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Smooth small modern bookshelves

bhairavi

bhairavi

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Alright. I made a thread a while ago asking for BIG WARM speakers, and ended up with Wharfedale Lintons. I sold them after about a month after I A/Bed them with KLH 6s, which my wife and I both preferred. The Lintons had too much presence.

Since then I've acquired a buncha Sansui amps, mosfet power amps, and have been having fun with some Boston A200s and KLH 23s, and scratched the big warm speaker itch with a couple ADS towers - L1590/2s and 1290/2s.

I also bought a pair of (the smaller) ADS L400s for the garage. They have that ADS sound, but they simply cannot get very loud before breaking up. I suppose I could get the larger ADS two ways such as 470s, 520s, 620s, but then those are TOO big. I ended up replacing the L400s with B&W 685s which I got for a very reasonable price. I don't think these have a lot of resolution but they totally rock for the garage. I enjoy them!

SO NOW, for another system, I am looking for smaller two ways that are smooth and coherent like the larger ADS, but can play modern/complex/abrasive/chaotic music well, and can get reasonably loud. I don't mind a bit of smile/coloration. Small meaning under 15 inches in height. That's an arbitrary number, but you get the idea.

Internet research is of course a crapshoot - no amount of adjectives can tell you what a speaker will really be like. But it helps to narrow things down. I have been looking at the following:

-ELAC DB62/63
-Wharfedale Diamond 12.1/12.2
-Wharfedale Dentons (I wouldn't buy them at 600 but I've seen them pop up often for 400)
-Dynaudio - Audience 42/52 or other? (never heard a Dynaudio, I imagine they sound like B&Ws but clearer/less colored?)
-Ascend Sierra LX (heard they're kinda bright but dunno if smooooth)
-Philharmonic BMRs (probably too big, and three-way)
-ATC SCM11 v2 (these seem to get mentioned very often, and they were mentioned in my last thread... suspect these might be right up my alley, but who knows - I didn't like the Lintons which were also supposed to be warm and dark)


The lower half of my list is not really what I want to spend, but they are the names that keep popping up. Other companies that come up, which I don't know anything about: Focal, Martin Logan, Fyne, KEF, Sonus Faber.
 
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I own many of the speakers (or similar to) those mentioned in your post (ADS 1290/2, ADS 620, KLH 5, Boston A150) so we may have similar tastes. I have waded through more than a few bookshelf speakers and currently own just a pair of JBL L20t3’s and Energy Reference Connoisseur RC-10’s. I find both of these may well fit your needs. The JBL’s will play louder with more low end and flat out rock in my book. The Energy’s are in turn more smooth. I would not call either “warm” in the sense but they are good. If it matters, both are very well finished in real wood veneer. The Energy’s are a bit hard to find but worth the effort IMO. I would buy another pair if I could find them in Rosenut!
 
blademan13 said:
I own many of the speakers (or similar to) those mentioned in your post (ADS 1290/2, ADS 620, KLH 5, Boston A150) so we may have similar tastes. I have waded through more than a few bookshelf speakers and currently own just a pair of JBL L20t3’s and Energy Reference Connoisseur RC-10’s. I find both of these may well fit your needs. The JBL’s will play louder with more low end and flat out rock in my book. The Energy’s are in turn more smooth. I would not call either “warm” in the sense but they are good. If it matters, both are very well finished in real wood veneer. The Energy’s are a bit hard to find but worth the effort IMO. I would buy another pair if I could find them in Rosenut!
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Interesting. The Energy C-2s that I had I didn't like much - harsh, muddy. Reading the reviews for the RC10s, looks like people agree with you - pretty smooth! There's a black pair of RC10b's about 1.5 hours away for a decent price... And then there's a couple more brand new in box(!) in the Bay Area. I asked the seller what color they are.
 
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I am a big fan of the PSB Stratus Mini for speakers in that category. Smooth, accurate, can handle a lot of power, not that big, good bass for the size. They are a 1/2 inch or so over your height though, but that size (and 6.5" woofer) really helps with giving them some bass.

www.ebay.com

PAIR of PSB Stratus Mini Bookshelf Speakers Audiophile Loudspeakers Monitors | eBay

Cash on pick up. All major credit cards.
www.ebay.com

PSB New Stratus Mini

While large, floorstanding speakers appear to offer the most material for the buck, I feel that small stand-mounted speakers both offer the best value in sound quality, as well as standing the best chance of sounding good in moderate-sized listening rooms. In recent months Stereophile has...
www.stereophile.com www.stereophile.com
 
I don't know about the Sierra LX, but I had a pair of the original Sierra's. To me (and my tinnitus) they were too bright. Since I had bought them used, they sat in the closet for several years until i retrofitted them with Sierra 2 components. The ribbon tweeter made a huge difference. Much more better now.

