Which bookshelf speakers to buy?

Thank you all for your help.

This messge for Casselk: WHat Klipsch set up do you have?

Unfortunately Wader, right now I don't have a Klipsch set up or any set up. I recently sold my HT, quit my job, and went back to college. I'm a starving student now (just kidding) and can't afford the finer things anymore. When I was stationed on the USS Enterprise, we used a Promedia 5.1 system running off a Sound Blaster External sound card from optical inputs from PS2 and that was good for our tiny shop. When I built my HT, the RF series sounded consistantly better than the other demos at the local HT store. I didn't have the cash to lay down then and worked up from bose to infinity to the SVS system which is what I sold before going back to school. My opinion remains that Klipsch speakers just sound more 'real' or 'there' than the competition all things being equal. I'm rebuilding again but this time I'm going to go modular with separates starting with two channel and working up. I'm thinking the new Oppo BD 83 running analog outs to a multichannel pre-amp and one of the new Rotel class D amps to Klipsch RB-81s.

If you are deciding between Onix Ref 1 and Usher S-520..I have owned both, and I think the Onix is much better, it is more balanced, more detailed, just overall smoother and more refined. The Usher tends to be bright and lean sounding and the dynamics are not that impressive. The Usher is nice for its price and will hold its own against more expensive speakers but the Onix retails for 3x more and is just in a different league sonically.

Having owned the Onix Ref 1 bookshelf, I'd say it was at least the equal to my brother's B&W Nautilus 805--probably better it in terms of musicality. I don't think the B&W 602 has the refinement, top-end extension, control and tight/solid imaging to compete with the Ref 1 at all. I gave a pair away to my brother-in-law.

Having said that, I currently owned a pair of Usher Be 718. From what I've read, I do not think the Usher S-520 is in the same league as the Onix Ref 1. By the way, you can take it up a notch or two by upgrading the crossover caps on the Ref 1. I did and it was more refined and more enjoyable. The drivers on the Ref 1 are really special in my opinion especially for the used price.

Good luck,

Kenobi