Most enjoyable speaker you heard under $800??

Era 4, Dali Zensor 1, Magnepan MMG

Wharfedale Diamond 10.1 with proper solid stands.

Triangle Titus 202

Expos ELS 3. If I recall $300 a pair. Sweet musicality. Then came stands, lead shot in the stands, the matching sub, cable upgrades, a bigger amp...

For me it all started with those speakers. I still have the speakers and stands in my office system. Still very enjoyable.

Spica TC-50

+1 Mofi. Still a great speaker.

New or used? If used, then Vandersteen Model 1, Unity Audio CLA-3, Clements Audio D ribbon monitors, JM Labs Daline 3, Monitor Audio Silver Series.

I was actually blown away wight the sound of my active Audioengine A5+ speakers when they were hooked directly to my SACD player. The results are not nearly as great using the Apple Airport Express as the DAC, but that's what how they work best where they need to function.

Triangle Titus xs

"05-23-15: Mceljo
I was actually blown away wight the sound of my active Audioengine A5+ speakers when they were hooked directly to my SACD player. The results are not nearly as great using the Apple Airport Express as the DAC, but that's what how they work best where they need to function."

What were the differences between the two? I may need to pick up an inexpensive dac, so I may try it.

Used ProAc SC1's.

Spica TC-50

Fried A/3s, made back in the mid 80s (they retailed for about $600 then). Killer speaker, so good that I own one pair and a second set of original replacement drivers and crossovers.

used Totem Sttaf

Pioneer BS 22. Not attention-grabbing, just musical and very easy to like...at under $100.

Silverline Minuet Supreme Plus

A pair of Wharfedale Denton 80th Anniversary bookshelf speakers, gorgeous retro craftsmanship, most probably will enough for you enjoy all musical genre, and listen the bass is surprisingly deep and tight!

For me, it's Magnepan's MMG in a walk.

ZD542 - I am not great with audiophile descriptions, but the results of the A5+ with my SACD player made me believe that I could be happy with the combo if something happened to my Focal 836v speakers. Using the Airport Express the sound is more like an old tape player lacking detail, clarity, and dynamics in comparison. It just sounds ok rather than surprisingly great.

JBL 4312 continue to please my ears every time I hear them sing.

Tekton M-Lore, Vandersteen 1, Spica tc 50. Too me, the Lore wins by a wide margin.

+1 for: Monitor Audio Silver (or Bronze), Epos ELS 3, Wharfedale Diamond

Also: PSB Imagine XB, Rega RS-1, Focal Chorus bookshelf - any model except 807V which sounds too bass heavy in most applications to me

GoldenEar Aon 2, new w/warranty for $799.98.

As an owner of Magneplanar 1.7s, I also would put in for MMGs at $599/pair.

Every main speaker (as opposed to center channel or surround) in Magnepan's lineup was an Absolute Sound Editor's Choice at its price point this year--MMG, .7, 1.7, 3.7i, and 20.7.

MMG is good choice with right gear.

my B-stock Soliloquy 5.0i's

+1 Magnumpi. Silverline Minuets.

Reynaud Twin MkII, which was introduced to North America by Randy Bankert for $750/pr.

I also like my vintage Elac S517 wide range drivers (purchased used for $5/pr).

Thanks to all who responded so far. I should have probably asked for speakers marketed within the last 10-15 years Nah!! because I always thought the Rectilinear 3, and the original large Advents sounded natural were easy to listen to....but that is ancient history

The results so far have been interesting. with Magnepan MMG getting 5 hits, and the 30 year old Spica TC-50 getting 3. Epos ELS-3 were about 2. However, this thread is not intended as a survey.

Occasionally, you see a pair of Spica TC-50 for sale on AG, and just recently a pair Angeluses with their flying nun design.

Is Spica still in business, or has someone bought their inventory of drivers??

What's your list from last 10 - 15 years Jim ?

paradigm 2 ways for @800. forget the number, smallish bookshelfs.

