BOOKSHELF SPEAKERS

For low-bux I really agree with the B&W DM602 - amazingly clean for the money. In addition I bought my non-audiophile father-in-law the NHT Super One's, which sounded great by themselves and I think would make excellent surround speakers. Also, I hear that the Sound Dynamics speakers are supposed to be great for around $300

Mandrake, I own B&W N805's and agree somewhat with others who have recommended this speaker. However, this speaker is very revealing of the electronics ahead of it. I am not familiar with your Marantz receiver so I cannot say how they will match. You will learn a lot about your receiver with this speaker, that is for sure. My gut feeling is that you may find the DM602's a better match for a lot less money.

If you're not committed to spending an enormous amount of money, like a lot of audiophiles, I'd also recommend the Sound Dynamics RTS-3. There was quite a bit of fuss a year ago or so, and it was true! For just under $300 new (www.audioadvisor.com), these can't be beat. Now, they really operate best when used with stands, and, since they have a rear port, they might get a little boomy on a bookshelf, but small speakers should really never be placed on a closed-in bookshelf. You could even place them on milk-crates, if you don't want to spend the money on stands. Anyway, for their price, they can't be beat. In fact, they are far better than most speakers up to 5-times their price.

Try something from the Totem line. I also would recommend the B&W 805.

Bookshelf speakers is a misnomer, as any size box-shaped speaker will qualify. norwex B-2 Nisse is specifically designed to be placed on a bookshelf, and still be High-End! 9 inches high; same as a typical novel (book). Or in a wall unit. Or on the wall with 4-way adjustable brackets which we supply to match cabinets in black or white. Read review in SoundStage! on the web: www.soundstage.com Click on Audio. Also look at the norwex site: http://norwex.homepage.com. norwex B-2 Nisse are $995 a pair. From time to time we have demo sets will full warranty (5 years parts and labor). If interested, contact Harald Aasland at norwex@cfw.com..