Have you ever heard, or considered NHT speakers? I have a pair of the Super One's that I consider to be smooth and coherent, although not quite as smooth as the ADS. They can however get down and boogie with the volume turned up, while still being fairly coherent.

Mine are the original, made in the USA version. I tried the newer 2.1 version, and promptly returned them. To me, they weren't coherent at any volume.
 
I'm a fan of ATC SCM11v2 (main system speakers for a few years) and I feel they meet the Stereophile audio glossary definition of smooth.

Sounds Like? An Audio Glossary Glossary: R-S | Stereophile.com

R reaction A counterforce imparted to a speaker enclosure in response to the air resistance to the motion of a moving diaphragm or cone. On a thick carpet, a reacting enclosure will rock slightly back and forth, impairing LF quality and overall detail. See "spike." realism A subjective...
www.stereophile.com www.stereophile.com
 
rickb119 said:
I don't know about the Sierra LX, but I had a pair of the original Sierra's. To me (and my tinnitus) they were too bright. Since I had bought them used, they sat in the closet for several years until i retrofitted them with Sierra 2 components. The ribbon tweeter made a huge difference. Much more better now.

Have you ever heard, or considered NHT speakers? I have a pair of the Super One's that I consider to be smooth and coherent, although not quite as smooth as the ADS. They can however get down and boogie with the volume turned up, while still being fairly coherent.

Mine are the original, made in the USA version. I tried the newer 2.1 version, and promptly returned them. To me, they weren't coherent at any volume.
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Thanks rick I trust you - I have a line on a guy who has some SuperOnes for I think very cheap, so I might check them out the next time I go out his way. There's also a couple pairs of Sierra 2s under 1k at some distance. Are those ribbon tweeters really less harsh/bright?

In the meantime, the Energy RC10s I mentioned the seller said they'd let go for 100, so I'll check them out this weekend.

opnly bafld said:
I'm a fan of ATC SCM11v2 (main system speakers for a few years) and I feel they meet the Stereophile audio glossary definition of smooth.

Sounds Like? An Audio Glossary Glossary: R-S | Stereophile.com

R reaction A counterforce imparted to a speaker enclosure in response to the air resistance to the motion of a moving diaphragm or cone. On a thick carpet, a reacting enclosure will rock slightly back and forth, impairing LF quality and overall detail. See "spike." realism A subjective...
www.stereophile.com www.stereophile.com
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These look fantastic, and their name keeps coming up in internet discussions regarding smoothness, coherence, etc. - but I'm going to try a few cheaper options before I pull the trigger on something like the Ascends/Philharmonics/ATCs.
 
I found a pair of JBL 18Ti that seem to be oft mentioned in the same breath as the L20ts.

Opinions on these? And, anyone know if this tweeter is bad?

1736406915333.png

Edit: oh, the tweeter is behind some mesh. It looks smushed all the way in, but both the B&W 685s came the same way and I was able to disassemble and make them nice and round again. It looks like these tweeters are sought after because they are used in a higher model JBL. I'll go see them in person if I can and maybe haggle if I can.
 
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Good to hear. I think I'l pick them up regardless of what else I bring home.

The JBLs are two c-notes w stands.

Also asking for opinions of Vienna Acoustics Haydns. The company reputedly has warm/fuzzy on lockdown...
 
bhairavi said:
No opinions on Elac DB62s or Vienna Haydns? :)
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You could always do a search, to see previous comments.

I've found that rather than using the AK search function, a google (or other) search works better. Simply add audiokarma to whatever you're searching for. I.e., "Elac DB62 audiokarma". That will bring up past posts/comments.

I only found one post on the Elac's. https://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/elac-debut-references-dbr62.900544/ Found 3 for the Haydns, but I'll let you get them.
 
@rickb119 -
I do the same thing - search audiokarma through google.
And I already read all of those. :D


Also considering Energy Veritas 2.2, but they might not be as smooth on the high end. But quite acclaimed. And when I looked at all the AK threads that are about small speakers, SuperOnes come up very frequently!

Others that come up for smoothness or smallness:
Sonus Faber Concertinos
many different variants of ATC
Boston A40
B&W DM302
Dynaco A25s
 
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Bill S said:
If you're considering the Elacs, check Triangle Borea BR03. Similar specs, lower price. 90 SPL and 46 Hz bass response. Clear, sparkly highs as well. They play loud.
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Yup did look at those as well, but none in the vicinity. Elacs are 250, probably could be had for 200.
 
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