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Voll - B44 V2 Bookshelf Speakers Pre-Order (End of May Delivery) $94.95 Including Metro Shipping (Save $25)

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OZBARGAIN5

Today we've just released details of our new B44 Version 2 bookshelf speakers and we're having a pre-order sale of $20 off for a limited time. We thought we'd give OzBargain an extra $5 off this price you need to enter the coupon code listed above to get the extra $5 off. There's very little profit at this price and it will be the cheapest you will see them. for a very long time.

V2 of our B44s is a significant improvement on V1. With a larger 1" tweeter, improved woofer low end response and an all new third order crossover. A prominent audio gear reviewer on whirlpool has reviewed the prototype recently here: https://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=2597987

Remember we have a money back guarantee - just pay $10 return shipping and we'll refund the rest no questions asked.

This is a pre-order item and being manufactured right now. End of May is a conservative estimate for delivery but of course we can't be completely sure we will be able to begin shipping by then. We are always happy to refund anyone who asks.

We will be announcing an active version (the Voll A44) of the B44 V2 in the next month or so but delivery of that wont be until July at the earliest. The A44's will sell for around $170. We personally prefer passive speakers as they give you choice of amplifier and are also not putting all your eggs in one basket if something goes wrong many years after warranty.

The much awaited Voll subwoofer will also be available in July for around $120.

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  • +2

    Oh yeah! Great little speakers… I've amazed many friends, family & neighbours with the original model so these should be even better! Excellent price CB, I just placed my order :) I look forward to an OzBargain deal on the Sub too!

    • +2

      Yay - Jay is bringing on the sub!

      • +1

        Ha, yes :) How many are you going to order… one for one? We could get a Sub for each Voll and stack them like a mini PA!

        • +1

          Yep - get one for each ear.

      • +1

        Yeah you guys have been bugging me about it long enough I finally did something about it :P

        Receiving the latest prototype next week and if it meets the requirements then we'll be placing the order as soon as we can. Once we receive the prototypes we should be able to get some pictures / pricing and specs up on the website.

        We've had to make some compromises to make the price affordable, so hopefully the lack of features doesn't annoy anyone too much.

        • As long as it assists the Volls in the low-end and doesn't end up humming after 2-3 years (as per so many big-brand Subs with cheap PSU componentry) then I'm happy!

        • Good on you for doing the yards bodgey.

  • Genuine question: why should I buy your (unknown) speakers and not a pair of Q Acoustics 2010s which regularly appear for your $120 rrp?

    • +4

      Just so you know, these (well the last ones anyway) are the Micca MB42x which are very well known in the budget audiophile communities. Just different branding.

      Cracking little desktop speakers when paired with a nice little t-amp.

    • +10

      I haven't listened to the Q Acoustics so I can't comment on them but they usually RRP for far more than $120.

      While we are a fairly unknown brand I can assure you that we are committed to bringing great value speakers to Australia, as a direct importer our profits are very low which means the value for the price we believe is great. You can find lots of discussion about our speakers in previous Ozbargain posts.

      My final point would be that if you are willing to take a chance on us and you don't like them it only costs you $10 to return them and get a full refund.

      • +2

        That's cool - I wasn't trying to say that they were a bad product or anything, just curious how you would rate them against other speakers in that price neighborhood and if there was something setting them apart.

        My final point would be that if you are willing to take a chance on us and you don't like them it only costs you $10 to return them and get a full refund.

        That's actually a great point.

    • As per ZFA above, these are basically the very popular Micca 42s as sold by Amazon and raved about by most: https://www.amazon.com/Micca-MB42-Bookshelf-Speakers-Tweeter…

      • +1

        With the V2 we've been working with the manufacturer for some time to tweak the design. We believe that the B44 V2 sounds better than the MB42X / B44 V1 while maintaining similar characteristics. The changes we've made have resulted in a higher cost price but this extra cost is definitely been worth it in our opinion.

        The linked whirlpool review discusses some of the differences from the opinion of someone who has reviewed both.

        • +1

          Curious to try the V1 and V2 side by side.

    • +1

      where are these Q Acoustics 2010s which regularly appear for $120 rrp?

      $210+ is what i see online now for the 2010i

  • +1

    What would be a suitable amp pairing for these?

    • +1

      If you want to go the cheapest possible you can get the LEPAI 2020 on eBay which is a popular but underpowered choice. A better budget option would probably be to wait for our Voll A44 to be out in July which has an integrated amp as it would be more powerful than the 2020.

