5 AWESOME SPEAKERS Under $1000 You Won't Regret

[@ErinsAudioCorner]

Affiliate Links if You Want to Buy Anything... KEF Q150: howl.me/chErfTFc1On Polk R200: howl.me/cmyQr5oKOGd Klipsch RP-600M II: howl.me/cmyQsHkBKmd ELAC DBR62: howl.me/ckaQ1BALXxL Kali Audio IN-8 v2: amzn.to/45ML2Up Support the cause: Patreon: www.patreon.com/erinsaudiocorner Contribute via PayPal: www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=CLHSW4L9SBSLY A simple request: If any of you find yourselves shopping for anything sold by the retailers below please consider using my generic affiliate link. These can earn me a small commission which goes a long way toward helping me review items and make content. It is a great way you can help me continue doing what I enjoy doing without costing you anything extra. It is truly appreciated! Amazon: amzn.to/3v6i6ov Audio Advice: www.audioadvice.com/?referral=erins-audio-corner Best Buy: howl.me/ck2IPpcOp1h Crutchfield: shop-links.co/cgZmmT81jmh Parts-Express: parts-express.sjv.io/Y9zoEB Newegg: howl.me/ck2IQg52L5b Samsung: howl.me/ck2IQ5qe16w Target: howl.me/ck2IRDNsIqn Thomann: www.thomann.de/de/index.html?offid=1&affid=2577 Emotiva: shorturl.at/pBEU9 Monoprice: bit.ly/3yAY6NH Arendal Sound: arendalsound.com/store/?refer=hardisj Purchases through these links can earn me a small commission - at no additional cost to you - and help me continue to provide the community with free content and reviews. Doesn't matter if it's a TV from Crutchfield, budget speakers from Audio Advice or a pair of socks from Amazon, just use the link above before you make your purchase. Thank you!

[@BostonMike68]

I'm so glad I can design and build speakers 😊I get so much more for my money

[@alexorigoni8626]

Dude, you are becoming very polished. The content was always solid, but the delivery is far improved. You figured out how to provide the details that audio junkies want, while explaining the basic premise to newcomers, all in one concise way. Looking forward to seeing the future of Erin’s Audio Corner.

[@Veered2Train]

Yep

[@danieljung2810]

You are the absolute best speaker reviewer of all time. Objective and honest. 🎉

[@naturalverities]

Happy to see an active speaker getting some love! DSP multiamping and calibrated measurements took my DIY man-loft system from nice to nirvana. 3(+)-way systems have many advantages but present major challenges to filtering passively while maintaining good phase response. Active presents powerful and affordable optimization tools to the designer, and I believe is the wave of the future.

[@ryanchappell5962]

I’m using a 4 way active system in my massage studio. It’s awesome.

[@thepathnotfound]

Yep, big fan of active monitors.

[@naturalverities]

@@ryanchappell5962 What a great perk for your clients!

[@miguelalonsoperez5609]

@@ryanchappell5962 4 way? Do you mean a tweeter, a mid range cone, a woofer and what else?

[@ryanchappell5962]

@@miguelalonsoperez5609 In this case I used a modified bookshelf for the tweeter and midrange. It’s a 1 inch tweeter, 5 inch midrange and then I have a pair of small 8inch subwoofers and one mono 12 inch. So it’s basically a stereo 3 way and sub. I use dsp that has 8 outputs. I’m using 8th order crossovers and PEQ filters as well as some delays for precise time alignment. I didn’t actually build anything, just bypassed the internals of some off the shelf products. The powered subs are not modified, just used the LFE input to bypass the crossover on the sub. I didn’t use a tower speaker in this setup because it’s more of a stealth setup.

[@thillyard1]

It’s good to see the sub $1000 list Erin. I suspect this is really the sweet spot for many of us when it comes to price to performance. I have the Kef’s from this video and have been very happy with them (Black Friday $299 purchase) but think I still prefer JBL Studio 530’s at least in my room. I really want to check out the Kalis now. Thanks for all you do for the community, I’ve been a fan for a long time dating back to car audio lol.

[@ErinsAudioCorner]

Hey, man, thanks for the kind words and especially for mentioning the car audio days. I still try to compete. Was planning on going to a show this weekend but have a cracked rim on my car that has to be replaced. 🤬🤬

[@ramondelgado6778]

​@@ErinsAudioCornerummm.... We need coverage of this PLEASE. you specifically covering mobile audio for us old heads would be great!!!! Former competitor here!!!!

[@chinmeysway]

check out the kali in5s, great bass still but way less huge in smaller or any room!

