2. speakers
  3. 148689-7564

Recommendations for bookshelf speakers

I hope some of you knowledgeable folks can help point me in the right direction here. I've just sold off a pair of venerable old Celestion SL600s to a friend who's setting up her own system. I've been using these for casual listening, mostly as computer monitors (YouTube mainly, and some streaming broadcast services, with very occasional forays into higher-res formats) and as musical as they are, I think it's time for something more modern and more efficient.

Well, this is where I get lost. I'd like something that approximates the Celestions' musicality, but scouring the internet for information on speakers of appropriate size and price (I can go up to about $1000 for these) just seems to muddy the waters. I'm happy to go with either used or new. A few that I've looked into but been put off by various aspects of their reviews: Monitor Audio Silver 50 and RX1, Polk Audio LSiM703 (there's a really good deal on these on Polk's website, but they're quite a bit bigger than I'd like), various models of Elac's bookshelf speakers, PSB Imagine Bs, and even a few used B&Ws, a brand I've never really liked all that much.

I'd be grateful for any suggestions you might have. There's an endless variety of speakers out there and I feel I've barely scratched the surface. Your suggestions would be gratefully received. Thanks!
cooper52

Showing 5 responses by cooper52

cooper52 OP
156 posts
 
Just a quick question for the Spendor owners, if you've heard both of these: considering their English DNA,  I'm wondering how these speakers compare to Harbeths. I'm not a fan of the latter, as I feel they err too much on the "warm and fuzzy" side. Thanks.
cooper52 OP
156 posts
 
Thanks for all your suggestions. There are a few speakers presently listed here on A'gon that I'm very interested in: Some Spendor SP 3/1Ps and the above mentioned Focal Aria 906s. From this you might get an idea of what appeals to my taste. Speakers like the KEFs (and a lot of other modern speakers I've heard) are clean and tight with great imaging, but I find them uninvolving, sometimes downright shrill. I'm also interested in LSA .5s but I haven't seen these for sale anywhere recently. Discontinued, I think. 

A bit more detail about my system: amplification is an Arcam A85 integrated, and between the computer and the amp I'm using a Musical Fidelity VDac II (basic but very serviceable DAC). Digital optical cable between computer's sound card (Soundblaster Z) and DAC.  



cooper52 OP
156 posts
 
Update: I've settled on a set of Focal 906s (new) that were listed here on A'gon at an irresistible price. They'll be here tomorrow. It'll take some time for them to find their voice (100 hrs. or so, I'm told) but I'm really looking forward to hearing them. I'll let you know what I think when I've had a chance to put them through their paces.
Thanks again for all your suggestions.
cooper52 OP
156 posts
 
Focals arrived today and they're playing happily away in my system. Right out of the box I'm impressed with their remarkable imaging and facility with vocal tracks. I thought a good touchstone would be a CD of Bach's St. Matthew Passion, where the opening chorale features a double-choir. Wow. The sense of space comes through in blazing technicolor.
Because the speakers are still brand-spanking new, they sound kind of closed up and overly polite but I'm sure this will all open up with sufficient playing. It's really unfair to try to assess them right now, because they obviously need quite a few more hours of break-in before I can get a true sense of what they're capable of, but I'm looking forward to hearing what happens as they open up in the coming days. Well weeks, more like...
cooper52 OP
156 posts
 
Update: the Focals have had their requisite 100 hrs. of break-in now and I do think they've opened up rather nicely.  This difference isn't anywhere near as dramatic as what I experienced with the new pair of ProAc Response 1SCs I bought a good few years ago. Now, THAT was a learning experience!

The Focals' stereo imaging is truly excellent and their presentation is musical and involving. No, they don't dig very deeply into the bass but the sound is nicely balanced all the way up the spectrum and my typical listening levels don't extend to floor-shaking low frequencies anyway. Just for fun I tried these out in my main system (Modwright KWI 200 amp, Cambridge Audio CXU, AMR DPP 777 DAC, Rel S-2 sub) and though they were no match for my Ryan R610s, the things these Focals did well they did very well indeed. Don't drive them too hard though, they'll get kind of harsh. But for the way I'm using them, they give me exactly what I want to hear, so I'm sure they'll be sticking around for a good few years.

Once again, thanks to all for your opinions and recommendations.  
More to discover