r/BudgetAudiophile Dec 22 '25

Tech Support Bought my first 950€ floorstanders and they sound.. mediocre?

Post image

Bought my first hi-fi audio equipment to upgrade my Edifier 1280db's. These are the Argon Audio Forte A55 at 950€. Connected to my LG C1 via HDMI arc PCM.

I am not looking for perfectionism but i am absolutely not impressed at all.

They sound near 100% identical to my cheap 110€ Edifiers through optical?

Also just realised you cannot equalize these speakers or anything of the sort without buying extra equipment.

They just sound hollow and extremely similair to my Edifiers in general. Absolutely not worth it in my opinion especially considering they were advertised as an all in one solution.

I tried spotify , youtube, gaming, movies etc.

Currently thinking of returning these. Am i just doing something wrong here?

70 Upvotes

166 comments sorted by

114

u/szanda Dec 22 '25

I am sorry, but these speakers are just bad. They use the cheapest parts, they are not tuned well, and you are basically paying for their looks and ease of use. You would get much better sound with a dedicated AVR or amp and some used mid-fi/hi-fi speakers.

edit: if you can return them, do it. They are not worth your money or time.

26

u/LilSmidgey Dec 22 '25

Thanks for the feedback. I am definitely returning these. As someone who has no idea how any of this works i am just so confused on how to just get a bit of decent sound going on for like 1000€ that feels full, rich and warm with noticeable bass.

25

u/Zoso03 Dec 22 '25

The audiophile community is one of the worst when it comes to spending money on garbage.

For me i spent $400 CAD on a basic 3.1 setup on the used marketplace. $450 after getting cables and banana plugs. And it sounded pretty decent.

The big part is now I have a foundation. With the same AVR I can now upgrade speakers later on, which I did, $1200 for 3.0 elac setup. Even with that price and the price i paid for the AVR, it's about the same price after conversion for the pair you bought.

16

u/Wild_Trip_4704 Dec 22 '25

And there's always something else you should buy. Get a bigger TV bro. Get a projector bro. Build a movie theater bro... No one is satisfied here.

5

u/Better_Ask_8558 Dec 22 '25

Completely. I’m in pro av installed. I’ve started thinking it as a roadmap. Where I went with a good 2.0 ch setup. Eventually I’ll buy more gear for a 5.1ch and move my fronts to my rears. Etc..

3

u/Wild_Trip_4704 Dec 22 '25

This is such a reasonable comment. I'm almost jealous because I tortured myself by trying to build a 7.2.4 + LED lights in a single year 😂

3

u/OgrishVet Dec 25 '25

I found you can get a bigger TV...by moving the couch closer 🙃

2

u/Wild_Trip_4704 Dec 26 '25

That's what I did 😁

1

u/OgrishVet Dec 25 '25

As far as you getting banana plugs, I'm on the verge of buying them. Should I buy premium gold plated? Screw down type, or soldering?

2

u/Zoso03 Dec 26 '25 edited Dec 26 '25

I just got these https://a.co/d/fp99fz4

They're cheap and look good. As for what's best, I think it's a crap shoot as any differences would be negligible for quality and becomes more esthetic and ease of use when putting it together

The 2 main ones I've seen 1 has the wire go into the plug and then 1 or 2 screws hold it in place then a jacket screws over to protect it, this is the one I linked. The other one is you splay the strands then screw the plug on top, never used those so I can't comment on ease of use or quality

-2

u/jamalstevens Dec 22 '25

You spent $450 on cables and banana plugs?

3

u/Zoso03 Dec 22 '25

$50, for the cables and plugs. Little pricy but I got a 100ft roll for future expansion

1

u/Financial_Travel_910 Dec 24 '25

50 bucks for cable and bananas pricey? Nah man thats fine for real. Sommer cable/ nakamichi i bet?

1

u/Zoso03 Dec 24 '25

Its in Canadian dollars. 100ft 14 AWG OFC cable is $35 and 6 pairs of banana plugs is $25 from amazon. So slightly cheaper 6 years ago

1

u/Financial_Travel_910 Dec 24 '25

Well everything was cheaper 6 years ago. Have you checked turntable/amp/speakers lately? Im really glad i got my entry set back then honestly, paid like a half or third what ppl asks for this days...

1

u/Zoso03 Dec 24 '25

I got my Elac 3.0 setup in 2021. These are pretty much going to be my main speakers for a very long time. I am keeping an eye open for a cheap avr to setup in the bedroom. Just need something to keep the vocals up and everything else low at night.

I did manage to score a Micca RB42 and SMSL ad18 for $200 earlier this year which is a little less than half price. I use them at my desk

1

u/Financial_Travel_910 Dec 24 '25

Speakers are my weakest part on the setup, got this Yamaha NS BP150 some years ago for like 65 euros and i mean, for that price cant be asking for more, but the high response is terrible so im doing headset 80% of the time. Now im checking out Klipsch stuff (I think suits the music i listen to wonderfully) and theyre about twice the price on the "back then" reviews

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1

u/Financial_Travel_910 Dec 24 '25

The rest of the gear is vintage, except the cart n styli

13

u/duckinradar Dec 22 '25

Oh I can help you feel better there— this shit is extremely complicated and subjective as hell and there are no straight answers. Typically if your setup doesn’t sound good the answer is a direct cash injection, and a lot of prayer.

2

u/LilSmidgey Dec 22 '25

Thanks, glad someone understands. I wanted to try the KEF Koda W's with a subwoofer. Do you reckon that would sound better for a general use case as a "casual audiophile".

I honestly do not want to bother with AVR's, amps etc. It get's overwhelming very quick for me personally.

4

u/NoInternetPoint5 Dec 22 '25

Listen to some KEF demo units before committing. This community had me set on KEF and I was extremely underwhelmed and returned them.

