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Another "Which Bookshelf Speakers to Get" Thread

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.

My room is wood floors, fairly narrow (6') and the speakers would be backed up to a brick wall.

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

And...GO! (thanks)
ryantomorrow
ryantomorrow OP
5 posts
 
Wow, you guys certainly aren't narrowing my field down! I'm tempted by the Energys, considering they're well reviewed, real wood veneer (I'm an aesthete, as well) and $290 shipped here on Audiogon.

Any other opinions on them?
entrope
482 posts
 
I have seen Ruark Icons and Prologues on here and on eB** in the $200 range. Both are excellent bookshelves for that price.
wrtickle
103 posts
 
tsto has rega r1s cheap...$400 and free shipping. they are last years, however. not sure what changes may ahve been made.

http://www.tsto.com/cgi-bin/TSTO.storefront/4a021b010058272e2740ac1003410522/Product/View/2383&2D1
wharfy's avatar
wharfy
323 posts
 
At another audio site someone posted about Roth speakers. They get a good write-up on Whathifi and can be had for under $200 on Amazon. Check it out-

http://www.audiocircle.com/circles/index.php?topic=66580.0
ethanh
48 posts
 
The B&W DM601s3 is surprisingly not bad. I had the 602s2 and was never satisfied with it, but the 601 Series 3 is a much better monitor, in my opinion of course. You could probably find a pair used within your budget. The good thing about B&W is that you can sell them easily should you decide to upgrade (personal experience).

Usher S520 gets recommended on this forum a lot but I've never heard it. And then there's the Onix/AV123 stuff like the Reference 1 or X-LS which have gotten good reviews for budget gear. Lots of options.

Good luck.
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