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Need New Bookshelf Speakers of Certain 'Style'

I'll explain the 'style' component in a bit, but first some background.

I am looking to buy a pair of bookshelf speakers for a room that I am setting up with a turntable. The room size is 15x20.

My budget is $700-1500 for a pair of speakers.

I have just ordered some kit. Peachtree Nova65SE, Pro-ject Turntable Debut Carbon Esprit SB, Rega Fono MM phono stage, and Peachtree BT1 for streaming music from devices.

I have read through countless posts and threads about bookshelf speakers, and I would like to find something that would pair well with my Peachtree. The speakers would likely be in close proximity to walls due to the space and as I have kids who are just at that age to mess things up big time. We will also be renovating this room in a few years, so these speakers would eventually end up in an office or bedroom after the remodel. So this is in some ways temporary kit (3-4 years).

My wife's and my music preferences tend towards jazz (Coltrain, Oscar Peterson, trumpet jazz, vocal jazz both classic and more contemporary), singer-songwriter, folk, and I do love my punk rock when no one else is around.

From scouring the posts and threads, here is my short list.

Gallo Acoustics Strada (basic or 2s)
NHT Classic 3
KEF LS50
Neat Iota
Rega RS1
Sonus Faber Toy Speaker (in leather)

Others I am open to and considered:

B&W 685
Montinor Audio GX50
LSA-1
Salk WOW 1 mini-monitor (can customize, which is nice)
Silverline Minuets
Epos K-1
Ascend Acoustics Sierra 1 Reference Monitor

I know that front porting and sealed speakers tend to be best when put up against walls, so I have tried to take that into consideration.

So now for the 'style' component. My wife is the only one working right now, and she doesn't like those traditional boxy wood speakers. Smaller in size and high gloss white, gun metal colored etc are what she likes and then glossy piano black after that. This isn't driving the decision, but I am doing my best to take that into consideration as she is the one working and earning the coin for this kit and we both are going to enjoy the system.

My gut leans towards the NHTs right now with their month-long trail period to give 'em a run, and also the KEF LS50s. KEF 102s were my first speaker I bought at the young age of 19, and I still have them hooked up to my Nakamichi TA-3A in my man cave. There is a bit of nostalgia with KEF.

But I am really open to any input and advice. I am just getting back into audio and especially vinyl, so things have changed and I feel out of my element. Just want to make sure my kit matches up well, get the best speaker for my budget, and hopefully it will be in a style that will please the wife.

Cheers,
k.
drinky
drinky OP
15 posts
 
You guys crack me up. Good line about the ushers finding your seat.

For right now, I have hooked up some vintage KEF 102s so that I have more time to second guess myself.

With that said, the wife kind of liked the Ushers with light colored (silver?) front/top.

I also have a place nearby where I can try out the aon 3 speakers.

k.
drinky OP
15 posts
 
The wife is coming around to floor standing speakers. Stand mounters aren't the most child friendly, and I think she likes the single-piece look. And bookshelf/monitors have limitations.

Anyhow, I will be getting a $250 credit for speakers at an audio place for purchase of a piece of some equipment, and they sell Focal, Martin Logan, NHT, GoldenEar, and Paradigm speakers.

I'm not going to let a credit tie my hands, but the GoldenEar Triton 7 mini-towers seem like a possibility for $1,150. They seem to get good reviews.

k.
schubert
7,386 posts
 
Do NOT fail to listen to the Paradigm Monitor 7, a very honest small floorstander , Flash gets old quick.
drinky OP
15 posts
 
Well, I finally decided on speakers, and I didn't quite end up where I thought I was headed -- which is good. I thank everyone for their input. I looked into every speaker recommended in the thread, and probably spent too much time researching and choosing. Oh well…. In the end I went with GoldenEar Triton 7 mini-towers.

I am sure there are better speakers out there, but the combination of sound, design, size, and price made it a good choice.

So after researching the Aon 3s by GoldenEar, I found a dealer in Minneapolis who also had a blowout sale on Peachtree integrated amp/DACs. So I returned my Nova 65SE and upgraded to a 125 SE in Rosewood ($1,100).

With that purchase they gave me a $250 credit for speakers and happened to have a home demo open-box set of new Triton 7s marked down, so with the credit I got the GoldenEar Triton 7s for $800.

The mini towers work perfectly and sound great. In the end, I just didn't think the bookshelf/monitor route was going to satisfy me (thanks for the room size comment btw), and going to stand mounted speakers wasn't going to work as well with the children (1 & 3 years).

Additionally, the wife said that she didn't mind the look of the Triton 7s either, even though they were in black.

Add to that, I got the Rega Fono MM amp and the Pro-Ject Carbon Debut Esprit SB turntable for my vinyl and the Peachtree BT-1 for bluetooth devices. When all was said and done the entire kit came in under 3k.

Thanks everyone.

k.
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,180 posts
 
Now comes the fun part, listening to the music. 😋
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