# Bookshelf Speakers for Dorm Life: Mission 780SE?



## lojay

*Intro:*

 I'm living in a dorm soon, I don't suppose sharing my extensive music knowledge and good taste would hurt at all 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 . 

 Just kidding...it's just that headphone listening would make me look like a dork, where everyone else just wouldn't do something so unsociable as that. 

 That's the reason I want bookshelf speakers, a pair that'd allow me to keep for years to come. 

*Requirements:*

 It has to be forgiving, musical and mellow, while keeping the pace and musicalness. It's to be used in a small room at low to moderate volumes.

 I listen to 99% of all genres and 90% of all their subgenres, from Free Jazz to Minimalism; from The Streets to Steely Dan. Some classical but I'm quite bad at it; i.e. I listen to nearly everything. So I need a speaker that is fun but more importantly musical, and doesn't need to much slam and wham, especially if it'd yield to hollowness or harshness. 

 The fuller the sound the better. I simply can't stand harshness and hollowness, which a lot of low end speakers have to give a "crispness" and "sharp edge" to the sound.

*The Speaker Audition:*

 I've tried a pair of Focal/JM Labs Cobalts around $300 and a pair of $400 *Mission 780SE*'s, a grade higher than Mission m51 and m71's, which's seldom mentioned here. I kind of like the forward but musical forgivingness of the English Mission 780's, which are absent in the Mission M51's I've observed at the same time. I cannot comment much on the JM Labs, as time spent on them was little, and the source was different. 

 I havent the time to look at all the massive selections of bookshelves mentioned before here in Head-fi, although I've seen the Mission's pop out quite not-so-favourably as others. 

 According to my own ears, the CDs I've tested them with today, i.e. Iron Maiden and Diana Krall, sounds better on the English made Mission 780SE than the French made $300,$400 Focal/JM Labs speakers.

 Lastly, take my opinions as crap and tell me all you know about these speakers. (Both JM Labs and Mission's) I fully understand how the different settings during audition let consumers make wrong decisions, for example some bought a Mission 780 back home coz they thought it sounded musical and full at the audtion room, but figured that they sounded harsh back at home, and buyers reget came in. So don't tell me, please don't, that I should "buy it if I felt it sounded nice". I have bad ears because of such large subjectiveness during the bad audition settings yesterday, and relatively short audiophile experience. So pitch in and give all your opinions out! Leave none for yourself!


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## lojay

Update: I use an E-MU 1212m with CD's ripped to FLAC or MPC using foobar2000. I'm not hesitant to buy a powerful amp (but has to be under $300)

 Regarding the JM Labs, its a Cobalt series because its grey. Anyone know the difference in SQ between Cobalt and Chorus series?
 I tried the JM Labs on both Esoteric Universal CDPs (!!! which is overkill) and later a n Onkyo Intergra Amp +CDp


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## lojay

bump


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## soundboy

Monitor Audio Bronze B2.

 Man, just listened to these again today. I am having serious to replace my NHT SB2 with these.


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## lojay

OK, I'll check them out, given that the NHT's bear so many rave reviews. 

 BTW, Win Win Shop has quite a selection, tho microscopic to tower or HMV. But a far better emphasis on audiophile recordings and SACDs. Man, the classical section's huge!


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## soundboy

Something to consider is the efficiency of the NHT vs. the Monitor Audio. The NHT requires more power due to its sealed cabinet design. Whenever I get a chance to listen to the Monitor Audio, it has a effortless sound to it, yet presenting a very real image of the recording.

 lojay, I didn't get a chance to visit HMV or Tower (they're still around?). But in many ways, HK has a much wider selection of SACD than here in the US. My music taste is quite eclectic, so my SACDs runs from Rolling Stones to Dave Brubeck, and from Sam Hui to Sarah Brightman.


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## D-EJ915

The NHT speakers do require lots of power, the SB3 are supposedly easier to drive, but as a whole, unless you have a beefy amp they are overly bright and sound like crap. (think of eggos, but brighter and really really expensive)


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## mike_p

Dynaudio Audeince 42.. retail for ~$799, but can be haggled to mid $600s.. I recently auditioned against similar size NHT, no even close. You've gotta hear the soundstage on these babies, and so damn smooth. I just purchased a set for my surrounds.

 mike


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## jay21pee

I also going to college soon (next two weeks). I was looking getting some old bookshelfs and hooking them up with some new Dayton drivers.


