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Suggest "Larger" Bookshelf Speakers...

operaman

operaman

Super Member
Hello Great People

I'm the idiot who recently posted asking about "tiny" bookshelf speakers.

Well, we've moved, and I'm running a pair of BW 686s, with a Dayton 8" sub, and they are OK - neutral and polite and clean and all that - but I need more. I need a MUCH bigger soundstage and probably a bit more treble. I miss the clean, balanced treble of my old advents.

I don't have space for huge floor standers like Lascalas or Magnepans. So can you recommend a great LARGE bookshelf or stand-mount speaker -- NO REAR PORTS -- that will sound great with a subwoofer covering low bass?

Budget: Vintage under $500 and New under $700. Ideally, $100 -- I'm broke! :dammit:

I look forward with great interest to your replies. I'm learning a lot!
 
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operaman said:
Hello Great People

I'm the idiot who recently posted asking about "tiny" bookshelf speakers.

Well, we've moved, and I'm running a pair of BW 686s, with a Dayton 8" sub, and they are OK - neutral and polite and clean and all that - but I need more. I need a MUCH bigger soundstage and probably a bit more treble. I miss the clean, balanced treble of my old advents.

I don't have space for huge floor standers like Lascalas or Magnepans. So can you recommend a great LARGE bookshelf or stand-mount speaker -- NO REAR PORTS -- that will sound great with a subwoofer covering low bass?

Budget: Vintage under $500 and New under $700. Ideally, $100 -- I'm broke! :dammit:

I look forward with great interest to your replies. I'm learning a lot!
Click to expand...

Exactly how large is large? Is something with a 6.5" bass driver what you have in mind?

Would these fit the bill, or are you looking for something a bit smaller?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Infinity-RS...15?pt=Speakers_Subwoofers&hash=item2a3ed2ff97
 
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I'd second ADS, but as the owner of 1290/2's I've learned the ferrofluid cooled tweeters are now of sufficient age that many are starting to dry up and the rest are headed for the same fate. They can be recharged, but it's down time and expense that one may or may not want to deal with.
 
ADS L880s would also be good. Large 3-way acoustic suspension monitors with bass down to 40 hz. I just passed on my pair to a new owner though... (sniff)...
 
Kingshead said:
Exactly how large is large? Is something with a 6.5" bass driver what you have in mind?

Would these fit the bill, or are you looking for something a bit smaller?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Infinity-RS...15?pt=Speakers_Subwoofers&hash=item2a3ed2ff97
Click to expand...

I'm coming to accept that for orchestral music I need to go rather big, so a 10" bass driver is not out of the question!

It's a small room, so I don't think big floor standing speakers are going to work, but trying to see how much soundstage I can get out of a bookshelf speaker.

I had a smaller pair of Infinitys a long time ago, and loved them...
 
Vintage:
Look for AR, Advent, KLH, JBL, Boston Acoustics, ADS, B&W, KEF, and many more.

New:
For under 700.00$ , I don't know. They might be some good one I guess ??
 
Dynaco A35 (or the usual A25s). No sub needed. Sure some will turn up their noses... But if you haven't heard them, try your $100 here first.
 
The KLH Model 6 is almost iconic. Not too large and actually is considered a bookshelf speaker. 23" tall and 11" or 12" wide and about the same deep. A good all around speaker with deep bass and warm mids and very pleasing highs that are slightly rolled off. It's especially butter and bread when it comes to orchestral. A nice clean set can be had for less than 150.00 all day. For smaller listening areas the 6 remains my #1 choice.
 
Thanks to you all!

How do the Dynaco a25/35 ---- KLH Model 6 --- Large Advent compare to one another tonally?

The Klipsch Heresy are a little pricey. Are they worth it, compared to the above?

I don't hear much about ADS but I will also keep an eye out.
 
operaman said:
I'm coming to accept that for orchestral music I need to go rather big, so a 10" bass driver is not out of the question!

It's a small room, so I don't think big floor standing speakers are going to work, but trying to see how much soundstage I can get out of a bookshelf speaker.

I had a smaller pair of Infinitys a long time ago, and loved them...
Click to expand...

The Infinity RS-325 in oak is an awesome speaker. Picked up a pair on eBay NOS still unopened last year, gave them to my son for his birthday. Smallish speaker that punches way above it's weight. This is a pic of them in black.

676462-infinity_rs_325.jpg
 
operaman said:
Thanks to you all!

How do the Dynaco a25/35 ---- KLH Model 6 --- Large Advent compare to one another tonally?

The Klipsch Heresy are a little pricey. Are they worth it, compared to the above?

I don't hear much about ADS but I will also keep an eye out.
Click to expand...

I have two set of 25's, KLH 6 and 23 (very similar). I gave the 6's to my girlfriend and somehow the cone tore on one woofer so I let her use some Polk Monitor 5's while I repaired the woofer. She was very happy to get the 6's back and told me she couldn't understand why I even kept the Polks around. They were sold off in a matter of weeks.

I think you would enjoy any of the three and they're all worth experiencing for a while...or longer. I prefer the 25's myself, but none of them get much play time around here anymore.
 
I had Fortes very briefly (on "loan")....great, fun speakers. Not a bookshelf...not by any definition or stretch of the imagination. :no:

I suppose the sound stage was pretty good but I wouldn't say they excelled at orchestral scale. Not compared to the Infinity QLS-1's they were sharing the room with, at least. :D
 
Here's my vote in order based on your room description.

KLH Six
KLH Five
AR-4x
KLH Seventeen
Design Acoustics PS-10

These will all fit your budget.

No sub needed with any of these.

Glenn
 
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