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Best of very cheap speakers?

I'd go with Kef Cresta 1, or the larger Cresta 2 from around Y2000. I sold millions (well nearly) of them when new. £100 and £150 respectively at the time. The Tannoy 'Sixes' series from the 90's were pretty decent, esp the 603 and 605.
 
There's lot of nice speakers in bay.uk. Sadly I'm in outside UK so postage is problem. And many of the most cheapest speakers are little standmounters. It would be much easier with floorstander because you don't need to find _dedicated_ stands. Stands make difference in sound, you can't place them on noname wigglying stand.
 
Old Celestion 3 preferably the original sealed box versions are worth looking out for.

Mordant Short MS20 also quite good and Kef 100 perfectly acceptable

Eddie
 
Early Monitor Audio Speakers (14, 252, 852, MA4 etc.) can be had on e bay for this kind of money if you keep an eye out.
 
AR 18, usually under £30 but will need a refoam. Well worth the effort (& extra £10 IMO). I bought 2 pairs for £25 earlier this year, one needed a refoam, the other is OK.
 
Another vote for the Monitor Audio R252, especially the Real veneer version. A classic Robin Marshall design, in many ways preferable to the larger R352 (have owned examples of both), and still sounding great to these ears. Beautifully veneered sealed enclosure and easy to drive but really come together with something like a Naim Nait or shoebox pre/power. I'm currently listening to a pair in the office driven by a CB NAC62/NAP90 (and a recently purchased early A60) and they're a joy. Not the last word by any means, but they play great music. A reasonable pair could just squeak under your budget.
 
I had (and then sold to a friend) a pair of Mission 761i. They were excellent, especially considering they were £39 on Ebay. Now, in the same second system, I have the final version of the Mission Freedom 770, and I have to agree with the previous poster that they are shockingly good for the money(£50). Amazingly smooth and detailed. Lovely right across the frequency range.
 
Weren't Mission 770's one of the top rated speakers by UK hi-fi magazines in the 1970's?

In that case, if you can get a fully working pair for £50 they would represent excellent value for money.


But why not just do an eBay search for speakers under £50 and see what it throws up?
 
Mignun said:
Another vote for the Monitor Audio R252, especially the Real veneer version.
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A friend of mine was given a pair of these by his uncle, along with a NAD 3020. Not especially subtle but they certainly do loud rock and techno to realistic SPLs. I've seen them go for as much as £25 on ebay. An absolute bargain for that kind of money.
 
How 'bout the 80's Kef celestes (wrap around grills)... amazing little boxes that can be had for 20quid. they feature Audax 100hd tweeters and are a joy.
 
Picked up some Yamaha NS BP200, New, from Superfi for £45 posted, with the right placement (close to the wall) they sound really very decent and look great too - magnetic grills, piano black, banaplugable :) Great tight bass and clear mids/highs at decent volume. Nice big unshielded magnets on the drivers, simple cross over with 2 coils, some resistors and caps.

My Tannoy DC4 are clearly superior, but they cost £250 (yes, they cost £350 since getting uprated to 5 stars in what hifi, amusing!) but for a £45 quid inc. postage...it's a very good deal for a fun speaker that also has the cosmetics sorted.

really do need placement near a wall though, else rather thin and reedy for my tastes, and they are quite deep, physically.

I use them for my keyboard speakers also, keyboard plugged into my amp.
 
lindsayt said:
Weren't Mission 770's one of the top rated speakers by UK hi-fi magazines in the 1970's?

In that case, if you can get a fully working pair for £50 they would represent excellent value for money.


But why not just do an eBay search for speakers under £50 and see what it throws up?
Click to expand...

some comics, like Answers, thought they were the dogs' bollocks. Others thought they were execrable.
 
Celestion DL6 for £11 were surprisingly enjoyable. Rubber surround and a metal dome tweeter. Seem to be under the radar and there are a pair with 2 hrs to go on ebay with no bids at £10.
 
I'm showing my age, I've got Wharfdale 504's in my bedroom, ebay for £27.
They're perfect condition with original boxes .
My brother had a pair late 80's, and I always hankered after them !
 
What about smaller sized bookshelf speakers. I am after two pairs for my daughters to go in bedrooms. Are Mordant Short MS10's any good?

Regards
 
MS10s are good.
Goodmans Maxim II and the original (& Mk2) Diamonds are also great little boxes from the 80s.

A bit bigger but excellent are Heybrook HB2s though they need some space.
Hugely better than the LS3/5 with which they share basic balance, but you can pick them up for £50.
 
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