Need New Bookshelf Speakers of Certain 'Style'


I'll explain the 'style' component in a bit, but first some background.

I am looking to buy a pair of bookshelf speakers for a room that I am setting up with a turntable. The room size is 15x20.

My budget is $700-1500 for a pair of speakers.

I have just ordered some kit. Peachtree Nova65SE, Pro-ject Turntable Debut Carbon Esprit SB, Rega Fono MM phono stage, and Peachtree BT1 for streaming music from devices.

I have read through countless posts and threads about bookshelf speakers, and I would like to find something that would pair well with my Peachtree. The speakers would likely be in close proximity to walls due to the space and as I have kids who are just at that age to mess things up big time. We will also be renovating this room in a few years, so these speakers would eventually end up in an office or bedroom after the remodel. So this is in some ways temporary kit (3-4 years).

My wife's and my music preferences tend towards jazz (Coltrain, Oscar Peterson, trumpet jazz, vocal jazz both classic and more contemporary), singer-songwriter, folk, and I do love my punk rock when no one else is around.

From scouring the posts and threads, here is my short list.

Gallo Acoustics Strada (basic or 2s)
NHT Classic 3
KEF LS50
Neat Iota
Rega RS1
Sonus Faber Toy Speaker (in leather)

Others I am open to and considered:

B&W 685
Montinor Audio GX50
LSA-1
Salk WOW 1 mini-monitor (can customize, which is nice)
Silverline Minuets
Epos K-1
Ascend Acoustics Sierra 1 Reference Monitor

I know that front porting and sealed speakers tend to be best when put up against walls, so I have tried to take that into consideration.

So now for the 'style' component. My wife is the only one working right now, and she doesn't like those traditional boxy wood speakers. Smaller in size and high gloss white, gun metal colored etc are what she likes and then glossy piano black after that. This isn't driving the decision, but I am doing my best to take that into consideration as she is the one working and earning the coin for this kit and we both are going to enjoy the system.

My gut leans towards the NHTs right now with their month-long trail period to give 'em a run, and also the KEF LS50s. KEF 102s were my first speaker I bought at the young age of 19, and I still have them hooked up to my Nakamichi TA-3A in my man cave. There is a bit of nostalgia with KEF.

But I am really open to any input and advice. I am just getting back into audio and especially vinyl, so things have changed and I feel out of my element. Just want to make sure my kit matches up well, get the best speaker for my budget, and hopefully it will be in a style that will please the wife.

Cheers,
k.
drinky
Rega RS 1 is the one you want, wall friendly and a very honest natural sound just right for jazz.
I see that NeedleDoctor carries the Rega RS 1s and they are right in town here in Minneapolis, so I'll go check them out.

This morning, however, I called a dealer in VA who sold both the Neat Accoustics Iota and KEF LS50s, and he said that if you don't mind a little less bass, the he thought the sound on the Iotas was better the the KEF LS50s at at $400 less.

Of course, I haven't heard either one of them.

k.
Right, I'm in Roseville, they were playing last time I was in there 3-4 months ago. Regas are overlooked by many, VERY natural sound for speakers , so natural many don't get it never having heard this. And they are made for close wall placement, try that with NHT and they will boom and don't have the resolution of Regs either though they are pleasant to listen to.
I was a KEF man for decades, have heard the LS-50 twice at 2 different dealers. To me they are so bright as to be unlistenable. Never heard Iotas either.
Contact sound field audio and speak with aj about his m1 monitors. I'm not sure if he is making them anymore. I have owned several well regarded monitors up to around $3200 and the m1's are simply outstanding. I'm in Minneapolis if you want to set up a demo. Pm me for more info. Good luck.
Me too, have a little more "jump" than the Regas but not quite as neutral, still very musical.
I have to say that I talked with a dealer today, and I am considering breaking the budget just a tad to get some open box discounted Dali Rubicon 2 bookshelf speakers.

We'll see.

k.
Although some of the recent pairs up for sale have been at crack pipe prices, I'd add the original Sonus Faber Concertos to the list if the Dali's don't pan out. They sound great and look like a piece of furniture. Unfortunately, at the moment they all appear to be in the hands of estate sale gear flippers who don't know the first thing about audio.
If your going new. go with vapor sound..speak to ryan..there is no better!!!!!!
Check out the Joseph audio rm7xl. They are front ported so they will be easier to place in the room. They look really nice on stands and sound fantastic. Great imaging and sound terrific playing jazz and contemporary music.
Used Usher BE 718.

Haven't heard them, but they get great reviews, are beautiful and have beryllium tweeters.

My last pair of speakers, Paradigm Sig. s2's have beryllium tweeters and they sounded incredible. I'd recommend some Paradigm S2's but I can't find any for sale right now.

Do check out those Ushers though!
Yeah, those Ushers are nice. I did look into them a bit a last week but the price just seemed out there for my budget -- even when used.

With that said, a custom speaker maker recommended I take a look at the KEF R100s considering my space constraints, so I have included that into my consideration. Though the $1200 factory direct price seems high. I'll have to give some dealers a call and see what the real price and get a better understanding of them.

Has anyone tried the KEF R100s?

k.
I saw a pair of Usher B718s her on AG a couple days ago. Seller wanted $1500 I believe.
Those KEFs are tough to beat. And they now come in white.

With the numerous awards they've gotten, they also keep their resale value very well.

