Speakers

Hi JoshK, my favorite bookshelves for Sprout are the KEF LS50’s. I also really like the bookshelves from Peachtree Audio, and if budget is high on the list of concerns, the Wharfedale Diamond 220’s are stellar.

Did I answer your question OK?

Best,

Scott

Elac B6’s sound nice! Really dynamic & open.

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Thanks Scott, going to try the ELAC B6’s!

Scott McGowan said Hi JoshK, my favorite bookshelves for Sprout are the KEF LS50's. I also really like the bookshelves from Peachtree Audio, and if budget is high on the list of concerns, the Wharfedale Diamond 220's are stellar.

Did I answer your question OK?

Best,

Scott


Yes, thanks.

Hi Guys,

I have one of the first kickstarter Sprouts and love it. My wife even loves it. Scott you did well on the design for sure.

I’ve been using Pioneer 22’s for awhile now. They are great little bookshelves but I need an upgrade. I’ve also found they get a little boomy. Possibly because of where i have to have them. Right channel is in a corner. 1.5 foot from side wall and 1.5 foot from rear wall. No way around it. I’ve always wanted to do the ls50’s. What have you guys found on placement of the ls50’s? Scott - nice to see they’re your favorite combo with the sprout.

Cheers,

Ben

Hi tulz43, thanks for the nice words!

Yes to the LS50’s! They totally rock and have proven high-end sound with Sprout. Great choice. If a more modestly-priced set of bookshelves were to strike your fancy, Definitely look into what Andrew Jones is doing for ELAC, and I really like the Wharfedales which can be bought at Music Direct.

Happy Listening, Happy New Year!

Best,

Scott

The LS50s are great.

Scott, which of the ELACs have you heard? the Debut B6?

The Pioneers are now $99 a pair. An amazing buy. Great choice, Ben.

How in the heck can they make and sell a pair of loudspeakers for $99?

Short answer: China

Pioneer originally offered the SP-BS22-LR at $160 after Andrew Jones redesigned them in 2012 from a previous model. The street price was $130. They recently dropped the price and the street price is $99.

My guess is that they sold many thousands of these speakers given the great reviews and the price. They are made of a polymer (like B&W’s smaller offerings, also made in China) making the curved cabinet cost-effective.

They sound remarkably good, a bit soft on the high end with necessarily limited bass extension, but they go down to 80Hz flat with a slow roll-off from there. For reference, 80Hz is the lowest note of a standard trombone so most music is covered.

Thanks Elk, and I am sure you’re right. Still. $50 each and Pioneer has to make a profit, so too does the retailer. Retailers typically keystone products: purchase for half of what they sell them for. Which means someone’s likely buying the pair for $50 before reselling them for $99. Even in China, the idea of making a box, a grille, drivers, crossover, binding posts, logo, shipping carton, labor, transportation, duty–and a profit–for $25 each is mind boggling to me. But then, I boggle easily.surprised-014_gif

You are absolutely correct. It makes no sense to me either.

I also find fascinating that China manufactures both superb quality products, such as these speakers and Prima Luna amps, as well as awful dreck.

Hi Everyone,

My name is Bryan and I just purchased a Sprout as a part of my first system. I have a Pro-Ject DC turntable coming as well to pair with the Sprout. When looking at speakers, the rep steered me away from Wharfedales on the premise that they were not efficient enough speakers and the Sprout would would not be able to drive enough power to them. Is this true? My space is fairly large, approx 12x20, and it opens readily into other rooms as it is a condo. I am currently looking at Focal’s per the reps recommendation, but thought I would reach out to you guys since you have tried several speakers with the Sprout and I want to be sure I purchase wisely. I will be using he system for vinyl as well as streaming, if that helps guide your guidance.

Hello there, and thanks for writing. The floor-standing Wharfedale Diamond 230’s are 88dB efficient, whereas the bookshelf speakers seem to be 86dB efficient. I can only speak from personal experience, but I own the Peachtree D5’s which are 85dB efficient and they ROCK. If you were to get the 230’s you would have an additional 3dB which means that with Sprout’s volume control in the exact same position, the Diamond 230’s will play your music TWICE as loud as my Peachtrees. Conclusion: If you go for the Warfedales you will not want for volume in any way. Focal makes some GREAT stuff too, and I always like to recommend the KEF LS50’s if it works with the budget. Did that help to clarify? With thanks, Scott.

Not to be nit-picky but I thought you needed 6 dB to double the perceived volume.

This is very helpful. Thanks, Scott. Those 230’s look awesome, but a little over my desired price point. I wonder why they steered me away from the Warfedales now. Either way, I was originally looking at the Warfedale Denton’s, because they got great reviews and are on a super sale of $500 at Music Direct. I thought I would kick myself if I passed them up.

So my hope was to keep my price point around or under $500. However, before I pull the trigger on any set, are there any other speakers within that range that are worth looking at? Thanks for your time!

stevem2 you are 100% correct. Luckily my dad is here to set me straight :slight_smile: 6dB would constitute twice the voltage, twice the loudness, twice the sound pressure. Thanks!

bkelly725, if you are going <$500 I would highly recommend the new ELAC line. Absolutely unbelievable value. Nice looking too. Sound is superb. Good luck!

I use Magnepan MMGs with the Sprout. They sound amazing!

You do have to turn up the volume to 12 or 1 o’clock, and for some people the lack of thump in the bass department may lead them to choose box speakers instead. But for Jazz, vocals, and acoustic music, they are stunning. I can’t even imagine what higher end Magnepans sound like!

Any thoughts on the following with sprout?

KEF R300

Paradigm Prestige 15B

martin Logan 35xt

Monitor Audio Silver 1/2

thx

Hi djc. Sorry, we’ve not done specific listening sessions with those models. Sprout seems to impress on nearly every speaker system, but many have been having fun with products from KEF. Thanks! -Scott

Thanks, Scott. Research seems to be pointing to KEF. I’m running exclusively on Bluetooth via iPad and it’s pretty impressive even on old Acoustic Research 208HOs. Glad to hear all of the positive performance with LS50s.