TO: JL35
Acoustic Zen Adagio

Monitor Audio RS-6

Silverline Prelude II

Green Mountain "Europa"

Vandersteen CI

Epos 12 or 12i .

As much as I like the AZ Adagios, the Silverline Prelude II was possibly the best overall sound, but they take 700 hours to break in, and need cooper cable to sound best, like previous Analysis Plus Oval 12

None! Had to cimb to $900 to get into "enjoyable" territory. Adam F7 actives.

05-27-15: Rockadanny
None! Had to cimb to $900 to get into "enjoyable" territory. Adam F7 actives.

Those Heil-type folded ribbon tweeters are great. And for the slightly higher expenditure you save many more dollars on an amplifier, so the overall solution costs less.

To JL-35, What did you like about the Dali Zensor I speaker?? It appears more like a Home Theater back channel speaker

Also. I answered your question about what speakers I found enjoyable to listen to by citing Monitor Audio RS-6 which I spent hours auditionin, then changed my mind and bought the Silverline Prelude II because it was a bit smoother on top, but the RS-6 was more balanced top to bottom. Any former RS-6 owners recall the sound quality of the RS-6??

"05-24-15: Mceljo
ZD542 - I am not great with audiophile descriptions, but the results of the A5+ with my SACD player made me believe that I could be happy with the combo if something happened to my Focal 836v speakers. Using the Airport Express the sound is more like an old tape player lacking detail, clarity, and dynamics in comparison. It just sounds ok rather than surprisingly great."

Sorry. I somehow managed to read your first post wrong. I thought you liked the Apple better. I don't know what I was thinking because you were pretty clear. Also, your description in the above quote is pretty good.

I find the Zensor 1 to have a surprisingly full, realistic sound for it's size and price, Bass while not deep sounds full as opposed to thin or spiked. I also have found them to be relatively insensitive to placement. They sound clear and precise with both price appropriate electronics, but also benefit from the better stuff. I have used them as both desktop, and bedroom speakers.

I also very much like Dali speakers in general

Save up a little more and get some Klipsch rp-280f's!

Not much at that level has blown me away...in the used market Revel M20s, Sonus Faber Concertinos, etc....music direct has some Focal closeouts

Is 12" from the back wall enough for Magnepan MMGs?

And can you use them without the cloth? I wonder what my cat would do with those big cloth covered panels.

Sbrownnw...no and no.

I've had 4prs of Maggies, to me 30" is minimum in most rooms.
Best place is middle of room,x marks the spot marker ,put back against wall when not in use.

If you need to operate close to the back wall, consider a used pair of Totem Arros.

Mirror-imaged version of the Dahlquist DQ-10 (used).

Wait for the Elac Debut series speaker from Andrew Jones to come out in September. Probably the best price/performance speaker you'll ever hear. I heard it last weekend at the Newport show and it was amazing. Incredibly detailed while being very musical and satisfying. The bass response was off the charts and this was just the smaller bookshelf. The tower version will go for around $500 I believe.

Pioneer SP-fs52. Paid $220 brand new. These are the Andrew Jones designed little floorstanders. Look pretty average, sound unbelievable for the money. Using them in my kitchen system with some good quality components. Nice punchy bass. I plan to upgrade the tweeter down the track as the treble is the weak point. Sound better than some much more expensive speakers.

JBL L890. I got it when it was discounted to $800/pair (with shipping!)however. There's still a few online dealers that are pricing it that low or just about as low...Amazon, Rakuten, etc.

"I've had 4prs of Maggies, to me 30" is minimum in most rooms." As a general rule, I agree. I have found that placing some of these on the wall behind the Maggies, allows a closer proximity: (http://www.ebay.com/itm/CityBlox-Acoustic-Foam-24-sq-ft-Next-Acoustics-Studio-Soundproofing-/281719194106?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4197c5c1fa) or (http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-x-12-x-12-inch-Acoustic-Pyramid-Studio-soundproof-Foam-Tile-shipping-discount-/351420139506?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item51d245c7f2) I have mine placed only in the area that the panels will most directly radiate(based on their toe-in).