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Thread: Athena Technologies AS-B1 for $99. Pro's & Con's |
    
Silver Member Username: Exerciseguy
Brooklyn,
NY
USA
Post Number: 134
Registered: Oct-04
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| Posted on Wednesday, October 12, 2005 - 09:01 am: |
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Read only good things about these speakers. What to they excel at, and what are they lacking? What's their competition? Do they have any at this price? |
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Silver Member Username: Exerciseguy
Brooklyn,
NY
USA
Post Number: 135
Registered: Oct-04
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| Posted on Wednesday, October 12, 2005 - 09:08 am: |
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Can they be compared in any way to more expensive speakers like Epos ELS-3's? |
Gold Member Username: Edster922
Abubala,
Ababala
The Occupation
Post Number: 2548
Registered: Mar-05
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| Posted on Wednesday, October 12, 2005 - 09:41 am: |
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The 1" tweeters are very nice, and the woofers pack a surprising amount of mid-bass. They destroy the Polk R15s and R20s which are in the same price league, and of course the likes of Sony, Pioneer, etc. that you find at big box places. Not sure how they'd compare to the $160 Infinity Primus 150s though, these are the other highly regarded low-budget speaker.
However, the B1s will have more tipped up highs than a good neutral speaker like the Ascends which cost 3x more. Neither one is likely to ever be called "warm"---if "warm" is what you're looking for.
I would expect the Epos to be better from what I've read but hey at 3x the price they better be. |
Silver Member Username: Exerciseguy
Brooklyn,
NY
USA
Post Number: 137
Registered: Oct-04
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| Posted on Wednesday, October 12, 2005 - 09:50 am: |
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But I really want the Paradigm Studio 20's though???...Maybe I should just save up.
Need to hit lotto! |
Gold Member Username: Edster922
Abubala,
Ababala
The Occupation
Post Number: 2552
Registered: Mar-05
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| Posted on Wednesday, October 12, 2005 - 09:58 am: |
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the Studio 20s are what, $600/pair? I'd stock up on the macaroni and cheese if I were you, lol. |
Silver Member Username: Twebbz
Ann Arbor,
Michigan
USA
Post Number: 252
Registered: Apr-04
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| Posted on Wednesday, October 12, 2005 - 10:03 am: |
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Save Up....For the Paradigms...clear, sweet and warm. Got a friend that has them driven by a NAD. He plays clasical music...Don't know what they would do with rock or pop music. |
Silver Member Username: Exerciseguy
Brooklyn,
NY
USA
Post Number: 140
Registered: Oct-04
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| Posted on Wednesday, October 12, 2005 - 10:07 am: |
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How much do they pay you for blood? Do you really need two kidneys? |
Bronze Member Username: Nalow
Lincoln,
Ne
USA
Post Number: 11
Registered: Sep-05
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| Posted on Wednesday, October 12, 2005 - 10:25 am: |
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I hear you... With a house payment and two car payments, groceries, electricity, cable, bla bla, I can only dream of owning some of this stuff..
And oh yeah, MARRIAGE is a factor in these decisions too... lol ;) |
Silver Member Username: Twebbz
Ann Arbor,
Michigan
USA
Post Number: 253
Registered: Apr-04
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| Posted on Wednesday, October 12, 2005 - 04:49 pm: |
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Hey, for $99 bucks get the Athenas then. I'd pay a little more and move up to the AS-B2.2s...or better yet the AS-F1.2s for the better bass response.
ALWAYS check return policies for online sales
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Silver Member Username: Stu_pitt
NYC,
NY
Post Number: 651
Registered: May-05
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| Posted on Wednesday, October 12, 2005 - 06:56 pm: |
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"How much do they pay you for blood? Do you really need two kidneys?"
I know where you're coming from. In grad school, I contemplated going to a sperm bank, sorry, a fertility clinic to get some money for a McIntosh integrated amp. They pay pretty well. The down side is that you have to basically sign a contract for several deposits, and can't do your own thing on the side so to speak. My girlfriend at the time - now my wife - didn't think it was a good idea, for obvious reasons.
I never ended up getting the McIntosh. Sometimes I can't help but wonder what could have been if I had a little more self control... |
Silver Member Username: Rsxman
Post Number: 102
Registered: Jul-05
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| Posted on Wednesday, October 12, 2005 - 08:55 pm: |
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ummmmmkay....too much infor stu
Anyway. I owned a full athena setup for sometime. I really liked them but used a yammie so the sound was very bright and that was my first real exposure to audio.
Needless to say I've been trying to adjust to the warmer sounds from fluance and pioneer elite.
The Athenas are great speakers, There really isn't any downside to them. Unless you use a bright receiver, then you may not like the sound too much. |
Silver Member Username: Exerciseguy
Brooklyn,
NY
USA
Post Number: 142
Registered: Oct-04
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| Posted on Wednesday, October 12, 2005 - 09:41 pm: |
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How do the Athena AS-B1s @ $99. compare to Wharfedale Diamond 8.1s @ $136.? |
Silver Member Username: Rsxman
Post Number: 104
Registered: Jul-05
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| Posted on Wednesday, October 12, 2005 - 11:14 pm: |
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I really couldnt tell you, Best buy stopped carrying Wharfdale before I worked there, so I never got the chance to demo them side by side.
I know that wharfdales diamond series is pretty highly regarded and a good amount of people like them.
I would go with the athenas, what receiver are you going to match which ever speaker you go with? |
Gold Member Username: Edster922
Abubala,
Ababala
The Occupation
Post Number: 2555
Registered: Mar-05
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| Posted on Thursday, October 13, 2005 - 01:36 am: |
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Actually the Diamond 8 series is not that great.
The newer 9s are supposed to be much better though. |
Silver Member Username: Exerciseguy
Brooklyn,
NY
USA
Post Number: 143
Registered: Oct-04
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| Posted on Thursday, October 13, 2005 - 09:37 am: |
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This is all academic, I don't think I'll be buying a pair of Athenas. I've just read so many good things about them @ $149., that @ $99. it might be worth buying a pair...just in case. |
Silver Member Username: Twebbz
Ann Arbor,
Michigan
USA
Post Number: 254
Registered: Apr-04
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| Posted on Thursday, October 13, 2005 - 09:38 am: |
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Yea...initially had my Athena AS-F2s hooked up to a Yamaha...very metallic...the NAD is great. |
Silver Member Username: Twebbz
Ann Arbor,
Michigan
USA
Post Number: 255
Registered: Apr-04
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| Posted on Thursday, October 13, 2005 - 09:50 am: |
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The Rotel with the AS-F1s is good too. |
