Bookshelf speakers around $1000.00

ccumo@proxushr.com -- Tue, 08/30/2011 - 09:05

I'm looking to upgrade from a pair of JM Lab Focal Chorus 706 speakers in my office. I have a Naim Nait 5i amplifier and listen primarily to my iPod Touch streaming Pandora. Looking for speakers with a little more depth and resolving capability. Any recommendations?

paulwelch250 -- Tue, 08/30/2011 - 22:38

Nola Boxers and Vienna Acoustic Haydns are very musical and revealing and well detail, Martin Logan Motion 10 and 12s are also worth a listen. They have a little bit more cabinent induced coloration but the tweeter they use is very resolving (natural souding and never harsh unless driven very loud) and image depth on all mentioned is excellent.

ccumo@proxushr.com -- Thu, 09/01/2011 - 11:08

Thanks,
I"ve heard a lot of good things about the Nola Boxers.

JLeeMD -- Thu, 09/01/2011 - 14:58

Paradigm Studio 20. I recently purchased Paradigm Signature S2 ($3k) to replace my Dynaudio Confidence C1 ($7k, Stereophile Class A) after reading Ultra Audio's review favorably comparing Paradigm Signature speakers with those from YG Acoustics and Wilson Audio and was more than a little surprised to hear a BIG step up in resolution.

paulwelch250 -- Thu, 09/01/2011 - 15:43

I listened to the Paradigm Studio 20s for about an hour during my long search. They are quite good. I normally do not like metal dome tweeters but these are much better than average. But I found the S20s not useful for me with out a subwoofer. The Chorus 706s have more bass and the Vienna Acoustics and Boxers more and deeper bass, better still. Also I ran into the S20s volume limits even when using subwoofers that had active cross overs (Velodyne). I ended up buying BG Z-62s (these also need subwoofers to meet my needs). I find the BG-62s hard to beat by anything under $2500/pair but got my demos for $700 each. I found some on the internet for a friend who wanted the same but they are a discontinued speaker. They are an WMTMW configuation where the MTM portions is planner drivers, amazing sound qualities! Excellent imagry, but do not expect much bass under 70 hertz.
They are quite a large speaker for their limits on bass depth but I am able to sue them full range with REL subwoofers filling in the bottom 2 octaves at massive loud volume levels in a large rom with out distortion, compression or audible breakup. Advise 1: try to find dealers who let you take the speakers home! Advise 2: same as advise 1 and listen listen isten check and compare, take your time.