Recommend me some good bookshelf speakers

Recommend me some good bookshelf speakers

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Jaguar steve

Original Poster:

9,232 posts

210 months

Friday 1st August 2014
quotequote all
Moving to a semi so the floor standing Monitor Audios I currently have that only sound good at structural damage volumes aren't going to be appreciated by the neighbours.

Keeping the current Naim 32.5 and 110 to drive the replacements. SWMBO had granted permission to have them on stands and not hidden away in a corner. Main criteria is they've got to sound good at low volumes and match the Linn / Naim ethos of pace and timing.

Oh and I need a reasonable DAB/CD mini system for the kitchen too.

Any thoughts? Cheers Chaps. thumbup

Maxf

8,409 posts

241 months

Friday 1st August 2014
quotequote all
Budget?

I tried PMC21s and 22s, B&W PM1s and B&W 805Ds - all with Naim. All sounded wonderful, but the more they cost the better they sounded (annoyingly).


Crackie

6,386 posts

242 months

Friday 1st August 2014
quotequote all
Not sure what your budget is but I recommend these two for you to try out; preferably with your own amp and source.

http://www.qacoustics.co.uk/about/concept-20-hifi-...

http://www.richersounds.com/product/standmount-spe...

for the DAB/CD system

http://www.richersounds.com/product/mini-hi-fi/den...

kenny.R400

1,212 posts

240 months

Friday 1st August 2014
quotequote all
Hi Steve, as a match for the 32/110 I'd think that for lower volume playing Linn Kans would be spot on.

As a cheaper alternative I'd also be looking at Ruark swordsman or sabre.
Both available at sub 100 quid on Ebay and punch well above their weight if needed, but crystal clear at lower volumes.

In keeping with your setup too.

Some Gump

12,691 posts

186 months

Friday 1st August 2014
quotequote all
OP,
Which monitor audios are they? Bit of a difference between say Gold 60's and Bronze B4's...

Jaguar steve

Original Poster:

9,232 posts

210 months

Friday 1st August 2014
quotequote all
Silver 8i. Sound great when wound up but dull at low volumes. Don't really have a budget but not wanting to go too far down the path of diminishing returns. BTDT.

Roadster25

272 posts

162 months

Friday 1st August 2014
quotequote all
I love my Proac Studio 115s with my similar vintage Exposure kit.

Or Heybrook Quartet for a cheaper, used option.

T1547

1,098 posts

134 months

Friday 1st August 2014
quotequote all
Maxf said:
Budget?

I tried PMC21s and 22s, B&W PM1s and B&W 805Ds - all with Naim. All sounded wonderful, but the more they cost the better they sounded (annoyingly).
+1 Would also highly recommend giving the 21s and 22s from PMC a listen. Both fantastic speakers that will offer bucket loads of detail and wide open soundstage for listening at low volumes. Meant to pair up very nicely with Naim gear too which might be handy wink

Currently happily listening to my 22s as I type this!

http://www.whathifi.com/pmc/twenty-22/review


A couple of other alternatives if you're looking for more suggestions...

Harbeth P3ESR

http://www.cnet.com/uk/news/this-could-be-the-last...


ATC SCM11

http://www.whathifi.com/atc/scm-11-2013/review


All budget dependent of course. Plenty of good speakers at the mid and lower end from KEF LS50 down to Q Acoustics 2020i.




Edited by T1547 on Friday 1st August 18:37

FlossyThePig

4,083 posts

243 months

Friday 1st August 2014
quotequote all
T1547 said:
Interesting suggestion.

If you fancy a bit of DIY how about making your own from a kit. I built a pair of speakers based on the same BBC reference using a kit supplied by Wilmslow Audio in the mid '80s. They are still in use but have relocated to NZ. The stands are sitting in my workshop gathering dust.

Falcon do kits now and their Mini Monitor LS3/5a style kits start at £359.94

Interested to see how much these will cost.

Graculus

143 posts

126 months

Friday 1st August 2014
quotequote all
kenny.R400 said:
Hi Steve, as a match for the 32/110 I'd think that for lower volume playing Linn Kan's would be spot on.
This was my first thought too. Try to have a listen to a pair of original (MK1) Kans on the Linn stands. You will probably either love them or loath them! They were designed with Naim amps and demand a good source. I still regret selling mine which were replaced by Kabers which I still have (Kan's with bass!).

A larger standmount, again designed with Naim amps, would be Epos ES14's. These are also very musical but they may be a bit too large if you want something fairly discreet.

Both will be used so check condition carefully.

Some Gump

12,691 posts

186 months

Friday 1st August 2014
quotequote all
Personally i never thought of ma silver i's as being paticularly dull - but then i found naim to be a but much (as in epic for 10 minutes then tiring, but i used to listen loud!).
Personally, i'd be looking at ma gr10's (or gs10's if you can live with the plasticyness of the cabinet), pmc or as a wildcard jamonconcert 8's. A few people have suggested higher end b+w, but the cm / 700 / n series was always more polite than 800 series, which was pretty similar toma silver back in the day,
My knoledge is out of date though, left the industry about 8 years ago. I'm just presuming that brand's sounds have stayed similar (e.g mission always was tits and arse, i presume current gear is the same; i expect any arcam product to be smooth and not exciting etc).

anonymous-user

54 months

Saturday 2nd August 2014
quotequote all
Roadster25 said:
I love my Proac Studio 115s with my similar vintage Exposure kit.

Or Heybrook Quartet for a cheaper, used option.
+1 I have floor standers but I love these speakers so much. Take a look at these: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ProAc-Studio-115-Speaker...