Bookshelf Recommendations


Long time, first time here. Looking to upgrade my current speakers. While I know the best way to judge is by actually LISTENING to a set-up, I've read a lot of positive reviews of the SVS Ultimas. Does anyone here have first hand experience with those or a similar bookshelf at the +/-$1k price point?

My listening space is 12 x 12, with a Carver M1.5t power amp and CJ PV-12 pre. 
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I recently returned a pair of LS50'S that I had purchased intending to upgrade from my B&W 685's. Although for their size they had very clean sound I found them lacking in mid-bass.
B&W has a current bookshelf offering that is getting great reviews. I would go that direction
brother in law has 1ci in a room your size with MoFi Untradeck, Ortofon Bronze, Odyssey Candella tube pre, Odyssey Khatargo SS power, sweet and sublime and the 8” LF goes low but does NOT overpower the room

ebay away !!!!!
Totem makes an excellent speaker, I have them in our sunroom powered by a Bluesound Powernode...they rock..

great to have choices....
https://www.stereophile.com/content/wharfedale-diamond-225-loudspeaker Carrera4s, read the stereophile review of the wharfedale 225’s.....three different reviewers agreed that they were something special. One reviewer went back to test the bass frequency and said that he was astounded to find usable output at 31.5 hz! Footnote 2. That is crazy for a speaker of this size and cost. I own two pairs of these, one walnut and one rosewood (bought as an extra pair or back up) and I can attest to the build quality and to the sound. I can listen to these speakers all day long....they are addictive and non fatiguing. The bass port is on the bottom plinth, so you can place them close to wall. I have mine out 1 foot from rear wall to good effect. These speakers like toe in as well. I have them positioned so that I can just barely see the inside of each speaker. They are on 24 inch stands with tweeter at ear height when seated. Lastly these 225s love to be bi wired. Doing so really makes them shine. For $500 bucks I don’t think they can be beat. As stated in my previous reply....they imo can easily compare to $1000-$1500 stand mounters all day.....hurry, you can grab these for just $349 at music direct or crutchfield, a steal!
Forget the Diamond's modest price. This humble wooden box is actually a connoisseur-level audio component. It could satisfy any sane music collector for decades.
Herb Reichert 
Agree with Jim (tomic601), Vandy 1s would be perfect in your 12x12 room. I'm using Vandy 2s in an almost 14x14 room, with treatment, they are setup 9" from front wall, 7' apart (tweeter to tweeter), no toe-in, and listening seated head position is 2' from rear wall. No bass boom.
Hope this helps,

Tom