      In the mid range it really depends on your needs but we think the Topping VX2 is great value if you don't need analogue inputs. The SMSL SA-98E is also a pretty good choice but it's massive overkill so don't turn it up too much.

      The SMSL Q5 Pro is a great amp for the higher end budget.

      You can also look into second hand amps, some of the old NADs are really great if you can score one for a decent price.

      • How much is the Voll A44 expected to be priced at?

        • +1

          About $170 (including shipping)

        • Thanks. Might keep an eye out for them!

        • @chiefbodge:

          How do these conpare to the microlab solo 6C?

          Will it have a remote? What inputs will it have?

        • @bryn:

          I have never listened to the Solo 6C but from the people I've spoken to that have heard both our B44 and the Solo 6C they reckon the B44 sounds significantly better.

          It wont have a remote and the Volume control will be at the back. The idea is that you set the volume to the maximum that you'd like to listen at and then use your sources volume (computer, phone etc..) to control the volume. Even at full volume there really isn't any audible noise. I have the prototype hooked up to my Amazon Echo Dot right now and it works a treat.

          It will have 2xRCA input only.

      • If planning to also get the subwoofer when it comes, what advice would you have for amps?

        • The easiest amps to connect to our sub will be the SMSL Q5 and SMSL A2 as they have dedicated sub outputs.

          Our sub does not have high level (speaker level ) inputs, this is to keep the price competitive, but we are currently testing a solution to that issue though that should be available at launch.

          Whatever amplifier you choose whether it's one of the ones that we sell or from elsewhere we'll make sure we have an easy way for it to be hooked up.

        • @chiefbodge: Will the sub be active or passive?

        • +1

          @lochiebags:

          Active. It will have 2x RCA inputs but you will also be able to plug in a MONO cable to one of the inputs. It will come bundled with a MONO RCA cable which will hook up to the Q5 pro without any extra cables.

    • 'Anything' really. I've run these with all types of Amps and they sound fine… everything from 500W Monoblock monsters through to very low powered modern digital Amps. A great pairing for those on a budget is to use a nice little vintage Amp usually available for around $50-$100 off Gumtree etc.

    • +1

      They are inefficient speakers. You would need a 40w amp (real watts) to play music at 100 dB.

      • +2

        This is a good point - if you do want to listen at higher volumes then the smaller T-amps just wont be very good.

        The Lepai 2020 is commonly recommended for similar speakers and I think it's in most cases bad advice because it's not powerful enough unless you never really turn them up.

        The V2 is slightly more inefficient than the V1 due to the improved crossover design so I would recommend at least 30 watts per channel to drive them.

  • I have the V1 of these, very happy with them although they are not my "main" front L & R, i originally bought them for surrounds. I have these plugged into my Yamaha RX-V373

    I would be interested in buying these for my FR/FL, do these come with the magnetic filters again?

    • They do come with magnetic speaker covers.

    • This is what I was wondering if they are good for, rear surround speakers. Are you saying they are good enough for the front too?

      • If i didnt already have a decent sent of fronts, i would definitely buy this. They are great for fronts for a small room setting, but if your TV room is bigger than 4x5, they might be a little small. The fronts that i have apparently sell for $500+ (at least thats what the manufacturer wants to sell them for)

        Still, theyre a great set of speakers, build quality is exceptional. Really want to buy these, but cannot justify the need for them since I also have speakers lying around.

  • +1

    Oh, geeze. I have the v1s, and I kinda want to upgrade now. More exciting, though, is that subwoofer. I honestly thought it was never going to happen.

  • New design crossover, the old version or the upgrade MB42X crossover?

    • +1

      It is a third order (18db/octave) crossover like the current MB42X is but it is not the same design. Our B44 V2 has a different tweeter (larger) and woofer (various differences).

      The B44 V1 had a second order crossover.

  • +2

    I have the QA 2010, bought for ~$100. Paired with a topping amp, i wasn't impressed. I also have 2020's and they are fantastic.

    I also use the SMSL SA-98E and can't believe how good it is for the price, highly recommended.

    Wish I had a need for these need Voll's, I already have too many speakers sitting around! (PM me if you want 2010s or sonique center/bookshelves to fund my Voll purchase)

  • +2

    How does this compare against say the Logitech z623? A complete noob when it comes to speakers. But in the market for a pair of desktop speakers around the $100 price point at the moment.

