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Please recommend speakers

I’m just starting my audiophile journey and want to make sure I pair the right equipment before going too far down the rabbit hole. I am coming into this as a complete newbie. I listen pretty much to everything but mostly pop, classical and jazz in a fairly large-ish lower level living room (maybe 20 x 20 feet square) and speakers sitting on bookshelves. I know they should be on stands or floor-mounted, but that doesn’t really work for me right now space-wise. So far I have Jamo 803 bookshelf speakers with newly purchased SMSL DA-9 amp and matching SMSL SU-9 DAC (previously was using an old NAD D 3020 V1 integrated amp with direct connection from iPad to internal DAC). Now I stream directly from an old iPhone/iPad via a USB camera adapter to the DAC which has balanced connections to the DA-9 amp. I pretty much stream music exclusively (currently on free trials with Tidal and Amazon HD). No other sources. No library to speak of. No headphones. The Jamos sound great to me, but I feel like I need something better to pair with the mid-fi DAC and AMP. So I’m looking for upgrade the Jamo 803s which were purchased on sale for $130. Looking to spend up to maybe $800 for a pair. Recommendations? Thanks in advance!

 

Edit:  Here's what I'm considering so far.  KEF350, Polk R200s, Audio Monitor Bronze.  Thoughts on pros and cons?  Anything else?

expresstrain
mwinkc
343 posts
 

I have a pair of the Kef Q350's that the OP mentions.

They are great speakers with nice, clear mids and highs and surprisingly good bass.

Part of that good bass comes from the rear port, which would not fare well in a bookshelf. You could try plugging the port and thwarting the design intent...but good luck with that. 

The front ported Q100's are designed for wall mounting or shelves, but you'll sacrifice bass and midrange. Perhaps a pair of small subs that can reach fairly high can help, but they would surpass your budget.

baddodge's avatar
baddodge
16 posts
 

Just build a BIG BOOK SHELF

bmwhaus
84 posts
 

Even though Maggies need power I heard the DA9 on a pair of LRS and it sounded very good but it was a smallish room but Maggies do sound alive with powerful amps.

schwantner
42 posts
 

I have a lovely pair of KEF 100s I got for about 500. But my room was only 15 by 12.   But the sound is pretty darn good.  Won't beat a 30k speaker but it shouldn't be expected to 

schwantner
42 posts
 

A pair of KEF 100s are surprisingly good at lower levels. They are discontinued but have seen them available on sites. I like them better than my KEF 350.  They are on the warm side.  I also have Dali, Paradigm,  Jamo, Klipsch, wharfedale and others,  so my biases are limited.   The klipsch are lower end and in a warehouse and provide a good sound in about 3500 square feet,  so far from ideal listening but they are very efficient.  Low end is their weakness.  But depending on room size I would go with 100s because my ears  match their sound.  So check out gear with your ears. Because we all are unique.  

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