I did not find them bright, and a recent comparison in the most recent Stereophile nicely covers their treble.
The KEF LS50s are *fabulous* speakers, hard to go wrong with those. I also greatly admire the Gallo Stradas, the CDT3 tweeter is an absolute marvel. Plus the Gallos are built like tanks, *extremely* solid construction. And they can be mounted on a desktop, a wall, and stands.

I have an all-Gallo Reference surround sound system and it sounds exquisite. The Gallo tweeter and carbon fibre mid/bass speakers are exceptionally good sounding...
@Schubert, I was implying (perhaps poorly) that some gear flippers may be under the influence.
I had a similar situation and was very happy with Tetris 120u monitors. Canadian made, very musical--a favorite brand among musicians. The 120u monitor is top ported, and can be placed anywhere. I had them on the floor on 4 inch maple plinths--got a tad more bass out of them vs. stands. I started out running a 40 watt NAD Reciever, then an 80 watt NAD C352 and finally a B&K ref. 220.2. They responded each time to the more/beter power. You can find them used occasionally for $750 - $1,000 a pair. High quality components, very simple crossover.
Surprised no one has mentioned this, but IMHO your room is far too big for the bookshelf speakers you are considering, unless your listening will be near-field. They will simply not put out enough to fill a room that size with quality sound. You would be better off with floorstanders.

Neal
Nglazer is right which is why I suggested the soundfield m1's.
So far they are the only speaker I have heard near their size
that can do full range sound. Kef uni-q coax coupled with an
active sub in each cabinet. Ingenious.
You guys amaze me -- in a good way. Just when I think I am settling on one speaker, someone bursts in like a freakin' purse snatcher and robs me of my surety.

At last call, the sliverlines (in piano black) were my choice. The wife has reluctantly agreed to piano black, but the discourse is still full of comments like: "Well, that is the least offensive of them." I think I am wearing her down though :)

But now the room size comment has me thinking.

k.
Yes you won't "pressurize" the room with bookshelf speakers. You will need to stay relatively close to them, if you were planning on moving around and hearing your music at a specific volume , that won't happen. Getting your wife to agree to floor standers is an unenviable job good luck.
Someone mentioned Joseph Audio... There is a pair of Rm7si local to me for $650 (pm me if intersted) I actually demo'd them awhile back but preferred my home made Jamo D 830's...

Which brings me to another option... The Jamo d830's if you can find them are really nice. Really solid construction and Seas Excel Drivers.

Im having a hard time recommending speakers to you because I'm looking also and I don't need the competition, lol.

On a side note, anyone else notice the unusual lack of good used deals out there? What gives?
When faced with a choice, always go with Silverline speakers for two reasons: I own a pair, and I want those guys to stay in business in case I need something from them. Was that two?...two and a half?
I have a perfect pair of Proac Response 2.5 in Birdseye Maple, that I might consider selling. Using something else right now.......
lol @ Wolf

Good to see (?) you again! I think that was in fact 2.5 reasons why to buy Silverline, and if we were keeping track here, that might make you the winner.

I'm sticking to the Ushers, even though I haven't heard them. There is a pair of $1500 but he doesn't want to ship them. You might be able to work something out!
Drinky,

I have not yet heard this model but the Alon 3's would be right in the middle of your price point. I do know this brand to be of considerable value for their performance.

http://www.goldenear.com/products/aon-series?gktab=5
You guys crack me up. Good line about the ushers finding your seat.

For right now, I have hooked up some vintage KEF 102s so that I have more time to second guess myself.

With that said, the wife kind of liked the Ushers with light colored (silver?) front/top.

I also have a place nearby where I can try out the aon 3 speakers.

k.
The wife is coming around to floor standing speakers. Stand mounters aren't the most child friendly, and I think she likes the single-piece look. And bookshelf/monitors have limitations.

Anyhow, I will be getting a $250 credit for speakers at an audio place for purchase of a piece of some equipment, and they sell Focal, Martin Logan, NHT, GoldenEar, and Paradigm speakers.

I'm not going to let a credit tie my hands, but the GoldenEar Triton 7 mini-towers seem like a possibility for $1,150. They seem to get good reviews.

k.
Do NOT fail to listen to the Paradigm Monitor 7, a very honest small floorstander , Flash gets old quick.
Well, I finally decided on speakers, and I didn't quite end up where I thought I was headed -- which is good. I thank everyone for their input. I looked into every speaker recommended in the thread, and probably spent too much time researching and choosing. Oh well…. In the end I went with GoldenEar Triton 7 mini-towers.

I am sure there are better speakers out there, but the combination of sound, design, size, and price made it a good choice.

So after researching the Aon 3s by GoldenEar, I found a dealer in Minneapolis who also had a blowout sale on Peachtree integrated amp/DACs. So I returned my Nova 65SE and upgraded to a 125 SE in Rosewood ($1,100).

With that purchase they gave me a $250 credit for speakers and happened to have a home demo open-box set of new Triton 7s marked down, so with the credit I got the GoldenEar Triton 7s for $800.

The mini towers work perfectly and sound great. In the end, I just didn't think the bookshelf/monitor route was going to satisfy me (thanks for the room size comment btw), and going to stand mounted speakers wasn't going to work as well with the children (1 & 3 years).

Additionally, the wife said that she didn't mind the look of the Triton 7s either, even though they were in black.

Add to that, I got the Rega Fono MM amp and the Pro-Ject Carbon Debut Esprit SB turntable for my vinyl and the Peachtree BT-1 for bluetooth devices. When all was said and done the entire kit came in under 3k.

Thanks everyone.

k.