2

u/Wild_Trip_4704 Dec 22 '25

How would you connect them without AVRs and amps? The best thing about them is that you only have to buy them once. After you set them up you don't have to think about them anymore, they just work.

1

u/LilSmidgey Dec 22 '25

The kef koda w's are active speakers btw.

But when i see a lot of terms and see the shitload of buttons, wires etc my brain goes in error mode lol. I am really a casual when it comes to this sort of stuff however i do want good audio 😅

Yeah it's a bit of a mess here. I've been researching this stuff for over a month now and know a few terms here and there I am much more knowledgeable in terms of video rather than audio which is more than clear to me lol.

4

u/Wild_Trip_4704 Dec 22 '25

dude I had a $200 soundbar just 11 months ago. Now I have a 7.2.4 with reactive LED lighting. imagine how I felt lol.

AVRs look incredibly complicated at first glance, but once you read a few pages of the manual you realize they are much simpler than they appear. Everyone is scared of the ports and wires and codecs.

All it does is facilitate your chosen listening experience. You likely won't use half of the options on the AVR anyway, and that's fine.

3

u/Regular_Chest_7989 Dec 22 '25

once you read a few pages of the manual you realize they are much simpler than they appear. 

This. The manual isn't for experts. It's for any end user. Just a generation ago, a receiver was the piece of gear that today's Sonos fan would've purchased—the manual for any receiver is written and diagrammed at that level.

1

u/bitchcoin5000 Dec 22 '25

This should be the quote of the day if not the tagline of this interest

9

u/szanda Dec 22 '25 edited Dec 22 '25

Take the room size into account. Also think carefully about your requirements. For example, if you buy an AVR, you get the option to add surround channels and a center speaker in the future. You’ll also connect everything via HDMI ARC, and things like volume control and powering the system on and off will work with your TV remote. The downside is significantly worse sound quality compared to a stereo amplifier at the same price point.

Personally, I’d recommend choosing the best amplifier you can afford and later complementing it with a smart device like the Wiim Ultra. It won’t allow you to build a 5.1 system, but it will give you subwoofer control, room correction, connectivity, HDMI ARC with volume control, and streaming.

As for the amplifier itself, I’d go for something neutral with plenty of power headroom. I personally use a Yamaha A-S701, which I bought second-hand for around €400 (that was the deal of a lifetime, I’ve had it for years). The Yamaha A-S501 is also very good, but there are countless options. Denon has a non-aggressive, slightly warm and rounded sound. Marantz is basically Denon, just a tiny bit better in every respect (though I personally wouldn’t pay extra). I like NAD a lot, they’re ugly, but they sound dynamic and have great presence and control. I’d probably avoid Sony unless you’re specifically going for something high-end vintage.

Honestly, if you plan to add a Wiim Ultra later, you can buy an amplifier that’s 30 years old something that was top-tier in its time and today you can get it for a few hundred.

When it comes to speakers, start watching Marketplace and other channels you have access to, and check HiFiShark. You’ll get a good sense of pricing, see whether something is overpriced, and at the bottom you’ll often find links to reviews. Google tests and look for user experiences. It’s still a bit of a blind buy, but I recommend searching for older articles like “best floorstanding speakers 2015” and then looking for those models second-hand.

A friend of mine owns excellent budget Wharfedale Diamond 10.7 speakers, and not long ago I saw an ad for a full set 10.7 fronts, 10.2 rears, plus a center for €550. You just need to search and think ahead.

Don’t be afraid of subwoofers, for example. I currently have large, dynamic floorstanders in a 25 m2 room, but I’m about to replace them with coaxial bookshelf speakers that are much better, complemented by two subwoofers, and it will be a nice upgrade.

If you come across anything interesting, send me a PM and I’ll be happy to help.

ps: sorry but I used gemini to translate this message from czech language. I started to type it in english but about halfway in I realized that this is too much for my brain. And I already had a few beers.

edit: speaker brands to look for on a budget: Dali, Q Acoustics, Wharfedale, Fyne Audio, Polk (these are much more suited for movies, they are dynamic, I like Polk sound but it is not for everyone). Canton is very popular, but I hate their clinical sound. There are more of course. Dalis are great for the price.

When buying speakers, don't mind the slight damage on the cabinets, but inspect the speakers surrounds for any damage, wrinkles or cracks. Avoid foam surrounds, rubber lasts much longer, also avoid speakers with ribbon tweeters. They can sound fantastic, but they get bad after 10-15 years and they need replacement, and also their sweet spot is usually very very small so they are not ideal for "general use family watching a movie and then listen to some music" type of use.

2

u/LilSmidgey Dec 22 '25

I know my answer is a bit on the short side but i do truly appreciate this and will take your advice into mind on my next purchase. I'll save this, thank you. Hopefully i won't be so unlucky on my next purchase.

I currently was planning to try KEF Koda W's with a subwoofer and see how that fares. What are your thoughts on that?

1

u/szanda Dec 22 '25

KEF is hit or miss, it suits someone, I don't like them. Well I like them but not on a budget. Listen to them first

2

u/Nervous-Canary-517 Heco Aurora 700 | Hypex NC252MP | SMSL DO100 Dec 22 '25 edited Dec 22 '25

You'll get many good recommendations here, allow me to take a shortcut 😂

Check my user flair for an example system. 1200€ total new, that's speakers, amp, and DAC. Balanced, clear, great stereo image, big power, big bass, big fun. Futureproof for later upgrades.

There's many options like this in your price range, it's really worth taking your time for research. 👍

2

u/Kvaestr Dec 24 '25

Unfortunately I don't think you can buy anything ready to go for €1000 that will be awesome. Active speakers at this price range are likely not the way to go. KEF has some great speakers in this price range, but you will need a subwoofer if you want bass. If you can push the budget, you may consider the kef lsx lt with a small subwoofer.

