Soliloquy makes a Sat 5, $600, same construction and drivers as their upscale models, premier veneer finishes, about 6" square and 12" tall. No port, so it's good for shelves and tables. The sound is excellent, and they soundstage like bandits. As mentioned in another thread, the Triangle Titus, about $500, is Sam Tellig's favorite, said to more clear and lively than other speakers. Slightly larger at 8x10x16", and truly outstanding, is the Reynaud Twin Mark II, which just won a speaker shootout in Listener mag, at $745, ossaudio.com, jm-reynaud.com. All of these are seriously good speakers that will elevate you above the $300-400 range. And try some Analysis Plus speaker cable, a bargain at $151, 8' pair. Good luck! |
Thanks for all the excellent input. We are starting to read information and reviews of nearly all of the above models.. and will try to listen to all. Your advise and experience is appreciated! Jim |
for the money (possibly your son's room) acoustic energy aegis 1's. only $250, sound as good as anything under $1000. worth a listen if money is a true factor. blows away the b&w 302dm AND the 601 for that matter... |
There is a good review of several different models in the $500 and under range in last months Listner magazine. Results and comparisons are made with reviewers preference for best of pack. Check it out. |
Camadeco: I am not certain that I listened to the "DM". I listened to a model 302 that I found to be a little too rough sounding for my taste, but do not know if it was DM, Series 2 or what. I listened to a 601 model (again I do not know which series) on which the highend was too rolled off for my taste. Both sounded very musical and the 601 had ample detail, just not in the HF. In other words they both sounded very nice until I listened to the speakers that I recommend above. I think that B&W makes some fine moniters like the Nautilus series, but they are pricey and require electronics of equal quality. Is the DM series a new revised line? |
Funny, I looked at the Reynaud website and the US rep listed is a 20" drive from where I live. |
For the JM Reynaud speakers try Randy@ossaudio. He is the U.S. importer and very helpful. |
Is it me or is everyone ignoring the B&W 302DM?? |
Thanks Sean. And yes, the Richmond is the replacement for the Isis. The break in time was long for my pair. The manufacturer states 25 hours, a good reviewer (Rome) suggested 50 hours and mine took 150+ hours being broken in at fairly low volume levels. |
Here's the website for Reynaud. As it turns out, "Figuy" and i were talking on the phone and he forwarded me the info on them. http://www.jm-reynaud.com Another possibility might be the Castle Richmond's. GREAT little speakers. Hope this helps. Sean > |
Having owned a pair of Coincident Triumph Signatures for several years I can highly recomend them. I have all tubes so their high efficiency and stable impedience make them compatable with almost anything. You may be able to pick up a pair of the original (series 1's) between $500 to $700. The newer versions are hard to find used and could run $1000- $1200 new. Call the builder, Israel Bloom and tell him what you have and I'm sure he will help. |
Figuy: Do you have a website for Reynaud? I have a reminder note to look into their Trente speakers but have been unable to locate the manufacturer or a dealer. Thanks. |
Whatjd: You have nice amps in both of your second systems. The Classe should be nice and smooth and the Stasis design beats the crap out of the new NAD stuff for musicality IMO. For your system the Tukans would be very nice. They are also designed to be used close to a wall, which may come in handy in your office system. I have a pair of Castle Acoustic Isis speakers that I would also reccomend (also good for close to the wall placement). They are now discontinued (as are the Tukans) but should still be available and if not there is a $500.00 replacement that shares their sonic character. The Tukans are a little rougher in comparison but very musical and the Isis are a little brighter but kill on small jazz groups as well as classical music. I was having a little treble problem at high volumes with mine until I covered two exposed screw heads on the woofer casing (right next to the tweeter) with felt dots and now they sing. For your son and the Stasis the Kef's mentioned would be a great choice as well as the Acoustic energy Aegis One, both around $300-$350. I think that the Stasis may be a little bright for the Tukans and the Castle speakers. If you have looked at NHT and Paradigm I feel that these suggestions are far more listenable. The NHT Super Ones are very distant sounding and not very involving and the Paradigm Mini Moniter though very dynamic and musical has a very nasty sounding tweeter that gets old very quickly. If you would like to spend less than the Tukans I also agree with Eldragon's reccomendation of the Linn Kan which may work well in both of your systems. I have only demoed them once but recall that the highs were rolled of as compared to the Tukan's and they as well as being very musical also work well close to a wall. If you would like to spend more you may want to listen to the small Coincident speakers that are around $1000.00 and are 90db efficiant at 1 watt/mtr. I have not yet heard them but they come highly reccommended and may be my next step up on the speaker chain if the reviewers hear as I do. I have also ruled out (for our system and in this price range) Mirage, Mission, Niles, Polk, Gallo, Bosten, JBL, Bose (LOL) and a few others as not being musical and or refined enough. The Gallos Micros with their sub are what we would have liked asthetically in the living room, but I could not get them to sound good (like they do in the reviews. By the way, we listen to all styles (that we are aware of anyway) with the exception of rap and heavy metal. Good luck with it. |
I just picked up the Reynaud Twin MK II's and they are excellent, you might put them on your list. |
Thanks two you both for the responses. My post my be a little missleading. These are both secondary systems to may main one...and are not the highest-end by any means.. so perhaps the work Monitor should have been left out of the headline...anyway, my son's system is using a Denon CD player with an older Nak. Stasis receiver and older Monster M1000 interconnects..and some mid-level Monster speaker cable from the same vintage. The office is using a Classe intergrated and Straightwire Rapsody II for all wires... and both systems have rather inexpensive Kef's ...and I should look...I think they may be 102 of something....but had the chance to hear the little Q15.2 and thought they, or something in that range, would be a step up for both systems. Both of us listen mainly to Jazz and some Pop...and the office system has an older Sony ES tuner that I use to feed that system public radio most of the day.. |
Hi Whatjd: What are the electronics in both systems and what is your price range again per system. The reason I ask is that the Tukans are great little speakers but require good electronics and cables to sound that way. They are also a 4 ohm load and do not work well with some amps. I have listened to tons of bookshelves in the past four months from $250.00 up to $1800.00 and may have some recommendations. |
Linn Tukan or even better Kan! (bit cheaper too) |
