I am helping to put together a system for my parents and am looking for some budget bookshelf speakers to pair with a certified factory refurbished Marantz SR4001 that I bought them for Christmas (the surrounds btw are just some low end Klipsch satellites that came with a Samsung HTIB they purchased a few years ago). I am primarily looking for bookshelf speakers between $200-$300. The list I started with consisted of Monitor Audio's BR1s ($199) and BR2s ($279), Tannoy Mercury F1 Customs ($235), EPOS ELS 3 ($296), and Wharfedale 9.1s ($269). I am in a very rural area unfortunately, and do not have access to audition any of these speakers myself.
My Dad mostly listens to Classical music (I think he is especially fond of the piano), while my mom is a big fan of the 50's music (Elvis in particular, as well as Fats Domino, etc.) They also love to watch college basketball on their HD plasma TV and watch a movie about once a week or so. I would say that their system use is probably 55 to 60% music. With all of that in mind (especially the types of music they enjoy) I was hoping you could provide me with some comparative characteristics of these speakers.
From everything I've read, the BR2s would be ideal, except that they are really too large for the area. The speakers are going to be placed on a knee/thigh high entertainment stand, approx 4 feet apart on either side of the TV. I have basically narrowed it down to the BR1s the EPOS ELS 3s, and the Wharfedale Diamond 9.1s. I contacted Marantz and they said the SR4001 would have no problem driving a 4 ohm speaker. I have heard that sometimes 4 ohm speakers can sound muddy when paired with an amp that is not qualified for 4 ohms speakers. Do you have any thoughts on the EPOS (4 ohms) with this Marantz? I should also mention that at some point (probably will be next Christmas) we hope to add a fairly inexpensive sub to the system. But since this may be a year or better, I am wondering how much I should take into consideration each speaker’s low end (55Hz for the BR1s, 65Hz for the ELS3s, and 50Hz for the 9.1s).
Although they are pushing the upper limits for size, I am fond of the Wharfedales because of their build quality, the silk dome tweeters (which I feel would make them quite smooth), and the option for bi-wiring, as well as some really good reviews. Although a couple of comments have me just a little concerned that they may be too warm, or lacking detail or separation. What are your thoughts on that?
I am fond of the EPOS because of some rave reviews for them as well, not to mention all the good things that I have read about them on several forums. I guess my concern with them is if they will be adequate for HT use (weekly ball games and 2 or 3 movies a month) without adding a sub in the immediate future. What are your thoughts on that? Do you think these would not be smooth enough or be at all too bright given the types of music they will be listening to? Also, one reviewer stated that "speaker stands are a must", which gives me pause since they are NOT going to be on stands.
I have not found any reviews of the BR1s, but have read some impressive reviews about the BR2s (and even more impressive reviews about the SR6s, which I hope to purchase for myself in the next month or so).
I hope I haven’t asked you to repeat too much of what you stated in your earlier posts. I certainly appreciate any experience/knowledge you could share about these speakers especially as far as how suitable their characteristics are for the types of music I mentioned.
Ultimately I am hoping to get my parents to listen to and enjoy more music and therefore want to make sure that I get them a speaker with exceptional musicality (for a budget bookshelf) and to make sure that they are not too bright or in any way fatiguing.
At the moment I am leaning ever so slightly toward the Wharfedales.
Thanks in advance.
p.s. I thought I had already posted this here but could not find it so I apologize if it is posted twice.
