Looking for Bookshelf Speaker recommendations (UK)

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by rissey, May 8, 2020.

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  1. riddlemay

    riddlemay Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chicago, IL
    It's the first bookshelf speaker I've had that makes all music sound at least good. (And some music sound great, as measured by the emotional involvement metric.)

    Mind you, the exact opposite was the case until I had them positioned as I do now. About 14 inches from the back wall (I was in error when I said 12, above), 22-23 inches from the floor (including the IsoAcoustic Aperta supports they sit on), about five feet apart, and firing straight ahead, no toe-in. Until then, I hated them, for all the reasons you say. So I can't vouch at all for how they'll sound wall-mounted and angled down. I also have their sound supported by a REL subwoofer. But I've had all my bookshelf speakers augmented by this same REL, and none of them worked together with the REL as nicely as the Klipsches do to create one cohesive sound that feels like what the music was meant to do.
     
    rissey likes this.
  2. rissey

    rissey Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    United Kingdom
    Im considering getting a Rel too. In your opinion, which speakers are the least fussy about placement? Sounds like the Klipsch are very fussy
     
  3. Zos93

    Zos93 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Hertfordshire UK
    if you want something to go high on a wall then I would definitely consider something based on the LS3/5A they were designed for BBC outside broadcast vans.
     
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  4. rissey

    rissey Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    United Kingdom
    My budget is £500/600, can only see those ones priced at 1-2k
     
  5. MC Rag

    MC Rag Forum Resident

    Rissey, can you post some photos of the front and back of your pre-amp and power amp together. I think the Sugden Bijou system power amps were either the MusicMaster or the Ampmaster. One is a low watt Class A amp, the other a class AB of about 35 watts. Knowing which one will help inform speaker choice.
     
  6. MC Rag

    MC Rag Forum Resident

    That Pic of internals does not look like a power amp! Could it be one of their headphone amps? Have you got it driving any speakers at the moment? If yes, what and how loud does it go?
     
  7. Zos93

    Zos93 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Hertfordshire UK
    The Spendor S3 series are derived from the LS3/5A and share many characteristics. You basically want a small sealed box rather than anything with a rear port.
     
  8. Zos93

    Zos93 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Hertfordshire UK
    Those internals look like Bijou headmaster / Preamp.
     
  9. MC Rag

    MC Rag Forum Resident

    Yup that's definitely the Headmaster Pre-amp.
     
  10. rissey

    rissey Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    United Kingdom

    Just going back over some of the recommendations. Curious which Revel and JBL speakers you were curious to audition, as you put?
     
  11. patient_ot

    patient_ot Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    I would like to audition these next time I am speaker shopping (which might not be for a while). Some of these might need a sub, check specs. Also check to make sure your amp is a good match in terms of wattage.

    JBL HDI-1600

    Elac Debut Reference DBR-62

    Revel M16

     
  12. rissey

    rissey Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    United Kingdom
    Thanks. I was curious about the Elac's, until i read this lukewarm review on cnet ('lukeware' is somewhat exaggerated), though the audioscience guy gushed about them. The revels seem amazing, but too expensive for me. Looks like there no way i can have a listen to any of them bc of lockdown - my local dealer says it's not happening anytime soon. Going to be a blind buy, which considering they will be my first speakers, i suppose isn't so bad since ive nothing to compare them to.

    p. will be picking up a BK sub for sure anyway
     
  13. patient_ot

    patient_ot Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    Blind buy is tough...can you get a return policy if you don't like the speakers? Better yet can you buy at least 2 sets of speakers from your shortlist and compare them? Then keep whichever set you like best.
     
  14. rissey

    rissey Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    United Kingdom
    there is definitely a returns policy, i may well buy 2 as you suggest - the q350's and the dbr62's - and return the one I like the least.

    will have to order the amp in advance too i guess. going for the IOTAVX SA3, seems like a decent option..given the amp's spec will they drive the above choices well enough?
     
  15. patient_ot

    patient_ot Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    That amp was bench tested by ASR recently...not bad performance but not amazing either. I too was kinda interested in that unit, especially since power can be increased by adding their matching power amp. However, I'll probably take a pass.