    • +4

      If you like music logitech is not ideal. These (or almost any bookshelf speakers) will be better than logitech. The bass will be a lot less noticeable (mainly because it's a lot less boomy and overpowering) though so if you watch movies or like bassy music you will need a sub.

      Another good point to remember coming from Logitechs is that our B44s are passive speakers meanining they need an amplifier. We have bundles with amplifiers and speaker cable on special at the moment too but we also have the A44 coming out in July that includes an integrated amplifier which will be a great budget option although seperate amplifiers are generally a better idea in my opinion.

      • So on a related note: I have some Logitech z5400's and find that the clarity isn't great through them with the way that TV sound production is done now (loud is too loud, talking is too quiet). How would these perform if plugged into the output from the Logitech amp?

        Looking at the SMSL Q5 Pro, you mention there's a $10 discount if you buy with any set of B44 speakers - is that available in conjunction with this offer?

        • Unfortunately the z5400s amplifier wouldn't be powerful enough to power bookshelf speakers.

          The $10 off amplifiers purchased with B44 is a deal we ran on the old site, we forgot to remove that text. On the new website we simplified it a bit, you still end up with the $10 off but you also get speaker cables too. Just visit the bundle page here: https://voll.com.au/product/voll-b44-bundle/ and select the Q5 from the list - you'll then see the total price which is equal to 99.95 + Q5 Pro rrp - $10. Then just apply the $5 coupon code at checkout and you're set.

        • @chiefbodge: The z5400's have 38W RMS satellites, but they're 8ohm. The built in amp might not cope well with connecting 4ohm bookshelves.

    • value wise z623 is great. But that is "Value" for the general consumer, and stepping into the bookshelf market you're going away from "value" to entry level "appreciation" or "enthusiast" category.

      Decent starting amps cost in and around the $100-$200 mark, and these speakers if not on sale would be worth at least $150 - 200.

      Also, Music is usually recorded in stereo, not 2.1. So people who love to "appreciate" music usually have a separate setup (like 2.0).

      I have opted for the "poor mans" version, where I have got an AVR that is capable of doing stereo and digital out. Even my "poor man" setup, the AVR (essentially the amplifier) cost about $340 alone. It is not uncommon for music audiophiles to spend thousands of dollars on a tube amp for a 2.0 set up, and their speakers costing in and around the same.

      I would say this is worth it, and investing in an amp. Although 2.0 is not brilliant for that immersion for gaming.

      Alternatively you can go with something like this Mackie CR4 but these are studio monitors.

  • RIP mobile users.

    • Are you experiencing an issue on mobile? If so I'd love to assist.

      We just launched our new website today so there may be a few issues that we are unaware of.

      • +1

        I can still view it but some of the images aren't aligned properly. And one in particular doesn't fit and requires scrolling across.

        • Thanks for the feedback - we'll look into it.

  • Okay, I'm taking the gamble. Been wanting new speakers for years but can't bring myself to shell out for Audioengines. Not expecting this to compare (at less than a third of the price) but looking forward to trying them out regardless. Thanks for the V1 reviews, everyone.

    • Thanks for your order! After listening to the audio engine a2+ and a5 I have to say that our speakers are certainly better sounding, but I'm sure I'm a little biased. Just remember that unlike the Audio Engine speakers you will need an amplifier for our B44s.

      We are releasing the A44 in July which has an amplifier integrated.

    • They are better. The v1's that is, so I imagine these will do better. I have owned both, and did a side by side comparison. The audioengines were on par sound quality wise, but the Volls have much more bass.

  • +2

    Hi I would be interested in active. For this size format, having a seperate amp isn't really ideal!

    • +1

      If you sign up to our newsletter (at the bottom of every page on our website) then you'll be the first to know when we open up pre-orders.

    • I have Q Acoustic BT3 speakers.

      They are fantastic! But $500…

      • I don't think the wife would let me!

  • +2

    a+ speakers, and great+friendly service.

    very happy with my old B44's and VX1 (i think that's the amp model number)

    wish i had an excuse to buy these! highly recommend!

  • +1

    If i were to buy these and pair them with a small amp to use as a simple dedicated music setup (hopefully throwing a Chromecast audio in the mix too some how), would this fit the bill? I'd love to be able to throw this onto my shelf in the lounge.

