stand mount or bookshelf? 2 way, or 3 way?

i.e. designed, max 11-1/2" deep; no rear port, fit ON or IN a Bookcase.

My restored Vintage AR-2ax are true bookcase, compact 3 way with a 10" woofer, they sound great, 90 db sensitivity.

I restored a pair for my Garage/Shop system, they sounded so good I moved them to my office and restored a 2nd pair for down there.

these are ready to go, will end up within your budget I bet

https://www.ebay.com/itm/336681049727?mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&campid=5338381866&toolid=10001&customid=1e92c530-8301-11f1-ab0f-656466306637

KLH is making the Model 3 for either in/on a bookshelf or low on an angled stand. (3 way 8" woofer, 88/85 db sensitivity (read the fine print). over your budget.

https://klhaudio.com/products/model-three-bookshelf-speaker

I drive my AR-2ax (in a small office) with a Luxman 10 wpc tube amp, enough volume for an office, not enough for a large space, but 45 wpc is plenty for that IF the speakers are close to 90 or above. Normally we only use a few watts, it’s just reserve for instantaneous peaks.

There is a dealer listing here for a new pair of Grahm Audio LS3s  for $879.00. Grab them at that price! They list for $1999.00!

Graham Swisstone LS3 Speakers

$1,999.00 USD

Free Shipping

Color Choice

-- Select --BlackWhite

Quantity

Buy Now

Add to Cart

Put simply, the LS3 is a small, sealed-box two-way loudspeaker that uses  many aspects of classic BBC loudspeaker designs, but strips back the  more costly parts of such a design, doesn’t stump up for any kind of BBC  licensing, and delivers a loudspeaker that gives the listener a lot of  what the LS3/5 or LS3/5a might offer, for only $1895. As common to Graham Audio (and its subsidiaries), the LS3 is a Derek  Hughes design, but instead of the custom-made Volt units found on its  more upscale models, this one uses a SEAS 19mm soft-dome tweeter coupled  with a 130mm polypropylene mod-bass made by and doped by Graham Audio. In fact, the LS3 is perhaps a more modern and universal loudspeaker  compared to the LS3/5 and LS3/5a. The bass response has a touch more  depth to it (it’s still a 110mm bass driver though… not a  chest-compressing dub reggae sound-system) and is capable of a lot more  volume headroom. This doesn’t come with great increases in dynamic range  (although the LS3/5a is a fair-to-good performer in its own right),  more that it just increases the potential maximum volume levels for that  dynamic range. In other words, it plays louder, not more dynamic. Yes, grills are included. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS System: 2-way stand-mount loudspeaker Enclosure: Thin Wall Damped construction Drive Units: Bass/Midrange: 130mm Polypropylene built by Graham audio HF: 19mm Dome Tweeter Seas Recommended Amplifier power: 20–50watts unclipped program Sensitivity: 83dB/2.83v/1m Crossover Point: 3.5kHz Maximum Output: 96dB for a pair at 2m Nominal Impedance: 11 ohms Response: 70Hz–20kHz +/-3dB Connectors: Gold plated terminals Dimensions in cm: 30.4h ×16.5w ×19.5d (inc terminals)

Hello @dvdgreco Funny, that was my search parameters for a vaca cabin in Ontario.  I picked up a Moon 340i dpxi and wanted to upgrade a pair of old speakers.  I held out for a while, and scored a pair of Proac D2 $900 with a corner cabinet ding.  Truly a steal at this price!  Don’t settle, watch for a pair of Proacs or Dynaudios.  No wifi, but plugging my Macbook into the Moon with USB and sounding great!  the Dynaudio Countor 20i's with stands are sweet, but will be close to 3k used.  Worth it though for a main system.

Audiovector QR1 are < $1k in the used market. I haven't heard them with your equipment but they sound excellent with my Van Alstine separates.

check out this list >>