[@shipsahoy1793]

hey thillyard, sub $1000 is the only price range for bookshelf speakers (at least for me), so it was great to get Erin's input on that. Above a grand, I look beyond the bookshelf speaker mentality, but that's just me. That said, it looks like "the next" price range would be from about 3k to under 10k (7k?) .. I don't know if at this higher price category that it gets easier or harder to do.. at some point, it's got to be harder because of the additional difficulty for Erin to coordinate such an endeavor largely due to size, cost, and liability constraints..😉

[@ASillyLlama]

I think this is the sweet spot. I just purchased the KEF Q150s. I use a WiiM Amp (small room so it’s perfect) and I have had a RSL Speedwooder 10s MKII. All in around $1200 and I don’t see my self going much higher than that for my needs.

[@shawnandrewusic]

Hi Erin, I have a pair of Kali’s IN5 enjoying the speakers so far! Cheers

[@madcrabber1113]

I considered some ridiculously priced speakers but after researching for about 2 years settled on Heco Aurora 1000's as I am not interested in blowing money on a depreciating asset and could not ascertain why I should spend more. I am very happy with what I am hearing with them blended with 5 subwoofers in my room.

[@stevenma2010]

Your review is for new speakers, but interested listeners should also keep in mind the pre-owned market. Both the Kef LS50 Meta and Elac UBR62 can be found under $1,000 used. Both are outstanding.

[@rodjets8208]

First time I've seen the Ascend Sierra 1s turn up in a list. I had these for a couple of years and they were great. Upgraded them to the Sierra 2EX with RAAL ribbon tweeters and the sound is stunning. Mind you they're no longer sub $1k speakers. But they now dissappear, with amazing horizontal dispersion.

[@faviann]

Told you multiple times by now in previous videos: The education sprinkled through your videos makes your content gold

[@aaronschen9896]

For small reasonable priced speakers, i think dynamic range is a huge factor too, cant be sure if music is good unless the neighbors are involved

[@TheFrugalAudiophile]

Great list, Erin. I have the Polk R100s on my desktop set up and I love them! I have them crossed over at 80 Hz with a mini DSP and they sound fantastic! I am sure that the R200s would be very similar, but just more of the goodness.

[@Diatonic5th]

I was surprised to see Ascend Acoustics here! I have the Sierra 2EX v2's, and they're without a doubt the best speakers I've ever owned. Their customer support is top-notch as well. Great work on this video!

[@Audioguy518]

I have the Sierra LX and agree with you.

[@chinmeysway]

great company for sure! wish others would also start using sustainable materials (bamboo)!!

[@prplhaz123]

I had the Sierra 2s and thought they were awesome. I ended up selling them and buying a pair of Lintons (mostly because of Erin's review). I am happy with the Wharfedales, but I do miss that Raal tweeter.

[@WalterDavidRiffmon]

I also own the Sierra 2ex V2 and they are remarkable. O e thing i love about Ascend Acoustics is how transparent the evolution of all their models are as the detailed discussions and goals are put forth in the public forum.

[@stevenswall]

14:45 You might double check with Kali, I was told it was the lip of the plastic around the waveguide. Their SMC model should fix that and will likely be a Genelec killer, minus GLM.

[@ErinsAudioCorner]

I talked to them about it when I did my original review. If you do the math for a 9kHz wave the first half-wave (cancellation) is at 0.75” which is in line with the physical dimension from the center of the center to the pice of the former that sticks out. And that piece sticks up a good bit.

[@foxgaming76yt24]

​@@ErinsAudioCorner Now I wonder if you're going to measure the Kali SM coaxes, could be a Genelecs Ones killer 😆

[@ErinsAudioCorner]

I will send them an email to see if they’d be willing to send a loaner pair for review. 👍

[@najones]

The Santa Monica series are not powered speakers. They are expensive, not available yet and will likely be plagued with QC issues. I'd be more interested in Erin's opinion of some Genelec 8020 or 8030 monitors matched with a Genelec sub.

[@stevenswall]

@@najones They have powered versions of the SMC speakers at their headquarters in Los Angeles. They also have some EQ software for them, but it's not as advanced as Genelec GLM.

[@Chris-sj5fh]

I need something for on a bookshelf where distance to back is ~6" and had my eye on the DBR62 due to the front port. Erin's advice on that unit here shoots that down.

[@tktran303]

I concur with the KALI IN-8 V2. Thanks to you, I purchased this as a single speaker for my 9 yo's electronic drum kit. Have used for general listening too, as well as party speaker (small wedding

[@ErinsAudioCorner]

That’s awesome!