    • +4

      These are perfect for this. I've assisted friends & neighbours build exact systems as this… a pair of Volls, basic $50-$100 vintage Amp off Gumtree and a Chromecast Audio as the source. Works better than most expect and easily fills medium to large spaces with sweet, sweet audio. Obviously no good for earth-shaking party music but great for most other day-to-day uses.

      • Thanks mate! Just what I wanted to hear :)

        • +2

          No dramas at all. To be honest I'd actually recommend you go for a decent little vintage Amp versus going for one of the Tripaths. Don't get me wrong, the Tripaths are excellent however an inexpensive vintage Amp usually provides excellent audio quality, more power output, sometimes a tuner and sometimes even a convenient Phono input for those wanting to dabble in LPs. Keep an eye out for a basic black Japanese made unit from the 80s or early 90s and you'll be set! The older silver/timber stuff is also excellent but demands a higher price and can sometimes need serious work/repairs etc. Let me know if you need any more help though OK. I love this stuff :) Best bit is that you definitely don't need to spend a lot to build a pretty incredible system.

        • +2

          @SteveAndBelle:

          Whenever customers ask me about turn tables I always recommend this option, rather than having a spaghetti of cables coming from preamp etc. Plus the old japanese amps just look nice too. My dad has two NAD amps from the early 90s that he bought second hand like 20 years ago and they are still going strong. They certainly don't make caps like they used to, even the good brand caps can be hit and miss.

          With that said I'm a huge fan of class T / class D amplifiers. They are so incredibly efficient and they do what they do so well with so few components. I'm really surprised that the major manufacturers seem to persist with inefficient class A/B designs. It's mostly the switchmode power supplies that let class T / D designs down - pair a good quality class D design with a toroidal transformer and you get something that's really hard to beat in terms of quality.

        • +1

          @chiefbodge: Ha, yes. It's probably because they need to use us the decades worth of stock they've built up ;) Don't get me wrong though… I run all sorts of gear and enjoy it all. I've got a 2A3 SET plus a pair of lovely full-ranges sitting in the midst of my daily use Yamaha Receiver connected to vintage Yamaha speakers. In another area I'm running huge, heavy, industrial grade 500W Perreaux Monoblocks alongside a Tripath & Class-D rig with all sorts of speakers, big & small running through a comparator so I can easily switch between things on the fly. The thing is that I enjoy all of it for it's own reasons and yes, I have a problem ;) Love the NAD stuff and have a nice little collection in my 'to do' pile needing basic repairs… just stuff like PSU caps and bulb-LED conversions. Still like my Yammie gear better though, it's just rock solid.

  • +2

    Hell yeah, the V1s have been terrific little rippers in the shed, running off a 20yr old Sony home theatre receiver. Might grab 4 of these to setup in and around the house (in June), replace some other ageing towers.

    Thanks rep!

  • Can these be used with a TV or with an AV receiver?

    • To hook the B44s up to a TV you would need an amplifier in between.

      The B44s will work with most AV receivers but you will need some speaker cable to go between the AV Receiver and the speakers.

      • My Yamaha Receiver expects speakers with impedance of 6-8 ohms, so looks like these wont be ideal for my receiver being 4 ohms speakers?

        • Receivers these days are pretty tolerant and you can't really do any damaged as they tend to have fairly robust protection circuits. We've had many customers use our speakers with many different home theatre receivers without any issues. But of course I can't make any guarantees.

          We tend to recommend Denon receivers when asked because they specifically support 4 ohm speakers but personally I reckon most receivers wont have any issues as long as you don't have the volume cranked all the way up constantly.

          It's a different story for old 80s/90s stereo amps that say 8 ohms only - they can overheat and be permanently damaged by connecting low impedance speakers.

      • Any recommendations on a decent cheap surround amp or are these not in the realm of cheap chinese electronics yet?

        • I haven't heard of any cheap chinese AVRs - probably best to find something second hand. Certain pioneer AVRs can be had quite cheaply at times too.

  • +1

    Is it $94 for a pair, or just for one?

    • A pair. Sorry for any confusion - I think we lost some of the language from the old website that clears this up.

  • It amazes me that you can buy speakers like this for under 100 bucks. Is that down to good old Chinese manufacture?

  • hmm im tempted, altough i dont really need new speakers at the moment, i will however need a new amp soon so nice to know a good place to buy, just out of curiosity is brown the only colour of the speakers you make?

