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Please recommend speakers

I’m just starting my audiophile journey and want to make sure I pair the right equipment before going too far down the rabbit hole. I am coming into this as a complete newbie. I listen pretty much to everything but mostly pop, classical and jazz in a fairly large-ish lower level living room (maybe 20 x 20 feet square) and speakers sitting on bookshelves. I know they should be on stands or floor-mounted, but that doesn’t really work for me right now space-wise. So far I have Jamo 803 bookshelf speakers with newly purchased SMSL DA-9 amp and matching SMSL SU-9 DAC (previously was using an old NAD D 3020 V1 integrated amp with direct connection from iPad to internal DAC). Now I stream directly from an old iPhone/iPad via a USB camera adapter to the DAC which has balanced connections to the DA-9 amp. I pretty much stream music exclusively (currently on free trials with Tidal and Amazon HD). No other sources. No library to speak of. No headphones. The Jamos sound great to me, but I feel like I need something better to pair with the mid-fi DAC and AMP. So I’m looking for upgrade the Jamo 803s which were purchased on sale for $130. Looking to spend up to maybe $800 for a pair. Recommendations? Thanks in advance!

 

Edit:  Here's what I'm considering so far.  KEF350, Polk R200s, Audio Monitor Bronze.  Thoughts on pros and cons?  Anything else?

expresstrain
tomic601's avatar
tomic601
12,935 posts
 

@lous I am solidly in the Vandersteen camp but i think your knowledge of what they sound like is dated . Lets start with your assertion of electrolytic in the tweeter filter. They are NOT nor have never been in the audio signal path. The audio path is bypassed film. The electrolytic caps as used in Vandersteen speakers are super important parts as they form a Zobel network or anti-tanking or a resonance peak filter to flatten out the impedance  curve. When you bypassed those you honked up a great filter design. RV and i go back to 1981, i think i understand his filter design. I would also encourage you to hear newer Vandersteen designs or updates. My best to you ! enjoy the music. RV picks up the phone at the factory.

Jim

slimpikins5's avatar
slimpikins5
191 posts
 

Just a suggestion to consider:  Look at Axiom Audio speakers.   I have the Bryston Model T's fully active and they are spectacular.   Axiom owns Bryston and they make all of the Bryston speakers, however they have their own line which is very similar, but not as expensive.   Axiom has the B stock page and the refurb page.  I'd look at the B stock as it is all the latest versions offered; only they are factory seconds with minor cosmetic blemishes on the cabinet work.  You can get them at really decent discounts.   This is top of the line equipment all made in Canada and it sounds exceptional.  

webking185's avatar
webking185
195 posts
 

@carlsbad , figure to use Japanese midfi as people say in the forum.

Wanted to jam my bookshelf speakers for the weekend.

 

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markmoskow
40 posts
 

I have built in bookshelves. Over the years I have used a pair of front ported Mirage....a set of Guru....and Linn Sara Isobarik(current). All 3 without subs. All 3 had sufficient bass. I had to raise the Linns to actually decrease bass. All 3 had good dispersion. The Mirage also has 90% efficiency and can be found used for a few hundred or less. The Guru might cost a bit more used. The Linns maybe 500-800 depending on condition. My shelves have LPs and books as boundaries on the side within a couple inches, but it is amazing to me how well they each overcome this placement. You basically want a speaker that is at least as wide as it is deep, or a speaker that can be placed horizontally.

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