[@10jsfvideo44]

Thanks Erin. Excellent review. Of the 5 speakers you reviewed which one would work best in my situation where I only have 6" distance from the wall to the back of the speaker. Also the side of left speaker is only 3" from the wall.

[@vladimirjovanovic2803]

Good stuff! I love these comparisons. What I find interesting is your reasoning behind choosing these particular speakers instead of any others you've reviewed in this category.

[@ErinsAudioCorner]

Cool! Just keep in mind. These are my reasons. Others may disagree and have different preferences but I like to let people know why I like what I do.

[@vladimirjovanovic2803]

@ErinsAudioCorner exactly what's important and what shows good transparency from your side! This is really hard to come by in this YT world - everyone is stating an opinion, which is subjective, but hardly anyone is ready to own up to it. That's perhaps why we have so much of those "this is the best..." titles on the reviews

[@claudiusviracocha1651]

Have you tried the Edifier S1000MKII? These active bookshelf speakers are a total audio blast! Even though the Edifier S2000MKIII 2.0 has planar tweeters, the Edifier S1000MKII seems to play a bit better! Edifier is much lower priced, but a real good audio and quality! Edifier is a company made by audiophiles too!

[@ron5493]

I have just enough experience to recognize someone who has More! ha! I have never heard such a useful way of describing speaker measurements, amp power, room acoustics, etc in a complete picture with zero bull crap. Amazing. Where else can you go to see both $300 speakers and $30k speakers with all hype removed?!

[@michaeldina1103]

I think it’s telling that we didn’t see any floor standing speakers in this video. I’d guess that was due to larger cabinets having resonance issues at the lower price point.

[@randolfwerner2117]

I would put the KEF Q350 on the list, it is similar to the Q150 for almost the same price but less compromised in the bass region due to the bigger 165 mm driver (vs. 130 mm). For the KEF Q350 bass performance I just posted a little trick in Amir's review on Audio Science Review (page 27). If the bass is well balanced but not deep with the port closed and too boomy with the port open or half open you can try to extend the bassreflex tunnel by about 14cm to lower the port tuning frequency. This may give you a surprisingly deep and balanced bass extension. Of course the result is very room dependent. Details and in room measurements can be found in my Audio Science Review post. One can easily build it from a piece of slotted pipe isolation from the hardware store in a few minutes (if you don't care how the back of the speaker actually looks like) to give it a try.

[@JukeboxAlley]

The kef q350 is an amazing speaker, especially for the price, they can rival much much more expensive speakers, and personally I enjoyed them more than the ls50 and ls50 metas I had.

[@jemsmay2167]

Both really good speakers, but many people (including me) prefer the Q150 to the 350. 150 being more clear, balanced and with a better soundstage. 350s may have an edge in larger rooms tho; I listen to the 150s from about 10 ft in a 15x15 ft room and they fill the room easily. I compared the 150s to my beloved classic large Advents in a much larger room, and the KEFs could not keep up.

[@scdude9509]

I suggested Erin to review the KEF Q350 before too. Here in the EU they are as you say almost the same price as the Q150 (in the US, I think the difference is significantly larger though, and I think that's why they are not on Erin's radar). I have a pair and they are fantastic with EQ. They are too warm and muddy for me in the lower midrange default. But EQ'ed they play down to 35 Hz in my small room at adequate SPL to satisfy me.

[@MeTuLHeD]

I've used the Kali's as the primary monitor in my studio since they were first released. Great speakers.

[@adamjj85]

Great list Erin! Ascend Acoustics are on my list to check out. How about Joe's favorite Monolith stuff?

[@ErinsAudioCorner]

It’s good stuff, but doesn’t quite make the list for me. With equalization they can really be helped, but I think I could say that for all the speakers on this list too.

[@ChicagoRob2]

Check out the Ascend Acoustics Sierra LX. They are mind-blowing good.

[@donnowak4304]

Erin, I have the IN5's and found the dip switch treble boost helps with that dip. Have you tried that? Love my Kali's.

[@markiep8477]

For the ELAC, you are showing the image of the Reference version of that speaker.

[@RP-ms7lu]

Nice list. I hv excellent kef q150, now planning to add polk R200.

[@justinschlicher631]

What about the Q350 over the Q150?

[@Bucking-s4i]

Yeah I was also wondering that. They can be found for 400-450€ a pair here in Germany

[@scottbennett3119]

I really enjoy that you post detailed measurements. About a year ago I tried the KEF Q150, it sounded pretty good but it seemed to make all drums sound like snare drums by adding a metallic effect. Zero Fidelity noticed this also. I was wondering if that peak a little past 1K or the rise starting at 7K on up is responsible for that issue. Did you notice the metallic sound, Erin? Good video, thanks.

