Best bookshelf speakers?

[bartlett23]

Hey everyone, hope you can help 🙂

I want some new speakers for my Marantz M-CR603 but am pretty limited. I currently have a pair of Wharfedale Diamond 9.1s, which are great, but I'm after greater clarity and precision.

For the moment the speakers have to sit on a bookshelf, close to a wall. I can't really do stands or brackets or floorstanders, as much as I'd love to. Size is also an issue, so the MA BX2s are out, as are the Tannoy Revolutions.

The new Acoustic Energy 301s look great as they're front ported, as do the Dali Lektor 1s. Which would be better? I love a crisp, clean sound. Deep, powerful bass isn't important and will only annoy the people upstairs 😉

Am happy to spend the extra if the AEs are worth it. Unless anyone has a better suggestion?

Cheers,

Steve

 

[jcbrum]

I'm after greater clarity and precision.

. . . the speakers have to sit on a bookshelf, close to a wall.

Size is also an issue,

I love a crisp, clean sound.

Gotta be AVI ADM9 RSS

Fed from the line out, or an optical toslink source.

JC

 

[Hi-FiOutlaw]

In your case there isn't lot to choose from... I would demo Rega RS1, not crisp sounding but very entertaining, and they sure work well in a bookshelf.

 

[hoopsontoast]

ATC SCM7 would be worth a look, might be some deals about as the new model has been announced.

 

[Hi-FiOutlaw]

ATC SCM7 would be worth a look, might be some deals about as the new model has been announced.

I've thought on those too, but the M CR603 has the juice that the ATC SCM7 need?

 

[stevebrock]

The only bookshelf perhaps that would work well sited on a bookshelf is the Neat Iotas, they are quite small and are designed for this purpose.

I have not heard but all the reviews point to them being superb speakers - not cheap at £600 but thnk these will be your only solution!

 

[bartlett23]

Some really interesting suggestions here guys, will try and demo as many as possible! Cheers!

 

[Hi-FiOutlaw]

The Neat Iotas although small they are demanding speakers with 84 db sensitivity at 6 ohm, again, can the M-CR603 provide power to the Neats?

 

[hoopsontoast]

ATC SCM7 would be worth a look, might be some deals about as the new model has been announced.

I've thought on those too, but the M CR603 has the juice that the ATC SCM7 need?

If they are going on a bookshelf, they will be fine. The SCM7 are an easy to drive speaker and only need power if you want to go loud, which I gather the OP is not.

Dont get me wrong, the best I heard the SCM7 was with a 250w Audiolab 8200MB up them but the difference was only apparent at high volumes. I used the previous SCM10 (very similar to the SCM7) with a variety of amps, including a T-Amp which was great.

The Rega R1 work well near rear walls, although I had more problems with them in a small room than the SCM7/SCM10.

Another option would be something like the Spendor S3/5R, or older S3 and S3e. Should work well in that position as well.

Of course LS3/5A were designed for that kind of use (Broadcast monitors) so they might be an option, although never actually heard a pair, only the JR149 and modern interpretations like the Spendors above and Harbeths.

 

[altruistic.lemon]

My thoughts exactly re LS3/5a or derivatives.

If they're over budget, then both Falcon Acoustics and Stirling Broadcast provide their models in kit form. They come up quite often on ebay.

 

[Hi-FiOutlaw]

ATC SCM7 would be worth a look, might be some deals about as the new model has been announced.

I've thought on those too, but the M CR603 has the juice that the ATC SCM7 need?

If they are going on a bookshelf, they will be fine. The SCM7 are an easy to drive speaker and only need power if you want to go loud, which I gather the OP is not.

Dont get me wrong, the best I heard the SCM7 was with a 250w Audiolab 8200MB up them but the difference was only apparent at high volumes. I used the previous SCM10 (very similar to the SCM7) with a variety of amps, including a T-Amp which was great.

The Rega R1 work well near rear walls, although I had more problems with them in a small room than the SCM7/SCM10.

Another option would be something like the Spendor S3/5R, or older S3 and S3e. Should work well in that position as well.

Of course LS3/5A were designed for that kind of use (Broadcast monitors) so they might be an option, although never actually heard a pair, only the JR149 and modern interpretations like the Spendors above and Harbeths.

i've demo SCM11 with the Brio R, and the Brio R did a good job, I found the SCM11 very detail with a smoth top end, in the end it were only the SCM11 and the Dyns.

But i've read that the SCM7 were more dificult to drive that the SCM11 somewhere in this forum...

Thanks for the answer!

