Bookshelf Bake Off


Fellow Audiogoners,

Lend me your ears.  I live on a farm in South Georgia and have a 3+ hour drive in any direction to audition anything.  The price I pay for land, peace and horses I suppose.  I am putting together a secondary system and can't audition everything I have interest in, so I am hoping you can help me shorten the short list to a manageable set of maybe three (two would be even better) auditions for bookshelf speakers. They will be driven by 2 x PS Audio M700 Monoblocks, Schiit Freya+ tube preamp and a Mytek Brooklyn DAC+.  The space is fairly small at approx. 10'x20'.  For a number of reasons, floorstanders are not a possibility, hence the call for bookshelf speakers.  I would like to keep the budget in the $2K range, +/- a reasonable %.  I am not someone that feels the need to max the budget, i.e. linear correlation of price and quality, so feel free to suggest high value brands/models less than the max budget.  I have a pair of Focal Aria 906 in another system and very much like their sound, but want something a bit warmer with similar (or better) resolution.  Deeper low frequency extension would be a plus.  The brands I have narrowed the field to are:

Revel
Legacy
KEF
Monitor Audio
Sonus Fabre
PSB

This list is not written in stone, just my initial list after research.  Feel free to suggest anything I have omitted that warrants consideration.  Thanks in advance for your ears.

Mark


markcdaniel
Dynaudio. They make the best bookshelf speakers in that price range in my opinion, they image like no other given good amplification.




I have Klipsh Herresy.  Great, but too big for this category IMO.
2nd Watkins Gen 4
Along with your gear, room size and taste, I think an ATC SCM11/19 could do the job well.
Have a listen to Mark Audio Sota Cesti B.  Great sound, under budget and they have a 30 day trial period.  And the red is very cool looking!
If you like the Aria, perhaps consider the Electra. I picked up a nice used pair of Electra 1008 BE and they sound great. I haven't heard the Aria so can't compare, but everything I've read indicates the Electra is a step up. I'd also give strong consideration to Harbeth P3ESR. I have the SHL 5 Plus and they sound warmer than the Focals, but in fact are very neutral and detailed. I've heard the P3ESR, similar magic in a smaller and more affordable package.