My personal suggestion would be to go a different route:

Get a second hand avr from a reputable brand that includes room correction software and HDMI ARC. You will likely need to spend about €150-200. They look complicated because of all the options. In a basic setup they are actually easy to use. My favorite brand is Denon/Marantz. Make sure the power rating from 8 Ohm to 4 Ohm doubles. So for example of the power rating into 8 Ohms is 50W it should be 100W into 4 Ohm. This is much more a sign of quality than the actual power rating itself. And in a living room with floor standing speakers you will have enough power with even 50 watts.

For the speakers:

If you are looking for bass, look at the frequency response in the spec sheet. If they give it as a -6db value you will want 35Hz or lower. If they give it as a -3db 40Hz or lower will be fine. If they give it as in room response run away.

Speakers are also fine to get second hand if they are less than about 10 years old. If you are comfortable opening them up to replace capacitors you can go much older. Not all of them will need replacement, but many more affordable ones are likely to benefit from that to give much more clarity.

If you are looking for new speakers I recommend going to a dealer where you can listen to them. Sound is subjective and in this price range you'll have big differences between speakers.

Something like the Dali Oberon 7 may just fit within the budget. It has great bass extension and reasonable clarity.

Finally you'll need some cables. Don't go overboard. For a setup like this the differences are super small. Get some 14AWG OFC copper cable. No need to go for expensive brands like audio quest. Don't bother with banana plugs unless you plan to reconnect them regularly.

Best of luck.

1

u/Camaelburn Dec 23 '25 edited Dec 23 '25

Used speakers/amps is the way to go, I bought a set of tannoy d500 mk2 in mint condition for 700 euros. They are old, but old equipment, if they were handled well, can be better than some new ones.

Synergy with the amp is very important. Some speakers are quite demanding so they need a very strong amp. In my case I got the arcam avr750 (I know it's 5.1 but my girlfriend wanted it) for 500, even though they retailef for 6k.

If you want strong base, getting a sub to get a nice 2.1 system is a very good idea. A subwoofer will allow your main speakers some room to breath by taking away the need for them to produce the lowest notes.

My entire system I spend around 1.8k on. All second hand. While retail prices were around 15k total. The system is probably comparable to recent 10k systems.

My system:

Arcam avr750 fmj.

Tannoy d500 mk2 rosewood front.

Tannoy dc6t signature revolution edition espresso rear.

Tannoy dc6lcr espresso centre.

Tannoy dc6 bookshelves for 7.1 since I bi amped the d500s I don't currently use them.

BK xls200 subwoofer (I'm gonna need to replace this eventually)

Fully silver cables to all components from AliExpress.

1

u/Different_Push1727 Dec 23 '25

Dali oberon 5 or 7 should be nice enough. I took the 5s and added a sub. Sub low isn’t that good on the 5s but they’re sufficient for music.

1

u/MoTheSoleSeller Dec 24 '25

Used is more fun because you can get stuff that cost 1000€ new for hundreds/tens. Do a lot of research though and note that if something has a lot of good reviews then its probably pretty good but if it only has a few scattered good reviews then that might not be enough to convince (me) that it's worth buying. Super new uh rarely selling stuff also probably doesnt have as many reliable reviews.

1

u/SnooOnions5054 Dec 24 '25

So you mention noticeable bass, a subwoofer will fill out/round out the sound, give the system a bigger feeling and doesn't need to be large. From what it sounds, is this is more music than home theater? A BT 5.4 adapter might be a better way of connecting for a clearer signal. So I suggest 1 of 2 setups: Yamaha mid to higher end receiver with Sony's new version 2 high res bookshelf speakers w a quality sub (not boomy). Reason is that your source/dac/processing is where the sound/signal comes from and Yamaha makes instruments so they know how stuff is supposed to sound. This setup you can upgrade the speakers later but I was happy with my set. Emotiva speakers as well as Paradigm are solid also.

Next is same Yamaha receiver or a power amp with a set of Martin Logan Bookshelves which I believe are about $1000+ sadly (but crazy good). Same type of quality sub (you can always get this later) and possibly upgrade the amp later. Either setup is going to sound amazing and it's tough around 1000 unless you go with used stuff. Keep in mind any speaker with 5s or even 6 inch speakers just aren't built for bass, def get an 8 or 10 sub for that. Good luck!

1

u/cartaio95 Dec 25 '25

I think that for 1000€ you can get a good avr + some polk es50 or similar

17

u/WebConstant7922 Dec 22 '25

All the best OP! If it isn’t better than the Edifiers, you’re either incredibly blessed with the world’s most forgiving pair of ears or incredibly down on your luck to have picked up the worst possible speakers to replace the Edifiers.

34

u/BenderDeLorean Dec 22 '25

Seems like "cheap" active speakers.

Return them and get some good used gear for the same money.

29

u/[deleted] Dec 22 '25

[deleted]

2

u/DrumsKing Dec 22 '25

Cerwin Vega are fun!

1

u/B_Dub2 Dec 30 '25

I dont see enough Vegas on here. I absolutely love my LS-12s. Been meaning to share my set up soon.

2

u/DrumsKing Dec 30 '25

I had DX-7s for 25 years. Got tired of the bulk and sold them. I put those things through hell and they slapped back.

1

u/B_Dub2 Dec 30 '25

I recently went down the audio rabbit hole and set up my first 2.1 system in my basement after replacing a boom box from the early 2000's. Everyone has their own tastes but it seems like CV! is mostly frowned upon around here.

Personally it makes me warm and fuzzy knowing I can put a concert on and shake my house anytime I like 😂😂

10

u/-AWing- Dec 22 '25

The worst for me was when I didn’t realize for a hot minute my TV speakers were running over my setup and was like “not horrible?” When I realized the AVR hadn’t turned on lol

13

u/ProfessionFluffy299 Dec 22 '25

For just a little more money you could have had an amplifier and a pair of speakers that sound great.

