I have finally gave up on trying to get that sweet sound from small speakers that I used to get from the big speakers of my youth. My question is is their any real difference in sound quality between Cerwin Vega 12 and 15 or for and for any brand for that matter. My room is not small but it isn't a concert hall ether. I'm willing to pay the extra to get the sound I remember but if it's overkill I rather save the money and space if 12" speakers do the job. I have finally gave up on trying to get that sweet sound from small speakers that I used to get from the big speakers of my youth. My question is is their any real difference in sound quality... » Read More I have finally gave up on trying to get that sweet sound from small speakers that I used to get from the big speakers of my youth. My question is is their any real difference in sound quality between Cerwin Vega 12 and 15 or for and for any brand for that matter. My room is not small but it isn't a concert hall ether. I'm willing to pay the extra to get the sound I remember but if it's overkill I rather save the money and space if 12" speakers do the job. « Show Less
1751815
I'm certainly not an expert and I've only owned the 12" models. I'd say they're plenty loud for me. Just need to find an amplifier that will give them enough power (they occupy a weird spot that's too high for most home amps, but don't need as much power as most pro amps put out). One piece of advise I was given though is that if you listen to a lot of rap or hip hop with heavy bass you'll want bigger speakers for more noise, but if you listen to rock or dance music with faster bass then you want smaller speakers because they respond quicker.
1751816
If you get a pair of LS-12's off craigslist in great condition for $200/pair they will rock your house down! They are better than the new model...take out those tiny fuses and triple them..they can handle the power!
1751817
I have the VE-12's and agree they need a lot of power. I have an old JVC RX-1010 that pushes 110w per channel and an old Kenwood 7 band EQ that tones them up real nice. CD's and Digital (iTunes and FLAC files) I run from computer through a Dragon Fly DAC and it is the sound of the 70's and 80's vinyl without the pops and scratches. Los Endos live on Genesis Seconds Out remastered to FLAC at a bit rate of 2700kbs has the bass pedels vibrating my concrete garage floor all the way at the opposite end of the house and no muddiness like the first guy said.. I know, because the ol'lady screams at me to turn it down all the time.. DO NOT use with 5.1 surround you will be disappointed. I have the VE-12's and agree they need a lot of power. I have an old JVC RX-1010 that pushes 110w per channel and an old Kenwood 7 band EQ that tones them up real nice. CD's and Digital (iTunes and FLAC files) I run from computer through a Dragon Fly DAC and it is the sound of the 70's and 80's vinyl without the pops and scratches. Los Endos live on Genesis Seconds Out remastered to FLAC at a bit rate of 2700kbs has the bass pedels vibrating my concrete garage floor all the way at the opposite end of the house and no muddiness like the first guy said.. I know, because the ol'lady screams at... » Read More I have the VE-12's and agree they need a lot of power. I have an old JVC RX-1010 that pushes 110w per channel and an old Kenwood 7 band EQ that tones them up real nice. CD's and Digital (iTunes and FLAC files) I run from computer through a Dragon Fly DAC and it is the sound of the 70's and 80's vinyl without the pops and scratches. Los Endos live on Genesis Seconds Out remastered to FLAC at a bit rate of 2700kbs has the bass pedels vibrating my concrete garage floor all the way at the opposite end of the house and no muddiness like the first guy said.. I know, because the ol'lady screams at me to turn it down all the time.. DO NOT use with 5.1 surround you will be disappointed. « Show Less
1751818
I have two of the VE-12's in a room that is 18' x 26' and they are very loud. My entire house shakes from them actually. Its not so much the size of the speaker as much as it is power. My amp is 250 rms per channel. The 15" model will merely give you slightly lower bass response. 12's are the perfect balance in my opinion, I had 15's in the room previously and these give much better all around sound.