[@yiixxa7695]

Can you do $1500 and under towers?

[@8lec_R]

Would you suggest bookshelfs with an amp or studio monitors. Just want accurate ish audio for a larger room. Mainly for mixing for videos but hopefully soon for some music

[@Никита-й7р6п]

The increase in volume at the edges of the frequency range may be due to the fact that the listener who chooses these speakers likes to listen quieter. Equal loudness contour.

[@celstark]

Do the Kali speakers run an ADC and do onboard DSP for EQ and crossover?

[@celstark]

I’ll answer my own question. Yes, that’s the setup. The follow-up is that I hope they also make the “home” version with digital inputs the way the MM-6 did for the LP6. Streaming digital music to go DAC, ADC, DSP, DAC is a bit silly.

[@andreivalles]

Hello! Just wanted to let you know that I upgraded my speakers and bought the Klipsch RP-600M II based on your recommendation. Can confirm, they are great. They are also very versatile. For shows and movies, I like the "Klipsch sound" as it brings out more details in the dialogue (I don't like subtitles). Even my wife doesn't need subtitles anymore! For music, I use the EQ settings from your main review video (with some very slight modifications) and now I have excellent music as well! Thank you for doing such an extensive review of this set of speakers. It really helped with my decision making process. PS. I wish you had Canadian affiliate links. I wanted to buy them using your link, but I am based in Canada.

[@TheCoutter]

Why didn't the new Vanatoo's make the cut? Specifically the T1E+?

[@JoseFerreira-zb7wh]

I thought you prefered the rp500m II to the rp600m IIs? If it has to do with bass extension i guess having the 500s with a subwoofer would put them ahead the 600s?

[@ErinsAudioCorner]

Yep. 👍

[@bearclaw5115]

@@JoseFerreira-zb7wh Steve G. reviewed both and preferred the R200 for bringing a bit more party to the party.

[@JoseFerreira-zb7wh]

@@bearclaw5115 yes. some prefer the r200, others the r100 but but nobody trashed it. i think most agreed the r100 is a more neutral speaker, so maybe Erin would like it.

[@noahbirdrevolution]

I've had the kali lp6 for light production/desktop monitors for years. Great bang for your buck. Not the most revealing but pleasant.

[@jemsmay2167]

Love my KEF Q150s, glad to see they made your list. I run them with a Denon receiver as stereo speakers and as fronts in a 5.1 HT set up. The denon mellows the highs a bit (at least I think it does…) and the 150s make excellent HT speakers due to their spacial sound and wide soundstage. They do need a sub as you noted. I have them on ear height stands about 6” from the wall, would love your thoughts on optimal placement.

[@elisebright]

Thank you for the compilation. A long time ago I bought the R3 Metas because of your review and they've been great. i'm definitely looking to see if I can buy an IN-8s in the future for another setup.

[@bokramubokramu8834]

What audio source did you use for testing the Kalis? Did you use a dac or did you connect the speakers straight from the rca/xlr ?

[@helsonly722]

How does the klipsch rp500m mkii compare to the rp600m ii?

[@garyausten5939]

I have the RP-600M2s as my L/R mains. I recently replaced my "zipwire" Monster cable with a pair of 12G Mediabridge cables and noticed an immediate difference...the whole sound field lowered (more bass and less shrilly treble) I have them paired with an RP-1200SW and and an SPL-120 (along with the rest of my H/T system for multi-channel entertainment). My next upgrade will likely be a 65" OLED or Mini-LED to replace my 50" QNED. Looking forward to Prime Day or Black Friday!! I currently have the speakers on axis towards my single seating position.

[@MechAdv]

I thought you liked the RP500m over the RP600m?

[@Alambe727]

Well Klipch for me they are awesome The other speakers on this list have issues that would not work for me in my set up.

[@frankloaf9510]

Not sure how you can recommend a powered speaker in a group of passive speakers without address the extra challenges of using a powered speaker with traditional home audio and video sources plus the complexity of integrating a subwoofer.

