rating of at LEAST 90, no less.

They should also ideally be 4 Ohm speakers. 6 Ohm would be OK too, but they have more resistance, so they would not be able to go as loud. I don't think I'd recommend 8 Ohm speakers with that particular receiver.

I have a pair of the Polk Audio RTi4 and they are great sounding speakers.

The recommended amplifier power is: 20 to 125A watts and they are Dual Bi-amp.

Not the best looking speakers but it's the sound that matters!

Look into Polk audio speakers.

One other thing -- you can get more bass if the bass port is facing the rear, because you can position the speakers next to a wall and a shelf-side to reflect and amplify the bass. Depends if you like boomy bass.

Thanks, Guys for keeping the high-tech talk to a minimum - it's so helpful and kinder on my non-tech brain.

Reli said:

I wouldn't bother with used speakers, as the surrounds might be torn, and there are plenty of new bookshelf speakers you can get for $200 or less. At only 15 watts per channel there isn't any need for giant ones. I would look for bookshelf speakers from Polk, Klipsch, Sony, Boston Acoustics, etc. with a 5" woofer, and about 11-12" tall.

2-way speakers are fine, as there really is no need for 3-way / 4-way / 5-way etc. unless it's a big floor-standing speaker.

Try to find the "sensitivity" specs. The higher the sensitivity, the more volume it can put out per watt of input power. Which is helpful for modest-powered receivers like yours. Look for a sensitivity rating of at LEAST 90, no less.

They should also ideally be 4 Ohm speakers. 6 Ohm would be OK too, but they have more resistance, so they would not be able to go as loud. I don't think I'd recommend 8 Ohm speakers with that particular receiver.

Click to expand...

Thanks, Reli. There's a whole lot of info there that'll be of enormous help to me and I had no idea about 'sensitivity' so that particular info will be of great help.

ford93 said:

I have a pair of the Polk Audio RTi4 and they are great sounding speakers.

The recommended amplifier power is: 20 to 125A watts and they are Dual Bi-amp.

Not the best looking speakers but it's the sound that matters!

DSCF0808.JPGLook into Polk audio speakers.

Click to expand...

Thanks ford93, I've made a note of this. I've never heard of Polk before now (either that or I have forgotten) but, then again, I've been away from Hi-Fi for about 30 years.

"One other thing -- you can get more bass if the bass port is facing the rear, because you can position the speakers next to a wall and a shelf-side to reflect and amplify the bass. Depends if you like boomy bass." Thanks again, Reli - rear facing bass ports it is then!

Again, thanks for the help. I've noted all the comments in a .txt document and this is now a summary to guide me:
Bookshelf
4 ohms
2-way
$200 (or less?)
Brands: Polk, Klipsch, Sony, Boston Acoustics, etc.
Size: 5" woofer, and about 11-12" tall.
Rear facing bass ports

Correction, 4 Ohms or more........But personally I would not go much higher than that, because it limits the power from the receiver.

And when I said 5" woofer and 11-12" tall I was just saying that tends to be what most mid-tier bookshelf speakers are. But some have 4" speakers, some have 6".

Don't be afraid to check out older speakers - they do tend to be better quality then some of the **** they churn out today. I found a pair of these roadside freebie 5 ways last week and they sound very nice. These were made before the foam surround era and as such, their cloth surrounds are in perfect condition.View attachment 28181

Err...sorry no clue at all...I'm definitely not an audiophile. Sorry

Reli said:

Correction, 4 Ohms or more........But personally I would not go much higher than that, because it limits the power from the receiver.

And when I said 5" woofer and 11-12" tall I was just saying that tends to be what most mid-tier bookshelf speakers are. But some have 4" speakers, some have 6".

Click to expand...

Hi again. Yes, I understand and got that. "Just saying...": Yes, I got that too. These are all suggestions & help I'll take on board.

jimmyjimmy19702010 said:

Don't be afraid to check out older speakers - they do tend to be better quality then some of the shiat they churn out today. I found a pair of these roadside freebie 5 ways last week and they sound very nice. These were made before the foam surround era and as such, their cloth surrounds are in perfect condition.

image.jpeg

Click to expand...

Thanks JJ & All The Numbers! OK then, no foam on older speakers to be considered. WOW, I've never seen speakers like that before.

Northerner said:

Err...sorry no clue at all...I'm definitely not an audiophile. Sorry

Click to expand...

