Please recommend speakers


I’m just starting my audiophile journey and want to make sure I pair the right equipment before going too far down the rabbit hole. I am coming into this as a complete newbie. I listen pretty much to everything but mostly pop, classical and jazz in a fairly large-ish lower level living room (maybe 20 x 20 feet square) and speakers sitting on bookshelves. I know they should be on stands or floor-mounted, but that doesn’t really work for me right now space-wise. So far I have Jamo 803 bookshelf speakers with newly purchased SMSL DA-9 amp and matching SMSL SU-9 DAC (previously was using an old NAD D 3020 V1 integrated amp with direct connection from iPad to internal DAC). Now I stream directly from an old iPhone/iPad via a USB camera adapter to the DAC which has balanced connections to the DA-9 amp. I pretty much stream music exclusively (currently on free trials with Tidal and Amazon HD). No other sources. No library to speak of. No headphones. The Jamos sound great to me, but I feel like I need something better to pair with the mid-fi DAC and AMP. So I’m looking for upgrade the Jamo 803s which were purchased on sale for $130. Looking to spend up to maybe $800 for a pair. Recommendations? Thanks in advance!

 

Edit:  Here's what I'm considering so far.  KEF350, Polk R200s, Audio Monitor Bronze.  Thoughts on pros and cons?  Anything else?

expresstrain

For dacs, I would start looking at Gishelli Labs, Schitt Audio and there's a new review on the EarMen Tradutto you can watch at  iiWi Reviews on youtube. Lots of Chinese options but the three I mentioned are domestic based in the US.

Amps...whole slew of really good amps as well but I really like my little Keces E40 and also have a Hegel.

Hope this helps.

 

 

 

Can still get the Silver 100s new on Amazon through Audio Advisor for $799.95 or check directly from Audio Advisor.  I had black and they are nice. Should retain good value over the years as the new series are $1400.

Dougm5740

"Magnepan LRS, Dayton sub...done"

Done listening, maybe.

LRS and all Maggies are well known to need lots of current... something not provided by a small chip amp. Without good current the Maggies are dull and lifeless.

+1 @mwinkc

 

Yeah they also won’t fit on a bookshelf, lol  

 

This is a terrible recommendation considering the OPs stated framework.

if you cannot get towers for your larger room, then here is another vote for KEF LS-50s