$1000 or less recommendations.....

[Mark111867]

Hi folks. I'm pondering upgrading within the next few months. I'm starting a list of a few speakers that have peaked my interest. If anyone has had experience with those on my list, any feedback would be great. If you have any suggestions to add to my list, let me know. Thanks. By the way, I'm looking for something reasonably efficient, as I will be running the speakers off an Nad C720Bee 50 watt receiver. The room they will be used in is 13ft by 14ft. I listen to mostly classical and folk.

Speakers I'm checking out:
Vandersteen 1C
Ohm Micro Walsh Tall
Paradigm Studio 20
-Mark

[Ajani]

Are you looking for just bookshelves or will you consider floorstanders as well?

[Mark111867]

I'm considering bookshelf speakers as well as floorstanders, as long as they are in my price range.

[Ajani]

Cool... in the $1k or less price range, you might want to also audition some of these speakers...

Floorstanders:

Monitor Audio RS6
PSB Image T55
EPOS ELS303
Magnepan MMG


Bookshelves:

B&W CM1
Revel Concerta M12
Quad 11L

[emorphien]

If you can get them in, I've recently acquired and listened to Ascend Acoustics Sierra 1 bookshelf speakers and they are among my favorites in this price range (About $850 a pair for the natural bamboo finish).

[blackraven]

I used to love OHM speakers years ago. I didnt know that they were still around.

B&W 685's
NHT Classic Three's
And what Ajani said! except that NAD receiver may be a little weak for the MMG's if you like to listen to loud music.

[Jimmy C]

...(I am also) why don't you go check out what Steve @ Audio Visions (West Babylon) has to offer...

After 30 years of biz, he's retiring. According to the signs, stuff is UP TO 70% off. Probably not the speakers, but ya never know what kind of deal you can get. In case you have never been there, he does Thiel, Paradigm, and Martin Logan. I have always tried to pry that vintage soft-dome pair of Thiel 04-As from him, to no avail :*)

If none of that stuff floats yer boat, there are a ton of other dealers in Nassau/Suffolk to demo...

[captjamo]

Hi folks. I'm pondering upgrading within the next few months. I'm starting a list of a few speakers that have peaked my interest. If anyone has had experience with those on my list, any feedback would be great. If you have any suggestions to add to my list, let me know. Thanks. By the way, I'm looking for something reasonably efficient, as I will be running the speakers off an Nad C720Bee 50 watt receiver. The room they will be used in is 13ft by 14ft. I listen to mostly classical and folk.

Speakers I'm checking out:
Vandersteen 1C
Ohm Micro Walsh Tall
Paradigm Studio 20
-Mark

Take a look at these speakers for a solid bookshelf choice. I can't say I have heard them but I have read the reviews. You get a lot of product for the money with Outlaw.

http://www.outlawaudio.com/products/bls.html

[3db]

Cool... in the $1k or less price range, you might want to also audition some of these speakers...

Floorstanders:

Monitor Audio RS6
PSB Image T55
EPOS ELS303
Magnepan MMG


Bookshelves:

B&W CM1
Revel Concerta M12
Quad 11L

NAD and PSB work very well together. I auditioned a pair of T45s driven by a NAD and I'm a proud owner of a pair. :) They are just great with any genre of music except rap as the bass doesn't go low enough. But for classical (with the exception of pipe organ) and rock music, they are an exceelent speaker offering plenty of dynamics, accurate mids, revealing highs, and tight fast bass. They image second to none and thro out a huger soundstage.

[musicman1999]

Check out the Focal 800v series, they have bookshelves that fit your budget.

bill

[Feanor]

Hi folks. I'm pondering upgrading within the next few months. I'm starting a list of a few speakers that have peaked my interest. If anyone has had experience with those on my list, any feedback would be great. If you have any suggestions to add to my list, let me know. Thanks. By the way, I'm looking for something reasonably efficient, as I will be running the speakers off an Nad C720Bee 50 watt receiver. The room they will be used in is 13ft by 14ft. I listen to mostly classical and folk.

Speakers I'm checking out:
Vandersteen 1C
Ohm Micro Walsh Tall
Paradigm Studio 20

-Mark

As for me, I would lean to the Paradigm Sudio 20's in a room that size. None of the others are available for audition locally in my case. However I might consider the NHT Classic 3's.

Bear in mind that dipolars such as the Magneplanar MMG's or omnidirectionals like the Ohm Micro Walsh need to be placed relatively far from the walls; obviously that could be a problem in a smaller room.

[Mark111867]

Just wanted to thank everyone for the replies. I have a lot of listening to do:) I'll keep everyone posted.

-Mark

[Feanor]

As for me, I would lean to the Paradigm Sudio 20's in a room that size. None of the others are available for audition locally in my case. However I might consider the NHT Classic 3's.