[@bbfoto7248]

Not really a major issue, IMO. Not everyone already has or wants/needs a full traditional home audio component setup with multiple audio and video source components. In addition, these types of active studio monitors might be considered as a purchase for a Secondary System in a home office or bedroom, or music for a small restaurant, gym, etc. For example, Yes, my main 2-channel rig uses traditional separate HiFi components and multiple separate audio & video sources with passive loudspeakers. But in my casual listening setup for my bedroom, I am using a pair of the active KALI Audio IN-8 2nd Wave studio monitors connected directly to an iFi ZEN Blue v2 Bluetooth receiver. Simple and Easy Peasy. For this type of use case scenario and/or for a smaller desktop setup, active studio monitors are often the simplest and best solution. In addition, KALI Audio and most other Active Studio Monitor Manufacturers also offer a few different subwoofers that are designed to match with and connect to their main studio monitors and provide both the LPF for the sub as well as a corresponding HPF with preouts for the main monitors. There are also traditional home stereo or home theater subs with these types of features and connections if you check before purchasing. It's really not all that difficult if you do some research. Erin's decision to include active studio monitors as a recommendation actually help to provide more options for a wider audience of people that might not all have the same use case scenario.

[@Legolad]

Thanks Erin. I wonder if you have a video in the works about kitting out an Atmos set of speakers. I think I'm finally ready to buy into Atmos, but I don't want to reflect audio off the ceiling. Currently I'm planning to do Front L/R, Center, Rear L/R, and 2 Front Height and 2 Rear Height plus subs. So 9 speakers without the subs. Would love to hear your thoughts on which speakers to consider for such a room. Maybe 2 or 3 different budgets like a min/mid/max budget?

[@ErinsAudioCorner]

I’m working on a video for budget minded speakers either under $500 or $300/pair.

[@liamporter1137]

Awesome references for people buying speakers. Hope you can share your selection for speakers under 10,000 too.

[@richardgrant418]

Hey Erin Another excellent comparison 👍👍 Have you tested the Monitor Audio Bronze 100 ‘s They could well be the favourite of those who place higher priority on bass and or value Pretty sure they’re the only small-ish bookshelf speakers with an 8” woofer. They also look sleek, and the tweeter has a small waveguide My reading around suggests they are the best value of the four different Monitor Audio bookshelves: a smaller Bronze 50, and two more exp Silver Usually $725, though at least one place is selling some colours for only 450.

[@Farpun]

For near field, desktop listening is it better to go active or passive? Thanks for your amazing channel

[@EverydayElectronics23]

Active

[@anthonymiriello5029]

Professor Erin, another well taught combination of reviewing and audio education. You breaknit down, in easy to digest pieces for us common folk. Actually, am on the fence about buying the Ascend Sierra lx V2. The sensitivity has me concerned. My current standmounts are css criton 1TDX. They are sweet, power hungry and a bit on warmer side. Looking for a sound that can offer little less warmth, more air but retain detail articulation. Any suggestions around the Ascend Sierra lx prices or under?

[@anamerican1054]

Presented very well. Have you thought about doing something like this for home theater sound? 5.1, 7,1 7.1.2. I really like your center speaker review. I'm looking for some speakers to put on the ceiling. I'm pretty happy with my 7.1 setup and the speakers I chose. It's not all that, NHT speakers with Energy RVSS for the back. I like silk dome tweeters.

[@ErinsAudioCorner]

All of these speakers would work well for Home theater. Especially the coaxial ones when it comes to ceiling speakers for Atmos. That’s where their wider vertical distribution really helps out.

[@1337sim1]

I see the man itself beat me to it! I wanted to say, just get the best KEF you can afford for your HT. Their coaxial drivers design create good horizontal and vertical directivity👍 They are usually easy to EQ also because of that design 😎

[@anamerican1054]

@@1337sim1 I was looking at those KEF speakers. Not sure it their tweeters will match up well with my NHT speakers. I was nicely surprised that the Energy speakers for the back matched up really well.

[@1337sim1]

@@anamerican1054 like I said, you can EQ them to your taste. But personally, I would just start fresh and replace everything with KEF, Genelec, Kali or other coaxial speakers. If you're patient maybe you could buy used LS50s and slowly replace your speakers everywhere (left, front, center, surrounds, etc) Those speakers need a good amplifier though. AVR+power amplifiers probably in your case.

[@x-techgaming]

What about channel matching with the Kali IN-8 V2? It could vary a lot from speaker to speaker, if only 1 was tested.

[@kylegiangrande9611]

Are the kali audios even Hifi speakers? Are they not studio monitors for music production

[@KofiBaffour-t8o]

and those are HiFI too... don't be taken in by marketing mumbo jumbo

[@GREGBT69]

Can you connect the Kalis to an av receiver?

[@ErinsAudioCorner]

Yeah, if your receiver has pre-outs. Probably has RCA output which you can use.

