best small room 2 channel set up for under $2ooo

Well you would be have to make some grave errors to not get good to very good sound with your 2k budget...you could even do it for alot less...trends little amp(has only one input) for power(less than $200)...a source of your choosing....and some nice small speakers...however...no speaker performs at its best on a shelf...if that is the only solution...maybe a sealed design of front firing port variety....good luck!

Do the speakers actually have to go onto a bookshelf? If so, you need to consider positioning and such, and there are relatively few small speakers that will sound good on an actual bookshelf.

If, on the other hand, what you're looking for is small speakers, then you have opened your possibilities substantially.

For small rooms, I like the Totem Arro's. Not quite bookshelf speakers, but they are small and image like nobody's business. The best budget pairing I've heard with it is the Jolida 302b. Add a strong budget CD player such as one of the Oppo's or a Music Hall CD-25 or Rotel and you're in business.

Michael

well, I gotta tell you, forget the bookshelfs unless you absolutely are cramped. I have heard lots of bookshelfs, like the BW line of 602's etc. they cost around $400 used, but they sound pretty bad imho. A few years ago after my divorce, I had to downsize and was out in SEattle and lucked upon a set of Vandersteen 2ci's. They are FANTASTIC, only cost me $450.!! They have depth, sound stage, bass, remarkeably good midrange and highs. Their not that big either. you can probably run a shelf over the top of them and serve a dual purpose. A friend of mine also picked up a set of Paradigm monitor reference for less than $700 or a set of Mirage, all great yet inexpensive speakers, but again, not small bookshelf's. But if you HAVE TO, you might try a set of BW's, not bad, and their small, but not worth the price imho.

I just put together a small system for my (super senior) father's room for about $1300: Music Hall Trio($700 used), 60WPC all in-in-one unit; Triangle Stellas, front ported, 91db sensitive ($329 new, a close out); Kef PSW 10002 sub ($150 new, a close out) and a set of Speltz speaker cables. Even given the stock cord on the Trio...sounds way better than any of my more expensive systems from college...of course, that was a long time ago. Good luck.