Bear in mind that dipolars such as the Magneplanar MMG's or omnidirectionals like the Ohm Micro Walsh need to be placed relatively far from the walls; obviously that could be a problem in a smaller room.

With a thousand dollar budget I would be tempted to a DIY with this design I worked up recently. It uses Morel MW164 6" woofers and Bohlender & Graebener Neo3PDR planar tweeters. Alternatvely for a lttle more money (but still around a grand, I might substitute Morel T33 tweeters.
...
http://ca.geocities.com/w_d_bailey/Morel-BGNeo3PDR-vented.JPG

[jimib]

I recently went and listened to the Paradigm Monitor 9 v5's and thought they sounded great, and under 1 grand.Last week I was a couple of booths down from the Paradigm dealer at a home and garden show.The guy there recommended the Studio 20 for 2 channel.He said the Monitor series was more for home theater. My concern with the Studio 20 is bass.It just doesn't look like you'd get much from them.So then I inquired about the Studio 40, at $1400 a pair.But then add stands and I might as well get the Studio 60 at $1800.Budget Blown.I don't have a lot of room so I'm thinking hard about the studio's so I can get them closer to the wall.I didn't mean to hijack this thread but are the Studio 20 going to give me some bass, or do I just need to look at other speakers for 1 grand or around that?

[Feanor]

I recently went and listened to the Paradigm Monitor 9 v5's and thought they sounded great, and under 1 grand.Last week I was a couple of booths down from the Paradigm dealer at a home and garden show.The guy there recommended the Studio 20 for 2 channel.He said the Monitor series was more for home theater. My concern with the Studio 20 is bass.It just doesn't look like you'd get much from them.So then I inquired about the Studio 40, at $1400 a pair.But then add stands and I might as well get the Studio 60 at $1800.Budget Blown.I don't have a lot of room so I'm thinking hard about the studio's so I can get them closer to the wall.I didn't mean to hijack this thread but are the Studio 20 going to give me some bass, or do I just need to look at other speakers for 1 grand or around that?

If you look for at the Studio series specifications (http://www.paradigm.com/en/reference/series.php?series_type=13&speaker_type=2&brand_type=2), you'll see that the Studio 20 a "low frequency extension", (-10 dB), of 36 Hz, while the Studio 60 does 30 Hz. This isn't a huge difference in reality. The main difference is going to be much power they can handle. In a smallish room, the Studio 20 will do about as well as the 60.

If budget is the issue get the Studio 20 and an a subwoofer later. In fact a subwoofer will go deeper than either the 20 or 60, e.g. the Paradigm Seismic 10 has a -10 dB of 21 Hz, or the Seismic 12 does 17 Hz.

[BOXMAN]

Cool... in the $1k or less price range, you might want to also audition some of these speakers...

Floorstanders:

Monitor Audio RS6
PSB Image T55
EPOS ELS303
Magnepan MMG


Bookshelves:

B&W CM1
Revel Concerta M12
Quad 11L


I was going to say maggies as well, but he is only using a 50 watt receiver.... I dont recommend a maggie at that level..... With that power the Paradigms would probably be a good shot for him. Although I havent heard the Focal speaker in that price range. That might be something to check out!

[3db]

I recently went and listened to the Paradigm Monitor 9 v5's and thought they sounded great, and under 1 grand.Last week I was a couple of booths down from the Paradigm dealer at a home and garden show.The guy there recommended the Studio 20 for 2 channel.He said the Monitor series was more for home theater. My concern with the Studio 20 is bass.It just doesn't look like you'd get much from them.So then I inquired about the Studio 40, at $1400 a pair.But then add stands and I might as well get the Studio 60 at $1800.Budget Blown.I don't have a lot of room so I'm thinking hard about the studio's so I can get them closer to the wall.I didn't mean to hijack this thread but are the Studio 20 going to give me some bass, or do I just need to look at other speakers for 1 grand or around that?

You should compare teh PSB image series against Paradigm's monitor series. I think you'll find the Image series to be a better performing series than the Monitor series. I never liked the Monitor series from Paradigm. The Studio series is another story. :)

[dax]

If budget is the issue get the Studio 20 and an a subwoofer later.

Or buy used. Sites like audiogon.com sell quality used gear at great prices. A quick search shows a pair of Studio-60 v2's for $700, a a pair of Studio-20 v3's for $600. I've purchased stuff there in the past with great success.

[pixelthis]

Or buy used. Sites like audiogon.com sell quality used gear at great prices. A quick search shows a pair of Studio-60 v2's for $700, a a pair of Studio-20 v3's for $600. I've purchased stuff there in the past with great success.

This is good advice, I just got a pair of Axiom m80's for 500 bucks.
And dont worry about efficency, Nad is very conservative in their ratings.
Besides, you'd be surprized what fifty watts can drive.
My first receiver was 35 per channel and never had a problem:1: