Best $3000-5000 Bookshelf Speakers?

[antonkk]

As I move into the new appartment next month I decided to separate my current HT/music system into dedicated HT and stereo systems. The living room is a 68 square meters studio while the "musical" room is just 16 square meters and it's perfectly square in shape. So my floorstanding Sonus Faber Grand Pianos obviously stay with the Home Theater in the living room while I will need bookshelf speakers for my Sony XA9000ES - Pre (not yet decided - thanx for all your repsonses in the thread I started!:righton: ) - McIntosh MC275 power amp. The budget is between $3000-5000. What I need is open, dynamic and natural sounding speakers that dissapear as you close your eyes if that's possible. Any suggestions?:wave:

[KeithH]

Moving to hardware.

[antonkk]

Moving to hardware.

Oops! Sorry, I thought I was in hardware section.

[bdiament]

As I move into the new appartment next month I decided to separate my current HT/music system into dedicated HT and stereo systems. The living room is a 68 square meters studio while the "musical" room is just 16 square meters and it's perfectly square in shape. So my floorstanding Sonus Faber Grand Pianos obviously stay with the Home Theater in the living room while I will need bookshelf speakers for my Sony XA9000ES - Pre (not yet decided - thanx for all your repsonses in the thread I started!:righton: ) - McIntosh MC275 power amp. The budget is between $3000-5000. What I need is open, dynamic and natural sounding speakers that dissapear as you close your eyes if that's possible. Any suggestions?:wave:

Hi antonkk,

First, with a "perfectly square" room measuring 4 meters by 4 meters, you're going to have a prominent room mode fundamental at approximately 80 Hz, with harmonics at 160 Hz, 320 Hz, etc. Those first two frequencies are going to need to be addressed or the boominess will make long term listening sessions very difficult.

I suggest addressing these room modes by treating all four corners of the room with bass traps (the cylindrical pressure zone variety work most efficiently in my experience). If possible, treat the mid point of each wall with traps as well, since this is where the ~160 Hz harmonic will be strongest. (Avoid placing equipment in these areas!)

For me details, you might want to check out "Setting up your monitoring environment" at http://www.barrydiamentaudio.com/monitoring.htm

As to speakers, I am a big fan of Magnepans. The 3.6s will fit your budget and sound amazing. The smaller 1.6s also sound wonderful.
(Incidentally, I have designed a studio for a local audio engineer where the existing structure was a square room. Lots of bass trapping worked sonic wonders and his Magnepans sound great in that room.)

Hope this helps.
Barry
www.soundkeeperrecordings.com
www.barrydiamentaudio.com

[OldCoder]

If you really want the bookshelf format, see if you can find a set of B&W 805 Signature speakers. They retailed for $3800, and are now discontinued I think.

These are *not* the same as the regular 805s or the revised 805s.
They have a different crossover, and are sonically closer to the 802s in the midrange, treble and soundstage.

I have heard them with a Mac preamp and the 275 amp, and it is very nice.

[Feisal K]

I think they are less than 3k, but if you can, audition the Paradigm Signature S2 (http://signature.paradigm.com/Flash_Site/SigProductFlash/S2/S2.html) (reviews: stereophile (http://www.stereophile.com/standloudspeakers/705paradigm/), soundstage (http://www.soundstage.com/revequip/paradigm_signature_s2.htm), Audio Video (http://signature.paradigm.com/Flash_Site/Reviews/ReviewsIndex/AV/AV_S2s.pdf) [PDF])

[shokhead]

What sound good in my room might sound like crap in yours. So much to take in when getting speakers,room size,furniture,carpeting or no carpeting,wall material,pictures,windows,whats running them.

[Joe Nino-Hernes]

Harbeth Monitor 30!

[bhazen]

I second the Harbeths. Magic.

[Black Elk]

If you really want the bookshelf format, see if you can find a set of B&W 805 Signature speakers. They retailed for $3800, and are now discontinued I think.

These are *not* the same as the regular 805s or the revised 805s.
They have a different crossover, and are sonically closer to the 802s in the midrange, treble and soundstage.

I have heard them with a Mac preamp and the 275 amp, and it is very nice.

This would be my recommendation too. The 805 Signature was something special, and looks beautiful with its tiger's eye finish as well. If you can't find the Signature, you could still consider the new 805.

[Steve Hoffman]

Harbeth Monitor 30!

40!

[Vinyl-Addict]

40!

