Need to Downsize: Small Speaker Recommendation


Hi all,

I've had the Thiel 6's for many years and love them but moving to a much smaller space and they are just too big Have them paired with the Sonic Frontier 3 monoblocks and a Conrad Johsnson tube pre-amp. I've traded up in the Thiel line over 30 years so really love their sound (could do with a bit more bottom end but love the sound overall so i have stuck with them). So, looking for recommendations for small (even bookshelf) speakers. I realize i may have to get rid of the amps as well but for now want to start by identifying a pair of speakers i can live with.

Thanks in advance for any and all recommendations.
dkonstruction
Volent VL2 or Usher BE-718's

Others I've owned and in all cases like the above two over...Merlin MME, Spendor S3a, Spendor S5a.

Others I've heard and I would investigate further include Evolution Acoustic Model 1 (I believe), Rahdio, Wilson Benesch

Certainly others mentioned are good, but I haven't owned them to comment.
I recently began to build a bedroom system. I brought in two monitors, Coincident Triumph Extreme IIs and Ref 3A deCapo Be's for evaluation. To make a long story short, I like both of these monitors. The Coincidents were so good I kept them for my main system, and sold my Magnepan 3.7Rs. They are excellent speakers- superbly articulate and the best coherence I have ever heard. They pair well with SS and tube (Cary 500.1MB and Coincident Frankensteins). I will say that in my experience, they enjoy some space out from the back wall.

I did not like the deCapos nearly as well driven by solid state, but they really respond well to driving with the Frankensteins. I intend to hang on to them for my bedroom system. I will say that they lack the Coherence of the Coincidents. The excellent Be tweeter is faster and more articulate than the other driver. I have no trouble distinguishing between the two drivers. They are slightly to the warm side of neutral. That can be very appealing in the right situation (like a bedroom system). I have not yet tried them up close to the front wall, so I don't know how sensitive to positioning they are.

I've had Maggies for the last 24 years. I was floored by what really good monitors could do. I have the Coincidents paired with a couple of subs, have a great preamp, a couple of good sources, and the Frankenstiens are just magic. My point is that if you do things right, you will have no regrets about the change.
Actually, speaking of Maggies, the Maggie MMG is an excellent speaker...and if you wish to add a sub...tremendous sound for the cost and size. There is a pretty cool demonstration on youtube of this done by Magnepan at a show where they put a curtain around the whole system and ask people to guess what's back there...