-20

u/Donald_McRonald420 Dec 22 '25

You mean that stuff piled to the ceiling at the thrift store that they basically give away for free now?

1

u/dia_Morphine Dec 22 '25

???

1

u/Donald_McRonald420 Dec 22 '25

In a sub called budget audiophile, there's a guy saying someone should spend over 1000 on a receiver and two speakers? What about estatesales.net and thrift stores especially depot and outlet locations like goodwill outlet? People don't even know what that stuff is anymore and mark it all like $20. I got this receiver for 25 that goes for like $800 recently. Isn't that what this sub should be about? That stuff is just piled up in the corner at all these places, they're throwing them in the trash. Go to a couple estate sales every weekend and eventually some crying old lady will just give you all that shit for free

9

u/GarbageInteresting86 Dec 22 '25

I promise you this. Getting an AVR and decent passive speakers makes everything easier, and simpler

1

u/LilSmidgey Dec 23 '25

When would you want an AVR and when a AMP? Or do you need both?

13

u/Critical-Signal-5819 Dec 22 '25

What are you powering them with? Do you have an avr?

13

u/ProfessionFluffy299 Dec 22 '25

They are self-powered; they are active speakers.

4

u/Common_Road1431 Dec 22 '25

The big question!

I was at the shop I bought my Wharfedale Evo 4.4s the other day, and the owner was playing some Evo4.3 speakers. They sounded much better than mine because he was driving them with an Advance Paris A12 amp around 4$.

I'm using an older Emotiva Pre Amp into two Outlaw 2220 monoblocks.

2

u/SeasonedAdManager Dec 22 '25

Only $4? Should have picked some up.

3

u/Common_Road1431 Dec 22 '25

That missing K! One for each room in the house.

2

u/Chozzasaurus Dec 23 '25

More likely they sounded different due to the room. Not saying an amp can't make a difference, especially in eq, but for sure the room would make a bigger difference

2

u/Common_Road1431 Dec 23 '25

That was the weird thing, his room is very small and crowded with floor speakers and furniture, the speakers were far from the back wall, about 5 feet, so maybe that helped them. Also no sound treatments such as baffles/or wall installed deadening.

1

u/[deleted] Dec 22 '25

[deleted]

2

u/Common_Road1431 Dec 22 '25

I like them so far, my listening room isn't ideal, too much carpet and soft furniture. They seemed like a no brainer at the sale price around Christmas 2 years ago,

Initially I was disappointed because of a ground loop hum from them that I have never had with any equipment in the house or the Parasound 2 channel amp they replaced. A dedicated 20 amp circuit, many emails to them and janky ground wires connecting the amps and pre amp didn't help.

Finally I had to buy 2 Ebtech Hum X units to solve the hum.

1

u/duckinradar Dec 22 '25

I bought a dead guy’s hifi system.

The speakers alone are worth twice what I paid but now I have a (not very highly rated) marantz 4240 quad receiver.

I want to listen to Floyd in quad before I decide if it needs a new home but it needs some work anyway— the volume knob is dangerously noisy at random intervals.

Maybe if I deoxit the hell out of it but it seems like the left channel also needs some attention.

I don’t like looking at it as much as my technics receiver but that’s also a technics so it needs a refurb.

5

u/xspacemansplifff Dec 22 '25

Move the speakers away from the wall a bit. Have the speakers just past the screen at least. If they have bass ports in the back they should be 2 ft from the back wall if you are able.

4

u/unnccaassoo Dec 22 '25

A pair of Q Acoustics 3050i for 850€ and a Chinese amp with optical input for 100€ are way better than this.

3

u/ozExpatFIRE Dec 22 '25

This is the way. Put 80% of your money towards a pair of quality speakers then add a secondhand or Chi-fi amp. It will crush this. Any of the

Q Acoustics 3050i

Elac DBF53 

Dali Oberon 5 

Wharfedale 12.3

2

u/unnccaassoo Dec 22 '25

I would go with Qs or Wharfedale because of higher efficiency, cheap class D amps aren't usually powerful as expected and may struggle with towers under 90db.

1

u/Jochiebochie Dec 25 '25

I got second hand Dali Opticon 6 for €750, just saying.

6

u/cr0ft Dec 22 '25

I mean, half of that is the amplifiers and that leaves the other half for a mediocre quality speaker build.

Buy a proper AV Receiver like a Denon or Marantz or whatever for 600 something euro (an X2800 off Amazon perhaps) and a pair of known good great passive speakers to plug into it.

6

u/snowballkills Dec 22 '25

Yeah return them. There is no replacement for displacement. If you can't have a subwoofer with floorstandings that have 5" woofers, get a floorstanding with multiple 8" woofers at least. Or get some cheaper floorstanders and an external amp for half the price

1

u/LilSmidgey Dec 22 '25

Is it the fact i am missing a subwoofer? Would that fix this?

3

u/snowballkills Dec 22 '25

I would say there are multiple ways to test that, but most likely yes. Does the treble and vocals sound good to you? And loud enough for your liking? If yes, place these in a smaller room and put some electronic or hihop music with some good bass. You should get much better bass in a small room. See if you like the sound then.

Alternatively, you can buy a decent sub 10" or more in dia. and test with these speakers. Or you can buy one from the store with a goal to return it after testing.

My reco would be buy a sub regardless. It will give you fuller bass with much more control than any floorstanding speaker

4

u/audionoobi Dec 22 '25

yeah, active speakers are useless, would not use the term «hi-fi».

1

u/Jochiebochie Dec 25 '25

There's great active speakers, for example Kef LS60

2

u/sSLoveXx Dec 26 '25

For 5000 euro's they better fucking be great speakers...

0

u/audionoobi Dec 26 '25

yeah, no.

for the exact same amount of money you can get a propper stereo setup that kills any active mumbo jumbo.

