Best Bookshelf Speakers Under $2000? Again...

T

TheStalker

Banned
I'm looking to buy a pair of bookshelf speakers within the next few months and have narrowed down to the following ten:

B&W CM1 $1000
KEF R100 $1200
Sonus Faber Venere Model 1.5 $1200-$1500
Revel Performa3 M105 $1500
B&W CM5 $1500
Polk Audio LSiM703 $1500
KEF LS50 $1500
Sonus Faber Venere Model 2.0 $1700-$2000
KEF R300 $1800
Revel Performa3 M106 $2000

Budget is under $2000. These will be used for home theater and music 50/50. They will be powered with a high quality audiophile amplifier at 100WPC and Marantz NR1604 slim line receiver used as a processor. PS3/PS4 as the source. And SVS SB12-NSD subwoofer.

I'm unable to post a poll yet due to being a new member, but maybe you guys can give me your choices. Thanks!
 
ImcLoud

ImcLoud

Audioholic Ninja
Sierra-1 Bamboo Loudspeaker
only $1300 with the nrt upgrade, and I prefer to all of the above except I never heard either of the revel p3's... Also good sub choice...

is this just for music or are you hokoing in a tv and playing video games and movies...
 
ImcLoud

ImcLoud

Audioholic Ninja
then would definitely go with the ascend sierra books with a center channel... they are amazing and worth triple their sale price...
 
S

SearchofSub

Banned
Sierra 1 with a seperate sub to fill in the lows would be good. Cross it over at 80hz and you should get pretty nice hifi performance with the Sierra.
 
S

SearchofSub

Banned
I recommend spending the leftover money on a dual sub. You need the best dynmamics for home theatre/movies and sub would add to the dynamics.
 
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macddmac

macddmac

Audioholic General
Welcome to the forum!
What are the room dimensions, including height?
does the the room open into another ?
are the speakers going on stands or in a bookshelf?
Cheers, Mac
 
T

TheStalker

Banned
Welcome to the forum!
What are the room dimensions, including height?
does the the room open into another ?
are the speakers going on stands or in a bookshelf?
Cheers, Mac
Room size is approximately 3000 cubic feet. The speakers will go on Sound Anchor 24" filled stands.
 
macddmac

macddmac

Audioholic General
Room size is approximately 3000 cubic feet. The speakers will go on Sound Anchor 24" filled stands.
Decent sized room.. Ascend sierra1 is a great choice- Sierra 2 is due out this fall with a rumored Raal tweeter and improved woofer that might be worth the wait.
Also, the Nola boxer 1500.00, and perhaps the Zaph ZRT with the Lee taylor cabinets, about 1750 assembled and tested. The Zaphs are a DIY design featuring a Scanspeak revelator woofer and aircirc tweeter. Normally a tower design, but Taylor will custom build the speaker as a monitor.
One more idea is the Selah SSR, 1695.00, available ported or sealed. Kit or assembled.
Assemble it yourself or have it done for you, these are outstanding values considering the quality of parts and their respective designers.
You may benefit from a dual sub setup to smooth bass response throughout your room.
Cheers, Mac
 
3db

3db

Audioholic Slumlord
Take a look at PSB Synchrony series speakers. Very well built, excellent frequency response and very dynamic.
 
S

SearchofSub

Banned
Decent sized room.. Ascend sierra1 is a great choice- Sierra 2 is due out this fall with a rumored Raal tweeter and improved woofer that might be worth the wait.
Also, the Nola boxer 1500.00, and perhaps the Zaph ZRT with the Lee taylor cabinets, about 1750 assembled and tested. The Zaphs are a DIY design featuring a Scanspeak revelator woofer and aircirc tweeter. Normally a tower design, but Taylor will custom build the speaker as a monitor.
One more idea is the Selah SSR, 1695.00, available ported or sealed. Kit or assembled.
Assemble it yourself or have it done for you, these are outstanding values considering the quality of parts and their respective designers.
You may benefit from a dual sub setup to smooth bass response throughout your room.
Cheers, Mac

Sierra 2's for how much?
 
macddmac

macddmac

Audioholic General
No pricing yet- if it has the Raals, 1500? Just a guess though
 
S

shadyJ

Speaker of the House
Staff member
I would be looking at Soundfield Monitor 2s for $2k bookshelf speakers. But they would deserve a more capable sub than a featherweight sealed 12".
 
ImcLoud

ImcLoud

Audioholic Ninja
I would be looking at Soundfield Monitor 2s for $2k bookshelf speakers. But they would deserve a more capable sub than a featherweight sealed 12".
You can't say that with out giving another option, lol..
I like that sub for a 2.1 system, I'm curious to what you would go with Shady I like sealed subs for music systems and to me they just sound better, what else is out there for $499 and $649 besides the two svs units, I only know of a couple, unless you are building them yourself...
 
AcuDefTechGuy

AcuDefTechGuy

Audioholic Jedi
It would be between the Revel M106 & KEF R300.
 
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3db

3db

Audioholic Slumlord
You can't say that with out giving another option, lol..
I like that sub for a 2.1 system, I'm curious to what you would go with Shady I like sealed subs for music systems and to me they just sound better, what else is out there for $499 and $649 besides the two svs units, I only know of a couple, unless you are building them yourself...
The LV12-R springs to mind :)
 
T

TheStalker

Banned
The LV12-R springs to mind :)
I've looked at the LV12-R, but unfortunately it comes with only vinyl finishes and it has to look slightly better than that. The Outlaw LFM-1 EX looks nice with the glass top, so do the piano black Rythmik 15 inchers, and the HSUs. But they are all just too big! I need a sub with all dimmensions under 20". I'm planning to start with a piano gloss SB12-NSD and then add a second one later on.

The Soundfield monitors are also out of the question due to size.
 
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N

NewHTbuyer

Audioholic
Do you have the ability to demo any of the store models you listed? It is best to try to listen as much as you can for yourself.
 
S

shadyJ

Speaker of the House
Staff member
You can't say that with out giving another option, lol..
I like that sub for a 2.1 system, I'm curious to what you would go with Shady I like sealed subs for music systems and to me they just sound better, what else is out there for $499 and $649 besides the two svs units, I only know of a couple, unless you are building them yourself...
It looks like Parts-Express just got their Titanic IV kits in stock. That is a good driver, and it wouldn't have all the heavy limiting that SVS does with their subs, so I think it will get considerably louder. 18 mm is a lot of xmax for a 12" driver. That will kill the SVS and Emotiva sealed 12"s. Of course you have to do just a little bit of assembly yourself, but it is very simple, and wouldn't take long or need uncommon tools. That sub would be a little bruiser.
 
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