[@prabhurc3]

I watched all of your reviews and ended up getting dbr62. So happy with my purchase, i liked the bump as well around 100 it had. It will be awesome if you can suggest some good integrated amp or receiver under 1000$ matching dbr62 power needs.

[@ErinsAudioCorner]

I like the WiiM Amp as long as you don’t need a boatload of power. For most rooms at 10 feet away it should be “adequate” but it won’t rock your socks off if you listen really loudly. This NAD C 268 is a solid amp that I’ve had good luck recommending as well: howl.me/clfZeNZfiWG

[@prabhurc3]

Thanks for the suggestion Erin! One follow up question. I do watch movies at loud volume. Currently have paired dbr62 with svs 3000 micro and have set the cross over at 80. Now that subwoofer is taking off some load, do you think wimm amp will be sufficient? Or going for nad c268 will still make a difference irrespective of having a sub? Thanks in advance.

[@alwayspushing2031]

Literally 8-9 hours left!! BH Photo Klipsch 600m ii $299.00!!! Plus free shipping for me in Michigan.

[@SparK17299]

Great video Erin! Would something like a Neumann monitor make your list if we were talking about a tad higher price point? And in general, what do you think about something like genelecs or neumanns for purely music enjoyment. Appreciate your content and knowledge!

[@xavdeman]

Where would the Emotiva B1+ be in this group?

[@dmagin777]

hmm.. interesting.. i didn't see my wharfedale evo 4.2s on the under $2000 either, but maybe i missed the "under $1500 speaker" list... ;)

[@Xmvw2X]

Awesome comparison video. You covered a lot of excellent points, and I liked the particular attention to room effect and reflection energy tuning.

[@Veen0.]

I understand that these are a significantly older pair of monitors, but I’d love to see a review on the Yamaha HS8s with your setup since I’m curious about the vertical/horizontal dispersion and the optimal off-axis position.

[@SylviaVanderlay]

¡Gracias!

[@chinmeysway]

excellent vid! i have the older ascend acoustic sierra v1, love that the company uses bamboo, they’re so solid. and i mix on the kali in5s (which i bought based on your review couple yrs ago.

[@Monkeyseemonkey79]

Thank you for putting this together. I may have my wires crossed but I thought you prefer the Klipsch 500 to the 600(?)

[@pinusmasterful]

How would a Kali IN-8 V2 compare to Lintons in a stereo setup for music and movies? @ErinsAudioCorner would love your opinion!

[@brianlewis5042]

Love your baseline description of how far you pull a speaker away from the wall and on axis seating position. I gives us an idea of how you measure and review a particular speaker. I the abundance of sub $1k speakers on the market, feel you covered some of the best that this price range has to offer. Thanks

[@4thewinir344]

Great list Erin, nice to see the variety of brands and costs. I don’t think I’ll be retiring my OG Debut B6 or RP600M anytime soon, but glad their lineage made the list.

[@SylviaVanderlay]

Cheers! Great video with lots of information, love the practical advice as well (absortion, toeing in/out, etc.) I have to confess that I often need to watch your reviews several times to follow through and grasp the information (and that is great!)

[@spoudaois]

I have and love the Kef Q 150s for my bedroom. I have it with an ayima amp and dac with a REL subwoofer.

[@mikedinno8413]

Speaking of Ascend Acoustics I have the Ascends 340SE2. That would easily make this list if you reviewed them. Their whole Signature Series line would.

[@dnd6379]

Have to disagree about the r200 not having enough bass, I had a neighbour complain they can feel vibrations through the wall, they have too much bass infact I always have to eq down the bass because it just eats up the room, so be warned that this is not good near walls or medium or smaller sized rooms, i remedied this by putting huge blocks of foam behind them to suck up the bass frequencies and still running them on -3db bass

[@bbfoto7248]

@dnd6379 Bass, OR MIDbass?

[@dnd6379]

​@@bbfoto7248 subbass, I dont think midbass would vibrate my neighbours room while I didn't even have them that loud. There was more bass in their room than in mine, the bass just eats through the walls, and these are eu thick brick walls. I also heard the really low rumble from everywhere in the apartment. It similar but less volume to the 10" svs subwoofer I heard (it rattled the door handle and the doors with that sub). You can feel that the speakers woofer is moving the air in the room instantly when you hear it (it's like the pressure changes), I can't believe myself they got this amount of bass. I can feel it vibrate the bed sheets when I'm laying down and up the volume. This is subwoofer level of bass. And when you put them where they are the most happy which is super loud the body vibrates/pulses from the bass. Do note I do have thick foam blocks around the room in the corners as well as on walls but they do nothing when it comes to sub bass. What did help is either moving them closer to the middle of the room or putting blocks of foam directly behind them (10cm thick foam). Also ratchet & clank rift apart has so much bass, more than any game i've heard.

