Aggresive Bookshelves

[Carl Reid]

Hey guys,

I think I'm gonna treat myself to some cheap bookshelves for my 2nd system for christmas... So I'm looking for suggestions on aggresive sounding bookshelves for $350 or less (preferably less)...

I have a very neutral/laid back sounding NAD C352 Integrated that I want to take out of my closet and combine with aggresive/forward/bright (I use that term tentatively) speakers...

I like the sound of B&W and Klipsch and am seriously considering the Klipsch Synergy B2's.... so I'd love to hear from anyone who owns/has experience with the B2's...

All Suggestions welcome.... even DIY.....

Note: The reason I want aggressive speakers is because my main system is very neutral and laid back with a combination of Rotel and Mission.... and I don't want my 2nd system to just sound like a dumbed down version of my main one... it needs to have it's own character....

[Rock789]

Focal JM Lab Chorus 706S's are ~ $300 used,
the 705S's may be found ~$300 new...

I remember thinking the paradigm atom's sounded very nice, and are new <$200... I don't think they are "forward" but worth checking out for a good sounding cheap bookshelf...

don't know anything about the kef knockoffs, but they are talking about them here and apparently sound really good for ~$40 ?
http://forums.audioreview.com/showthread.php?t=20328

[SlumpBuster]

I'm not sure what you mean by "agressive" but these are some vintage speakers that I think would be fun to give a whirl, especially since you're looking for something different from what appears to be your unussually refined main system. I think many other people will think I'm on crack for suggesting them as they are generally not considered "audiophile," whatever that means.

Design Acoustics PS 10 - I remember these from college. I even remember a specific house party where these played a vital role in a widespread alteration of state. :cornut:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Design-Acoustics-PS-10-compact-cube-3-way-speakers-pair_W0QQitemZ230060864416QQihZ013QQcategoryZ50597 QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Infinity SM-82 - Another college speaker. These things have outrageous sensitivity in the neighborhood of 98 or 100 db. Hows that for aggressive? Kind of Like a Cerwin Vega, but not. http://cgi.ebay.com/INFINITY-STUDIO-MONITOR-SM-82s-8-2-WAY-HOME-SPEAKERS_W0QQitemZ330057478655QQihZ014QQcategoryZ9 4905QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Finally, rounding out the college theme, the JBL LX series of speakers from the early 90s
http://cgi.ebay.com/High-Quality-JBL-LX-300-8-Ohms-Bookshelf-Speakers_W0QQitemZ220055043661QQihZ012QQcategoryZ6 1381QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Anyway, just some thoughts, but I might be way off base as to what you are looking for.

[basite]

the klipsch should be agressive, if you want bright speakers, then you probably won't like the soft dome tweeters, because they play a softer smoother sound, look for metal domes, aluminium, gold, titanium, whatever else that is a hard material,
the b&w's can sound agressive, when you feed them bright amps, like yammies,
maybe monitor audio makes some in your price range,
wharfedale will certainly do, but they are soft domes, look for the diamond 9's there, maybe paradigm, but the klipsch would be my choice then.

if anything else fails, go vintage. find some old (70 ties old) jbl's or other big brands.

the klipsch ones will go loud without alot of power too, because of the higher sensetivity,
if you really really want the uber agressive system, it's best to buy a uber bright amp too.

[topspeed]

Klipsch will likely be your best bet. Paradigm's Monitor series are forward sounding as well.

If you like Mission, ebay has this pair (http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-England-Mission-Speakers-100Watts-Model-707_W0QQitemZ190058108481QQihZ009QQcategoryZ50597Q QssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem) of 707's from the '80's which are pretty aggressive. These are the very speakers that put Farad Azima's designs on the audiophile map. Ideally, see if you can find the revised 770 "Freedom" model which utilizes the same semi-horn loaded tweeter found in my 780 Argonauts. I've paired the 780's with B&K and now Cambridge Audio for the same synergistic reasons you have and been quite pleased through nearly 20 years of ownership.

Hope this helps.

[Jimmy C]

Hey guys,

I think I'm gonna treat myself to some cheap bookshelves for my 2nd system for christmas... So I'm looking for suggestions on aggresive sounding bookshelves for $350 or less (preferably less)...

I have a very neutral/laid back sounding NAD C352 Integrated that I want to take out of my closet and combine with aggresive/forward/bright (I use that term tentatively) speakers...

I like the sound of B&W and Klipsch and am seriously considering the Klipsch Synergy B2's.... so I'd love to hear from anyone who owns/has experience with the B2's...

All Suggestions welcome.... even DIY.....

Note: The reason I want aggressive speakers is because my main system is very neutral and laid back with a combination of Rotel and Mission.... and I don't want my 2nd system to just sound like a dumbed down version of my main one... it needs to have it's own character....

...OR assume that the ancillaries are so tame that the sound needs to be "brightened up". In other words, two wrongs do not make a right.

I recently bought the Onix x-ls, a good speaker for a silly amount of coin... $220. At a bit over budget, another $199, you can have the matching 8" sub - nice REAL veneer as well. The x-ls is quite balanced... not dead, not migraine-inducing either. Considering cost, I can't imagine anyone NOT liking them.

Firstly, listen to all the budget speakers you can... all of the usual suspects are easily demoed. If you don't find anything that "does it" for you on the cheap, take the plunge! I did, and don't regret it. Certainly not perfect, but resolving, balanced, and quite open.

I heard they (www.AV123.com) now have a floor-stander for a bit over $300... hhmmmm...

[Carl Reid]

Thanks for all the suggestions so far.... gives me alot to think about and a number of speakers to go and audition....

As for what I mean by Aggresive.... well that's pretty hard to describe which is why i also chose words like forward and bright to give the idea of speakers that you are unlikely to describe as neutral....

I like the sound that 'bright' speakers make when combined with a more relaxed amp, but I'm really not into a combination of aggresive speakers with an aggresive amp... I have a friend who has B&Ws combined with a Yamaha and though I like both products individually, I can't listen to them combined for more than a few tracks before I want to turn the music off....

My main setup is very neutral despite the fact that I like 'Bright' speakers simply because I love a wide variety of music and my current setup plays all my music somewhere from acceptable to really good.... where as a brighter sounding setup would make many of my tracks sound offensive.... and NO I will not change my music tastes to suit a particular amp/speakers....

My 2nd system is not limited by the need to be at least acceptable on all genres of music... it can be a primarily rock system etc....

[emorphien]

Or tell you what, I'll sell you my Axiom M3Tis :)

If you get the Onyx I expect a full report, I'm curious bout those.

[Dusty Chalk]

"Forward"? Look for metal dome tweeters for a start (as opposed to, for example, cloth dome tweeters).