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Just confused about where to start

Hello all,

I'm looking to add speakers to my audiophile setup which currently consists of (very high end) headphones. I want speakers for everything the headphones cannot do - simple enough. Problem is, I'm having difficulty deciding which gear I want to buy. I demoed a pair of B&W 705 S2's today and was very impressed. Unfortunately, my budget isn't that high. It's $1500 total, for the speakers and amp combined. Source is a computer. I listened to a cheaper pair of B&W bookshelf speakers (can't remember which, but were around $1200) and was not impressed. I am leaning toward bookshelf speakers but don't know if getting floorstanding at this price point would be a large increase in quality. The room they will be placed in is only 100 square feet. I am willing to buy used.

So, my questions, summed up are:

Is bookshelf a better option than floorstanding?

Is it worth looking at cheaper B&W models, or should I look at other companies altogether?

At least with headphones, I like a pretty neutral sound, if not a tad warm. Are there any companies that predominantly have this sound signature?

How should the room size inform my choice of speakers?



muffinhead123
tutetibiimperes
202 posts
 
For $1,500 this is the way I'd go:

Speakers: Elac Uni-Fi UB5 (currently on sale for $350 @ Amazon, normally $500/pair, and they'll easily best speakers costing quite a bit more)

Amp:  Elac Element EA101EQ (currently on sale for $620 @ Amazon)

Subwoofer:  Either SVS SB12-NSD ($449) or Rythmik L12 ($539)

You didn't explicitly mention a subwoofer, but if you're going with bookshelves, and want to do things headphones can't do, one of the big things being tactile response from the music, you want a sub.  The beauty of the Elac Element integrated is that it has built in subwoofer integration with automatic room EQ and subwoofer blend including phase adjustment, so you can get the speakers and sub working beautifully together.  It also has a built-in USB DAC so it's easy to hook up to your computer.  

I have the UB5, SB12-NSD, Elac Element comb.  I use it for my computer audio setup and it's excellent.  The Rythmik sub is certainly worth a look though.  Either way you're within spitting distance of your budget.  
muffinhead123 OP
35 posts
 
Thank you. That amp sounds good with the autocalibration feature, so I'll look more into it. How would it be if I took out the sub and spent that money on a floorstanding speaker? I'm not a basshead and don't really need visceral bass. I just really like the open feeling and imaging speakers provide.
tutetibiimperes
202 posts
 
If you want imaging and clarity without brightness the Elac Uni-Fis could be right up your alley.  

A subwoofer is about more than visceral bass, it also helps unload a lot of work from the amplifier and can ease positioning issues with the mains (especially if you have to place them near a wall or on a desk where having too much of the bass coming from the mains can cause the sound to be muddy).  A pair of bookshelves and a subwoofer can oftentimes outperform towers, especially in a smaller room like yours.  

Plus, you can always adjust the gain on the subwoofer to apply the amount of bass for your preference.  I'm not a bass-head either, but I enjoy the fuller sound that a subwoofer provides.  With the room correction and auto-blend functions of the Elac amp I don't have any boom, just nice full music from top to bottom.
david_ten
5,480 posts
 
I'm looking to add speakers to my audiophile setup which currently consists of (very high end) headphones. I want speakers for everything the headphones cannot do - simple enough....
At least with headphones, I like a pretty neutral sound, if not a tad warm.

Can you share your headphone setup?

If it is 'high end' and you value 'neutral' sound, you may have a mis-match between your expectations and what you can achieve given your budget.

Sharing more will help others offer better and more specific advice.
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