2. analog
  3. 1241627179

Another Which Bookshelf Speaker Should I Get?

Hey folks,

I realize these threads are pretty populous, but I also realize that y'all never seem to have a lack of opinions, so I'll give it a shot ;)

I'm building up a very simple, pure system for listening in my small Brooklyn apartment. It currently consists of:

• Marantz 2235B (35wpc)
• Technics SL-D3 (my Dad's, bought new the year I was born) running a Grado Black cartridge (new last year)

...aaand that's it. I may put an iPod dock into the mix, but for the time being I'm only going to be listening to vinyl and Red Sox games on the radio.

My speaker shortlist is:

• Rega R1
• KEF iQ3
• Paradigm Atom
• EPOS ELS-3
• Cambridge Soundworks Model 6 ($50 used...)

I'm interested to hear what you think, and also where I should look to buy (NYC local, or online)

My musical tastes trend towards the lo-fi (Pavement, Radiohead, Band of Horses), old country, and the occasional John Adams record.

Budget gets painful anywhere north of $400, and I'm not shy about used.

And...GO! (thanks)
ryantomorrow
maineiac
649 posts
 
Tannoy MX2, there is a used pair for sale her for $200. My parents have these and they are very musical. No relation to the seller.
johnnyb53
3,510 posts
 
05-06-09: Ryantomorrow
"You can probably see them at Guitar Center."

I think you had me until there... ;)
GC is where I got my Technics SL1210 M5G. Two years later I'm still very happy with it. Good sound is where you find it. I personally haven't heard the CVs, and my tastes lean toward the Canadian speakers that make extensive use of Canada's National Research Foundation (Mirage, Energy, PSB, Paradigm), but the CLS-215 got surprised and enthusiastic reviews from Absolute Sound and Soundstage, and I figure they had as much prejudice going in against that speaker as anybody.
ryantomorrow OP
5 posts
 
Oh, no doubt - but GC still conjured up plenty of pubescent feelings of inadequacy stemming from having to go there with musician friends in Junior High while I was still building model rockets.
griffithds
852 posts
 
I agree with Mapmans sugestion on the Titus 202's. I sold a pair of Rogers LS3/5A's for 3 times the price I paid for the Triangle Titus and wound up with a much better sounding speaker! Much better by far!
sandstone
358 posts
 
Also recommend the Triangle Titus 202's. They play exceptionally well with tubes. With proper nearfield placement, great soundstage and imaging. If necessary, will tolerate actual "bookshelf" kinds of placement while keeping good tonality.
More to discover