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Funny (and also very informative) speaker review

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Brad Johnson:
Review of the BIC America RTR-EV15 speakers, massive old-school floorstanders with a solid rep for their combination of brutal sound level and very good sound quality at a surprisingly modest price.

https://www.reddit.com/r/BudgetAudiophile/comments/8eqsod/your_annual_reminder_the_bic_america_rtrev15s_are/

Even though I'm rocking a pair of thumping-good Optimus Mach II's, they are going on thirty years old and speaker cones don't last forever. I could update them with new drivers and a more capable crossover but the cost would be at least the price of the big EV's. Probably more. Plus, I really don't feel the urge to spend a day in the shop trimming & shimming cabinets, especially when the BIC cabinets appear to be more substantially constructed. Space for the huge cabinets isn't an issue as the current speaks are on stands flanking the home theater setup. It would be a simple swap.

If the big BIC's ever go on serious sale, which they occasionally do, I'm going to snag a pair. The only con to upgrading is the Optimi have nice burled walnut veneer cabinets while the BICs are industrial black. Not a big deal though as the HT is setup is focused on function, not form, and the room is mostly dark when in use anyway.

On a related note, if you've been looking for good mid-sized bookshelf speakers but don't want to spend a fortune, take a hard look at the BIC DV62si. I picked up two pair earlier this year, one pair for home theater surrounds, the other pair set into alcoves flanking the living room fireplace for general music/ambiance duty. They aren't ELACs or KEFs by any long stretch... but they aren't $500 a pair, either. For the price they are very very good, especially when properly driven. They'd also be an excellent choice for places like shops or garages, anywhere dirt and dings are likely. The modest price means you won't cry if they get roughed up a bit.

https://www.amazon.com/BIC-America-DV62si-Bookshelf-Speakers/dp/B00006JPDI/ref=sr_1_7?dchild=1&keywords=BIC+62+speaker&qid=1606749123&sr=8-7

Brad

Fly320s:
I have almost zero interest in a kick-ass home theater set-up, but that review makes me want to buy those speakers.

RocketMan:
Optimus Mach II speakers.  I remember those from my days working for Radio Shack in college.

Brad Johnson:

--- Quote from: Fly320s on November 30, 2020, 10:41:44 AM ---I have almost zero interest in a kick-ass home theater set-up, but that review makes me want to buy those speakers.

--- End quote ---

SWMBO said that, too. Then I got the system set up and dialed in. Now the only time we don't watch TV in the basement is when we have company over. It's amazing how much decent audio adds to even simple programming. It doesn't take a fortune to have a nice setup, either. Decent, albeit somewhat limited, "HT In A Box" systems are available for $500-600 if you're willing to exercise a little patience or shop the Open Box section. A very good sounding system can be piecemealed together for under a grand. A "make your eardrums meet in the middle" setup can easily be built for under $2k. Heck, even a good $300-400 sound bar will up enjoyment levels considerably. Though they aren't as immersive and usually lack the visceral impact of more powerful dedicated systems, the increase in sound quality alone is worth the price of admission.

*Edit to add*
For a little added sound quality on a budget there's the option of wireless headphones. We got Dad a pair of Sonys (link below) because he's deaf as a stump and we were tired of shouting over the TV. For everyone else they make a handy way to get much better audio quality without spending a ton of money.

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/sony-wh-l600-rf-digital-surround-wireless-headphones-black/6211542.p?skuId=6211542&ref=212&loc=1&ref=212&loc=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAzZL-BRDnARIsAPCJs70AnBXl6c-jpSOVcHG1tTUKE5xd0iQauCu_Cy3mAtxxKw32ChQDIZUaAsY4EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Brad

230RN:
Heh.  "Make your eardrums meet in the middle." =D

Sounds good.  No pun intended.  Back in the mono-hi-fi days I built a Bass Ultraflex speaker cabinet which was the bee's knees, the cat's meow in "hi-fi."  Sixteen inch woofer with some enormously heavy Alnico magnet, 6" midrange, horn tweeter, crossover to match.

It must've been pretty good, because even lo ! these many years later, the plans are still available:



When stereo came along, I built a duplicate, and I was the envy of many an audiophile.

Those were the days when Terry was Terry, and his ears were ears.

Nowadays I content myself with a pair of tiny Optimus LX-5 speakers sitting on my Harmon-Kardon all-in-one tuner and amp.  Time was, discrete components were the way to go, nowadays the way to go is to not bug my apartment neighbors.

Terry

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