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Consumer Reports Rates Bookshelf Speakers


nortynorty

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I received the new CR yesterday which rated bookshelf loudspeakers. Of the 28(?) they rated, 23 were rated Very Good - Excellent. The Synergy Seriers SB-3's were close to the bottom with an overall Good rating. They based their ratings on the speakers ability to produce pure tones of different frequencies. They commented that the speakers produced good mid-bass and did better with a boost in the treble. Some of the speakers which performed much better and received higher ratings were surprising to me.

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I recieve Consumer Reports also,so I should be getting it today or tommorow.

Here's the problem I have with their rating system;

Even though they put them through extensive lab testing they don't do the most important test. They don't really 'listen' to them and judge them on actual sound.

I used will use their criteria on their lab tests to narrow my choice down,but I won't rush out and buy them on their recomendations. It's the actual sound that really counts and they don't judge them that way.

Speakers sound different regardless of the specs.

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I once read in consumer reports that they gave the Chevrolet Corvette a poor rating due to poor rust resistance. That made me fall over in my chair. A corvette is made of fiberglass, which doesn't rust.

T-man

------------------

KG 5.5 (mains)

KG 2.2v (center)

KG 1 (rears)

KSW-12 (sub)

Denon AVR 681/1601

Toshiba SD-3109 DVD

Kenwood LVD700 LD

Sony CD changer

Sony 27" Trinitron

Sony PLX I

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My pet CR peeve is that they tend to "test" mainstream (read that "popularly priced" trendy items of "Inquiring Minds") and that doesn't help much when you have "Klipsch Ears" or a "Corvette Foot!" cwm4.gif HornEd

PS: Hey, Olaf, I like your hat!

This message has been edited by HornEd on 06-29-2001 at 09:44 AM

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Yeah HornEd!!! We don't only share the same 'hat,' we also share the same first name..lol It not fun being a Swede. The real reason I picked the cool hat is because I'm a Minn. Vikings fan and history buff. They left me down(again) just like my Yamaha receiver did....arrghhhh

Well,my CR copy didn't show up in the mail today...darn!!;-)

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Hey, "Cousin" Olaf... we may share more than you think... all my grandparents were born in either Southern England or Northern Germany... and according to my ophthalmologist, I have a somewhat rare eye disease that "proves" I have Nordic blood in my veins. One thing about those Vikings, they didn't mind making house callscwm27.gif!

I too have been a Viking fan since I flew into Minneapolis to speak at a three-day technical conference in a blizzard. I was met by some industrial cuties who took me by limo through the blizzard to the Radisson, given a suite and then helped into the sauna, etc., etc., etc.! Three days later the ladies of Swedish extract (employees of the host and BIG Viking's fans), my job done, whisked me back and put me on the plane. All the while the record blizzard raged. They may not have fun being Swedes... but I sure did.

Red McCombs (the new Viking owner) is a real prince. He came into San Antonio, TX as an 18 year old unemployed person with zero connections. He got a job washing cars at the local Ford dealer. The owner gave him a chance to sell cars... he wound up owing the dealership. I knew him from my dealings with the San Antonio Spurs (in which he was the principal owner)... I know he wanted to bring an NFL team to the Alamo city... but he really seems enthralled with the Viking fan base. It sure will be interesting to watch.

I think I'll cool off by reading a couple of Technical posts... this General section is raising my blood pressure. Next post it will be speakers, honest BobG!

cwm5.gifSorry, seems I got my "Horn" stuck in "monkey business." HornEd

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According to the very well informed folks at consumer reports, NO ONE needs to spend over five or six hundred dollars for a pair of speakers. Gee, I wish I'd known that before I bought my klipschorns! Think of the money I could have saved. Could have gotten a lifetime subscription to CR, plus a lovely pair of (pick a brand; flavor of the month, vinyl wrapped, 6 1/2" woofered bookshelf sound appliance).

Not to rain on this Viking love-fest or anything, BUT the Rams are lookin' to go all the way - again!!!

------------------

JDMcCall

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Red Mc is a crook. Anyone who is friends with Henry Cinsneros is no one to be trusted. I lived in San Antonio for 22 years, southside. Pecan Valley area.Know of it? We have put up with corrupt politics like you have never seen, and those two can sure be in the thick of it.

I hear Rush talk about Red....if he only knew......

------------------

Yamaha 595a

SB-1's (pair)

SC .5 (center)

SS.5's (pair, rear channels)

Polk PSW350 subwoofer

Zenith 27" TV

Toshiba 3109 DVD player

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quote:

Originally posted by t-man:

I once read in consumer reports that they gave the Chevrolet Corvette a poor rating due to poor rust resistance. That made me fall over in my chair. A corvette is made of fiberglass, which doesn't rust.

T-man


And yet Chevrolet dealers had Vegas rusting on the showroom floors. LOL

------------------

Tom

KLF-20 Mahogany

McIntosh C33 (now off life support)

Rotel RB-1080

Yamaha PF-800 Turntable/ Sure V15 Type V Cartridge

Ortofon VMS-30 mkII Cartridge

Stanton 999SS Cartridge

Carver TL-3100 CD

Yamaha K-1020 Cassette

dbx 1231 EQ

H.H. Scott 830z Analyzer

Monster Interlink 400mk II


Monster Interlink 300 mk II

Studio Tech U-48RW Cabinet

Original 12ga. Monster Cable

Enough boxes for a fire hazard!

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In deference to the "sound" orientation of this board, afraid, please note the short-cut "monkey business" reference. cwm42.gif I sat on the San Antonio's special Economic Advisory Panel for many years during the 70's because of my "egghead" rather than my sense of outrage. I tried to bring some balance to the folks from Boerne to Pecan Valley. You have more than K-ears, you have lived in two of my favorite S.A. areas. I lived in Inspiration Hills for better airport access... but, then, at least I was able to kick back with K-horns. Now I just hum "All My Exes Live in Texas!"

My comment on Red was in reference to what he can do if he wants to... not how he would do it. I'll save that for a more political forum.

And, yes, the Rams are FUN! I was a big Cowboys fan... but a lot of that was because I was lucky enough to count Tom Landry among my friends. Not many know it, but Tom was a B-17 pilot in WWII and did a commercial with the still flying B-17 "Chuckie" based at my favorite Vintage Flying Museum at Meacham in Fort Worth. Wow, no wonder I surrounded myself with Klipsch Legends... I may be turning into an antique. Oh, well, I suppose it is better than the alternative. cwm34.gif HornEd

This message has been edited by HornEd on 06-30-2001 at 07:17 AM

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Well,I'm not going to get into politics here.(even though I agree Cinsneros is a crook)

For those who enjoy good political discussion,debates and the latest news go here...

http://www.pipebombnews.com/bbs/latestr.cfm

Cousin HornEd

LOL...I have roots from the same area in Europe too!!!

I'll bet with all those 'Swedish Ladies' you weren't even aware of the blizzard! :-)

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You really have to read between the lines when you read Consumer Reports, well I like their long repair records on automobiles, their values are not the same as mine,

for example, sometimes cars with bad rpair records sell for less than cars with good repair records, if the problem is already fixed, you can get a good deal in a fixed car with a bad record ...

CR also sees no difference in CD players (remember, the specs on CDs are flawless, so that means there is no difference in the sound ... yeah, right)

They do tell you which system gives you the most bang for the buck, which receiver, for example, has the best combination of power and features, with little emphasis on the quality of the sound

size is a very important criteria for them, as it is with many of my friends, so small white Jewel cubes, from that other horn company, rank very high, not only with CR, but also with many of my friends

for me, size and looks will become important when I have the best sound I can afford and the winning numbers on tonite's lotto ...

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I got my copy yesterday and some of those top rated speakers are very surprising.....301's?????

I think those testers are tone deaf. ;-)

Then I got another shock...they tested beer too. My two favorites both showed up in the rankings. One (Sam Adams) came in first!..:-)

The other (St.Pauli) was near the bottom. They were supposed to be beer experts,but I wonder if the guy who tested the imports had a cold or something.

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