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Best bookshelf speakers

I’m building my first high fi system after being more of a portable audio person. I want to start with the speakers. Space is limited so bookshelf speakers are a must.

Preferences:
Balanced and revealing with a hint of warmth.
Midrange most important to get right over highs and lows
Timbre is super important - I listen mostly to acoustic music especially jazz
But I do need some bass as I also listen to some electronic music
Smaller is better but SQ is most important
A speaker that sounds good with different amps but also scalable with high quality sources
Wide sweet spot - I wont have money for a great amp at first but want them to be scalable for later

These speakers have caught my eyes - any thoughts on them?

Ascend Sierra 2s - Ribbon = dispersion limitations?
BMR Philharmonitor - See above. Also massive.
Buchardt S400/S300 - Wary of the sudden hype train and limited info
Silverline Minuet Grande - Limited info
Reference 3A De Capo - This caught my eye as a potential endgame speaker if I could blow up my budget a little. But concerns about BE tweeter as well as some potential snake oil stuff (cryogenic treatment (!?)), exaggerated sensitivity claims and wonky measurements put me off.

What else should I be looking at?

Edit: I could have sworn I had <$2,000 in the title... Anyway, my budget is 2k.

stuff_jones
motokokusanagi
189 posts
 
A small floorstander might do the trick too, but so far none have piqued my interest. Any suggestions?
-- Living Voice Auditorium sounds to me like your perfect speaker, but they’re way above your budget new http://www.borderpatrol.net/livingvoiceloudspeakers.htm

Another variable is synergy with a given amp and interaction with your room, hence the need to go visit some dealers and just get some initial pointers on viable systems.

Brands/Models I’d recommend to try to hear are the Nola Boxer, various Totems, Harbeth P3-ESR and the ATC SCM11s. All have their attendant compromises, but broadly fit your stated sonic preferences.

Two current listings that catch my eye both happen to be Italian! 
https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lis99e4g-opera-mezza-bookshelf-speakers-cherry-pair-13119-monitors...
https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lis99848-diapason-audio-neos-full-range
stuff_jones OP
65 posts
 
Trying to glean more wisdom from the audiogon vets:

What are your thoughts on using a disproportionate portion of a system budget on "endgame" speakers and skimping a little on electronics? You can slowly upgrade your electronics to get more out of your speakers if you’re not satisfied/curious.

I think it was Steve Gutenberg who recommended a 50:33:17 speaker:amp:dac cost ratio. What if you do something more like 70:20:10? Will you get better SQ out of a more balanced "Gutenberg distribution", given a fixed budget?
mindlessminion
99 posts
 
I think you should throw as much money at the speaker you feasibly can to prevent the immediate upgrade bug.  Selling speakers are a pain and I consider speakers furniture/art.  

Depending on your room it is one of the 1st items people see.  My main music room is off the foyer in what is traditionally a formal living room.   There have been many speakers I would consider, but am concerned about their looks.  

I use the virtual system portion of Audiogon to find speakers that I find appealing in a room with similar style. It is one of the reasons I am looking at the Devore o/96.  I think they are very nice looking speaker.   
motokokusanagi
189 posts
 
I think it was Steve Gutenberg who recommended a 50:33:17 speaker:amp:dac cost ratio. What if you do something more like 70:20:10? Will you get better SQ out of a more balanced "Gutenberg distribution", given a fixed budget?
I think it's more to illustrate a principle - DACs generally have faster diminishing returns than amps and speakers - rather than to be taken literally.

For example say one had a total budget of $10k and was buying new, you could make a great system with say a Metrum Jade / Chord Qutest, Primaluna Dialogue 2 (I think you might like tubes, btw) and Living Voice Auditorium speakers. One can also find a lot of integrated amps nowadays with built-in DACs, and don't at all discount buying used for big savings.  

This is so damned unpopular with audiophiles but I'd argue that if you spent 10/20/30% of that budget on room acoustic treatments (bass traps, panels, diffusers), you'd get even better sound than any gear upgrade...


bigkidz
3,394 posts
 
Sony ss-3ar I think the model is. Better than the Rogers.  The first sl I heard was nice but new they are $9k
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