Bookshelf Bake Off


Fellow Audiogoners,

Lend me your ears.  I live on a farm in South Georgia and have a 3+ hour drive in any direction to audition anything.  The price I pay for land, peace and horses I suppose.  I am putting together a secondary system and can't audition everything I have interest in, so I am hoping you can help me shorten the short list to a manageable set of maybe three (two would be even better) auditions for bookshelf speakers. They will be driven by 2 x PS Audio M700 Monoblocks, Schiit Freya+ tube preamp and a Mytek Brooklyn DAC+.  The space is fairly small at approx. 10'x20'.  For a number of reasons, floorstanders are not a possibility, hence the call for bookshelf speakers.  I would like to keep the budget in the $2K range, +/- a reasonable %.  I am not someone that feels the need to max the budget, i.e. linear correlation of price and quality, so feel free to suggest high value brands/models less than the max budget.  I have a pair of Focal Aria 906 in another system and very much like their sound, but want something a bit warmer with similar (or better) resolution.  Deeper low frequency extension would be a plus.  The brands I have narrowed the field to are:

Revel
Legacy
KEF
Monitor Audio
Sonus Fabre
PSB

This list is not written in stone, just my initial list after research.  Feel free to suggest anything I have omitted that warrants consideration.  Thanks in advance for your ears.

Mark


128x128Ag insider logo xs@2xmarkcdaniel
Dynaudio. They make the best bookshelf speakers in that price range in my opinion, they image like no other given good amplification.




I have Klipsh Herresy.  Great, but too big for this category IMO.
2nd Watkins Gen 4
Along with your gear, room size and taste, I think an ATC SCM11/19 could do the job well.
Have a listen to Mark Audio Sota Cesti B.  Great sound, under budget and they have a 30 day trial period.  And the red is very cool looking!
If you like the Aria, perhaps consider the Electra. I picked up a nice used pair of Electra 1008 BE and they sound great. I haven't heard the Aria so can't compare, but everything I've read indicates the Electra is a step up. I'd also give strong consideration to Harbeth P3ESR. I have the SHL 5 Plus and they sound warmer than the Focals, but in fact are very neutral and detailed. I've heard the P3ESR, similar magic in a smaller and more affordable package.