1751819
I think the largest difference is power and sub size. Both the 12 and 15s lack more of a high end, particularly if you don't have a dedicated subwoofer and crank the bass on these to compensate for more bass - this will drown out the high's even more. Another important thing is powering them properly; if you're sacrificing money on larger speakers instead of better power on amp/receiver, I'd get better power and get the 12s instead of 15s. I run these on a 100W/ch Yamaha receiver and find it very lacking. These speakers are meant for more power, and I have a decently small room. They still bump, but the receiver is holding them back severely. I think the largest difference is power and sub size. Both the 12 and 15s lack more of a high end, particularly if you don't have a dedicated subwoofer and crank the bass on these to compensate for more bass - this will drown out the high's even more. Another important thing is powering them properly; if you're sacrificing money on larger speakers instead of better power on amp/receiver, I'd get better power and get the 12s instead of 15s. I run these on a 100W/ch Yamaha receiver and find it very lacking. These speakers are meant for more power, and I have a decently small room. They still... » Read More I think the largest difference is power and sub size. Both the 12 and 15s lack more of a high end, particularly if you don't have a dedicated subwoofer and crank the bass on these to compensate for more bass - this will drown out the high's even more. Another important thing is powering them properly; if you're sacrificing money on larger speakers instead of better power on amp/receiver, I'd get better power and get the 12s instead of 15s. I run these on a 100W/ch Yamaha receiver and find it very lacking. These speakers are meant for more power, and I have a decently small room. They still bump, but the receiver is holding them back severely. « Show Less
1751820
The 12s are great. I use them for outside parties and you can hear them at least a couple of blocks away. I am living on Spain right now, so noise laws are really loose if you invite the neighbourghs. I got these speakers for the reasons you mention "Old School" Sound. And they have not disappointed me at all. They are amazing. I cannot tell you how the 15s sound, but the 12s are worth every penny.
715629
Go with the 12". The 15" I have no experience with beyond specs. I had to choose myself and went with the 12" to keep the bass clear and tight. The 15" produce an even lower frequency range I was uninterested in. I had returned a set of JBLs with twin 15" (two woofers per speaker) then purchased these. They were overkill for my need. The 12" still have mega bass but no ultra low frequencies that, in my opinon, muddy a good track anyway...
1751821
I never had the 15's, but I'll tell you, with the right amount of power from a good receiver, the VE12's will blow you out of the room. These guys have huge sound and are the best loudspeakers on the market for the price. No doubt.
1751822
12's are great. I wanted them also to get the great sound I remembered as a kid. The only difference with 15's is you get a bigger sub woofer. Which means better bass , I bought the 12's and put the cerwin vega bookshelfs with them for movies only. The 12's do the job very well and are crystal clear.
1303394
I have the Polk TSi400's. Doing a side-by-side sound comparison is virtually impossible anymore since few if any stores will carry both speakers you are considering like these. I have seen the Pioneers before and will say that the Polks are much more expensive looking. The Pioneers have gotten favorable reviews in the audio publications however. I have zero regrets about buying the Polks and I paid more than the current selling price.
2004349
When I purchased the 75T's, I had the same question. The most detailed comparisons I found said that the low frequency range was slightly larger for the 75T's and that the highs are somewhat muted. The overall consensus was that it is very difficult to hear any difference between the two speakers; both are great pieces of equipment.
2002696
No. I had cerwin vega speakers that were 15 yrs old and still looked new. As long as they're in a good environment u will have no problems
281075
As an audio engineer, I can personally tell the difference between the two models. However, to the untrained ear of a casual listener it will be very difficult to notice any difference. This will also differ from person to person as every set of ears and every human brain are just a little bit different. Therefore not every human being is capable of hearing all of the frequencies being omitted from the speakers. That being said, the difference between models is their frequency range. Ask yourself these questions before making a decision : 1) Do you commonly notice a difference in the overall sound quality when listening to music on different speakers? 2) Does your listening pleasure diminish when you notice these differences? 3) Are you the kind of person that doesn't mind spending a little more money if you know that you will be getting a better quality product? If you answered yes to these questions, then I would recommend doing as I did and purchasing the 800 model. BTW, if you're "all about that bass" the 800 will also be more appealing as the main difference is the low end frequencies as they always improve with size. I hope this was helpful! Matt. W.
760995
I have to disagree. When I use mine with either my on-board Realtek Azalia or with this SYBA external USB Stereo Sound Adapter for Windows, Mac, Linux Extra Audio Source with Microphone SD-CM-UAUD it sounds loud and very well balanced. They have a "reference" feel, they are very compliant, with a flat response curve. That is, highs, mids, and lows are given the same weight. This is typically found in professional sound equipment, while consumer headphones and speakers are built to accentuate highs and lows. Someone who's used to bass-heavy headphones would probably describe them as weak and tinny, but to my ear they represent bass quite well, if it's there. You can use an EQ to overcome this, and they should comply. I have to disagree. When I use mine with either my on-board Realtek Azalia or with this SYBA external USB Stereo Sound Adapter for Windows, Mac, Linux Extra Audio Source with Microphone SD-CM-UAUD it sounds loud and very well balanced. They have a "reference" feel, they are very compliant, with a flat response curve. That is, highs, mids, and lows are given the same weight. This is typically found in professional sound equipment, while consumer headphones and speakers are built to accentuate highs and lows. Someone who's... » Read More I have to disagree. When I use mine with either my on-board Realtek Azalia or with this SYBA external USB Stereo Sound Adapter for Windows, Mac, Linux Extra Audio Source with Microphone SD-CM-UAUD it sounds loud and very well balanced. They have a "reference" feel, they are very compliant, with a flat response curve. That is, highs, mids, and lows are given the same weight. This is typically found in professional sound equipment, while consumer headphones and speakers are built to accentuate highs and lows. Someone who's used to bass-heavy headphones would probably describe them as weak and tinny, but to my ear they represent bass quite well, if it's there. You can use an EQ to overcome this, and they should comply. « Show Less
358690
Yeah that seems to be the deal with the new ultra thin 40" Samsung LEDs. My friend bought one from Best Buy and the sound was so tinny that a sound strip with woofer had to be used or the TV was like a radio compared to a Sony Bravia 40". The only problem with this is you need to turn up the volumn to a mid-high level to notice any difference in the sound. Don't need to have my TV that loud and the speakers in my Sony are just fine for my living room. Why spend extra for a speaker system when you can just buy a Sony and have quality sound from the internal speakers??
262776
rather dated so am sure by now you got your 'not expensive' receiver. i am in the market for speakers and these @195 each are out of my budget. i just scored a PIONEER VSX-524-K for $150 at a local B&M.; everywhere i looked, its going for $250 and reviews are ok too. whatever you get, do not feed the speakers more than they can handle/designed for.
330264
The Klipsch Quintet III system is way better than the Energy Micros. I know they are not the same as the classic, but I was offered the Energy Micros since the classic was discontinued. After comparing the two systems, there was no question that I had to return the Energy Micros and pay the associated "restocking fee."
702909
I have a UE Boom, and love it. But the UE is really big compared to the TDK. For travel, the TDK is the absolute winner. It's the best speaker at its size I've ever heard. I haven't really listened to both the TDK and UE against each other. But I've been listening to the TDK at about 80 dB for the last couple of hours now in an 800 sq foot area and I feel no fatigue. It's very pleasant. I know that's not an audiophile term. It should be. Just transitioned from "All the Young Girls Love Alice" to "All You Need Is Love" and I really like how these speakers present the detail though they can't vibrate the floor. Now we're on to "Alone Again, Naturally" and the tambourine is perfect. Anyhow, buy these speakers. I have a UE Boom, and love it. But the UE is really big compared to the TDK. For travel, the TDK is the absolute winner. It's the best speaker at its size I've ever heard. I haven't really listened to both the TDK and UE against each other. But I've been listening to the TDK at about 80 dB for the last couple of hours now in an 800 sq foot area and I feel no fatigue. It's very pleasant. I know that's not an audiophile term. It should be. Just transitioned from "All the Young Girls Love Alice" to "All You Need Is Love" and I really like how these speakers present the... » Read More I have a UE Boom, and love it. But the UE is really big compared to the TDK. For travel, the TDK is the absolute winner. It's the best speaker at its size I've ever heard. I haven't really listened to both the TDK and UE against each other. But I've been listening to the TDK at about 80 dB for the last couple of hours now in an 800 sq foot area and I feel no fatigue. It's very pleasant. I know that's not an audiophile term. It should be. Just transitioned from "All the Young Girls Love Alice" to "All You Need Is Love" and I really like how these speakers present the detail though they can't vibrate the floor. Now we're on to "Alone Again, Naturally" and the tambourine is perfect. Anyhow, buy these speakers. « Show Less
3269
I was never pushed to buy any size subwoofer. My home theater is a 7.2 speaker system although I use only one subwoofer. I designed for a 15'' and this Cerwin-Vega performs flawlessly. From very low, soft background bass to house moving thunder claps, there are no thumps or bumps. All of by speakers are Cerwin-Vega XLS series speakers. I was lucky enough to get my hands on a calibration CD with frequency ranging from 2 to 25,000 hz. The woofer was very smooth with no roll off drop. I am very happy with this subwoofer and was never pressed in any direction as which to buy.
