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Requesting Advice on Speaker Upgrade

Hello,

I am in the market for a new speaker upgrade. I am hoping to receive recommendations on brands and models to look at. I have already demoed some Kef and Totem speakers, which I really enjoy. I really have my eye on the Totem Rainmakers. Not sure if they will be a good fit for my room or amp though.

I’d also like something that will be flexible with integrated amp upgrade possibilities down the road.

I’d say it’s a small to medium room size at approximately 15’ x 20’. There is a large picture window to the left of the listening position that has curtains covering it. To the right of the listening position is a half wall that goes into an open kitchen. Behind the seat is a floor to ceiling stone hearth and fireplace wall.

My budget tops at $600-$900, but $1100 will be the absolute max. Looking for bookshelf monitors and I’d like to be able to include stands within that budget.

I enjoy a balanced sound profile. I don’t necessarily crave super clarity or very bright sounding speakers, but enjoy a neutral sound. Sharp, clear bass is great, but I’m not super into hard, thumping bass. I’m still new to audio so pardon if these descriptors aren’t exactly clear.

My current setup is a Rotel RA-12, Project Debut Carbon w/ Ortogon 2M Blue cartridge, and a DTS Play-Fi streamer (for Tidal Hifi and Spotify streaming). Current speakers are stand mounted Polk RTi-A1s.

I have a toddler that wanders around this space. So grille covers are a must. I am also welcome to floorstanding recommendations, but thinking stand mounted ones will be ideal since it’s less he can mess with on the floor.

Sorry for the super wordy post... But one last note: We have a lot of mid-century modern furniture in our home. So looking for options with a clean, simple design and aesthetics.


Thanks, and cheers!
Matthew


128x128stereosanctity
stereosanctity's avatar
stereosanctity OP
74 posts
 
@gdnrbob 

Thanks!  I really like the look of those Zu's.  Not sure if there is a local dealer for them or not.  I'll do more research on Zu.

I have seen Vandersteens recommended often, and looks like there are a few decent deals on eBay too. 
keithtexas
352 posts
 

Here are some Vandy 2 CEs that would go with your mid-century look. Under budget too. :D


http://www.tmraudio.com/product/tj-791

mmporsche's avatar
mmporsche
144 posts
 
Another nod to the Elac speakers.  Incredible value IMO.
gdnrbob
4,447 posts
 
Thanks Bomd,
Zu sells direct, but you can find them used here on Agon and Ebay.
If you buy new, they do give a trial period, but I have to say they do require break in to sound their best.
One of the reasons I recommend Zu and Vandersteen is that they stand by their products. I own Vandersteen Treo's (3a sigs beforehand). If I needed help, I could call Vandersteen and would receive a call back, often from Mr. Vandersteen himself. Zu, also is very accommodating. They repaired a defective binding post at no charge even though I was not the original owner(-I also had some other work done, which I paid for).
I own a pair of Zu Union (Omen predecessors), and compared to my new Treo's, I have to say they were remarkably close in reproduction. Though the Vandies are much more refined, I was impressed by the fact that the Zu were doing it with a single driver.
B
kenwood61's avatar
kenwood61
26 posts
 
I'm a big Vandersteen lover. I don't know why more people aren't. But that can be good since you can buy 2C's between $400 - 650, depending on condition, and where you are in the country (local market). I can tell you that I have owned the 2C's and now the 3A. When I got my 2C's, I was in a 10x10 room with wood floors and slanted roof. Easy to dial in and easily the best speakers I have owned up to that time. I kicked out some JBL Jubals (L65), Dahlquist DQ-8, and a few others. Vandersteens are fairly efficient, and are designed to be forgiving towards the source power. Case in point, my brother in law just picked up some 2C's for $400 in 8.5/10 condition and running with a Pioneer SX-850 ... they sound great. His mind is blown.

I loved mine so much, I jumped on a mint set of 3A's from the original owner. I was in a 15x20' room, but now in a 9x10. I have them positioned so they still sound great. Of course, I can tell they would bloom more with more space, but that will be next year in the new place. But I'll tell you that if you do buy Vandersteen, make sure you get some good quad cable (Canare) and bi-wire. I know the idea doesn't seem to make sense, but I've done testing in my own system, and found it does make a slight difference. Enough to be worth it.

If you like mid century modern look and want something off the ground, I would take a serious look at ADS. They have butyl rubber surrounds on the woofers, and I have never seen a bad one. Some models are better than others, and some have metal grills, and walnut veneer. 

Dahlquist makes some good shelf speakers like the M-905 and M-907. Build quality is good, they use good drivers, and they are under most people's radar, so you can usually find a good price.

As you can see, I'm not a big fan of new speakers, for your price range. You can buy so much more speaker for that kind of money, that are built like furniture, and hold their value better. Just buy smart.
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