:cheers:

 

[hoopsontoast]

All the SCM bookshelf speakers are easy to drive in terms of impedance/phase angles, they just have very low senstivity. The SCM10 was 80dB and the SCM7 around 83dB at best so just need powerfull amps to do high volumes. If you dont need high volumes, then it really opens it up.

But then you wont want to be listening to them at 100dB, they would take probably it (IME they can take a LOT of stick) but its not what they were designed for, a ~4" driver in a small 7Litre sealed cabinet were never meant to do high volumes.

I always thought they would go well with a decently powered valve amp, a PP KT88 or something but I never tried any with the SCM10 or SCM7. Maybe one day I will re-visit them again.

 

[bartlett23]

The room's not small but high volumes aren't really an option so speakers that are harder to drive are no real problem. I think good soundstaging and detail/clarity are more important to me, which is why I was drawn to the new Acoustic Energy 301s. But the ATCs and EB1s do look good also.

The ATCs at about £600 are right at the top of my budget.

Are rear ports a problem if close to a wall?

Thanks again all 🙂

 

[Hi-FiOutlaw]

The room's not small but high volumes aren't really an option so speakers that are harder to drive are no real problem. I think good soundstaging and detail/clarity are more important to me, which is why I was drawn to the new Acoustic Energy 301s. But the ATCs and EB1s do look good also.

The ATCs at about £600 are right at the top of my budget.

Are rear ports a problem if close to a wall?

Thanks again all 🙂

The ATC SCM7, 11 and 19 are sealed, so no ports what so ever. Thats why they work well in Bookshelfs and close to rear walls.

 

[hoopsontoast]

The room's not small but high volumes aren't really an option so speakers that are harder to drive are no real problem. I think good soundstaging and detail/clarity are more important to me, which is why I was drawn to the new Acoustic Energy 301s. But the ATCs and EB1s do look good also.

The ATCs at about £600 are right at the top of my budget.

Are rear ports a problem if close to a wall?

Thanks again all 🙂

Yeah they can be, any ported speaker will likely to have problems running on a bookshelf or next to a rear wall, its just not what they were designed to do. Even most sealed speakers were not designed to do that, apart from something like the LS3/5A.

Its less than ideal conditions but its most likely that a smaller sealed speaker will do better in that enviroment.

I would personally choose the ATC over the EB1s (although I have not heard them) mainly down to the excellent service that ATC can provide. They can/will fix any speaker that they have ever produced, which is a nice plus point for long term ownership.

 

[GMK]

As a temporary measure, you could try placing blu-tac on the corners between speaker and shelf, and plugging the ports (even socks would do as a test). My 9.1's sound changes dramatically with positioning, and I've found if single wiring that they sound more open with the speaker wire plugged into the HF terminals.

 

[as286]

I am using a pair of Rega RS1s with my MCR 603. They sound fantastic and are undemanding in terms of positioning or distance to wall.

 

[gasolin]

The room's not small but high volumes aren't really an option so speakers that are harder to drive are no real problem. I think good soundstaging and detail/clarity are more important to me, which is why I was drawn to the new Acoustic Energy 301s. But the ATCs and EB1s do look good also.

The ATCs at about £600 are right at the top of my budget.

Are rear ports a problem if close to a wall?

Thanks again all 🙂

The Dali zensor 1 can be mounted on a wall with a rear port

Yeah they can be, any ported speaker will likely to have problems running on a bookshelf or next to a rear wall, its just not what they were designed to do. Even most sealed speakers were not designed to do that, apart from something like the LS3/5A.

Its less than ideal conditions but its most likely that a smaller sealed speaker will do better in that enviroment.

I would personally choose the ATC over the EB1s (although I have not heard them) mainly down to the excellent service that ATC can provide. They can/will fix any speaker that they have ever produced, which is a nice plus point for long term ownership.

 

[bartlett23]

Thanks for all the input guys, very helpful.

I think I'm going to go for the new Acoustic Energy 301s that were tested in this month's What Hi-Fi. They're front ported and are fine when backed up close to a wall apparently, and are generally unfussy about positioning.

And they look cool 🙂

Cheers,

Steve

 

[Al ears]

Thanks for all the input guys, very helpful.

I think I'm going to go for the new Acoustic Energy 301s that were tested in this month's What Hi-Fi. They're front ported and are fine when backed up close to a wall apparently, and are generally unfussy about positioning.

And they look cool 🙂

Good on you, home audition them first if you can. The Q Acousics Concept 20 would work as bookshelfs at a push.

Cheers,

Steve