595796
I agree with yaadman01. Great for music and movies, but limited on bass at louder volumes. For deep bass you are going to need a subwoofer which I have. I replaced an old pair of full range Infinity speakers (same size, two-way) and was pleasantly surprised by the sound. Bright highs from the 3/4" high-freq driver and full mid range and mid bass from the 5-1/4" low-freq driver. I set the speaker size to small with the crossover at 80Hz on my 90W/channel receiver to protect with movies. P153s are rated at 10 - 100W and 58Hz - 20kHz. Hard to go wrong for the price per speaker considering the pair I replaced was three times as expensive. Limited warranty is 5 years parts and labor. I agree with yaadman01. Great for music and movies, but limited on bass at louder volumes. For deep bass you are going to need a subwoofer which I have. I replaced an old pair of full range Infinity speakers (same size, two-way) and was pleasantly surprised by the sound. Bright highs from the 3/4" high-freq driver and full mid range and mid bass from the 5-1/4" low-freq driver. I set the speaker size to small with the crossover at 80Hz on my 90W/channel receiver to protect with movies. P153s are rated at 10 - 100W and 58Hz - 20kHz. Hard to go wrong for the price per speaker... » Read More I agree with yaadman01. Great for music and movies, but limited on bass at louder volumes. For deep bass you are going to need a subwoofer which I have. I replaced an old pair of full range Infinity speakers (same size, two-way) and was pleasantly surprised by the sound. Bright highs from the 3/4" high-freq driver and full mid range and mid bass from the 5-1/4" low-freq driver. I set the speaker size to small with the crossover at 80Hz on my 90W/channel receiver to protect with movies. P153s are rated at 10 - 100W and 58Hz - 20kHz. Hard to go wrong for the price per speaker considering the pair I replaced was three times as expensive. Limited warranty is 5 years parts and labor. « Show Less
1439752
I've got cats in the house and I have the speakers about as close to the wall and to my entertainment center (so they don't get behind the center itself!). Bass reflex response is excellent, even at close wall proximity, though I would say better low frequency response would result if they were pulled out a little. I've had these speakers for quite some time and they've been an excellent replacement for my old Cerwin Vega(s). Hope this helps you out.
782960
I didn't keep my VM speakers. There was a problem with them right out of the box. If you really want some good speakers for about the same money, get you some Creative Inspire T3300 speakers. You'll forget all about VM after that!
1957105
i would look for something else. these dont have a very high db so its not very loud. plus they arent as crisp as a cerwin vega speaker. these distort too easily.
1074325
That is a great price but you have to compare apples to apples. There are different series that have different components like "glass aramid fiber" compared to "kevlar" for the subwoofer cones. Also, the amps are different and (believe it or not) the higher end speakers are HEAVIER so that they do not transfer sound waves through their bases or surrounding materials. I highly recommend that you also consider http://www.amazon.com/IsoAcoustics-ISO-L8R200-Large/dp/B009NWX2WO/ref=sr_1_2?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1378099542&sr=1-2&keywords=isoacoustics Isopacoustic monitor stands. I had "MoPads" and thought that they were good. It is downright amazing how well all of these components work. If you have the room, buy the 8's. I have the attenuators only up "3 detents" for normal use as nearfield monitors. Only if you have a very large studio and want serious thump, go for the 10's. In any amplifier, you always want to have more power than you need to use. The amps are cleaner, run cooler and last longer. Also, invest in good acoustics for your studio as well otherwise you will never get an accurate representation of your music. You may even want to visit one of my webpages at: http://aperfectdj.com/dj-corner. I am a singer, songwriter, guitarist, producer, engineer, live sound engineer and DJ. (My studio uses the KRK Rokit 8 G2's) BTW: The G2's mean "generation 2." Hope this helps.
1826517
I've had my pioneers in a standard pre-fab box then switched them to a custom box.. I will say the difference is like night & day, the prefab box will hit some low notes nicely, but a custom box definitely treats the speakers right & brings out the full potential of them.