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Bookshelf speaker recommendations

I recently spent a couple of hours testing bookshelf speakers, and Monitor Audio R90hd were the winners. They have some models a tad more economic, and my wife approved both the size and the red-ish wood finish.
 
klimto said:
I recently spent a couple of hours testing bookshelf speakers, and Monitor Audio R90hd were the winners. They have some models a tad more economic, and my wife approved both the size and the red-ish wood finish.
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What other speakers did you audition, and what made you decide for the MA's?
 
I tried this bunch,

http://i.imgur.com/xurbtcj.jpg (big)

they were all plugged in and could switch between them. After a couple of hours decided the MA sounded better to me, more clear and, nice? than the others. I was listening to a jazz CD and specially liked how drums and vocals sounded. I hope it makes sense.

The Pioneer S-A4spt was second, more "easy" to listen to, but they are an special model, not sure if are available out of Japan.
 
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klimto said:
I recently spent a couple of hours testing bookshelf speakers, and Monitor Audio R90hd were the winners. They have some models a tad more economic, and my wife approved both the size and the red-ish wood finish.
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Yes, a nice underrated speaker, part of one of my favorite on-wall speaker series MA Radius. They can either be bookshelf or wall mounted. High WAF not only because it is aesthetically pleasing, but it can be in a stand close to a wall without affecting it's sound.
 
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I have a set of Energy RC-10's that sound pretty nice. It took a while before they broke in properly but they are some nice sounding little speakers.
 
Texun1 said:
I have a set of Energy RC-10's that sound pretty nice. It took a while before they broke in properly but they are some nice sounding little speakers.
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Energy RC-10 give PSB B15 and Polk RTi's a run for the money. Good inexpensive speaker.
 
Cambarr said:
Anyone know where I can get Monitor Audio R90hd's having a hard time finding them online..
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For the US you can find the Monitor Audio web site and locate dealers close to you, where you can even listen to them. Alternately, I am sure most dealers can sell over the phone and ship.
 
I've been through quite a few bookshelf speakers, mostly vintage, and these are the ones I've found to be exceptional.

Dynaco A25XL
B&W DM302 (pretty small but sound big!)

I haven't checked prices on these lately but they shouldn't break the bank.
 
bobbyonions said:
I've been through quite a few bookshelf speakers, mostly vintage, and these are the ones I've found to be exceptional.

Dynaco A25XL
B&W DM302 (pretty small but sound big!)

I haven't checked prices on these lately but they shouldn't break the bank.
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The B&W are definitely great speakers! I have a pair, I got them as a recommendation at the dealer where I went seeking a basic setup, and really liked them and used them a few months until I got settled in NJ. I haven't used them in years, and I am not sure they are sold anymore.
 
Since room acoustics play a huge part in overall performance of any speaker system, I'm curious to know how one may benefit from auditioning a pair of speakers at any location other than the room that they are intended to be used in.
 
PROJECT 2501 said:
Since room acoustics play a huge part in overall performance of any speaker system, I'm curious to know how one may benefit from auditioning a pair of speakers at any location other than the room that they are intended to be used in.
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Yes, that is always a consideration, but in real life you cannot have a salesperson bring 10 different pairs of speakers to your room and be able to audition as to take a decision if to buy or not; it won't happen. So, there are two main options: (1) You go to stores and audition speakers, where you get an idea of how each one will sound and take an informed decision, or (2) you buy Internet Direct from Axiom, Ascend, Audio Advise, Aperion, Tekton, Fluance, HSU, SVS, Emotiva, and many others and see how they perform in your room and how you like them; if not satisfied you can return before trial period is over, usually 30 days. Be advised that return/exchange/trial policies for ID companies change, so you have to read the fine print prior to purchasing.
 
PR Audio said:
Like I said, based on auditions at stores or other rooms, you take an informed decission.
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Perhaps there is something that I am misunderstanding. ..
In consideration to the relevancy of a listening environments role in the overall performance of a given loudspeaker system, any audition held within a three dimensional space that feature interior design elements which deviate from the specific layout of your own listening area, will yield results unique to its own acoustical properties and room modes. One should expect a perceivable contrast in performance if the same set of speakers are to be tested in areas that present a significant variance in dimension....

So i guess the part I'm failing to grasp is how one would formulate an educated decision that proves to remain valid once the application of the speaker system is transfered from one dedicated space to another.
 
PROJECT 2501 said:
Perhaps there is something that I am misunderstanding. ..
In consideration to the relevancy of a listening environments role in the overall performance of a given loudspeaker system, any audition held within a three dimensional space that feature interior design elements which deviate from the specific layout of your own listening area, will yield results unique to its own acoustical properties and room modes. One should expect a perceivable contrast in performance if the same set of speakers are to be tested in areas that present a significant variance in dimension....

So i guess the part I'm failing to grasp is how one would formulate an educated decision that proves to remain valid once the application of the speaker system is transfered from one dedicated space to another.
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IMHO, the problem is that you are overthinking this or trying to make an issue out of a simple matter. I'd rather think that you are overthinking...My personal experience from having purchased 5 PSB speakers (HT and Music) that I compared in the same dealer room against Paradigm, Infinity, and Energy is that they will sound somewhat different, unless you replicate the auditioning room, but the differences between speakers are still there, and very similar differences to what I heard in the auditioning room. For example, besides comparing brands, at first I was considering purchasing bookshelf (PSB B25) or tower (PSB T45). I ended up buying both, as to use the towers for mains and the bookshelfs for surround. At the dealer the B25 sounded somewhat boomy and bass not as controlled as the T45, the midrange was slightly better than the T45, and highs were basically the same. Overall, the T45 was a better speaker, because it was more controlled and had the right amount of bass for my tastes. When I got them home, did the same, and because of room conditions the sound was brighter, bass was augmented, and mids stayed about the same. The same results, but with a slightly different sound, was obtained in my room as in the dealer, my opinions of one vs the other didn't change at all. Amplification came from a Marantz SR-5001, which was the same receiver used at the dealer, bought everything together.

You can overthink it, make a long discussion about this, or feel the same. The reality is that no one is going to bring you 4-5 pairs of speakers to compare. As mentioned you audition and make an educated decision based on what you heard somewhere else. The other alternative is replicating the audition room from the dealer, as to have the speakers you purchase sound the same as when you auditioned; not very practical.
 
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