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Small monitors for a dear aunt

i have a very kind aunt that loves classical music but is no longer satisfied with the cheap portable radio/cd she has now used for several years.
before i go on any further, mega buck gear need not apply for this situation. this will most likely be a combination bday/xmas present to her from several family members that do not share my taste in gear.
the system i have in mind for the woman that treated me like her own son would be

monitor speakers/stands (bookshelf size, nothing huge and pricey, placement may be issue so no rear ports)
an integrated amp (no huge tube beasts, prefer ss or hybrid)
a marantz cd600ose hand me down from me
an msb link iii d/a hand me down from me
kimber 4tc hand me down
hand me down ics from my assorted collection
gear can be new or used

i need some advice on matching monitor and amp so that an older non-audiophile woman can enjoy her free time and eventual retirement listening to mahler, wagner, rimsky-korsakov, brahms, and so on
her real interest and attention is captured by the soft and liquid moments within a composition, so accuracy/staging/imaging here would be priority
but i don't want sloppy reproduction of the ooommphh and pow in these compositions
roll-off is fine, but what does come through should be composed and firm, no bloat

budget i have in mind is about $700 to $800, though less would be nice and a stretch may be possible
the room is a guess at this point, i have not measured, but from memory i think we are talking about 8ft by 12ft
ideally i think a blue circle integrated with triangle titus monitors would be very nice, maybe im wrong, but it sounds nice in theory to me

please post your thoughts and suggestions so that i can begin my search, her bday is late november
fujindemon
alath
2 posts
 
A couple of speaker ideas from a non-expert:

1) Pinnacle makes some nice sounding small speakers for a very reasonable price. Not true audiophile stuff, but a big step up from consumer grade speakers.

2) I don't know what the price/availability would be, but I used to have a pair of Dayton-Wright mini monitors. They were slightly larger than most bookshelf speakers, but not hugeous at all. They are a slope front design for coherence, with excellent imaging and overall a nice, precise sound from top to bottom end.

Both these choices would be very effecient and not require a TerraWatt MegaPower MonsterAmp.
seandtaylor99
1,262 posts
 
ls3/5 are good speakers .. I have used them with Quad amps. However I think they're a bit overpriced in the US when sold used. Just my opinion. Spica's are much better value this side of the atlantic. TC-60 is a more capable speaker than the ls3/5 for less money.
jvogt
212 posts
 
The LS 3/5 is a classic, but I might also suggest the
Soliloquy 5.0 It is modest in dimension, but capable
of true high-end sound, obviously restricted in low
frequency capability because of size. It is very musical,
easy to drive, and can later be augmented with a subwoofer
if needed. I sold a pair last year for $475 and they
are periodically available in that range. An excellent
speaker at an affordable price.
grandpad
151 posts
 
The Spendor S3/5s are the modern evolution of the LS 3/5s, and are better IMHO. Used $50-600, and match well with the Blue Circle CS integrated. Have these in my study with an Audio Aero Prima CD which makes an excellant small system.
s7horton
1,077 posts
 
I would probably go with B&W CDM 1 NT used and an Audio Refinement integrated used. Or the regular CDM 1 as someone already mentioned. It would be a great way to get very nice sounding system that will last a long time.
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