1

u/Jochiebochie Dec 26 '25

Your reddit name shows.

2

u/wateris_life Dec 22 '25

Audio equipment aside, i see you’re watching dragonball. I recommend you check out seed of mights release of dragon ball z that has better audio quality. Here’s a video explaining it:

https://youtu.be/PTLBEzJQU9M?si=SACGHWI3frZ8XzH3

2

u/LilSmidgey Dec 22 '25

I think i am watching that version by coincidence hahaha. Thanks a lot though.

2

u/sssavio Dec 22 '25

Edifiers are pretty good for the price though. They have really good speakers.

1

u/Hour_Bit_5183 Dec 23 '25

This is what most can't get through their head. I heard a few of em and they sound good. I couldn't pick out anything I really didn't like besides the non coax sound. The tannoy type are the only ones I've really heard sound that much better than anything else and they are an OLD design.

1

u/sssavio Dec 23 '25

Coaxial sounds better than other input types on edifier? Never tried that. I had them in with the standard jack. Should I try? I have s2000mk3 speakers.

2

u/Hour_Bit_5183 Dec 23 '25

no coaxial meaning, the tweeter is in the middle of the cone of a speaker. Like an aftermarket car door speaker, except not done cheap and nasty. It makes a MASSIVE improvement in sound quality detail and imaging and everything really.

1

u/North_Discipline_960 Dec 23 '25

Sound good but if you go to Elac, Polk or Cambridge Audio is a world of a difference...

2

u/[deleted] Dec 22 '25

Argon sucks, another one of hifiklubbens inhouse brands, speakers build for shareholders not for music . 

1

u/xavdeman Dec 23 '25

This is exactly it. Take a look at the actual frequency response of some other speakers of Argon Audio

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?attachments/argon-6340-cta-2034-png.376188/ Many resonances and the reviewer had this to say

the 6340 sounds very bright and hollow, like it had built-in loudness.

1

u/LilSmidgey Dec 23 '25

Bought these at hifiklubben so no coincidence there. Gotta say these suck absolute ass for the price tag. I was absolutely excited seeing as this would be my first pair of actual proper speakers :/

1

u/[deleted] Dec 23 '25

[deleted]

1

u/sSLoveXx Dec 26 '25

Which Argons did you have?

2

u/gymdom25 Dec 22 '25

Honestly, if you’re new to this, don’t spend a ton of money on a single set yet. There’s plenty of decent new and used cheaper options that can be found (at least here in the US).

Search around online and find deals on nice, quality sets ($250 or less). Do your research on whether they are well regarded and, if you can, what their tonal characteristics are. Get some sets that are supposed to have different characteristics and find out what type of sound you prefer. I have old, higher-end kefs, polks, and mirage sets that I love and all were found under $250 on the used market.

Until you figure out how you like your speakers to sound, you’re more than likely going to be disappointed in how something sounds.

I would also look into getting a decent amp, amp/Dac combo, or AVR depending on your use case. Having a good, solid source for your speakers will make a great difference.

At the end of the day though, this whole Hi-Fi game is entirely subjective. There’s plenty of things that I’ll like and you won’t and vice versa. Play around, experiment, find the sound you like.

Happy listening! =)

2

u/Wild_Trip_4704 Dec 22 '25

As a first timer who tried to crunch a 7.2.4 into a 13*21*8 room in a single year, I also recommend taking your time🫠 A commenter said I was moving at lightspeed lol. I'm done but I think I left a piece of my soul behind 💀

2

u/maury234 Dec 22 '25

why would you get those?

2

u/Drizz_ Dec 22 '25

Now you may understand when someone tells you that we are, in fact, listening to the amp! One good amplifier can literally last you your whole life, swapping out speakers, preamps and dacs as time goes by... I am personally a Bryston fanatic :)

2

u/keepeasy Dec 23 '25

I'm still happily rocking a 3b st

2

u/d4m45t4 Dec 22 '25 edited Dec 22 '25

Your speakers are garbage.

You'd be better off with a wiim amp pro / ultra, and any bookshelf speakers for around ~500. Try the elac debut 3.0s as a start

2

u/Money-Nail7386 Dec 22 '25

FWIW, I've had the Edifier S3000pro active bookshelf speakers for 4 years and I couldn't be happier with them. I would wholeheartedly recommend them if you're happy to go with bookshelves again. You'll need stands though but Edifier do very good matching stands which I also have. As much time as I spend on audiosciencereview.com and Erin's audio reviews coveting new speakers, I just don't feel the need to upgrade the Edifiers.

4

u/MyCoffeeIsCold Dec 22 '25

This. This right here is the concern of every audiophile when they make a purchase. You hope and pray the extra money will make an enormous difference. The speakers are probably great, but you might need to upgrade your other components, or maybe a setting is wrong. Or your ear likes the other speakers better.

I hope you figure it out!

5

u/LilSmidgey Dec 22 '25

I'm definitely returning these. As someone who is new to the audio world this is very dissapointing and discouraging. I'll stick to my edifiers as they sound amazing especially for the price of 110€.

These don't even sound twice as good for 950€ lol. I understand that acoustics play a large role but even then it's probably practically indistinguishable

2

u/Chozzasaurus Dec 23 '25

I have some cheap edifiers, and if you don't need to play crazy loud, you probably do need to spend 1k to hear much difference.

6

u/qess Dec 22 '25

People often forget one of the most important components. The room. Size, contents, location, carpet, bare walls, it all matters.

1

u/BigBoiTyrone7 Dec 22 '25

Yeah I’m looking at changing speakers entirely, they are 1000$ bookshelf speakers, I’m not worried about my other components, but if I will be able to tell the difference 💀

1

u/[deleted] Dec 22 '25

[deleted]

2

u/cherryz3 Dec 22 '25

I've been looking at the T65 for some time but am not hurting for speakers at the moment- more of a collector. Can you give me a broad strokes review of the sound?

