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Bookshelf speakers- Buying a Bargain

Buying a bookshelf speaker has more variance in performance than any other audio item IMO. Over the last 30 years I bought sbout 20 bookshelf speskers. Most do not sound good at all. Mission, Klipsch, Pioneer, Wharfedalw were all poor performers. Only two bookshelf speakers I bought sounded good with great articulation and low distorting being Revel M22 and Audio Monitor Silver 3i. Revel M22 are too rare and too expensive. However the Audio Monitor Silver 3i and I suspect any Silver series are great speakers and the Silver 3i are about $300 on eBay. Per what I read the Bronze series are rather ordinary- avoid.

I always used rebuilt and upgraded Tube amps with best sounding tubes thus did not mask speaker performance.

jimbennet
elliottbnewcombjr
6,070 posts
 

I still want 3 way, enough bass so I don’t feel the need to add a sub, my conclusion: not gonna get that from a 6-1/2" driver, so 8" or 10"?

I chose to refurb AR-2ax, with a 10" woofer: my 1st decent speakers in the late 60’s while in college. They are the biggest bookcase speaker I ever owned, designed with 11-1/2" depth, to fit

in a bookshelf

on a bookcase

on a stand, angled up to aim the tweeter at seated ear height. I have them at seated ear height in my office, imaging dead center of my monitor, what a difference compared to all the prior compromises I made in my office.

https://www.hifishark.com/search?q=ar-2ax

no port, separate level controls to adjust the mid to the woofer, and adjust the tweeter to the mid while listening, in any space.

I have not heard them, but they are currently selling the KLH-5, 3 way, no port, 3 position level control, but they are too deep to fit IN a bookcase

https://www.crutchfield.com/p_700M5NNB/KLH-Model-Five-Nordic-Noir.html

 

I just glanced at all the bookcase speakers The Music Room has for sale, nothing I want, and some of the prices are scary.

 

fastfreight
983 posts
 

Dynaudio Contour 20i. Even better Dynaudio Confidence 20.  Not bargain basement just good.

nonamesleft4me
45 posts
 

if one is willing to deal without the bottom octave and a half of bass, the pinnacle pn2 model [an oldie but is available here and there for rummage sale prices] is hard to beat in terms of its relatively uniform frequency balance and holographic imaging. it is also fairly sensitive in terms of getting to room filling volume on relatively little amp power [less than 10 watts per channel]. 

Post removed 
lanx0003
1,296 posts
 

I recommended the Buchardt S400 MkII, but I see your post asking for a bargain. This is probably the best-looking and lowest-priced NHT SB3 I’ve seen since I bought mine.  Solid performer that digs down to 39hz (-3dB).  See the review by Stereophile.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/116740343589?_skw=nht+sb3&itmmeta=01K4WC2RJ4VNA66KMTCMSXK792&hash=item1b2e444725:g:nioAAeSw0Xloozpm&itmprp=enc%3AAQAKAAAAwFkggFvd1GGDu0w3yXCmi1d%2FZQidDauZWCiabNA0crQVDaHPEB8vK9HKYwAWJlDJsUzpNYnCbOlT7BP8h8opFAAr7iiW%2FUFvhe%2BLSujnySNfQYB7%2F5gSLLT8SPOmBjkBPDgxAZoNxRdXXT13ezr8SBHvQ2MSYKQf3%2FP1%2FZ%2BuDWOXAGDpg66YJIDNuwyTo6eBw%2BZFiNIsaZmJFNMGCXCFjUz33VmPuZ03hAvfoLzdtLMtvlyugv4kLCWjli6tk1UfMw%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR66Ji4ynZg

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