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## ampgalore

I am using a pair of NHT SB3s. I used to have a Yamaha integrated amp, sounds great to my ears. These bookshelfs can go down to ~40Hz. With my new Rotel amp, bookshelf bass has taken on a whole different meaning.


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## soundboy

I guess I should update my info....

 Originally, I was going to switch from my NHT SB2 to the Monitor Audio Bronze B2 bookshelf speakers. At my local MA dealer (The Good Guys), they were having a sale on the Energy C-3, and when A/B-ing between the MA and the Energy, the C-3 won out. Quite efficient at almost 92dB, the C-3 should be on everyone's short list of under $500/pair bookshelf speaker audition list.


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## ooheadsoo

Did you give up on diy yet, lojay?


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## Asmo

Did you audition any Paradigm or Axioms? 

 Both companies have excellent budget bookshelves.


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## BigD

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *soundboy* 
_I guess I should update my info....
 Originally, I was going to switch from my NHT SB2 to the Monitor Audio Bronze B2 bookshelf speakers. At my local MA dealer (The Good Guys), they were having a sale on the Energy C-3, and when A/B-ing between the MA and the Energy, the C-3 won out. Quite efficient at almost 92dB, the C-3 should be on everyone's short list of under $500/pair bookshelf speaker audition list._

 

I second these two choices...Energy and Monitor Audio are also quite good HT speakers if you need to go surround in the future.


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## pbirkett

First off, Dynaudio's wont work in a small room.

 Secondly, Missions are really not that good for the money IMO. I've had the M51, and while the 780 are *slightly* better, still nothing special.

 I recommend you check out some Rega Kytes or Linn Kan, both fantastic, musical bookshelf speakers. I doubt the 780 or the Bronze 2's will get close to the sweet groovy sound of these speakers.


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## tiberian

i for one think using speakers in dorm room is a bad idea...especially in HK. it is extremely distracting when your roommate is doing something else...and you can't use it (or at least make it loud) during night etc. stick to your headphones maybe?


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## ampgalore

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *tiberian* 
_i for one think using speakers in dorm room is a bad idea...especially in HK. it is extremely distracting when your roommate is doing something else...and you can't use it (or at least make it loud) during night etc. stick to your headphones maybe?_


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## lojay

Quote:


 Did you give up on diy yet, lojay? 
 

Haha hell yeah I'm still thinking DIY.... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I've just found a friend who says he does carpentry. But I don't think I'll have the time yet, so maybe I'll start later when I can go through all the reading material...

  Quote:


 i for one think using speakers in dorm room is a bad idea...especially in HK. it is extremely distracting when your roommate is doing something else...and you can't use it (or at least make it loud) during night etc. stick to your headphones maybe? 
 

Hopefully, they wouldn't be asking me to share my music, coz then I could stick with the headphones.


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## jay21pee

I'm gonna live in a suite with individual rooms for students. So, everyone has their own rooms. So, DIY hear I come!!!!


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## bubbagump

i would suggest the b&w 601s3 for the dorm, but this is mainly a budget suggestion. The axioms are nice if you have a sub to complement.


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## Ferbose

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *ampgalore* 
_I am using a pair of NHT SB3s. I used to have a Yamaha integrated amp, sounds great to my ears. These bookshelfs can go down to ~40Hz. With my new Rotel amp, bookshelf bass has taken on a whole different meaning._

 

I second the recommendation on SB3. I just heard it at a dealer with Rotel receiver and NAD C320. It has very tight bass and surprisingly deep for its size as well. I preferred its sound with NAD though.


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## VanTheMan

Im looking as well here in Europe for a pair of speaker for my dorm ( in this case im alone ) .. I only need 20w ( and thats a lot ) , do you know any shop in europe that has good prices and sells good speakers?