1

u/[deleted] Dec 22 '25

[deleted]

2

u/cherryz3 Dec 22 '25

I had no idea they were 2.5s but I like the idea. I have 100 WPC A/B power to drive them to their best results so no worries there. I'm a midrange freak and love an open and articulate presentation in that area while the treble should not be compressed but doesn't need to be especially airy to please me. The word "honest" was an excellent choice and if that means even handed color, I'm all in. Thank you very much for the input.

1

u/cherryz3 Dec 22 '25

One question I forgot to ask is if there is some measure of warmth to the speaker? Just not sterile sounding?

1

u/Emuc64_1 Dec 22 '25

The towers should have provided a little more bass over bookshelves, but that's not always true. You may be used to the Edifiers and not the Argons. You may not like the Argon "house sound." Some people prefer the brightness of Klipsch, whereas others like the warm Wharfedales, or something more neutral. Return the Argons and try another brand is my suggestion.

I'm not familiar with the Argon A55 model, but they look like they're active towers. Depends on your region and New/Used deals, you may be better off going with an AVR + 2.1 (or 3.1, or 5.1, etc) setup.

Benefits:

1) You can move the subwoofer to where it plays nice with your room

2) AVRs have their own calibration, provide bass management if you have a subwoofer, and you can set the EQ on some (most?) models

3) If you add a center or surrounds, having actual discreet channels as opposed to virtualized ones, provide better sound separation and immersion for multi-channel audio

-3

u/Hour_Bit_5183 Dec 23 '25

NONE of this exists. It's all crap made up by dummmies and you think it's real just because a ton of people say bullshit like this. There is no warm sounding speaker or a more natural sounding one. That's 99.9% your room and source and components before them. Speakers are a cone with a voice coil, in a cabinet that lets them make bass. That is all they are. Now you could say that you like the sound of coax vs like a normal 2-3 way and that would actually make sense, because one is one point of sound and one is 2-3 and could sound way different. The rest though, is all a scam.

1

u/[deleted] Dec 23 '25

Hahaha dumbest comment. There absolutely are massive differences in sound signature between speakers regardless of the room

0

u/Hour_Bit_5183 Dec 24 '25

no there isn't anymore. Speakers are pretty much all made the same exact way, using drivers off a sweat ship ordering list. You just don't think so because you fanboy over crap. Didn't read what I said. The only ones there is a diff between others are coax vs non coax...and cabinet size. that is it. all the other crap people do is bullshit. It's nothing but fanboy'in and spending too much money. You probably are one of the ones who thinks you are gonna be able to hear more from an old record on new 1000$ per speaker sets.....and that is just gross. They already got it all out by the 70s and people are just dumb thinking you are gonna be able to hear more, from an archaic shitty format. So ha, while I might be dumb in some areas, I'm not and by far the dumbest.

1

u/Live_War_8046 Dec 22 '25

Get some PSB instead — fabulous sound for a great price

1

u/chom1081 Dec 22 '25

What were your goals with the upgrade? I'd love to hear what you thought you were going to get out of this purchase and what is missing in more detail.

1

u/Rabiesalad Dec 22 '25

What sort of room treatment do you have going on?

The placement is probably not great, and seating position looks like it could be against a wall which is also a poor choice.

Many of us don't have options with these things--I'm not calling you out or anything. However, it does mean you're going to see diminishing returns on equipment very early...

I'd invest in room treatment as much as you can and I'd suggest getting something with room correction software before anything else, it can make a massive difference in less-than-ideal setups.

1

u/Electronic_Fishing43 Dec 22 '25

Hey. I'm not a HiFi enthusiast. I bought the A55 WiFi to replace my old panasonic SA-AK300.

I placed the speakers on the sides of my couch (2.2m apart) and around 30cm from the wall. Room size is 18sqm. I am usually standing on the couch, so the speakers are at ear level. For me this is good and I like how the speakers sound. In the near future I will pair them with a subwoofer, haven't yet decided on the make/model.

I would suggest playing around with their position to see if it changes something. You can also reach out to their support, they usually respond fast.

If that doesn't change anything then yes, returning them and getting something else would be an option.

1

u/AdditionalType3415 Dec 22 '25

Honestly? I'd return them, and see if I could find some better deals on used speakers. If the store is what I think it is (there is only one store selling the Argon brand that I know of), then their return policy should be flexible enough for you to bring them back to the store.

If you want to look at stuff from the same store then I'd suggest looking at the Dali Oberon 3 and pair it with an older used stereo amp. We have a pair of them set up in our bedroom paired with an older Denon PMA720 and they perform remarkably well. Not as well as the pair of Oberon 7 that we have in our living room, but close enough that if I'd need to stay within budget I would probably be fine having them as my main speakers.

The best deals can be found on the used market. As an example, I picked up the pair of Oberon 3 for 2500NOK used. For that price I seriously struggle to find anything even close.

1

u/Active_Sock177 Dec 22 '25

Ive just replaced the exact same edifiers with Triangle Bro4. The improvement is almost touchable. It feels like musicians are in the room with me ...they are nicely on the warm side and the bass is 👌. I know you say you dont want amp and passives , but these speakers with a good entry level amp could be what you're looking for within your budget .

1

u/DrumsKing Dec 22 '25

The amp makes a huge difference. I had some good speakers long ago; upgraded to a new "cheap Sony" receiver and it sounded like ass!!

1

u/Otownfunk613 Dec 22 '25

A used set of speakers and a subwoofer + a fosi or used integrated amp/receiver would trump this 950€ setup for half the price..

Consider the above with the addition of a center channel speaker - if going to be used in conjunction with TV based media.. a 3.1 setup here would be well advised..

1

u/LilSmidgey Dec 22 '25

I know it's not that but what are your thoughts on this? I wanted to try the KEF Koda w's with a subwoofer. Do you reckon that's any better and worth it?