Me neither, being ignorant of the knowledge and having a really bad memory is a real hindrance.


So far:
Bookshelf style, around 11-12" tall is a likely size.
4 ohms min, avoid going higher if possible but no more than 6 ohms.
2-way
$200 (or less?).
Brands: Polk, Klipsch, Sony, Boston Acoustics, etc.
Woofer Size: 5" (+/-1") woofer is usual for the physical speaker size.
No foam surrounds on woofer.
Rear facing bass ports.

Thanks again, Guys. I now feel I'm getting there with this invaluable help.

If it's any help I did buy a Yamaha amp and Mission speakers for £25 and they sound frickin awesome

Northerner said:

If it's any help I did buy a Yamaha amp and Mission speakers for £25 and they sound frickin awesome

Click to expand...

£25??? Nah................really? I need to get out of Sleaford (no, me neither until I moved here!) more.

You will struggle to find many proper HiFi speakers in 4 ohms. Don't worry, that SX amp will run 8 ohm speakers fine.

My motto is 'go big or go home' so I have no input to give you regarding that size of speaker.

I would look for some Klipsch RB-51 II, they are great quality and very sensitive, and the bass goes low.

If you don't want to spend that much money, get some Infinity P153 (or P163 if you have more room). Cheap as hell.

Thanks once more, Guys.

Some of the suggested speaker models are a bit of a rarity (in UK/Europe?) although there's a spattering listed here & there, I may have to make a small compromise or source a best equivalent . Interestingly, speaker sensitivity does not feature as much as I would have thought in some supplier outlets or re-seller info. but I have come across it on the odd occasion. When I've got as far as my short list I can check out individual speaker specs, at that time.


So far:
Bookshelf style, around 11-12" tall is a likely size.
4 ohms min, avoid going higher if possible but no more than 6 ohms if possible..
2-way
$200 (or less?), a good brand & new may cost more.
Brands: Polk, Klipsch, Sony, Boston Acoustics, etc..
Woofer Size: 5" (+/-1") woofer is usual for the physical speaker size.
No foam surrounds on woofer.
Rear facing bass ports.
Sensitivity rating: At least 90

Ebay or Amazon all the way.

MyOhMy said:

Thanks once more, Guys.

Some of the suggested speaker models are a bit of a rarity (in UK/Europe?) although there's a spattering listed here & there, I may have to make a small compromise or source a best equivalent . Interestingly, speaker sensitivity does not feature as much as I would have thought in some supplier outlets or re-seller info. but I have come across it on the odd occasion. When I've got as far as my short list I can check out individual speaker specs, at that time.


So far:
Bookshelf style, around 11-12" tall is a likely size.
4 ohms min, avoid going higher if possible but no more than 6 ohms if possible..
2-way
$200 (or less?), a good brand & new may cost more.
Brands: Polk, Klipsch, Sony, Boston Acoustics, etc..
Woofer Size: 5" (+/-1") woofer is usual for the physical speaker size.
No foam surrounds on woofer.
Rear facing bass ports.
Sensitivity rating: At least 90

Click to expand...

High sensitivity is the key, not the ohms rating. All of the above brands mentioned (except for Sony) only produce 8 ohm bookshelf speakers - you will find most also boast sensitivity ratings below 90dB. 8 ohm resistance is the standard for HiFi speakers. Most amps won't run 4 ohm speakers without increasing the risk of damage. Some of the high end models with their huge power supplies and heatsinks will run 4 ohm speakers no problem, however, your Pioneer amp isn't one of them.
View attachment 28194
But you ask, why does it have a switch on the back for 4 ohm speakers if it can't run them safely? Well the answer is that by switching your amp into 4 ohm mode, you are actually hobbling the amps' output power to reduce excessive strain on the amp when you connect low resistance speakers.

So 8 ohm, high sensitivity speakers are the way to go.

Happy speaker hunting.

James....

There's a switch? I don't see a switch. It just says that if you're using A + B speakers, they should be 8 ohms or more, but if you're only using 2 speakers, you can use 4 ohms or more.

MyOhMy said:

Thanks once more, Guys.

Some of the suggested speaker models are a bit of a rarity (in UK/Europe?) although there's a spattering listed here & there, I may have to make a small compromise or source a best equivalent .

Click to expand...

You're right, Klipsch doesn't sell much of anything in the UK

Oh well, just search for "best bookshelf speakers" and read UK audio sites, there's tons of good brands.