The M40 retails for $10K so used would be your only hope. The M30 shows up on Audogon frequently if you're interested in going the used route. I own both M30 & M40 and have tried them both in a similar size room. The M40 is quite a large monitor so the M30 is probably more than enough for your roomsize. You would still need to do as Barry said and treat the room no matter what speaker you end up with. I've been trying to get a hold of some traps myself to fix problem areas.

[Parnelli]

PSB Platinum M2s. You can send the $1000 to $3000 you save to my paypal account :)

http://www.soundstage.com/revequip/psb_platinum_m2.htm

[brew ziggins]

In that price range, be sure to listen to the Totem Mani 2 Sigs.

Also, if you have a Dynaudio dealer in driving distance, they have several intersting offerings in the bookshelf category.

[Billy Budapest]

Triangle Solis at $2695/pair has few equals in the bookshelf segment.

[LeeS]

I think the Lipinskis are in this range...?

[mtodde]

I've been very, very happy with my Paradigm Signature 4s. They are $3200 with the rosenut finish.

You may also want to look at the new Acousitic Zen Adagio, Jr.

[vinyl anachronist]

Harbeth Monitor 30!

This is my first choice, too.

[AudiophilePhil]

The B&W 805S $2,500 / pair ("Hi-Fi Choice" Speaker of the Year 2006 and "What Hi-Fi" Speaker of the Year 2006)

or

the Sonus Faber Cremona Auditor $3,995 / pair

http://www.sumikoaudio.net/sonus/prod_cremonaauditor.htm

[LeeS]

I'm not as impressed with the 805s but I like the Cremona Auditors a lot. I heard those recently and they sound great.

[antonkk]

I'm not as impressed with the 805s but I like the Cremona Auditors a lot. I heard those recently and they sound great.

How would you compare them to B&Ws?

[vinyl anachronist]

The M40 retails for $10K so used would be your only hope. The M30 shows up on Audogon frequently if you're interested in going the used route. I own both M30 & M40 and have tried them both in a similar size room. The M40 is quite a large monitor so the M30 is probably more than enough for your roomsize. You would still need to do as Barry said and treat the room no matter what speaker you end up with. I've been trying to get a hold of some traps myself to fix problem areas.

You own 40s now, too? Wow! Any pics?

[LeeS]

How would you compare them to B&Ws?


A bit less bass but well defined mid-bass and better midrange. I kinda like the Sonus Faber sound.

[antonkk]

Hi antonkk,

First, with a "perfectly square" room measuring 4 meters by 4 meters, you're going to have a prominent room mode fundamental at approximately 80 Hz, with harmonics at 160 Hz, 320 Hz, etc. Those first two frequencies are going to need to be addressed or the boominess will make long term listening sessions very difficult.

I suggest addressing these room modes by treating all four corners of the room with bass traps (the cylindrical pressure zone variety work most efficiently in my experience). If possible, treat the mid point of each wall with traps as well, since this is where the ~160 Hz harmonic will be strongest. (Avoid placing equipment in these areas!)

For me details, you might want to check out "Setting up your monitoring environment" at http://www.barrydiamentaudio.com/monitoring.htm

As to speakers, I am a big fan of Magnepans. The 3.6s will fit your budget and sound amazing. The smaller 1.6s also sound wonderful.
(Incidentally, I have designed a studio for a local audio engineer where the existing structure was a square room. Lots of bass trapping worked sonic wonders and his Magnepans sound great in that room.)

Hope this helps.
Barry
www.soundkeeperrecordings.com
www.barrydiamentaudio.com


Barry, thanx for your advice!:righton: But are you sure the Magnepans would not be overwhelming for the 16 sq.m. room?

[bdiament]

Barry, thanx for your advice!:righton: But are you sure the Magnepans would not be overwhelming for the 16 sq.m. room?

Hi antonkk,

The local studio I mentioned is using 1.5s, the predecessor of the current 1.6s, in a room the same size as yours and it sounds wonderful. (Keep that corner treatment in mind. It makes all the difference in the world, regardless of your speaker choice.)

Or, put another way, if I had your room and was looking for speakers, I'd go with Magnepans in an instant. One major advantage dipole radiators (like Magnepans) have over box speakers is that they tend to excite the room's front to back mode but do very little to excite the side to side and up and down modes. Box speakers on the other hand, will excite all three primary modes. I believe this is one of the main reasons good panel speakers tend to "disappear" more than other designs do.

Hope this helps.
Barry
www.soundkeeperrecordings.com
www.barrydiamentaudio.com