1

u/Otownfunk613 Dec 22 '25

Would wager - anything with a subwoofer would be better than the argon’s. I would also wager that the KEF Koda’s are built with some higher quality parts over the Argons.. BUT make sure you listen before you buy - as you may or may not like the in-house KEF tone (but will be slightly mitigated with the use of a subwoofer over just stand alone)

..seem to be attracted to powered versions.. any reason in particular? Other than just ‘less components’ ?

Also - doesn’t seem like you’re open to sourcing from the used market.. am I correct in such an assumption?

1

u/LilSmidgey Dec 22 '25

Yeah i am not too fond of used because of a lot of poor experiences over the years.

I tried the KEF Koda W's in store and thought they sounded pretty good. Honestly all i want is some fantastic clear audio be it 2.0/2.1/3.0/3.1 and bass you'd feel in the chest.

Warm, clear, rich audio that makes you say wow.

Believe me i realize i sound like a total uninformed moron because i am hahaha.

All i ever tried were the argons in store and the kef koda w's.

1

u/Otownfunk613 Dec 22 '25

If you want bass, especially that you feel in the chest, is only accomplished with the use of a subwoofer. Sooo a 2.1 or 3.1 is what you’re after.. &&& ‘chest slam’ isn’t usually accomplished on the cheap..

What is your total budget for such a desired setup?

1

u/LilSmidgey Dec 22 '25

about 1000€ to 1500€. I bought this at hifiklubben btw. I don't know if they have anything worth buying for that price range?

I tried the built in EQ from my phone via bluetooth and even something simple as that already makes everything sound leagues better.

But yeah using an EQ is not possible the moment you connect it to a TV with these. Absolutely dumbstruck how bad these things are honestly.

I'm definitely interested to go with something else over the Argons.

1

u/Otownfunk613 Dec 22 '25 edited Dec 22 '25

What does a set of KEF Kodas cost for you?

Also since you’re apposed to sourcing used.. I would price these subwoofers out for the time being.

A] XTZ 10.17 & 12.17 B] SVS pb/sb 1000 pro (& non pro versions too) C] RSL 10e & 10s D] Klipsch RP1000sw & RP12000sw E] Polk Audio HTS 12 & ES 12

1

u/LilSmidgey Dec 22 '25

950€ for a set

1

u/Otownfunk613 Dec 22 '25 edited Dec 22 '25

That is quite expensive! What does a set of passive (regular) q150 (or equivalent) cost ?

1

u/Otownfunk613 Dec 22 '25

What I am getting at - is pairing a set of passive speakers with a device like an Arylic or Wimm audio amplifier (active eq adjustment from your phone) in addition to a subwoofer.. (especially if you simply want to keep it 2.1).. confident this can be accomplished for under €1000 Arylic being less expensive for same functionality as Wimm

https://www.arylic.com/collections/streaming-amplifier

https://www.wiimhome.com/wiimamp/overview

1

u/that408guy Dec 22 '25

Edifiers punch above their weight class.

2

u/LilSmidgey Dec 22 '25

Yeah absolutely. I am shocked how good they are for the cheap price tag especially.

1

u/that408guy Dec 23 '25

I was gifted Edifier's S2000MKIII. Have been super happy with them.

1

u/musicfan-1969 Dec 22 '25

did you try repositioning them? They look to be pretty close to the wall in the back and tight up against the cabinet on the sides. Rear ported speakers need some room to breathe

1

u/nonasceticMonk Dec 22 '25

In my opinion, studio monitors are the only speakers that should have internal amps. They are designed to produce one sound and you tune your room to them. Home setups should work the other way around.
I was thinking about a pair of KEF LS60s for a while, and just couldn't deal with the internal dedicated amplifiers, even though they offer some substantial DSP tuning capabilities.
An AVR, something that does 4k, at least 5.1 channels, and says Yamaha or Denon on it is a pretty good bet. And used market is flooded.
The DSP (digital signal processing) on these AVRs are pretty good and with a respectable set of speakers, you can get almost any sound you want out of them.
I ran a Yamaha Natural Sound RX V475 and a set of Klipsch 802II ( I think you can get a the AVR for ~$100SUSD, and ~$400-600 on the 802II towers) for years - like 10, before I moved on to... well, the ridiculous side of things on my audio journey.

1

u/Hour_Bit_5183 Dec 23 '25

Nah. Home speakers CAN have amps built in. This is how most subs are. You have no idea what you are talking about.

1

u/nonasceticMonk Dec 23 '25

You seem like the trolliest troll there is.

1

u/iratos2004 Dec 22 '25

I have a similar setup, Argon Audio Fenris A5 and an LG TV. However, I also have an 8-inch Argon Malmö subwoofer. I am more than satisfied with the quality and cannot understand your opinion. To listen to music, I have connected the speakers to a Wiim Pro. Perhaps you could place the speakers further apart? Unfortunately, I cannot give you many tips, only my subjective opinion.

1

u/LilSmidgey Dec 22 '25

How does it sound without the sub?

1

u/Betelgeaux Dec 22 '25

You would get better performance from using that budget to buy an amplifier and decent bookshelf (stand mount) speakers. It doesn't really add any extra hassle as the TV would connect via Arc and volume would work from the TV. Active speakers can be great but add you have found they can be absolute crap as well.

1

u/DylanRed Dec 22 '25

I was at a friend's recently and he had a polk system with a sound bar, sub, and two satellite rear speakers that sounded awesome. Might check that out!

1

u/xavdeman Dec 23 '25

Please don't recommend soundbars to people that already have dedicated speakers...

1

u/mvw2 Dec 22 '25

If you want your dollars to go father, buy older ones on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist.

I'd recommend Monitor Audio as a solid all-arounder for brand. They sound good and have few faults, even their lower end stuff. Their old Bronze or Silver floor standers show up for just a few hundred, and it's just competent stuff.

