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Just confused about where to start

Hello all,

I'm looking to add speakers to my audiophile setup which currently consists of (very high end) headphones. I want speakers for everything the headphones cannot do - simple enough. Problem is, I'm having difficulty deciding which gear I want to buy. I demoed a pair of B&W 705 S2's today and was very impressed. Unfortunately, my budget isn't that high. It's $1500 total, for the speakers and amp combined. Source is a computer. I listened to a cheaper pair of B&W bookshelf speakers (can't remember which, but were around $1200) and was not impressed. I am leaning toward bookshelf speakers but don't know if getting floorstanding at this price point would be a large increase in quality. The room they will be placed in is only 100 square feet. I am willing to buy used.

So, my questions, summed up are:

Is bookshelf a better option than floorstanding?

Is it worth looking at cheaper B&W models, or should I look at other companies altogether?

At least with headphones, I like a pretty neutral sound, if not a tad warm. Are there any companies that predominantly have this sound signature?

How should the room size inform my choice of speakers?



muffinhead123
muffinhead123 OP
35 posts
 
I have $3000 in headphone gear, which is well beyond the point of diminishing marginal returns. There's really nowhere for me to go from where I am with those. One other reason I want speakers is because I like listening to music with friends.

As for having to buy because I used the saleman's time: I am in no way obligated to buy something just because someone did their job and showed me the features of a product...just putting that out there. I neglected to mention that the visit to the best buy also led to a purchase of $1800 tower speakers for my mother, and that the $1500 total of the offer doesn't include sales tax nor the price of shipping the stuff up to college.

I know I can do better with the price of this gear, and want some more opinions and more listens to additional speakers before I make a decision.
muffinhead123 OP
35 posts
 
@lowrider57
Sorry, I forgot to mention they were the Ls50 wireless model. Likely a different sound than the passive model, I would imagine. My experience with powered speakers hasn't been that great, but maybe I'm not listening to the right models.
lowrider57's avatar
lowrider57
5,417 posts
 
and the amp you auditioned?
muffinhead123 OP
35 posts
 
@lowrider57 I forgot what it was. But it was around $1200 retail.
tutetibiimperes
202 posts
 
I kind of surprised you liked the Motion 15s considering the sound signature you mentioned upthread, I found the ML Motion series to be unpleasantly bright, but it could've been set up poorly in the BB when I demoed them, there's a ton of variation between different stores, and even between speakers in the same store with them.  The first time I checked out the ML Electromotion ESLs I thought they sounded like junk, heard them at a different store and they sounded great. 

The LS50 Wireless is supposed to be superior to the unpowered version, so it could have been a setup issue.  Having built-in DSP and amps matched to the drivers should actually lead to a performance edge.  I've only demoed the unpowered version and I thought they were nice enough, but I didn't think they sounded any better than my Elac Uni-Fis and weren't worth anywhere near twice the price.  They are finished much more nicely though.  

If you're going to add a sub (which again, I do recommend) make sure whichever pre-amp/amp or integrated you choose has built-in bass management and some form of room EQ.  Aside from the Elac Element there's also the Paradigm PW Amp and the Martin Logan Forte (which is just a Paradigm PW Amp in a Martin Logan case) both of which offer great subwoofer integration and ARC room correction.  They don't have the built-in USB DAC or a remote control like the Elac Element, however, you have to use a smartphone app to control them.  
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