Bookshelf speaker with electrostatic sound

I'm not particularly familiar with the electrostatic sound, but my understanding is that it is a very 'fast,' detailed, and clean sound. With that said, the ATC SCM7s can be found used for under a grand (I got mine on the Gon for considerably less), and I would be absolutely amazed if you can get more detail, clarity, and excellence of tone for the same money as the 7s.

On the downside, they aren't particularly efficient, but they aren't the watt-hogging power suckers they're sometimes made out to be. I'm currently running mine in my second system with an entry level Denon receiver, and it sounds much better than it has any right to.

Hope this helps! Let us know what you decide, or what you get a chance to audition!!

Thanks all. Definitely good options. I hope to listen to a few of them in the next couple weeks. I may also give the Clue a listen to since they're made here in my back yard. Unfortunately more than my budget new.

Are the speaker in bookshelves up six feet high?
If so, there is no way I would spend a grand for background music.
Usher makes a fantastic speaker the 520 that is front ported and will be all the speaker you will ever need. Or Triangle Titus around the same price point. I would look for a front ported speaker . You can't expect great sound stuffing speakers in a bookshelf , not to mention having them at 6 feet in the air. Usually stand mounts are at 24 inches and require a foot of room to the front wall. You might even be able to send less than $250 , with a speaker like the Audio Engine series.
Todd

Your proposition all around sounds like a loser. There are a few mini-monitors that are fast enough and devoid enough of box resonances to approach the speed and transparency of electrostatics, but not sitting on a bookshelf 6' off the floor and a few inches from the back wall.

Second, if you want these for "background music," why the push for the in-your-face transparency of electrostatics?

Third, if you want them for background music, you need something with strong bass response at low signal levels, or they will just sound scratchy and annoying. If you go the mini-monitor route, you should also get a compact subwoofer or two to add bass balance to the underpowered speakers.

Although they're not transparent like electrostatics, the best thing I can think of for your situation is a pair of Bose 901's. Theyare very compact, sound just fine 6' off the floor and are meant to interact with the wall about 1' behind them. They have three other advantages:

1. The direct/reflected approach energizes the entire room, perfect for background and casual listening no matter where you are in the room, standing or sitting.
2. The full-range driver concept removes any crossover interference from the listening spectrum. The midrange will be clean and uncluttered.
3. The active equalizer module makes sure the bass response is part of the tonal balance even at low volume.

I say get a pair of 901s from a vendor that allows a trial period, hook them up and let them break in, and see if they give you just what you're looking for. I recommend you set the speakers on a set of Vibrapods or other shock absorbers if you place them directly on bookshelves.

If you can find a pair used, these will come in north of $1k, but south of $2K. If that's close enough, I think they'd be hard to beat (probably because they're electrostats - of a sort):

http://www.soundlab-speakers.com/ministat.htm

Good Luck

Marty