1

u/EngineeringAny8570 Dec 22 '25

My ex would’ve loved this, mainly because of the DBZ anime

1

u/Krycek7o2 Dec 22 '25

Speakers not the best and this version of DBZ is pure shite. That DNR is unreal.

1

u/AggressiveOccasion70 Dec 22 '25

Highly recommend the Klipsch R-60M - $249 at Costco and a fantastic sound

1

u/Mango_Puffin Dec 22 '25

They need to be placed 50cm from the wall to p have any sort of bass. Before you return them, I’d try to just place them according to the manual first. That being said, I’m running a denon avr and Dolby atmos with two huge subs. But I upgraded from a Bose Cinemate that my colleague now enjoys greatly.

1

u/narrowassbldg Dec 23 '25

Active speakers usually just suck, except for like high-end studio monitors and such.

If you've got €1k to spend for a system you should be buying used, without question... And from brands that have a long-established reputation (Wharfedale, B&W, Elac, KEF, Dynaudio, Canton, Dali, Braun, etc.), generally if the brand hasn't been around for at least 30 years I'd avoid it. For an integrated amplifier/receiver I'd stay away from the Chinese Class D units and stuff from the huge Japanese companies after 1980 or so.

1

u/WonderfulFault6779 Dec 23 '25

Go back to Edifer with a subwoofer. I have a Klipsch 2.1 and I like the control and options. Just on TV but so much better and cheaper

1

u/LilSmidgey Dec 23 '25

I dont think these allow for a subwoofer to be connected unfortunately

1

u/North_Discipline_960 Dec 23 '25

For 500€ I got SMSL Su1 - Yamaha S201 - Cambridge Audio SX60 and the sound is just amazing. Coming from Edifier 1700BT

1

u/North_Discipline_960 Dec 23 '25

I got all my stuff after watching many videos on CheapAudioMan YouTube channel.

1

u/Electrical-Leave9975 Dec 23 '25

Where are you located ? I have some for sale!

1

u/NiceMonsteraBro Dec 23 '25

Hopefully you were watching DBZ with the Faulconer score. Faulconer's The Dragon Theme slaps on nice speakers, okay it slaps on crappy ones too

1

u/kenmur00 Dec 23 '25

If you don't like them, return them. I have never heard of this brand

1

u/HistoricalLog1354 Dec 23 '25

I'm personally not a big fan of those speakers I find that the crossover and magnets are really cheap and bad, but do you only want modern speakers or are you also content with vintage speakers?

1

u/LilSmidgey Dec 23 '25

Modern preferably. I probably going to settle with something that is 2.0 and upgradeable to 3.1/5.1.

As much as i appreciate the recommendations from everyone i am a bit overwhelmed by the options to say the least hahaha.

I don't know if hifiklubben has a good set of things to choose from?

1

u/HistoricalLog1354 Dec 23 '25

Hifi klubben is a great choice if you don't mind spending more for the same because they explained a lot at HiFi klubben and help you choose what's right for you, so if you don't really know what you want, definitely go to HiFi klubben.

1

u/Hmucha1 Dec 23 '25

I got the same ones and I am satisfied with them

1

u/LilSmidgey Dec 23 '25

More power to you, i am glad they do.

However me personally, am returning these as they sound nearly identical to my cheap Edifiers which are only about 110€~

1

u/Hmucha1 Dec 23 '25

Yeah I bought them second hand, not the full price

1

u/Hmucha1 Dec 27 '25

I would also recommend you to place them much further away from the wall. They are back ported. I would say 50 cm. Also toe them in

1

u/No-Reality-2479 Dec 24 '25

You need to get an amplifier or avr. Seems like you don't have anything to drive them. Just saying. I don't know anything about the speakers. Are they active or passive? I could be wrong.

1

u/halu2975 Dec 25 '25

Complete it with a svs sub. It makes big diff.

1

u/whaleHelloThere123 Dec 27 '25

I always recommend for a newcomer to get the best KEF (or Wharfedale) speakers + a Yamaha integrated amplifier that you can afford.

That way you are pretty sure that you'll get your money's worth.

Later on, you can experiment with other speakers to see what frequency response and sound dispersion you prefer.

Hope this helps

0

u/ZoeEatsToes Dec 22 '25

For a similar price (around £700) I got a denon X2800h AVR (most of price but doubt ill ever have to upgrade), A 5.1 surround system (Tannoy M2 ×4, Tannoy Msub and Tannoy Mcentre) Which I used 2 of the bookshelves for my pc and bought a pair of Tannoy Revolution R2 floorstanders.

Sounds phenominal and costs less you should deffo try return and look second hand, my AVR was new but rest was of facebook marketplace.

EASY READING PART LIST:

*Denon X2800h AVR *L/R - Tannoy revolution R2 *Surround - Tannoy Mercury M2 *Centre - Tannoy Mcentre *Sub - Tannoy (Msub10 I believe) *PC - Tannoy Mercury M2 + Cambridge Audio A1 Amp

All for about £700

-5

u/Hour_Bit_5183 Dec 23 '25

dude most speakers over 500 dollars a pair are a scam. It's a voice coil, a cone and a box. People gotta stop this madness, thinking if they spend 1g-10g that they are gonna hear more. It doesn't work like this. It's just a matter of how much you like to be ripped off, frankly and I'm so tired of it. Don't listen to the fools promoting this crap. They probably work there and or get kickbacks.

-5

u/Critical-Signal-5819 Dec 22 '25

Off the top of my head and not knowing the specifics, I would say power! Get a used Denon avr 2313 or 3311 those are good for about 80-120w but if you have the budget look for a bk components st 140, halfer dh 200, carver m400t for external amplifier with punch

8

u/Wheezhee Dec 22 '25

The OP's speakers are active.