    • +1

      Yeah unfortunately just the one colour.

  • chiefbodge, what would I need in conjunction with the speakers to get them running on a PC computer? Also any plans on adding a Sub?

    • You'll need an amplifier, I'd recommend a T-amp or class D amp like the ones we sell here: https://voll.com.au/product-category/amplifiers/ or there are some cheaper options on ebay. Another alternative is a good quality second hand japanese amp from the 80s/90s as discussed elsewhere in this thread.

      You'll need speaker cable to go from the speakers to the amp and you'll need a cable to connect from the PC to the amplifier.

      We have bundles that include everything you need here: https://voll.com.au/product/voll-b44-bundle/

      The Topping VX1, Topping VX2 and the SMSL Q5 Pro all come with USB cables to connect directly to your computer, so in those cases the bundle would have absolutely everything you need. Other options would need to use an analogue cable (probably a 2xRCA to 3.5mm)

      • Any plans on subwoofers?

        • +2

          Sorry I missed that part of your question. The Voll S6 subwoofer will be available in July for around $120. We will have a bundle that includes the sub too.

      • I have a room that is 8x6x4m height or 192m3. The area where we will be watching is around 5x5x4 or 100m3.

        Will a v44 plus q5pro and a paired sub be adequate for this room? Mostly, we will be watching films on the projector. speakers will be spaced about 3m apart and elevated to a base of 0.9m

        With music the setup will be the same but the listening couch is centred in the 5x5x4 or 100m3 area at 2.5m for centre.

  • I'm assuming these won't just plug into a MacBook like shown in the image? That they need a dedicated amplifier?

    • Yeah, sorry if the image is a little confusing.

      They are "passive" speakers which means they require an amplifier, some examples are shown here: https://voll.com.au/product-category/amplifiers/ but you can get amplifiers second hand or elsewhere (such as on eBay). Speakers pretty much all used to be passive but these days there's more and more active speakers entering the market which can make things a bit confusing.

      We will have an active version of our B44s out in July called the A44 - this will be priced at approximately $170.

      • Thanks. I'll wait for the A44 then.

    • Yes, these are passive - they need an amp. They sell active versions of the old design, and they say there will be active versions of these soon.

      Given the choice, I personally prefer a separate amp - it give you the option upgrade something later, or replace a part if it breaks.

  • +1

    Just ordered a set of B44 V2 with the SMSL Q5 Pro amplifier. Can't wait for them to arrive and also the Subwoofer!!!

    • Same. Icing on the cake would have been the amp having a headphone out but you can't have it all :P

      • +1

        You probably can still have it all :) Headphone outs are usually fed from a couple of inexpensive resistors on the speaker outputs of most Power Amps, yes even expensive ones! There's a heap of info and good pics on how to DIY it here: https://diyaudioheaven.wordpress.com/tutorials/power-amp-ada… Be careful though as Digital Amps can be fussy and can be sensitive to having the negs on the speaker outputs tied together.

        • Hmmm interesting. I have some 300ohm HD650's. Need to see if I can find someone who has used the speaker outs on the Q5 PRO for headphones now.

        • +1

          @Jhonka: Just do it with yours and be that person!

  • Hi, unless I've missed a link somewhere, would the rep have a pic of these speakers with the magnetic front grill on? Thanks

  • I'm interested. When does this pre sale promo price end?

    • It will continue for at least a week, beyond that I can't really be sure at this point.

      • No worries. I'll do some research to prevent any impulse purchases. They look great, just gotta convince myself I need new speakers

        😉

  • Hi @OP,

    I used Audioengine D1, a USB powered headphone amplifier until recently when it started misbehaving.
    It's a convenient little unit - press a button to turn it on, and PC audio stops on the speakers and comes through the headphone.
    Now I want to separate all my audio from the PC with optic cable and am looking at VX1 and VX2. VX1 with optical input or VX2 with headphone output on the front would have been ideal. Could you recommend an amplifier in similar or tad higher price range that can power a pair of headphones and B44s? I'm not an audiophile by any means, but highly enjoy clean, good sound with no overblown bass.

    Thanks,
    B

  • Just put through an order - entered my address in wrong.

    Where would I go about changing the shipping address on the order?

    • +1

      Hi ill3,

      Please reply to your order confirmation email with the correct address and we'll email you back confirming that we've changed it in our system.

      Regards,

      Jay

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