[@JukeboxAlley]

I would have to add in the klipsch nines (class d amps) and focal alpha 80 (class ab amps if early version, new 80 evo class d) if including powered speakers, both are very very good in my opinion.

[@richh650]

Very good group of speakers listed and Excellent explanations of the sound characteristics of each speaker, Erin!

[@herrtrigger7220]

Elac DBR62 is legit, you could run those as L/C/R in most a surround rigs without issue. As good as the lower tier Elac debut 6.2 is, the DBR is head and shoulders better. IMO it's better than the bottom two Revel books using the same size woofer, certainly for the $$.

[@dparm1984]

Any runner-ups that are worth discussing? Or any speakers that can go on sale just below the $1000 mark? (Kef LS50 Meta, for example)

[@klepp19]

Get the Klipsch RP500 M II!

[@dparm1984]

@@klepp19 why

[@Harrisongrey19]

@@dparm1984don’t buy those, better speakers out there for sure

[@vishS14]

Awesome I was choosing between Adam Audio T8V and the Kali Audio Choose for the Adam because of price and amt sounds nicer to my ears. Love to see a comparison between an Adam Audio A series and the Kali

[@LessTalkMoreDelicious]

I use Yamaha HS8 and I'm happy with them (before that I used HS5, and before that KRK Rokit8). But, wanna upgrade to bigger cabinets (12" or 15" woofers) when I have money. I'd love to see you review Yamaha DZR12 or DZR15... I know they're a PA, but wanna see their data results as a HiFi/home speaker (yes, its' unintended use). It may be a good alternative and a poorman's JBL L100 Classic or Klipsch Forte/Cornwall. I hear nothing but good things about them - the most neutral PA ever, super clear, detailed, accurate, not shrill/harsh like typical PAs, very pleasing sound, nice tone, etc.

[@damayor62]

Outstanding as always and what a great list Erin. Only a couple of these have ever made my short list to buy over the years but that short list just got bigger after this episode. I'm especially intrigued with the Ascend Acoustics. Thank you and keep up the great work.

[@Zero8880]

I currently run KEF Q150s for my 2.1 desktop pc setup, paired with the Dayton HTA 200 tube amp. I just ordered a pair of Polk Audio Reserve R200s to replace KEF Q150s, which I'll use for my 2nd desktop setup. Will the Polk's be a noticeable upgrade over the KEFs?

[@cartilagehead]

Curious about your thoughts regarding the KEF Q350 vs the 150. I hear some people rate them lower and even say that the extra size doesn't contribute to a meaningful increase in bass extension over the smaller speakers, or that the 350 aren't worth the extra money over the 150. Both models tend to go on discount at the same time (although recently I've seen more sales for the 150 than the 350, for whatever reason), and at sale price they're like $100 apart per pair which isn't the worst.

[@ErinsAudioCorner]

Unfortunately, I don’t have personal experience with the Q350 so I really can’t say.

[@andreassouth1523]

Thank you Erin for this nice comparison..What about Q Acoustics 3030i.Very deep bass,nice mids/vocals and not bright highs.

[@ChicagoRob2]

Erin is the Gold Standard in audio review channels.

[@Casey.S.]

Good stuff Erin 👍 And glad to see the Elac dbr62's getting some love. I was highly impressed by them. Got them for $500 "b-stock" in perfect condition. What a steal.

[@ErinsAudioCorner]

Right on!

[@shipsahoy1793]

I like the Elacs too, Casey! The Polks would probably be cool too with the right subwoofer. I thought Erin did a great job coming up with pics that at least one of them would be preferred by anyone interested in this price range.

[@dylanmitchell3978]

Would be neat to do something like this but for desktop speakers. Speakers that like being close to the wall and sound good in the nearfield.

[@Cactuspractice12]

Great video. Do you have any plans to make a video about the Pro-ject Speakerbox 5 S2's?