    The trouble with speakers is that they may be 8 ohm rated but actually dip down to lower, more difficult to drive loads. For example, my speakers are 6 ohm rated but Wharfedale now calls their newer models with similar efficiency "8 ohm compatible" which can be confusing.

    And from the bench test it didn't seem like the IOTAVX did all that well with difficult loads. So I would probably look at alternatives. In terms of bang for the buck, the Yahama AS series of integrated amps seem to test well and are available at several different price points. If I were buying a new integrated today, I would look closely at one and try to get a home audition or return policy audition on one.
     
  16. rissey

    rissey Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    United Kingdom
    I'll have a look at the Yamaha series. One commenter on the ASR review page suggested just getting the IOTAVX PA3 power-amp and pair it with the Topping E30 DAC/Pre, which has a remote that can control volume.. a bit frankensteiny, but my sources will be a CD player and an Ipad. Perhaps the PA3 power amp would handle difficult loads better?
     
  17. patient_ot

    patient_ot Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    I suppose that could work, but wouldn't be my preferred set up. I do use a Topping DAC with volume control but have it set for fixed output only at the present time. When/if I upgrade to a different model it will become my new desktop unit for headphones.

    In any case, I would not assume anything about the IOTAVX products until each specific product is bench tested. There is a lot of hype around the brand because they are spending money on sending out free samples but I would try to take that hype with a grain of salt. The Yamaha stuff has been bench tested.

    Yamaha A-S801 Integrated Amplifier Measurements and Analysis

    YAMAHA A-S701 - tear-down, thoughts about the internals & few measurements
     
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  18. rissey

    rissey Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    United Kingdom

    The Yamaha A-701 is within my budget, more powerful than the IOTAVX, and popular here. I will probably get it if the dealer doesn't convince me to get the Cambridge Audio AXR100 (which he's already tried to do). I at least prefer the look of the Yamaha
     
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  19. vrøvl

    vrøvl Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Bergen, Norway
    The new Focal Chora 806 are excellent for the price, they're not tiny but they can fill a room, front-ported makes them easier to place.
     
    rissey likes this.
  20. rissey

    rissey Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    United Kingdom
    First time recommended them, i'll look into them, thanks. Do you have them? I presume you've heard them.. are they similar to anything else out there?
     
  21. Robsonschoice

    Robsonschoice Forum Resident

    Location:
    Ipswich UK
    Are you now looking to juggle a new Amp with new speakers ?? That's a tall order without having the chance to listen to anything at all...The system you have listed on your first posting have you actually listened to it or is it a collection you have and have not yet listened to it?? There is some sound advice being offered by a number of people posting here, unless you have a chance to listen to the Amp side I would wait. The speakers I would narrow down to a short list.....my advice would be if buying online make sure you have a returns policy and personally I would look for the main manufacturers who have a history of good design and good reviews.....don't get bogged down with technical graphs etc you are not in the High Hi Fi bracket you are just looking for a pair of decent sounding speakers for your type of music of which there are quite a few that will fit the bill...
     
    rissey likes this.
  22. rissey

    rissey Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    United Kingdom
    I am, im going to sell the sugdens..only realised i was going to do this in the last 5 or so days, so after the inital post was made, gathering more knowledge has modified my choices a bit. Nevertheless, you're right that im just looking for a decent pair of speakers that are low budget, so hearing rather than learning how to read graphs makes sense at this stage. The best i can manage at this point is to buy an amp and 2-3 pairs of speakers and see which ones work best with the amp and keep the speakers i like..i don;t have the cash to lay out for 2 amps. That may be frowned upon, but given this c19 lockdown the options are limited and im currently without a hifi. It's been very useful, though, to chat to everyone here and carve some idea of what may work, even if it is only theoretical.
     
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  23. sound chaser

    sound chaser Senior Member

    Location:
    North East UK.
    I would be seriously looking at a used pair of ProAc Tablettes at that price, you may be lucky.
     
  24. rissey

    rissey Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    United Kingdom
  25. Ric-Tic

    Ric-Tic Forum Resident

    Location:
    Stockholm
    Triangle Borea BR03 would fit the bill. For the price this speaker is very good (Yes I know it is a French speaker, but it is really good).
     
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