 Thanks


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## minya

Interesting information. I'm going to be moving into an apartment for school in a month, and I plan on getting some bookshelves sometime or later. pbirkett, where can you acquire those Rega or Linn speakers in North America?

 Secondly, where do I learn about budget speaker amps? I'm quite knowledgeable about headphones, but I don't know a damn thing about speakers or their amplification.

 - Chris


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## KurtW

Chris, there are probably several places in the bay area that handle Linn and Rega. I bought my Linn Tukans (now discontinued) in San Jose at the Analog Room, along with a Rega Mira amp that works nicely with them. I use these in my study and enjoy them alot. Rega updated their amps along with their CD players with new cases (along with some circuit changes) so you can sometimes get a good deal on the older series.

 One thing to think about for bookshelf speakers is where they are going to be placed. Some bookshelf speakers are more "mini-monitors" meant to be placed out into the room, as opposed to near a wall or in a bookshelf. A speaker designed for the one location will not be optimal in the other. One reason I liked the Linns because they sounded good in a bookcase or close to a wall where I needed to place them, where other speakers were too boomy.

 For a tight budget, a used NHT Super One is still a good value IMO and quite common on ebay. Its cloth tweeter is more forgiving on bad material or with cheaper amps than the metal tweeters in the current series. Its a bit better if its a little ways out from a wall, and it takes a little more power but has deeper bass than the Tukan or the Kan.


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## minya

Thanks for the tip, Kurt. Maybe I'll scope out some of the hi-fi stores in the Bay Area. I'm just barely 20 years old, however, and I don't wear fancy clothing so I don't know how I'd be received. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 How much did those Linn Tukans cost?

 WRT room placement, I really have no idea yet but I would imagine I would place them near a wall somewhere (I'm going to have a big living room, so against a living room wall to project sound would be good, I think). 

 - Chris


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## lojay

To my ears the 780's sound totally different than the Mission m51's, they're much more musical and don't have that m51 harshness. I was asking all around for the Rega's you've bought pbirkett, but I can't seem to find them. If anyone knows wherre to look for these babies in Hong kong let me know!

 The NHT's are seemingly non-existant in HK as well. Though I think its more that I don't know where to find them than they really don't exist.

 DIY's very tempting, where $500 DIY speakers can beat $5,000 - $10,000 ones because they don't need the enormous costs that large companies with stores, advertisements and employees have to bear. You just pay for the drivers, the wood and the carpentry, and you're done.


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## KurtW

Chris, the owner of the Analog Room wears shorts and a hawaiian shirt most of the time, so what you wear is not important. He knows his stuff, so he doesn't try to impress people with what he looks like. If you get down to the south bay and want to let me know, I can meet up with you.

 The ideal place for a speaker is out away from the wall, but that is not always achievable. It wasn't in my study, so I had to get speakers that would work close to the wall. The Linn Tukans were about $700 as I recall. 

 Lojay, the NHTs were made in California for a long time before they started manufacturing them in China. The Rega's are a UK brand, I'm not sure if they are still made there or not.


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## 3lusiv3

Country of manufacture is not relevant if the quality control from the maker is good.


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## Iron_Dreamer

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *minya* 
_Thanks for the tip, Kurt. Maybe I'll scope out some of the hi-fi stores in the Bay Area. I'm just barely 20 years old, however, and I don't wear fancy clothing so I don't know how I'd be received. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Just take your Stax with you, then they'll know you mean serious business


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## Wodgy

Minya, since you'll be moving to Kitchener-Waterloo soon, you might want to check out whether you can visit Divergent (the main Antique Sound Lab distributors for North America) and audition their speaker amps personally. The Divergent office is only three blocks from WLU. I'm not sure whether they have a showroom, but it's worth looking into.


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## minya

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Wodgy* 
_Minya, since you'll be moving to Kitchener-Waterloo soon, you might want to check out whether you can visit Divergent (the main Antique Sound Lab distributors for North America) and audition their speaker amps personally. The Divergent office is only three blocks from WLU. I'm not sure whether they have a showroom, but it's worth looking into._

 

Oh really? Hmm... very interesting. I'll definitely look into that.

 - Chris


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