[@bbfoto7248]

@ErinsAudioCorner Excellent comparison. 👍 IMO one significant thing that I think should be noted about the KALI Audio IN-8 2nd Wave Studio Monitors (which also applies to most other active studio monitors), is that there are a good deal of frequency response shaping controls on the back panel of each speaker that can help to balance the response in your room depending on speaker placement and/or the acoustics of your particular room, as well as personal preference. I'm using the KALI IN-8 v2 in my "casual listening" bedroom setup combined with an iFi ZEN Blue v2 Bluetooth receiver and taking advantage of its LDAC codec 900/990kbps high quality wireless streaming. With my limited placement options for these speakers in the bedroom, those tonality-shaping controls made it very easy to balance the in-room response without having to resort to additional EQ in my playback source. For most setups like this, and/or smaller rooms, I would even say that KALI IN-5 2nd Wave is the better option AND value, as it's a bit smaller but doesn't give up much on the low end extension or in overall output capability (see Erin's reviews for both). If you really want those lowest octaves from 20-40Hz with authority, you'll want a subwoofer either way. But in my particular use case scenario, I don't feel the need for a subwoofer at all, and I think the smaller KALI IN-5 v2 would've been the better choice because I ended up switching the bass response down on the IN-8. I'm a drummer, and good kickdrum/bass drum reproduction with realistic impact & dynamics is important to me, along with realistic upright acoustic bass and electric bass guitar playing their lowest notes. The Kali IN-8 v2 have no problem bringing a smile to my face in this regard. Cheers

[@MikeK6046]

Wow, this review supports "for me anyway" that (very good, not excellent mind you) speakers can be had for below $1,000. As for me, based on downsizing to a smaller place I sold off my complete $10K system and replaced it with an approximate $550 integrated amp and the Elac dbr62's. This system provided me 80ish% the refinement, but 95%/ 100% overall listening pleasure to my previous system (maybe this is because of my room, or I'm getting easier to please?!?)

[@veredictum4503]

Hey, first time here. Appreciate this. Not only is this price range "Goldilocks", but I like those graphs and objective measurements. Yes, beauty, taste, etc is all subjective, but nothing like hard data to back up the subjective feelings. Like measuring out the amount of sugar in soft drinks, for example. I'm surprised the Kali can both perform well in sound, plus be powered, at that price. Buying an external amp can easily be another $1,000 (Goldilocks range again). How do they do it? Unless all the other manufacturers are just making fatter margins.

[@michaelhess4825]

I love my DBR62's paired with an 8" pioneer sub and 10" monoprice sub. Sounds absolutely amazing in my office! All ran from a simple Yamaha 100watt AVR.

[@andreassouth1523]

So the dbr62 doew not have deep bass??

[@bashibashi1]

Appreciate you doing both horizontal and vertical graphs! I've subbed and will be scrubbing through your bookshelf vids.

[@herrtrigger7220]

Another great video, on a subject near and dear to most of us these days. Keep up the great work Erin, I'd say you are prolly the #1 internet audio guy right now brother. From the devout ASR monks to the voodoo cable kooks, everybody loves Erin (even the Tekton guys).

[@Anox99]

What would be an upgrade to Polk ES20 for a small room (16m2) that plays good at low volumes and has the best soundstage and "immersion" (so i can close my eyes and imagine im "there"), 800€ budget, paired with Wiim Amp for now.

[@davidpungercar5430]

I upgraded from polk es 20 to r200 big improvement more clear, wider soundstage, i have the r200 with svs subwoofer sounds great

[@AzGael]

what avr would you recommend to pair them? im actually eyeing a pair of kef q150 now that prime days are coming, thanks for the amazing reviews btw, your content rocks!

[@CinemaDemocratica]

How are the R200's at low volumes?

[@vicentvanmole]

enjoy your review . However , for the Kali speaker, I was shocked once seeing the construction, after I go through some other utuber review to see & compare , it's far below the sound quality vs the instrument review. That truly lead me to believe measurements could not fully reflect quality of sound (some a great difference). Best to hear it in person,instead of what others may suggested.

[@ErinsAudioCorner]

Yeah. And I listened to them. As well as many producers who use them. Maybe relying on one guys tear down of a speaker isn’t the best route. Especially if said KZbinr doesn’t have any engineering knowledge...

[@Shinreixdk]

Would you say the Kali is better than the Thomann speakers when considering price and if you live in Europe?

[@jasonm3871]

I know not everybody will consider the used market, but what you can get for up to $1k is crazy. I’m grabbed a pair of beautiful Vienna Acoustics Mozart Grand’s for well under $1k!

[@rodmcleod4897]

Just wondering why you never mention q acoustic 3020is or 3030i...they wwould give any of these speakers mentioned a run for there money or even sound much better then any of them

[@ErinsAudioCorner]

I've reviewed a couple Q Acoustics speakers and haven't really been happy with them so far. The two I've reviewed and listened to were too bright for my liking.

[@mcsenny4793]

Why no Swissonic A306/A305 here? Would they be on the list were they not discontinued?

[@ErinsAudioCorner]

Yes.